Meet the landlady who transformed this town centre Warrington pub

Alison Canning took a huge risk, leaving her manageress job at a bakery in Widnes to run the Bulls Head pub on Church Street – what turned out to be only weeks before the government plunged the country into lockdown.

However, now on the other side of the pandemic and four years on, Alison’s pub is now a lively hub, home to three darts teams, bowling teams and a Monday ukulele club - to name a few.

 Speaking to the Warrington Guardian about the thriving business, having survived Covid and the struggles in between, Alison, 55, said: “When I first got the job it was a risk. I gave up my job and my home and everyone was saying ‘you're mad, don’t do it’.

Alison has been a landlady at the Bulls Head for the last four years (Image: Newsquest)
“I had been there three weeks before Covid hit, and the pub had to shut.

“We opened when it was allowed to only be outside, and I think a lot of what helped through that time was because we kept open when we could.

“We are one of the lucky ones, pubs are shutting every day, but we have regulars who come in and support us.”

Bringing fun to the drinks-only pub every night of the week, the bar lady detailed how there isn’t one day where the pub does not have something going on.

“We have three darts teams, a pool team, a ukulele club on a Monday night, a Dungeons and Dragon group who play here on a Wednesday night, as well as folk singers who perform on a Sunday.”

The pub is home to the oldest bowling green in Warrington (Image: Newsquest)
And the well-kept bowling green attached to the Bulls Head, the oldest in Warrington, is still thriving with three teams regularly playing on the green.

Hinting to how the job of landlady at the Bulls Head was somewhat of a full circle moment, Alison added: “My dad used to bring me here regularly for a Sunday dinner and he always used to come for a sing song. I was always the little girl with the pop and crisps sat in the corner.

“Since I have got here it has always felt right.”

And while the mum-of-two prides herself on the relationships she has built with the regulars who frequent the bar, her popularity is overshadowed by her two adorable dogs, Lilly the pug and Dotty the Puggle.

“The customers love Lilly and Dotty; they always go around the pub and say hi to everyone.”

Regulars at the pub dote on its fluffy residents, Lily and Dotty (Image: Newsquest)
Recently the popular pub was handed in error a low one-star food hygiene rating by the Food Standards Agency despite being a ‘wet pub’. However, the council reviewed this rating and changed this to a three-star.

Lastly, spilling the beans on what it takes to be a great landlady, Alison said: “I think nowadays to make a success of it, you have to be hands on.

“You have to get to know all your regular customers and you have to work hard.

“I am just lucky to have found a job that I love doing. It is good because you can help people as well. Customers come to us with problems, and we can be a listening ear.

“You have to care to be a landlady.”

The pub also has a unique bee mural on its wall as a recent addition (Image: Newsquest)
Alison has transformed the Bulls Head in recent years (Image: Newsquest)