The Hesketh in West Lancashire

Visited to celebrate a family birthday, which was absolutely perfect. Staff all super friendly. Great choice and great price. Recommended.

Very nice big pub plenty of parking space and beautiful area. Went on a Saturday afternoon by chance. Not too busy but meal for me and my better half great! Only gripe meal took 25 minutes to arrive but that's why only 4 stars

Just has a superb Sunday Lunch, as usual the food was excellent, the beef so tasty and tender and plenty of it , the Fruit crumble the best we have ever had in pub and a large portion that we shared ..Price very reasonable .Thoroughly enjoyed it .

First time to this lovely pub for lunch today, had the Korean chicken burger and the steak and marrow burger. They were both delicious and the service was excellent. Managed to fit in a couple of great desserts too. Highly recommend

Popped into this "olde worlde" pub on a Saturday night and it was packed with dinners and those just drinking and chatting. It had such a warm and friendly atmosphere. I brought my little puppy in and lots of people smiled and came over to stroke him. There is a great stone/flagged 'doggie' area and other carpeted areas for people who prefer not to sit near dogs. During the visit my dog had a 'small accident' and someone quickly came over to help - so friendly! I love this place, it's little 'nooks and crannies' with glowing fireplace and historic beams is a great. There are loads of cask ales to choose from as well as delicious food - but the best part is that no matter what day or time, there is always people in to chat to! LOVE THIS PLACE!

I have eaten here a couple of times recently. The food is very good. On this occasion I had a roast and the vegetables were splendid. The chef is really good at cooking veg. The rest of the dish was good too. I would have liked the beef to be a little pink but I wasn't given the option. While the food is good the service is poor to average from the front of house staff. I think they should be replaced by AI as soon as possible. Perhaps robots could be less rude and show should courtesy. It costs nothing to be nice so why be rude! I would only go back for the food. Bring on the robots.

Great service, food was great. Had the Sunday roasts and were amazing. Good value for money also. Speedy service and good quality food.

My husband and I had the most amazing meal last night at the Hesketh Arms in Rufford. The special starter of Sardines was very tasty and well presented, the tomato salad was outstanding using a variety of different coloured fresh tomatoes which really enhanced the dish. We both decided on steak for our main course my husband had the rib eye, and I had the fillet, they were both cooked to our preference of medium rare and they were both perfect and tasted beautiful, my husband had the special apple and cinnamon pie desert, and I had ice cream both delicious. The staff are always very professional, and nothing is too much trouble. We can highly recommend the Hesketh in Rufford and cannot wait to see you all again soon. The Johnson’s

Great service, lovely food, excellent all round - perfect start to our weekend which is why we keep coming back to The Hesketh! Fantastic service from Claire and Dan as ever

Enjoyed a lovely Sunday lunch today .. delicious veg, roast potatoes could have been crisper and the Yorkshire pudding smaller .. delicious gravy too ..

Great local dog friendly pub, the menu variety is plentiful, the food is good and staff are friendly, there’s a great selection on offer.

Absolutely amazing. We eat out regularly and can quite honestly say the whole experience at the Hesketh Arms in Rufford was just fantastic, polite greeting on arrival, drinks arrived quickly, menus quickly, order taken yes you guessed it, quickly, no rushing you tho. First course...

We booked in at the Hesketh Arms Rufford for Sunday lunch. Shown to our table by a pleasant young girl. Nice surroundings. Then we ordered a bottle of wine from the list, choosing Gavi de Gavi. We were kept waiting for a good 15 minutes....

Food was good and staff very friendly. All spoilt by the intrusive and ultimately aggressive drunk wandering around the beer garden bothering people. Shouldn’t have been served.

Nice pub but so cold, not much atmosphere. As we weren’t that hungry we all chose a starter and shared 2 buckets of chips, the pate was a bit bland, the fish goujons were ok and the prawns ok. Staff were friendly

Food and service was excellent I had steak n mushroom pie, my friend had the fish pie. Both meals were very good , beer nice too

My wife and I booked for the special Friday Lobster and Fizz night. We ordered the large lobster option and it was excellent value for money. Beautifully cooked and presented. This is our local pub and the service was great as always. Lovely to see...

Went to celebrate a relative’s 70th Birthday, food was amazing. I let them know about dietary requirements beforehand and I said again when we arrived. Food was absolutely spot on no issues exactly what we ordered. Everyone was delighted with their meals and cooked to...

Great menu and wonderful service. Thank you so much for a brilliant family meal. The play area is amazing!

I regularly choose to eat here with friends and family as I know that I can rely on the high standard of food and fantastic service. I recently attended the Lobster and Friends night and all four of us were so impressed with the quality...

We visited recently for a family meal and have to say we were all impressed with our visit! The service was brilliant from start to finish. Although fairly busy, we were greeted straight away with a lovely warm welcome. Our table was close to one...

A celebration meal with friends on the same night as the Christmas party night, what more could you ask for. Food was delicious, service was excellent and the band was the cherry on top.

We have visited the hesketh on many occasions, the food and the service are always excellent!we always recommend it to friends and family when they are looking for a cozy pub atmosphere with fabulous food and the Sunday roast is amazing!!!

What a great find. Well thought out modernised pub. Kept the best of both worlds, open plan with cosey nooks and open fires. Excellent food. Unusual in that they do both light bite food and also main restaurant meals. And all very reasonable. Staff were...

Roasties and mash where lovely. Vegetarian pie was a major let down when I cut it open I pulled out a load of cabbage, some mushrooms, some other type of vegetable. Chef has no imagination. Service was awful

Called here for a Lunch Stop. The staff here are always friendly and welcoming. The food is always excellent and today was no exception. Hubby had gammon which was cooked to perfection with not a bit of fat on. I had the Lamb Sunday Lunch.....

Lunchtime meeting for two friends; made all the better by the venue and the staff. Claire was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, with Laura looking after our table. Soup, sandwich and coffee done well

First time visit . Pub is really lovely , old worldy with plenary of space between tables . Lovely outside area/ beer garden too . We were seated right away and offered a menu and drinks order . The area we were in was beautifully...

My daughter booked this pub for my birthday for 9 of us at lunchtime. I had seen they had recently done a fabulous outdoor children’s area and suggested it for our 3 young grandchildren. The table we were seated at was getting extremely hot with...

Been here a few times now always welcoming had some lovely meals nothing too much trouble very relaxing don’t have to rush your meal because someone else is waiting for the table will be coming back soon.

It’s Saturday lunchtime and not very busy at all (I can see three tables occupied, each with a couple. Maybe a few elsewhere in this enormous pub which also offers outdoor seating. We order two sandwiches and I specify « no onions », which the order-taker notes...

Went here tonight with my Mum and Dad for my birthday. Great location in the heart of Rufford village with friendly and professional staff. Highly recommended! This pub has recently become dog-friendly, much to my dog Vinnie's delight as you can see!

We just have a lovely meal, nice pub with a great atmosphere and the staff were all friendly and attentive! The food was amazing, the halloumi starter was exceptionally cooked and tasty. We loved the crispy chicken special, big portion and very tasty. I had...

Had lovely beef roast dinner, everything nice and hot, husband had Sea Bass which Was excellent. Waitresses very friendly, helpful, nothing too much trouble. Be back again for the Sunday roast, well worth the money.

We have just visited the hesketh arms at 6pm tonight I would say it wasn’t very busy , for Sunday roast we where very disappointed, we ordered only main courses, it took 50 mins to arrive , for £14 it was very very small portions...

Outstanding meal, Slip Sole starter which was delicious followed by Hake wrapped in Parma Ham with asparagus and kohlrabi. And of course the staff are lovely too.

We visited yesterday for the first time under the pub’s new ownership and we were not disappointed. The staff were all really friendly, food was great - pleased to see some new additions to the menu. The kids were especially excited about the new marshmallow,...

Disappointed that this pub is not dog friendly. It's a large pub with flag floors so why a dog friendly area is not available is beyond me. When asked if it was dog friendly I was told only outside. Never mind I went and spent...

Went to the hesketh arms today had the roast very dissapointed as the potatoes were boiled not roast when i told the waitress she said ill tell the chef whell i dont no any chef who cant roast a potatoe 😣 very dissapointed would not...

Superb meal on Monday (steak) night. Perfectly cooked nicely presented and generously portioned rump steak and beautiful tuna steak - free glass of wine with each too! We’ve eaten numerous times here over several years and the food, service and welcome never disappoints. Highly recommended.

Comfortable warm pub, excellent food, superb lager, and a congenial chatty hostess (Susan). Faultless.

Out for an evening ride with my husband and having gone past various pubs we decided on eating at Hesketh Arms, Rufford. I ordered the Ploughman’s off the special board (thinking the price would indicate quality - thought a good bet). To say I was...

Had a lovely Sunday Roast here last week. Great pub for both food and drink, we visit often and are never disappointed, friendly and efficient staff and feels very safe with the Covid measures in place.

A visit to a pub that’s taking safe and clean to a whole new level. Staff who are friendly and welcoming Table service is spot on and the concept of by appointment only is reassuring No you can’t stand at the bar but you can...

Limited menu due to Covid-19 but what we did have was very good. The server was very polite and attentive & the Covid - 19 precautions, hand sanitiser, masks & social distancing were all adhered to, making us feel safe.

Visited for the first time and had dinner there. Ordered the meal at 6.40pm and finally got food on the table at 7.25pm. It was only steak and chips so nothing complicated. No one told us there would be such a long wait and had...

Despite the covid-19 precautions we were warmly welcomed and served by an efficient and extremely polite young woman, whose principal objective was to ensure that our every wish for food and beverages was met. Food was good, wholesome and good value.

We live close by and decided to make the most of the Dine out to help out currently running. Phoned and could only get a table for 8.30pm so we booked it. Arrived slightly early and was greeted by waitress with face mask who showed...

We have eaten at the Hesketh many times over the years. Always fantastic food with a good choice and reasonably priced. We visited last week for the first time since lockdown and we felt they have done a great job on implicating the social distancing...

Amazing pub, great atmosphere with very good and friendly staff 👍🏼 Would recommend if passing the area

We loved the really delicious chicken pie in this local pub. Exceptionally friendly staff and we were delighted to support them as they get back to normal working

Okay so this is my first review on Trip Advisor and I'm gonna tell it how it is! So been here a few times now,most recently late last year. Its decent,nice area with lots of walks available such as the canal about half a mile...

My wife and I had Sunday lunch at the Hesketh Arms last Sunday. The food was superb and presented very well. We had the mushrooms in sauce + garlic bread to start followed by chicken accompanied by well cooked veg and potatoes and then I...

This pub is great as it’s not dog friendly, which is perfect for us as a family as we have family members with asthma exacerbated by pet hair. We eat out often and it’s nice to have a go to pub that we know won’t...

We arrived on a lovely Saturday afternoon hoping to eat a delicious meal and enjoy a few well deserved drinks after walking down the beautiful nearby canal only to be politely told to leave! This was because the pub is not 'dog friendly'. We had...

Visited with 4 friends, food was good but portions were small, compared to what other places offer. Also marked down as this pub is local to Rufford canal and TWO narrowboat marina s but they dont allow dogs.

Brilliant. Ability to deal with a food allergy fantastic.... chef came out to speak with us. Great food, in particular the liver bacon and onions with gravy, that was awesome. Good choice menu and children’s meals. Very welcoming. Thanks.

Eaten here twice in recent weeks and both times had a lovely meal. First time was immediately before Christmas and we had the festive menu. Despite being really busy, the food was delicious and hot. Went again with friends last night and again the food...

We regularly eat here and love the freshness of the food. It’s fab quality and the chef will change things if required. I’m currently doing dry January and there is a great choice of AF drinks such as gins and beer. Great pub/restaurant

We have been here many times and never had a bad meal. The staff are friendly and hard working. Definitely a gem. I love the atmosphere which is welcoming and relaxing. Long may it reign.

Been to Hesketh many times went with friends Christmas Eve the pub and dining area was very busy we we’re seated promptly the staff were excellent the food was excellent couldn’t fault anything we’ll done to you all merry Christmas

Have been many times to the Hesketh and have never had a poor meal ! Met some friends here for late lunch on Sunday and as usual excellent choice including Sunday roasts still available at 4.30 pm .Service is friendly and efficient and good prices...

Food delicious! Hot, tasty and well presented. Can’t really ask for more than that.Prices always reasonable

Thoroughly disappointed. Called for lunch Monday 1300 hrs. The pub is vast inside but very few diners. Most disappointing was the menu with just 5 main course options or sandwiches. We did not bother to order and went elsewhere

Having driven past many times we thought we would try it for dinner lured in by 3 courses for under £15. We were welcomed by friendly staff and it was nice to see the bar being propped up by locals. We were shown into a...

Evening meal for two. Busy local pub, excellent friendly service.Food hot and varied menu. Steak pie was not home made but tasty .Haddock starter was very small for the amount it cost two slices of tomatoe with soggy bread middle and tiny piece of fish...

Very impressed with the delicious food in this large pub, with friendly staff, and good service. Very busy, even in a Wednesday night. Accommodated the wishes of our small boys, and brought their food quickly. Pies come highly recommended, and all the desserts were fab!...

Moored up for 2 nights at Rufford and as always went over to the Hesketh Arms. Great pub and great simple food. One or two other canal side eateries should take note. Keep it clean, keep it simple and keep it relevant. Unlike the Ship...

came here yesterday with my friend Wow lunch was superb, I had the club sandwich with cayenne fries and salad on granary bread and my friend Jackie had the mozzarella and pesto sandwich which she said was delicious, we both had desserts, I went for...

We walked with our dog for drinks and a meal, we're here for 3 nights on our boat, and TOLD no dogs. We replied cheerio,no sign outside or inside, and not quietly done, just there's a dog and you must leave. Your loss and my...

I have been eating here for years so it upsets me to have to write this. We were here for Sunday lunch and it wasn't busy. My friend had the roast dinner but the potatoes were too hard to eat. As for mine, I had...

Called in today for Sunday lunch and have to say we weren't disappointed. On entry it was lovely and clean, we were then seated on a flat surface area due to 2 of us with crutches and a walking sticks. The food was as lovely...

Went for lunch as we were on our way to visit Rufford hall.The pub was very welcoming ,clean .My husband has recently been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance so eating out is a bit more challenging.We were a bit disappointed as we order drinks no...

We popped in here mid-week for Lunch. It was quiet but that didn't deter us. Plenty of seating in and outside and a large carpark to boot. Service was polite and friendly. We chose Steak Sandwich with chips. It was delish. French Fries perfect as...

Well looked after, waitress spotted than my 90 year old mother in law was not too mobile, and found us a table without having to climb steps. Food well portioned and hot. Excellent value for money.

After a lovely day at Rufford Old Hall after an Easter egg hunt. The next stop was for some food and a nappy change. As soon as we got in Nikki was an amazing host. Customer service from this lady was second to none. Not...

We were planning a route for the West Lancashire Footpath Group - yes, we do have some secuar interests even if many of our reviews are after church related trips! The weather was just right for a preliminary check on one section that looked right...

We had my grandads wake here and approximately 50 guests. Lovely staff and buffet was fantastic. Toilets were clean and we were all served relatively quickly. If we are in the area again we will definitely come back for some food. Thanks again The Davie...

We always have the battered fish and chips and the quality is consistently excellent. God selection of beers. Staff very pleasant and helpful, will keep going,

Spent a nice couple hours over a tasty lunch with the wife. Nice setting and decor inside with roaring open fires, beamed cellings and a good choice of drinks and food, very comfortable and cosy. Lovely food, friendly staff will definitely call again. Surprisingly busy...

14 of us celebrated a friends birthday on a busy Saturday Night at The Hesketh Arms, all food pre-ordered a week before. We arrived and had a separate area for the gathering, private enough to hear everybody but still within the bustle of the pub....

Well kept village pub, friendly, a good choice of ales and open fires. Lunch menu varied and very reasonably priced with most mains under seven pounds. Service was very good and the food was tasty and well presented. Pity they don't appear to be dog...

Called in for a midweek lunch. We were greeted in a warm friendly manner by the bar staff. The menu choice was extensive and the service was fairly quick. The portion size was generous and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. The surrondings were cosy...

Had a lovely lunch here. I had gammon with new potatoes and seasonal veg. It came with a perfectly cooked egg. Gammon was well cooked too. Partner had fish and chips with mushy peas. He said Chips were home made and the fish was crisp...

This pub sits at centre of the village and continues to grow in popularity The food is very well prepared and served The staff really do care and treat customers as “locals” The real ales deliver quality and variety at great prices They just need...

Went here today with my Mum and it was a great experience! Very cosy pub with lovely food, great drinks and friendly and professional staff. I had the scampi with chunky chips, garden peas and tartare sauce and it was lovely :)

Met up with the family here for a Christmas catch up, there were 5 of us, but was very disappointed firstly only 2 of the party wanted starters, they ordered the pate which did not need cooking as it came with just bread and not...

7 of us went for Sunday lunch and I can seriously say it was fantastic . I personally had the best starter I have ever tasted in a pub . The black pudding is a must . Followed by the venison cottage pie which was...

This was probably the best McDonald's I've been to. fast drive through and quick table service. As it was in Southport we went to the cinema after. very good.

You see, we went in one day and we had our food cooked by this guy called Michael Croft. The thing is, it was bloody brilliant. would defo recomemd this place. amazing 10/10

This is a great place to meet friends for lunch for a weekday quality bargain lunch. Sunday's and evenings are more expensive yet they do a good Sunday lunch. The service is good, though busy at weekends, when families get together. Book a table so...

My wife, friends and I visited the Hesketh Arms on Sunday 28th October for dinner. On arrival (as is so often the case these days) there was a small cabal of young staff chatting and checking out their mobile phones. Once they came to the...

As always here the food is excellent the service is great and prices are reasonable. What more would you want?

A lovely setting, excellent food. Service was speedy and the staff cheerful. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

We eat lunch out a lot as a family (Mum, Dad and 3 teenage children) and I was very impressed with our 1st visit to the Hesketh Arms last Sunday. I was surprised at how quiet it was but our experience was excellent. I ordered...

Used to eat here on Sunday's a lot but hadn't been for a while. We popped in yesterday and ordered the Sunday roast but almost everything was inedible, and the microwave was clearly a large part of the kitchen. Potatoes were bland white and rock...

We were here around a month ago for a birthday lunch. It was very busy this time and we were told we would have a 25 minute wait for food. Needless to say we took a table and after our orders were placed our meals...

Popped in here around 2.15pm hoping to get a late lunch food stopped serving at 2.30 so good timing, I was a little apprehensive at first as the menus aren't the best quality to look at and prices were very cheap compared to other pubs...

Visited with our friends, it is their local. Lots of guest beers , good atmosphere. Prices OK. Their is also a restaurant but we did not eat .

Been here a few times, never disappoints. We visited with my husbands brother for his birthday. We all chose the fish and chips with tartare sauce and mushy peas. The fish was delicious, light crispy batter, good portions but not over facing.