Pub serves up a top food award

Rose of Lancaster managers Anthony Walton and Angela Kilduff picked up their award from Christopher Lees-Jones (right), JW Lees’ vice-chairman

THE Rose of Lancaster is living up to its reputation as one of the best pubs serving food in the borough.

Managers Anthony Walton and Angela Kilduff have scooped the JW Lees catering pub of the year award.

The retail director of the family-owned brewery, Chris Connolly, led an undercover team of tasters around 25 of the firm’s 32 managed pubs which serve food.

And they gave a resounding thumbs up to the grub served by the Rose of Lancaster in Chadderton.

Chris said of the annual awards: “It’s a good way of boosting morale. It sparks friendly competitiveness between the pubs, and it’s nice for managers to be appreciated and recognised for their achievements.”

Anthony and Angela have been at the Rose of Lancaster for two years, and Anthony said: “We are really pleased both for the pub and the staff.”

The experienced pub and hotel managers came to Chadderton from Carlisle because they wanted to work for a family firm.

“We had a number of job offers but chose the Rose of Lancaster because JW Lees is a small, caring, family-owned company, and we knew we wouldn’t be just a number,” said Anthony.

Their eldest daughter, Danielle, works part-time at the pub, and Anthony is trying to steer their youngest, 14-year-old Nicole, into the pub trade, but laughed: “She’s a bit young yet.”