How canalside Staffordshire pub with railway line outside bounced back from fire

Rob Andrews

22 June 2024 at 11:19 am·1-min read

A canalside pub with a steam railway outside has bounced back from a devastating fire. The fire broke out at The Black Lion, in Consall Forge, in September 2022, left the building unsafe, and led to its closure.

But long-serving landlord Jason Purcell set up an outside bar and even lived in a caravan to keep the venue going. Now The Black Lion is fully back open and has won the praise of Staffordshire Moorlands CAMRA.

Its chairman Steve Barton said: “The Black Lion has always been a personal favourite of mine and many of our local members who visit regularly. The standard of real ale and cider served there is as good as anywhere in the whole of the Moorlands area.

"It really is a great place to sit in the suntrap beer garden with a decent pint, watching narrowboats on the canal with a steam train passing by. But there is also a cosy welcome inside with log fires taking off the chill when the typical British weather is not at its best.

"It is one of the few pubs in the Moorlands that you can reach on foot, by road, cycle, boat or railway and is well worth seeking out. And all this on our very doorstep in the picturesque Consall Valley. I take my hat of to Jason for keeping everything going when all the cards were stacked against him. And now after the major refurb, everyone can enjoy a great pint in this great pub once again”.

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