Hello,
I got Wednesday off work in the hottest week of the year so far so me and Tash could accompany Wee Fatha to Tatton brewery to buy some bottled beers. Naturally, as a rambling sot, the only thing to do whilst undertaking this task was to visit some other pubs. As Tash has never been with us to Cheshire there are some repeated visits from last time, but it was well worth doing so.
About 2 hours after setting off we arrived, having come past Manchester Airport into the rural idyll of Ashley, in Mobberley. No getting lost this time, we passed the Railway where Matty and WF went last time and headed for the Church Inn. I understand that apart from the Railway the 3 or 4 other pubs in Mobberley are owned by the same firm. This is disappointing, as it could stifle competition, but to be absolutely honest, none of the three pubs we visited were bad.
The Church Inn is just across the road from, um..the church, and is a large rambling premises serving food and four real ales. We had halves of Tatton's Ale Glorious which I think is brewed for the pub (or rebadged), half a Wizard dark mild and a pint of Brightside Your Town pale ale for me. We sat in the garden admiring the views and deciding whether or not to get food - in the end we didn't as only Wee Fatha was going to and the starters were all sharing plates. The beer was well kept and unsurprisingly the Brightside was the highlight for me.
Further into the sprawling village we came to the Bulls Head and the Roebuck. The Bulls Head car park holds about 6 cars so its good the same firm owns the Roebuck where we parked. We also went in for a drink, since it had only reopened the weekend before. One thing that is slightly annoying about all 3 pubs is that someone greets you on the way in - this is to establish if you want to eat, or simply have a drink. I know some people like this kind of greeting but I would rather find the bar and wait to be served by a friendly barkeep. In this case, the bar is hardly that - so we would probably have talked to the guy anyway.
We had halves of Dunham Deer Beer and one from Tatton which I think was blonde. Having opened the gate to let WF climb less steps into the garden we got sat out in the sunshine and decided to get some food, starters of Ratatouille for WF and Dunham potato chips for me and Tash. Was the food pretentious? Yes. Was it tasty and reasonably priced? Yes. A decent place to stop, and to leave the car as we popped over the road.
The Bulls Head is a little older looking inside than the other two - am certain that much of the antiquity is imported but I like the tiled floor and the panelling, real or recent, in the pub. The bar had 6 beers on so we tried thirds of them all - this included a pale ale from Wincle, Wobberley Mobberley which I think is also brewed by Wincle, Cheshire Cat Pale Ale, Dunham Bulls Head Bitter, Weetwood Oregon Pale ale and Wizard (or Merlin?) Merlins gold. We supped them outside in the warm sunshine and enjoyed them all, especially the Weetwood.
From here we drove to Tatton brewery for WF to buy his bottles of beers, of which there were many, and then onto Lymm to visit the Old Post Office, or Lymm Brewery Tap. The beer range comprised Dunham Massey and Lymm brewery beers and we had halves of Dunham Stout, Cheshire IPA, and Lymm Dam. The later was 7.2% and a copper coloured strong ale, which was easy to drink, as was the Chesire IPA. We had free olives with the beers (even tempting WF to try a few) and bought some local pork scratchings. Always a good place to stop off, and playing some decent tracks including Mark Lanegan.
We drove out to Winnick and Burtonwood next to visit the Fiddle ith Bag Inn. There were three beers on including one which everyone went for but since WF and Tash were staying alcohol free I went for a North Blyth Seafarers Pale. I sat outside and soaked up more beautiful sunshine whilst Tash took a tour of the numerous artifacts inside.
Our next stop was the exccllent Grocers Micropub on Liverpool Road in Cadishead, run by Martin, AKA Dimpled Mug. We parked just down the road and entered to find the tiny pub busy, mainly with customers anticipating the quiz. I had two pints of the excellent Dunham Experimental #2 and Tash likely had some Wilson Potter, and we sat down in the right hand corner to soak up the atmosphere and listen to the buzz of conversation.
A steady stream of customers came, few went, and it was obvious that the quiz was a very popular event. The beer was on great form and it was good to catch up with Martin and to congratulate him on winning his local branch pub of the year. Really must try and get back there sometime when we have more time to sit down and have a proper sup!
Our penultimate stop was the Star at Higher Broughton. Am not sure if the pub is brewing anymore but they had First Chop AVA and Abbeydae Moonshine on so we all went for the first, apart from WF, now on J2o. The pub is still community owned and has a basic interior with three rooms, including one at the back which seems to have been brought more into use as a games room, and may have lost some original features as a result.
Our final stop was in Chorlton at Pi. Its somewhere that serves food til 22.0 and the pies are quite nice - a simple meal to fill us up before the trip back to Sheffield. I had something locally brewed in here - I said that about Pi in Macc as well, but I wasn't after having much and enjoyed whatever we had. Tash really enjoyed her coffee as well. Pi is part of a chain as you may know and its an interesting if frustrating mix of hipster and trendy staff and ethos. However the beer seems well kept and its a good place to fill up when you are on a lengthy pub crawl.
Pub of the day was, clearly, the Grocers Micro Pub, but the Star and the Bulls Head were close runners up. A great day out, and a superb way to wrap numerous pub visits round visiting Tatton brewery fr 20 minutes.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Star Higher Broughton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Higher Broughton. Show all posts
Saturday, 11 June 2016
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Greater Pubchester
Ay up
on Sunday I met Wee Fatha out Abbeydale Road way to be picked up and whisked off to Manchester to meet up with Dimpled Mug (DM) and to visit a rather impressive list of pubs, not least the Racecourse Hotel in Salford, and the Queens Arms in Patricroft that DM himself had recommended.
WF as always chose a crow flies (drunkenly though) route down minor roads all the way to the Snake before following a familiar if busy route onto the motorway heading for Eccles. We arrived just gone 14.00 but it was near half past by the time we got parked - albeit next to the pub we were heading for, The Lamb which is on the National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interiors (N.I).Once inside, I quickly remembered that I didn't actually know, with any certainty, what DM looked like. Cue much confusion when a bloke came up and said "Hello Iain" and started telling WF how to sort out the car parking problem.
WF piped up "have you found your mate then" and spooked by this I asked the guy if he was Dimpled Mug, then quickly made the situation worse by saying I was meeting a bloke in the pub but didn't know what he looked like. Luckily I added the caveat that he was interested in pubs, but the bloke had walked off by then.
DM found we finished our pint and a half of Holts Bitter and Mild and headed for Patricroft. En route we mentioned that I hadn't been in the N.I listed Stanley Arms nearby so we made an impromptu stop there, me and DM with pints of Holts Bitter, WF on tomato juice, poor lad. The Stanley Arms is a fantastic street corner local, and despite the large ostentatious excesses of the Lamb, the Grapes and the Royal Oak, I think this is perhaps my favourite Eccles pub. A small, busy vault at the front plus a lounge on the left, a small bar and corridor (with a 3rd room being all but domestic) this is a cracking little pub that I'll visit again.
Next we arrived at the Queens Arms Patricroft. What an astonishing boozer. Up a road cum track that goes back on itself as you head from Eccles, I can't imagine anyone would ever find this place by accident. Granted, being one of, if not the first purpose built railway pubs, passengers at Patricroft Station would have known all about it but I doubt even Wee Fatha remembers it being open.
Its relative isolation and non-existent passing trade have perhaps contributed to its unspoilt features - and there are many. A lounge, in the more literal sense is on the right, with a long front vault and the bar in the middle. An unusual standing lobby style area is separated by a wall - this was probably the off sales. The floor is covered in fantastic black and white tiling which leads to a room on the back right and another longish room on the left, with the entrance slightly enlarged (in fact the back room is just that now - it would have been two). A long corridor with half height paneling and another serving hatch and entrance to the vault runs the length of the pub beside the bar, at the end of which are toilets which even include a baffle.
Beer wise in here we had pints of Thwaites Best since the Blonde that they usually sell had run out. The combo of large fireplaces, old brewery mirrors, snob screens, original doors and windows made for an intoxicating mix. Many thanks to DM for this excellent recommendation.
Next off for a contrasting pub, the Racecourse Hotel in Salford. A ginormous dull grey warehouse of a building but of admirable mock Tudor inspiration, fantastic internal features and innumerable internal rooms. The huge gantry-less bar with the spirits housed on stands reminded me of a poorer version of that in the Central Bar Leith, and the large paneled rooms to the right and back left were austere (in their size versus furniture), but this was accentuated by the movement of tables and chairs in preparation for an upcoming 50th.
The Oakwell Mild was alas run out so it was pints of Bitter for me and DM, whilst we spent time exploring this |N.I giant, including the huge "vault", bigger than some pubs on their own, and with a separate entrance, that was hired out to clubs and groups. As I mentioned on Tuesday the pub will close on Sunday 26th May so I'd highly recommend you go and take a look. A real shame.
I had never been to Higher Broughton before. To be honest, except for the roads leading to the Racecourse, my only previous experience of Salford was Chapel Street and the area round the Crescent. So I didn't expect anything but derelict buildings, flats and wide dual carriage ways as we headed to the Star on Back Hope Street. WF and DM however were already assuring me of Higher Broughton's finer points and reputation. Even then I was surprised and impressed as we trundled up a cobbled tree lined lane and parked behind Back Hope Street.
Walking down there is in fact another pub bang opposite our destination with some fantastic tiling advertising Openshaw Brewery ales and stouts on the side. Alas the Horseshoe may have been closed for a while, though its in good nick. Luckily the excellent Star Inn has been brought by a community co-operative. It has a brewery, an unspoilt interior and is a focal point in Higher Broughton. It's brilliant, to be quite honest.
Architecture wise there is a tiny bar as you enter to the right with seating for all of about 10 people, then a small joining corridor to a long lounge with a fireplace at the end. Through the door on the right is the loos and a back room on the left which used to have a pool table but is now more empty and better suited to revealing interesting period furniture and features. Fully deserving of its place on part 2 of the N.I, there are up to 3 real ales served, but we were all on the Star Inn brewery Starry Night, a very palatable pint.
Sadly DM had to meet some mates elsewhere so left us at this point, whilst we trekked on towards Bury to become discombobulated trying to find the Irwell Works, a building advertised by only a banner across the top floor, it seems. Once inside however we found a range of about 8 beers on, WF having some of my pint of Irwell Works Tin Plate Mild, after which I moved onto a pint of their excellent Eldorado pale ale. Great views of the area through the windows and a friendly atmosphere wiped away some of our frustration at not being able to locate it.
Back into Manchester next we had food on the mind and headed to Pi at Chorlton. My first visit to the area was a pleasant one, with the bar reminding me very much of the Treacle Tap in Macclesfield, to the point where I have to assume they are owned by the same company?
We had inexpensive pie and mash in here (my beef and chorizo with beer gravy was incredibly satisfying) and drinks wise WF had his sought after Tatton Blonde, and me a pint of their Penny-less pale ale. Afterwards, I also tried a half of Millstone Vale Mild and a very enjoyable Red Willow Witless, which even I concede is better on Keykeg. The end is nigh....
Our penultimate stop was for Wee Fatha as he wanted to visit the Cheshire Line. Its something of a large Marstons eatery more than a pub now and was painfully quiet, but the halves of Ringwood 49er and Marstons Empire were decent enough, though the Marstons was in fact by far the better.
We rolled up finally at our last stop in Woodford and visited traditional Robbies house the Thief's Neck, AKA the Davenport Arms. I think this pub suffered in my estimation from having seemed by description a really unspoilt pub, which via a combination of tiredness, being busy, and light free loos made me slightly less able than expected to appreciate the place.
That said, in terms of traditional features, outside loos is a sure sign of a good pub. And the friendly staff laughed off my rather mardy complaints (they hadn't turned the lights on see, but I thought there was a sensor or light switch which...ah well...) and the beer was enjoyable - WF had a single atom of his Unicorn best and I had the rest plus a pint of Robinsons Seasonal Uncle Sam.
Before long we'd got back in the car to set off home and I awoke about two minutes later, nearly home. I never realised Woodford was so near...
Thanks to WF for driving me to the corners of Greater Manchester, and to DM for his company and knowledge. A fantastic trip that was the perfect end to my two weeks of sottish excess.
Wee Beefy.
on Sunday I met Wee Fatha out Abbeydale Road way to be picked up and whisked off to Manchester to meet up with Dimpled Mug (DM) and to visit a rather impressive list of pubs, not least the Racecourse Hotel in Salford, and the Queens Arms in Patricroft that DM himself had recommended.
WF as always chose a crow flies (drunkenly though) route down minor roads all the way to the Snake before following a familiar if busy route onto the motorway heading for Eccles. We arrived just gone 14.00 but it was near half past by the time we got parked - albeit next to the pub we were heading for, The Lamb which is on the National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interiors (N.I).Once inside, I quickly remembered that I didn't actually know, with any certainty, what DM looked like. Cue much confusion when a bloke came up and said "Hello Iain" and started telling WF how to sort out the car parking problem.
WF piped up "have you found your mate then" and spooked by this I asked the guy if he was Dimpled Mug, then quickly made the situation worse by saying I was meeting a bloke in the pub but didn't know what he looked like. Luckily I added the caveat that he was interested in pubs, but the bloke had walked off by then.
DM found we finished our pint and a half of Holts Bitter and Mild and headed for Patricroft. En route we mentioned that I hadn't been in the N.I listed Stanley Arms nearby so we made an impromptu stop there, me and DM with pints of Holts Bitter, WF on tomato juice, poor lad. The Stanley Arms is a fantastic street corner local, and despite the large ostentatious excesses of the Lamb, the Grapes and the Royal Oak, I think this is perhaps my favourite Eccles pub. A small, busy vault at the front plus a lounge on the left, a small bar and corridor (with a 3rd room being all but domestic) this is a cracking little pub that I'll visit again.
Next we arrived at the Queens Arms Patricroft. What an astonishing boozer. Up a road cum track that goes back on itself as you head from Eccles, I can't imagine anyone would ever find this place by accident. Granted, being one of, if not the first purpose built railway pubs, passengers at Patricroft Station would have known all about it but I doubt even Wee Fatha remembers it being open.
Its relative isolation and non-existent passing trade have perhaps contributed to its unspoilt features - and there are many. A lounge, in the more literal sense is on the right, with a long front vault and the bar in the middle. An unusual standing lobby style area is separated by a wall - this was probably the off sales. The floor is covered in fantastic black and white tiling which leads to a room on the back right and another longish room on the left, with the entrance slightly enlarged (in fact the back room is just that now - it would have been two). A long corridor with half height paneling and another serving hatch and entrance to the vault runs the length of the pub beside the bar, at the end of which are toilets which even include a baffle.
Beer wise in here we had pints of Thwaites Best since the Blonde that they usually sell had run out. The combo of large fireplaces, old brewery mirrors, snob screens, original doors and windows made for an intoxicating mix. Many thanks to DM for this excellent recommendation.
Next off for a contrasting pub, the Racecourse Hotel in Salford. A ginormous dull grey warehouse of a building but of admirable mock Tudor inspiration, fantastic internal features and innumerable internal rooms. The huge gantry-less bar with the spirits housed on stands reminded me of a poorer version of that in the Central Bar Leith, and the large paneled rooms to the right and back left were austere (in their size versus furniture), but this was accentuated by the movement of tables and chairs in preparation for an upcoming 50th.
The Oakwell Mild was alas run out so it was pints of Bitter for me and DM, whilst we spent time exploring this |N.I giant, including the huge "vault", bigger than some pubs on their own, and with a separate entrance, that was hired out to clubs and groups. As I mentioned on Tuesday the pub will close on Sunday 26th May so I'd highly recommend you go and take a look. A real shame.
I had never been to Higher Broughton before. To be honest, except for the roads leading to the Racecourse, my only previous experience of Salford was Chapel Street and the area round the Crescent. So I didn't expect anything but derelict buildings, flats and wide dual carriage ways as we headed to the Star on Back Hope Street. WF and DM however were already assuring me of Higher Broughton's finer points and reputation. Even then I was surprised and impressed as we trundled up a cobbled tree lined lane and parked behind Back Hope Street.
Walking down there is in fact another pub bang opposite our destination with some fantastic tiling advertising Openshaw Brewery ales and stouts on the side. Alas the Horseshoe may have been closed for a while, though its in good nick. Luckily the excellent Star Inn has been brought by a community co-operative. It has a brewery, an unspoilt interior and is a focal point in Higher Broughton. It's brilliant, to be quite honest.
Architecture wise there is a tiny bar as you enter to the right with seating for all of about 10 people, then a small joining corridor to a long lounge with a fireplace at the end. Through the door on the right is the loos and a back room on the left which used to have a pool table but is now more empty and better suited to revealing interesting period furniture and features. Fully deserving of its place on part 2 of the N.I, there are up to 3 real ales served, but we were all on the Star Inn brewery Starry Night, a very palatable pint.
Sadly DM had to meet some mates elsewhere so left us at this point, whilst we trekked on towards Bury to become discombobulated trying to find the Irwell Works, a building advertised by only a banner across the top floor, it seems. Once inside however we found a range of about 8 beers on, WF having some of my pint of Irwell Works Tin Plate Mild, after which I moved onto a pint of their excellent Eldorado pale ale. Great views of the area through the windows and a friendly atmosphere wiped away some of our frustration at not being able to locate it.
Back into Manchester next we had food on the mind and headed to Pi at Chorlton. My first visit to the area was a pleasant one, with the bar reminding me very much of the Treacle Tap in Macclesfield, to the point where I have to assume they are owned by the same company?
We had inexpensive pie and mash in here (my beef and chorizo with beer gravy was incredibly satisfying) and drinks wise WF had his sought after Tatton Blonde, and me a pint of their Penny-less pale ale. Afterwards, I also tried a half of Millstone Vale Mild and a very enjoyable Red Willow Witless, which even I concede is better on Keykeg. The end is nigh....
Our penultimate stop was for Wee Fatha as he wanted to visit the Cheshire Line. Its something of a large Marstons eatery more than a pub now and was painfully quiet, but the halves of Ringwood 49er and Marstons Empire were decent enough, though the Marstons was in fact by far the better.
We rolled up finally at our last stop in Woodford and visited traditional Robbies house the Thief's Neck, AKA the Davenport Arms. I think this pub suffered in my estimation from having seemed by description a really unspoilt pub, which via a combination of tiredness, being busy, and light free loos made me slightly less able than expected to appreciate the place.
That said, in terms of traditional features, outside loos is a sure sign of a good pub. And the friendly staff laughed off my rather mardy complaints (they hadn't turned the lights on see, but I thought there was a sensor or light switch which...ah well...) and the beer was enjoyable - WF had a single atom of his Unicorn best and I had the rest plus a pint of Robinsons Seasonal Uncle Sam.
Before long we'd got back in the car to set off home and I awoke about two minutes later, nearly home. I never realised Woodford was so near...
Thanks to WF for driving me to the corners of Greater Manchester, and to DM for his company and knowledge. A fantastic trip that was the perfect end to my two weeks of sottish excess.
Wee Beefy.
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