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INSIDE THE PUB YOU'LL FIND AN OLD NARROWBOAT REPURPOSED TO BECOME THE BAR, WHILE OUTSIDE YOU CAN SOAK UP THE SUN NEXT TO THE CANAL 19:24, 20 May 2025Updated 11:56, 23 May 2025 On a

sunny day there's nothing more tranquil than finding a nice canalside pub for a cold drink and to watch the boats slowly sail by. And over in Audlem in Cheshire there's a pub that

boasts a pretty unique location and links to canal history. The Shroppie Fly sits right next to the Shropshire Union Canal in the village, and is well known within the canal community as a

stop off for passing boaters and boat enthusiasts. And inside you'll find plenty of intriguing canal memorabilia too - not least when you walk through the front door - as half of an old

narrowboat serves as the pub's bar. The old boat, bearing the name Shroppie Fly, was sawn up to create the unusual centrepiece in the pub back in the 1970s. Article continues below The

pub's name is a nod to the fly boats that used to travel down this section of the canal in the 1800s and early 1900s as the "express" service on the waterways. The pub

recently reopened under new management, after partners James Flynn and Alex Wyatt took on the venue in December. They are already known in the village for their restaurant Tapa, and have now

turned their attention to the pub, launching a new food menu and giving the pub a fresh new look. Jamie said: "It’s a busy pub anyway, but the fact that people knew us definitely

helped, they felt it was in good hands." The couple knew the pub well, and it was the canal that first brought them to Audlem as boaters themselves. The pub sits on a stretch of the

canal that is popular with boaters and with walkers - as you can walk past several locks in short succession. Alex said: "We used to have an Italian restaurant in Anglesey and had a

boat so we would come up here to escape from it all. "We didn’t think we’d ever run a pub here! But it’s such a supportive community and everyone knows the Shroppie Fly it has always

had a great reputation along the canals." While it may look like a historic pub, the imposing white building next to the canal actually started life as a cotton mill dating back to

1865. It was converted into a pub 50 years ago, and named The Shroppie Fly in honour of the "fly boats" the speedier vessels that would ship goods from Birmingham to Liverpool

along this canal route in years gone by. Outside the pub is now a large historic crane from the village's former railway station. The pub opens seven days a week, with the kitchen

serving up pub grub classics daily with locally-sourced produce. They have a children's menu and pride themselves on being dog friendly - there's even Dog Beer available for £2.50

a pint for pooches. The pub is gearing up for a busy Bank Holiday weekend ahead, as the Audlem Music Festival returns - with all three pubs in the village, The Shroppie Fly alongside The

Bridge and Lord Combermere, hosting live music stages across four days from Friday - Monday. The village's historic canal links are also celebrated each year in July at its own Festival

of Transport. The pub is popular with real ale enthusiasts, serving six cask als, including Wye Valley and Herefordshire Pale Ale. Pints start in price from £4.60 for Murphy's. _THE

SHROPPIE FLY IS AT AUDLEM WHARF, AUDLEM, CW3 0DX. THERE IS FREE PARKING BEHIND THE PUB FOR CUSTOMERS._ Article continues below