Farmer's Arms Pub/Benny's

The Farmer's Arms in Bury is the sort of proper old pub where you half expect to find sawdust on the floor and a dog asleep by the fire. Known locally as Benny's, it's one of those Lancashire watering holes that's been around long enough to have absorbed the character of a hundred different generations of drinkers. The building itself carries real age - creaky floorboards, low beams, the works.

This is very much a local's pub rather than a tourist attraction, which is precisely why it's worth seeking out. If you're interested in how ordinary folk actually socialised in working-class Lancashire, or you just want a pint in somewhere genuine, it delivers. The atmosphere is proper lived-in. You'll find regulars who've been coming here for decades, and that's either exactly what you're after or it isn't.

Coming here makes sense if you're staying at Burrs Country Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite just down the road - it's only 2.2 miles away and gives you an evening out with actual character rather than a themed gastropub. Allow an hour or so if you're planning to linger over a drink and a chat. Families with older kids will be fine; younger ones might find it a bit dull. It's free to walk in, though you'll want to buy a drink to justify taking up space. Winter weekends tend to draw more of a crowd, which creates a better atmosphere than a quiet Tuesday afternoon.