THIS is a pub steeped in history – being first licensed in 1544 to brew ale and beer and sell cooked game – and it is now a cosy modern country pub with plaques on the wall to remind guests of times gone by.

It is quite a big inn, and although busy, we had plenty of space in the dining room and the bar staff were attentive.

The menu was vast and full of hearty food perfect for a cold winter’s evening – good pub grub with plenty of traditional options such as steak pie, Lancashire hot pot and burgers, but also dishes like Thai green curry and chicken piri-piri.

There were so many choices I could have made but I settled on risotto, which came with beautifully-cooked salmon on the top and prawns throughout.

It was a gorgeous meal and extremely plentiful – I was surprised at how many prawns there were. Vegetables were also served in a side dish.

My partner went for the lamb which he described as amazing. “It was cooked absolutely perfectly, i.e. pink in the middle, the veg was tasty and complimented the meat really well,” he said.

The inn prides itself on home-made local food and it was obvious that they have perfected this. Other diners in our party were all equally impressed with their meals, ranging from sausages and mash and smaller dishes such as jacket potato with prawns and chicken in a basket.  There was also plenty of choice for vegetarians.

The Hest Bank Inn was somewhere we had passed on many an occasion and noticed for its charm, and we were so glad we finally tried it out.

The staff were friendly, though a little slow with our drinks order, the food was wholesome, tasty and a little bit different, and the atmosphere was great– it was quite busy and certainly had a buzz to it.

The total cost for two people was £22.90, for two mains (excluding drinks.)