Pub of the week: The Winterburn, Warley
It was heartening to read that one of Calderdale’s most scenic pubs had been rescued after almost a year of being boarded up, and undergone renovation by a keen couple. All too many pubs up and down the country have shut their doors for good, so the re-emergence of the Winterburn, high on a hill above Halifax was welcome news.
Siobahn Beaumont and her partner Lee Shaw picked up the keys in August 2024 and opened up nine weeks later, having worked their socks off to spruce the place up, design a menu and put pictures on the walls. The last time I went was ten years ago, and I recall it being a bit scrappy – sticky carpets/artex/battered brown moquette furniture – and the makeover’s changed not just the look but the feel of the place. It’s got handsome bones, and they’ve made the best of them: the striking panelling, comfortable padded banquettes and burnished wood floor in the lofty dining area with those extraordinary views over the Calder Valley and beyond – you’re 750 feet up here and the vista really is jaw-dropping. There’s an attractive decked patio at the side, and seats out front – I can’t think of a better place to take a pint and a sarnie on a good day.
On the taps you’ll find Bradfield Brewery Farmers Blonde, Tim Taylor Landlord and their bespoke Thwaites Old Warley, there’s a number of Whitley Neill gins and a decent wine list: half a dozen reds and whites, most of them by the glass, and a couple of roses. The menu’s been remodelled too – and if the Sunday roasts coming out of the kitchen are anything to go by they’re going to build a reputation for good food pretty quickly.
The regular menu features the likes of chicken liver and brandy pate, spiced onion bhaji, homemade steak & ale pie (with a proper crust) Cumberland sausage and fish & chips, whilst desserts include apple crumble and ‘cheesecake of the week’. Sandwiches with hand cut chips are available daily 12 til 4, there’s a kids menu and a weekly quiz which apparently is gaining popularity – and the pub is dog-friendly.
The Winterburn, Winterburn Hill, Warley, Halifax HX2 7SQ