The Strawbury Duck, Entwistle

LOCKDOWN hasn’t prevented this favourite haunt of walkers and mountain bikers from keeping in touch with its customers.

For the Strawbury Duck, which is situated between two reservoirs, is running a ‘grab and go’ service every day offering a range of hot and cold snacks and beverages.

General manager Jason Bower has constructed a special kiosk at the rear of the pub to service bacon butties, chips and coffees from 10am to 4pm every day and it has already proved tremendously popular.

Although the pub itself is shut, you can also enjoy a click and collect Sunday roast which is available to pick up from noon to 7pm. Customers can pre-order their Sunday dinner any time during the week and arrange a time to pick it up.

“We are very proud of our Sunday roasts,” said Jason, “and offer a choice of beef, ham or lamb or a vegetarian option. Once people have ordered and told us when they are coming to pick it up, we will have it ready and waiting for them.”

A special lockdown offer allows you to have two Sunday roasts and a bottle of house wine to enjoy with it for £25.

“We have had people come and enjoy a coffee and a roll on a Sunday morning and arrange to pick up Sunday lunch at the end of the walk to take home with them,” said Jason.

“The pub may be closed but people can still get out and enjoy a walk and we want to get the message out there that we are open for hot drinks and snacks. We are not serving alcohol to take away this time apart from the bottle of wine with the Sunday dinners.

Jason is also still taking bookings for Christmas.

“We just hope we will be able to re-open in December and be able to welcome all our many regulars back into the pub,” he said.

“We have extremely limited availability for Christmas Day and certainly don’t want to let anyone down.”