Less than half an hour from Liverpool, the town attracts “more Scouse accents” thanks to its stunning scenery and array of cafes, bars and restaurants.
Located north of Ormskirk, Burscough lies along the West Lancs section of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and is becoming a popular spot for yachtsmen, cyclists and dog walkers who are charmed by its quaint character.
Like many country towns, Burscough boasts old-world architecture and traditional pubs, but it’s also embracing the new, with trendy craft beer establishments and quirky cafes popping up.
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The most beautiful way to enter Burscough is via the canal where a colorful parade of boats line the waterway. Here, ducklings paddle their first shots while anglers sit back hoping for a catch.
Heading into town on this route takes you to Burscough Wharf, a picturesque cluster of historic buildings that is home to a bustling hub of independent businesses.
These include Hugo’s, a family café bar offering brunch, lunch, coffee and drinks. Originally from Liverpool, owner James Smith continues his family’s catering legacy, which includes the former Bramley’s Cafe on Tarleton Street and the now closed Café 53 on Bold Street.
James shared: “We started building this place during lockdown and our first month of opening was ‘Eat to Help’ – which was just crazy, but also a really good learning curve. And we’ve been the breakfast and brunch spot in the area ever since .
“Right now, we’re doing brunch and lunch consistently, seven days a week. We’re doing small plates depending on the weather. We’re tossing between small plates and grilling at the minute.”
“Evening business is something we’re looking at. At the moment we’re only open during the day apart from Friday and Saturday nights when we’re open late. We got a late license and the plan was always to do food at night – bar snacks, tapas, small plates.”
He added: “We’re very dependent on the weather here. We get a lot of dog walkers, cyclists and people from the canal. There’s also a lot of regulars, a lot of locals – all good, honest people.”
“There’s actually quite a lot of Scousers here, especially with the new houses. So more Scouse accents are coming into Burscough, which is great.”
Just a stone’s throw from Hugo’s, craft beer lovers will be delighted to discover The Thirsty Duck across the courtyard at the Wharf.
Boasting an extensive selection of beers from around the UK and the world, as well as wines and spirits, this establishment opened its doors in 2020 and has quickly become a favorite with ‘locals’ and visitors alike.
Manager Jay Davies said: “This place is designed more for craft and international beers such as Belgian and German.
“A lot of the breweries we use are based in the area and we’re well connected in Bristol, so there’s plenty from down under. Whatever customers recommend, we’ll look at it.”
“There are a lot of locals but also people from the area who hear about us by word of mouth. It’s a really nice area. The people around are nice and everyone is really friendly. 99% of the time it’s just a great atmosphere.”
What would a country town in Lancashire be without a quality bakery?
Luckily for Burscough, they have The Lancashire Bread House Bakery on Liverpool Road North, which offers a variety of pies, cakes and other baked goods.
Debbie Hilton, who has run the business for ten years, said: “We were in the Wharf for about two years before we moved here. We’ve been in this location for about eight years now.”
“We do fresh cream cakes and your more traditional stuff like gingerbread, brownies, rocky paths, chocolate fudge. And we also have pies, sausages, hot and cold sandwiches, salad boxes.
“Except for a very small number of things, we make everything in-house.
Even though it’s June, that hasn’t stopped Debbie from selling a certain Christmas treat all year long. She revealed: “We still sell mince pies. If we stop them we will get complaints, but personally I would stop them.”
A little further, but technically still within Burscough, is The Farm on Martin Lane. As the name suggests, it’s a farm, but it also boasts a farm shop, tea room, bed and breakfast and campsite.
The farm, which has been open for 16 years, even includes retail units to house independent small businesses. Owner Catherine Grice believes these businesses “do well” with what they offer on the farm.
Speaking to the ECHO, Catherine said: “I grew up in the house across the road. It’s a family business and we’re all on the family site.
“We are moving the business forward little by little. We now have outdoor seating and there is a pod and a shepherd’s hut in the camp.”
“We try to use local produce, we make a lot of the ready meals and things ourselves. We do our own baking and we make a lot of the products that are served in the tea room.”
“We also do farmers markets, so we try to use a lot of suppliers from the markets within the shop and the tea room.”
She added: “We’re right next to Martin Mere Reserve, so lots of people come here for walks and wildlife. We’re very accessible to lots of places – we’re on hand for Liverpool and Southport; we’re always full for the Grand National, always full for the Southport fireworks – in there’s a lot going on in the area.”