Saying goodbye to the giant snails of Ordsall,
we set off for our free campervan spot in Cheadle, coincidentally passing Old Trafford and the mysterious land of Stretford. Send me a million quid and I’ll visit it for you.
Only 22 minutes south, Cheadle is one of Stockport Borough’s many villages.
The free parking spot involves a tiny lane just after the church into Abney Hall Park, a little treasure reassuringly close to the M60.
This is dog-walking central. No showers for humans, but an arty one for canines.
“Mr Stockport” Old Mudgie had recommended the Horse & Farrier 20 minutes away in Gatley, a wise choice for a return visit if Mrs “3 pint down” RM had been in any mood for a 20 minute walk.
No new GBG entries, of course, so we opted instead for the Ashlea, just out of the park entrance.
Because I KNOW you want to read about Cheshire Chef & Brewer family diners.
It had just turned 9.30pm. It looked very quiet. I thought the handpumps were turned.
In we went.
Greene King pubs take their Covid labelling very seriously. 3 minutes later we were met by a lovely man who told us they’d just closed, and the beer had run out anyway.
Now you know how the folk of Carlisle felt during the war.
I made Mrs RM press on, past the closed George & Dragon (Amber),
the closed James Watts (top, Hydes),the closed Crown (also Hydes,your best bet in town),
the closed Church (free),
until finally we saw the welcoming lights of the White Hart (Greene King).
I don’t think Mrs RM would have walked any further. She began to head for the garden.
The Landlord met us at the door.
“Sorry, we’re full. All thirteen tables booked”.
Never have I felt so disconsolate at the loss of a pint of Greene King IPA.
By now it was nearly 10. The High Street was deserted, was there any hope of redemption ?
Blimey!!! If this is the ‘new normal’ then it’s not that promising….Chef & Brewer normally a banker for a bit of cask!
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That’s a cliffhanger!
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We pubgoers are easily kept on tenterhooks, aren’t we, John !
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You were warned not much was open in Cheadle!
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Indeed. By the time we got further south to another free pitch everything would have been closed. I guess 10pm is the new midnight.
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You’d have done better in the Staffordshire Cheadle.
You’ll know next time.
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At least there’s a Spoons that would have been open 😀
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That would have been a good option, definitely.
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I had to look to remind myself where the Staffs Cheadle was !
Been past it a few times on way to Alton but only the Huntsman in the GBG and that’s hardly Cheadle. Worth investigation ?
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The Huntsman was a big live music pub in the 1980s.
I don’t know about now,
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Sadly not for a while longer now.
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Oh no. I guess not being able to find any open space is the new reality in these times for pub hoppers like yourself. Hopefully this doesn’t become too normalized for the good of us all
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I think Cheadle was an exception, Eddie. The Hydes pubs were both still closed, and I guess things will evolve over the next few weeks. If they don’t, half our pubs will be closed by Christmas.
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Hydes are taking a very leisurely approach to reopening their pubs. The Nursery is planned to reopen next Thursday. Surprised that Amber Taverns haven’t reopened the George & Dragon yet, but there again their format doesn’t really suit the locality. There had been speculation in the past that Wetherspoon’s were interested.
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Yes, I’d have expected the larger pubs to make a go of it, though the Crown is a bit tight from memory.
More pubs than I’d guessed have opened, with brewery taps and micros sticking to takeaway if open at all.
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Was this Stockport trying to seem as unwelcoming as possible, so Mrs RM isn’t enamoured with it as the site of the new Martin Towers?
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Win the battle, lose the war. Or something.
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I think word got round Cheadle that a pub ticker was in town, and they all either shut or refused entry to unknowns in case it was BRAPA.
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Don’t blame them. BRAPA and waiting for the loo to become free don’t mix.
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