e December 2012 Times THE FREE LOCAL CAMRA MAGAZINE Covering the cities of Manchester & Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, N.E. Cheshire & Macclesfield Merry Christmas to all our Readers and Advertisers Rudolph, have you seen the beer list for next month's National Winter Ales Festival?? The National Winter Ales festival coming soon - · see pages 25 & 27 Win p17izes on the Winter Warmer Wander­ see page 15 16 /Jlandptu1tp5 91£-a€ eidc·t (]u.~t f..tiJJ-C't:) :la-<teifyr .'BeeJ/!j 8 extra different, .Ctuu:/ie;) SCJute.d darker and stronger beers 12 - 8p nt .M£1-lultuf - fl'lidtl-lj Spccia€ lJcat-:)iOtM Cate,tCA:L :Jc,.!t Friday 14th December fio£fi_&: . ClctuMtic nigltt from Spm etJe/Uf !Ttt.CJ)day t·uun 8 .3C p tn Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th &me alcu1fJ tuul fi.au.e a o ittfl o.'i. ol!uun from 12 noon Food available 2 Opening Times December 2012 The Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Month award for December 2012 has been awarded to the Nursery, Green Lane, Heaton Norris. What can be said about this 1930s gem of a multi roomed pub that hasn't already been said before in these pages? Much has been written about the classic unspoilt structure and decor of the pub, the superb light oak panelling, the delightful windows decorated with horticultural images and the well manicured bowling green to the rear. However any pub is more than just its decor and history. Its excellence is measured by the quality of its beer and the warmth of the welcome. On all these points the Nursery has scored extremely highly for many a decade. Despite being tucked away, it draws customers from miles around encouraged by the friendliness of the staff, and the quality of the Hydes beers and the guest ales. This has resulted in the longest record of continuous entries in the Good Beer Guide for the area with the pub achieving a remarkable 30 years in the guide with the publishing of the 2013 edition. This incredible record is down to one family. Simon Wetton manages the pub and his sister Louise organises the lunchtime food. Simon took over the pub from his step father George whose tenure saw the pub being crowned CAMRA's National Pub of the Year in 2001. However Simon hasn't sat on his laurels and lived on past glories; he has promoted highly successful beer festivals, live music at weekends and regular quizzes while maintaining the excellence of the beer and the food. The December Pub of the Month is always a lively and popular affair lodged as it is between Christmas and New Year. So why not join the local CAMRA branch to celebrate not only the Pub of the Month Award but also an award to mark their 30 years in the Good Beer Guide? Both will be presented to Simon and his staff on Thursday, 2ih December . The pub is less than 10 minutes from the main 192 bus route (walk down Bowerfold Lane or Heaton Lane), 10 minutes from the 84 and 197 routes in Heaton Moor and the 22 stops within a 5 minutes walk of the door. Don't miss it! JF ;;;n~~~er ~~e ~~;~~:~~:~ i~ HAFAM EBNUSINEsSs local famtly firm that has been STEp Q NS supplying the local pub and catering trade for over 140 •• •--------- years. Check out their advert s . h c . T d s· on this page. Two bottom upportmg T e atermg ra e mce 1868 photos of this article courtesy Mick Slaughter. SfEPJ:f~'fTSON S Supporting The C.ollcring Trade Since: 1868 The Magnet Freehouse 5 1 WElliNGTON ROAD NORTH, STOCKPORT SK4 I HJ 13 real ales from breweries near and far Ever-changing range of bottled beers we're open .. 4-11pm Mon~Tlmrs , 12~ npm Fri-Sun REGIONAl. PUB OFT!-iEYEAR 2011 December 2012 Opening Times 3 Comment & What's On Index, Notes and Local CAMRA Branch Events Festive Cheer Your Local CAMRA Branches While Christmas looms large, the Greater Manchester CAMRA Stockport & South Manchester (SSM) www.ssmcamra.org.uk branches are all looking ahead to January and one of the main events Contact: Mark McConachie 0161 429 9356; [email protected] of the local CAMRA year. The National Winter Ales Festival is back at North Manchester (NM) www.northmanchestercamra.org.uk the Sheridan Suite - look out for details in both this and next month's Contact: Phi/Booton 0161 957 7148 (daytimes); [email protected] Opening Times. It is the last time the event will be held in Manchester High Peak & NE Cheshire (HPNC) www.hpneccamra.org.uk as it's off to Derby in February 2014. The good news is that a Contact: Geoff Wiliamson 01663 765634; [email protected] replacement festival will be held in Manchester at around the same time as it is now but in a new, and iconic, venue. More on this in later Macclesfield & East Cheshire (MEC) www.eastcheshirecamra.org.uk Contact: Tony /eke 01625861833; [email protected] issues. Trafford & Hulme (T&H) www.thcamra.org.uk Readers can get into the festive spirit by entering our Winter Warmer Contact: [email protected] Wander. We have 40 pubs taking part and a great range of prizes so do give it a go. Your Local CAMRA Events Finally, can I just send the warmest of seasonal greetings to everyone Friday 7th - Branch trip to Offbeat Brewery: a social at the brewery's involved with Opening Times - our contributors, distributors, open evening Firsty Friday. (T&H) production and distribution team, advertisers and most of all to you, our readers. Have a great Christmas - and we'll see you again in Saturday 8th - Christmas Social: Magnet, Wellington Rd North, January. Stockport (upstairs room). From 4pm- buffet at 6pm. (HPNC) Opening Times- Information Thursday 13th - Branch meeting and Christmas Quiz: Nursery, Green Lane, Heaton Norris. Starts 8.1spm. (SSM) Opening Times is produced by the Stockport & South Manchester Branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. Additional material is Thursday 13th - Branch Christmas meal at the Sutton Hall. (MEC) supplied by the High Peak & NE Cheshire, Trafford & Hulme, North Manchester and Macclesfield & E Cheshire Branches. The views Monday 17th- Macclesfield Crawl: Starts 6.3opm at the Park Tavern. expressed are not necessarily those of CAMRA either locally or (MEC) nationally. 7,350 copies a month are printed by Phi! Powell Printing of Failsworth. All articles copyright CAMRA unless otherwise stated. Wednesday 19th- Branch Meeting: Salford Arms, Bloom St/Chapel St, Salford. Starts 7.30pm. (NM) News, articles and letters are welcome to the editorial address - 45, Bulkeley St, Edgeley, Stockport, SK3 9HD. E-mail - Friday 21st - The famous annual Hillgate Stagger: start 7Pm Queens [email protected]. Phone 0161 477 1973. Advertising rates on Head, Little Underbank; 8.30 Waterloo, Waterloo Rd. Finish at the request. Blossoms. (SSM) Trading Standards - for complaints about short measure pints etc Thursday 27th - Pub of the Month and 30 years in the Good Beer Guide contact Consumer Direct (North West). Consumer Direct works with awards: Nursery, Green Lane, Heaton Norris. From Spm. (SSM) all the Trading Standards services in the North West and is supported Thursday 27th- Post Christmas Social: Waters Green Tavern. From by the Office of Fair Trading. You can email Consumer Direct using a Spm. (MEC) secure email system on their website (www.consumerdirect.gov.uk) which also provides advice, fact sheets and model letters on a range of Friday 28th - Post Christmas Social: the Knott, Deans gate, Manchester. consumer rights. Their telephone no. is 0845 404 05 06 From 6pm. (T&H) Subscriptions - available at £u.oo for 12 issues (make cheques Friday 28th- Social/ crawl in Manchester City Centre. Starts 12 noon at payable to Opening Times). Apply to David Sharpe, 1 Chiltern Drive, Marble Arch, Rochdale Road. (HPNC) Woodsmoor, Stockport, SK2 7BE. Tel 0161 483 3708 Wednesday 2nd January- Presentation ofNeil Richardson Award to Copy Date for the January issue is Friday 14 December Union Tavern, Liverpool Sreet," Salford. From 8:oopm (NM). Contributors to this issue: John Clarke, Alan Gent, Dave Hanson, Thursday 3rd January- Branch Meeting: Ape & Apple, John Dalton Peter Butler, Pete Farrand, Robin Wignall, Peter Edwardson, Frank St, Manchester (upstairs dining room). Starts 8.15pm (T&H) Wood, Phi! Booton, Mike Rose, Caroline O'Donnell, John O'Donnell, Tony Icke, Mark McConachie, Neil Worthington, Paul Felton, Dave Sunday 6th - Bring your own ale curry night in Altrincham. Contact Platt, Margaret o'Brien, Graeme Wood. [email protected] to register (T&H) Distribution Manager- Janet Flynn Thursday 10th - Branch Meeting including Pub of the Year vote: Armoury, Shaw Heath, Stockport. Starts 8.15pm (SSM). Opening Times 339 - Contents Pub of the Month .. .. ........... ..3 Winter Warmer Wander ....... ....... .. 15 Monday 14th - Branch Meeting: Stalybridge Labour Club, Acres Lane. Initial Good Beer Guide selection meeting so a good Comment / What's On ....... --4 Brewery News ..... .... .. .............. ... ....18 turn out needed Stagger ........ ......... ............. ... 6 Curmudgeon .... .......... .. ......... .......... 21 please. Starts 8.30pm. (HPNC). Trafford & Hulme .. ......... .. ...9 Letters .. .... .... ...... ..... .... ...... ..... 22&23 Where space permits, non members are welcome at most of our social events. Get in touch with the listed contact to see if that's possible. High Peak Pub Scene .. ... ..... 11 National Winter Al es .. .... ............ .. 25 Pub News ... ... ... .. ... ........ 13&17 4 Opening Times December 2012 Sat 15th & Sun 16th Deceltlber, 2012 Stockport Victorian Market Hall Winter Ales, Ciders and Meads Hearty Hog Roast Perfect Pies &if Medieval Minstrels "' and Players Advance tickets only, £10 per session exchanged for a 'Flagon' and two £3 beers or cider on arrival Available from High Peak Beer Co.