Lock & Quay Chorley

The Lock & Quay is a traditional, food-led public house set in a highly attractive location on the edge of Chorley, directly alongside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

The Lock & Quay is a traditional, food-led public house set in a highly attractive location on the edge of Chorley, directly alongside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. This waterside position makes it a popular stop for walkers, cyclists, and passing canal boats, while its placement within a residential area and strong roadside visibility provide a reliable local customer base. Inside, the pub offers a warm and welcoming trading environment. The main bar and lounge feature a flexible mix of loose and fixed seating, allowing the space to be easily reconfigured for group bookings, events, or dining. A raised area with seating for around 30 covers provides further flexibility and is ideal for private functions, celebrations, or quieter dining. To the left, a comfortable lounge area with a gas stove creates a cosy, homely feel, enhanced by exposed brickwork and characterful period windows. The large bar runs along the back wall, offering bar seating, while the opposite side provides space for lounge seating and a pool table, supporting wet-led trade and social play. The premises licence allows for live music, which has proven popular with the local community in the past and presents a great opportunity to reintroduce entertainment-led evenings. Outside, a charming cobbled drinking area with benches at the front of the pub is a real draw, beautifully finished with hanging baskets and offering an inviting place to relax and enjoy drinks in warmer months. With its canal-side setting, strong local catchment, flexible layout, and attractive entry terms, The Lock & Quay is a fantastic opportunity to run a pub near Chorley with both food-led and community appeal — ideal for an operator looking to build a welcoming, destination local with year-round trade. Key Features • Traditional food-led pub with a cosy atmosphere • Live music provision • Sports and games, popular with the local community • Three bedroom private accommodation ideal for a family • Discounts of up £220 per barrel with an average of £180 per barrel Business & Financial Information • Estimated ingoings (upfront): £5,670 • Full deposit: £4,875 • Agreement fee: £795 • Guide rent (weekly): £375 • Guide rent (annual): £19,500 • Forecast turnover (weekly): £382,634 • Forecast turnover (annual): £382,634 Ideal Operator Stonegate Pub Partners is seeking an experienced, commercially minded publican who understands how to market a pub effectively and maximise passing trade. The ideal operator will be confident in promoting the business to both local residents and visitors, using the pub’s canal-side location, strong roadside visibility, and nearby tourist attractions to drive footfall. You’ll be proactive, creative, and comfortable using local marketing, social media, events, and promotions to build awareness and keep the pub front of mind. Experience running a food-led or community pub will be a strong advantage, as will the ability to balance consistent local trade with destination visits from walkers, tourists, and day-trippers. For the right person, this is a fantastic opportunity to run a pub in Chorley with strong foundations and clear growth potential, supported by Stonegate Pub Partners. Private Accommodation The property benefits from a good-sized private accommodation on the first floor, comprising a kitchen, lounge, three bedrooms, office and a bathroom. Regional Manager's Thoughts The Lock & Quay is a fantastic community pub that has long been enjoyed by both local residents and those travelling to and through the area. Chorley is a charming market town, offering strong local amenities and a real sense of character, which continues to support consistent pub trade. Historically, the business has performed well as a wet-led pub with a quality food offer, receiving excellent customer feedback. Going forward, the pub should remain a focal point for the local community — welcoming families, supporting social occasions, and delivering a high standard of service. We’re looking for a commercially aware publican with experience running a similar style of pub, who understands how to market the business effectively and build on both local loyalty and passing trade. For the right operator, this is a great opportunity to run a successful pub in Chorley with strong foundations and clear potential for future growth. Surrounding Area The Lock & Quay enjoys a highly desirable position alongside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, one of the region’s most popular leisure routes, attracting a steady flow of walkers, cyclists, dog owners, and narrowboat users throughout the year. Just a short walk along the canal towpath is Botany Bay, one of Chorley’s best-known tourist attractions, drawing significant visitor numbers at weekends and during peak holiday periods — creating valuable destination footfall for the pub. The surrounding area is predominantly residential, with a high proportion of owner-occupied housing, providing a stable and loyal local customer base with good disposable income. The pub also benefits from strong roadside visibility, capturing passing trade from commuters and residents travelling into and out of Chorley. Chorley itself is a well-established market town in Lancashire, historically thriving due to its central location between neighbouring towns and cities. The town benefits from excellent transport links, with the A6 running directly through Chorley, and the M61 and M6 motorways providing fast access to Preston, Wigan, Bolton, Manchester, and the wider North West. This connectivity supports both local trade and visitor traffic. With its combination of canal-side leisure footfall, nearby tourist attractions, strong residential catchment, and excellent road links, the area provides an ideal setting to run a pub in Chorley. The Lock & Quay is perfectly placed to attract locals, tourists, walkers, and destination diners, offering consistent year-round trade and strong growth potential for the right operator.