The Poachers is a pleasant and very friendly pub with rapidly growing reputation for good quality, fresh home-made food. Formerly known as the Masonic Arms it has been created by merging half a dozen terraced cottages. Occupying a corner site it is solidly built from local stone and blends well with its surroundings. Well known for its window boxes and hanging baskets, The Poachers has won the “Bollington in Bloom” awards three times. It is situated at the very edge of the village, at the foot of Blaze Hill, a hundred yards from the Peak District National Park. Both the Gritstone Trail and the Middlewood Way pass nearby.
The pub manages to combine the interests of diverse groups in a way which defeats modern designers. Advance booking is recommended. In the centre, diner and drinkers mix affably around the bar. By the door, the comfortable lounge chairs and open fire provide a warm, relaxing and surprisingly quiet niche where you can stare into the fire while enjoying a pint of real ale. To the rear can be found a large secluded beer garden for those rare summer days and evenings.