A Preston woman who has travelled 90,000 miles to visit every Red Lion pub in Britain has paid a visit to a new Red Lion closer to home – at The Blackpool Tower.
Cathy Price, 59, from Walton-le-Dale, spent four years on her journey and has visited 656 Red Lions.
And now The Blackpool Tower has opened the latest family-friendly “Red Lion” inside the iconic landmark – and have even named a guest cask ale after Cathy, called The Red Lioness.
The Blackpool Tower’s Red Lion, found on the ground floor next to The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, is open daily from 10am. The newly refurbished Victorian tavern is decorated like a traditional pub of the era including period themed bar staff, beer tankards and wall decorations.
Locally brewed ale will be served on draft with a different beer available each month.
Cathy said: “It’s fantastic news that The Blackpool Tower has opened a Red Lion pub. It is great to have one so close to home.
“And to have a beer named after me too is just amazing! This is a first! I’ll be telling all my friends that they need to swing by and have a drink here.
“We’re in short supply of great pubs to visit in the UK so it’s fantastic for The Blackpool Tower to be joining the cause.”
Cathy added that she was named Beer Drinker of The Year in 2016 by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group in recognition of the number of Red Lions she has visited.
She said: “After I finished visiting all the Red Lions, I even received a letter from David Cameron congratulating me on raising the profile of the importance of the British pub.
“When I set off in 2011 there were 720 Red Lions but when I finished there were 656 and more have closed since.
“Around 100 Red Lions have closed and on average 25 pubs a week close in Britain at the moment, which is really sad. They are so important.
“So it’s really good news to see a new one is opening in a traditional way. There is a lot of history of Red Lions.
“They’re very important to British history and were used mainly as coaching houses while many major roads, villages and towns were being built.”
Pub-goer Cathy is a personal trainer and also an author of a book called ‘The Red Lioness: One Woman. Four Years. 90,000 Miles. 650 Pubs Plus’ – a book she wrote about her incredible travels.
She added: “A beer every now and again is good for you. You can have a drink and enjoy yourself as long as you get exercise and eat healthy, it’s a balance.
“Beer is a very natural drink because it is made from pure water, unlike many alcoholic drinks available.”
Kenny Mew, General Manager at The Blackpool Tower, said: “There used to be a Red Lion in The Blackpool Tower many years ago and we decided to bring it back, because they are so important to British heritage.
“It is family friendly and somewhere to relax while enjoying our seven attractions, The Blackpool Tower Eye, Ballroom, Circus, Dungeon, Jungle Jim’s and brand new Dino Golf.
“Cathy has been our guest of honour and we are thrilled to name our new craft ale after a local lady who has been on an incredible journey.
“It’s an amazing achievement to have visited 656 Red Lions and we’re very proud to be opening a new Red Lion for everyone to come and enjoy.”
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For further information please contact Chris Bradley at Influential, The Blackpool Tower’s PR agency, on: 07766253557/01512395000, email: bradley@thisisinfluential.com