The Continental

I’d popped into The Continental once for a drink and left with the distinct feeling that it was an eating pub more than a drinking pub. With this in mind, we chose it as the destination for a meal to celebrate my sister’s birthday.
Staff were really on the ball, although this was to the point of bombarding us with information about the specials, what they were out of, etc in such quick succession that we were left reeling. Our waiter dealt with our confused, rambling drinks order without batting an eyelid.
The food menu was pretty exciting and our plan of attack was to share three starters and a bread basket between four of us, then get a main each and all try each other’s.
For starters we chose the pulled pork and paprika potato cake, smoked salmon gravadlax, and spiced lamb terrine. Everything tasted excellent and the presentation really elevated the meal into something special.
For a main course I did the unthinkable — for me — and ordered a salad. A steak salad, admittedly. This felt very much like the Atkins diet option as it was a huge amount of steak over dressed leaves with peppers, tomatoes etc. It was very delicious and oddly very filling despite the lack of carbs. Others chose pork belly, pork loin, and pork and apple sauce sandwich. A very pork heavy meal in general!
We swerved desserts as we were stuffed. Throughout the meal I enjoyed a latte, a Marble brewery pilsner, and a Sour Suzy Berliner — all delicious.
The price was very reasonable for what we had. A little pricier than your average pub lunch but worth the little extra, especially for a special occasion.

The Continental has an unrivalled location by the River Ribble, a 15 min walk from the city centre.
A gastro pub offering a wide selection of real ales and beers as well as a diverse range of entertainment from live music to literature competitions.
We mainly visit The Continental to enjoy a relaxing drink but the food is of a high standard although quite expensive.
The Continental hosts 2 beer festivals every year-​in May and October and both festivals are extremely busy-​in the last few years, the May festival experience has become less enjoyable due to the unbelievably busy crowds and long queues.
Unless you arrive before 7 pm expect to queue for around 30 mins just to get your beer tokens, glass and programmes. Then take your chances in the main beer hall as the crowds shove each other around to get their long awaited beer! The main bar isn’t much better as non-​ale drinkers try their luck there. The toilet queue winds it’s way into the main bar area as you wait 10 mins to get in –and that’s just the men’s wash rooms!
However in an attempt to offset the delays the organisers have introduced a second tent with a more limited range of beers but less queues.
There is however en excellent work around!-if you can arrive in the afternoon however you can avoid the chaos and enjoy what is certainly one of the best ale festivals in the area; running from Thursday to Sunday up to 100 ales are available from a wide range of international breweries including interesting micro breweries as well as from the larger favourite breweries such as Thwaites. There is also a good selection of ciders, perrys and Belgian beers.
The outdoor food options include burgers, hot dogs, jacket potatoes as well as an excellent hog roast.
There is live entertainment throughout the festival and on a warm May evening sat outside, even sat on the large grassed areas if you can’t get a seat!, you will find it an amazing experience-​just make sure you get there early, have your choice of favourite ales, then slow the pace down when the crowds arrive later on!
An alternative would be to just come down on a summer’s evening when the festival is not on-​although be prepared for it still to be very busy!
An excellent pub in a great location but less attractive during the winter months if walking from the city centre-​just too far out-​perhaps the management could look at introducing a shuttle service between the city centre and the pub for a reasonable fee.
Other than that the owners also run The Ferret which is closer to the city centre and worth a visit.
There is talk of the owners opening a new Gin palace venue opening on Friargate-​hopefully this will go ahead then Preston’s pub and bar options really will start to look more of an attractive proposition befitting of a large city!

So this is my local pub and has an unrivalled selection of ales and beers, a non stop cultural programme from plays to poetry readings through to live bands and vintage fairs. When the sun is out their is no other place you want to be. The beer garden is excellent. and busy for that reason! Being on the Guild Wheel (a 21 mile cycle track round Preston) and on the river next to Avenham and Miller Parks means it’s in a prime location yet still walkable through the park to the city centre. It’s often our first stop before head into town.
However this has to be one of the most disorganised establishments I have ever been in, apart from events like the well attended beer festivals and cultural programme. Eating here, getting a drink or sorting anything else is very hit and miss and completely at the mercy of whoever is working. I’ve had Christmas do’s here, been to parties and just popped by on a Friday afternoon or an evening in the week.. No matter when people are running round like headless chickens and their is hardly ever enough staff on the bar.
The food is pretty standard pub grub. don’t expect to be bowled over but it’s fuel for the fire if you’re nearby and better than a lot of other local pubs.
The owners have now taken over The Ferret on Fylde Road and The Moor Brook on North Road. Both will be a fantastic success if they get the Continentals gold touch. What is on offer is second to none in Preston for a great pub but they need to step it up to earn my 5 stars. get organised!

I had my first experience of the Conti as a gig venue on Saturday night. Not being a local, I had never heard of the place before (having only visited Preston itself a few times and those being gigs at the Mad Ferrit and the Student Union).
My first impression is that parking is a wee bit of a nightmare and it’s a little out of town. That being said, having seen a sample of the other options in Preston — it seems to be worth a bit of a walk.
1) It was Busy! In this day and age (with pubs being on the decline), it was fantastic to see a place so vibey and buzzing. The bar area was busy, the restaurant was nearly full and people were sitting outside under the heaters.
2) Very reasonably priced! We stuck to the Conti Home-​brew (at a very passable £2.60 a pint), but a vodka and coke was around £2.70 and it hosts and enviable selection of beers, wines and spirits. The Import lagers are more pricey, but that is to be expected as they’re a specialist drink.
3) The crowd was lovely! There was a mix of people in the bar due to the gig, but nearly everyone was chatting to each other and having a joke. I didn’t feel like an outsider at all and had a wonderful experience shooting the breeze with many of the locals.
The pub itself was clean and well presented and the gig space was perfect for a crowd of around 200 people (with mixed seating and standing). The sound was dead good for the bands and the space really lent itself to hosting small to medium sized events. I didn’t have any food, but it looked and smelled very nice indeed.
If I had a local like this, I think it would be a bit of a staple venue. Good job Conti!

A good clean pub that is always coming up with fresh ideas to entertain.

Quite liked the pub. The food is fine, the beer variety is wide, though our last customer service experience has ruined the overall one. We’ve been ignored by the staff for like 20min while waiting to get at least a menu. And no luck. People around us were served all the time but our turn never came. So yeah, we avoid this pub now.

Refreshingly different.

Agree with all of the above. But also has the best real ale in Preston.

Love this pub. Great atmosphere, lovely décor and fantastic food! Staff all friendly and nice beer garden for a summers day. Lovely!

I can’t believe how much the pub has changed since I last visited the pub many years ago. It has been given a proper refurbishment, the furniture, décor etc. wow! it looks proper trendy. The bar staff were very nice & friendly, dressed smartly in black and the service was very good.
It is now a proper family orientated pub, good food menu, decent beer garden & play area in the back of the pub, and the pub is located right near Avenham Park and the railway station.
The toilets were very clean with fancy liquid soaps near the sink area.
If I wanted a change of scenery and wanted something different on a day out, this is a pub well worth visiting!

I’ve now been here three times. Every time I go, the more I like it. The restaurant/​pub is by the river and, in the summer, has a magnificent outdoor eating area. The place is tucked away so that you don’t realize you are in Preston.
The food is quite good. The belly pork is some of the finest I’ve had. Fish and chips are fine. Nice selection of beer. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere quite pleasant.

This is by far the best pub in Preston for a number of reasons, namely strawberry beer, the wine list, arts & music events, the snug (and its décor), the food. I would say the riverside location, that may be stretching the imagination slightly as it’s only the Ribble. Brilliant place, if I could live there I would!