Bolton's Doffcocker Inn, a historic pub on Chorley Old Road, has been shortlisted for two awards recognising its role at the heart of the local community. The pub is in contention for Best Pub of the Year and Heart of the Community at the Joseph Holt Pub Awards 2026, with the winners announced later this year.
A pub with a unique calendar design
The Doffcocker dates back to 1901, though records suggest a pub has stood on the site since as early as 1818. It is thought to be the only pub in the world with its distinct name, and its layout is equally unusual.
Landlady Grainne Bradford, who runs the pub with husband John, says the building was designed as a 'calendar' pub. It has 365 panes of glass, one for each day of the year, and 52 doors representing the weeks. There are 28 rooms for each day in a four-week month, 12 rooms in the cellar for each month, and seven bedrooms for each day of the month. The building also has four floors, one for each season. This design came about when the pub was rebuilt in 1901, though no one knows why.
Weekly events and community spirit
Each week the pub hosts a lively line-up of events, including stand-up bingo, speed quizzes, live music, and more unusual offerings such as mind-reading, magic and clairvoyant evenings. The pub also recently underwent a £300k transformation.
Grainne, who first got into the pub industry in 2003 after helping at the Silver Birch in Wythenshawe, said the community is like one big family. She recalled a charity bungee-jumping event in the car park, where an elderly blind customer insisted on taking part to raise money for a sight-loss charity. She also noted that customers rallied round when she was unwell and in hospital.
Ghostly tales and local fame
The pub has its share of folk tales and supposed hauntings. Bar staff have reported glasses shattering in their hands, and a table was once flung across the function room during a 'ghost hunt' held after hours. One customer felt what seemed like a small child tugging at their leg when no one was there.
Songwriter and musician Howard Broadbent plays the piano at the Doffcocker every Tuesday. He co-wrote the Northern anthem The Blackpool Belle, made popular by The Houghton Weavers. The pub's best-selling drinks are Joseph Holt lager and bitter, by a long mile.
