March 2024. Rochdale.
Rochdale’s musical heritage includes two (2) Stansfields. Lisa,
and Gracie, who lost her “stans” and became Gracie Fields in order not to be confused with our kiss-curled heroine.
Bizarrely, it’s Gracie who’s commemorated outside the town hall,
possibly because of her ode to Rochdale town pubs.
Mrs RM, Blackpool Jane and I were looking to recreate that 1938 pub crawl, but sadly all our targets appeared to have been opened in more recent times.
Bombay Brew hit the Guide in 2022, Our Gracie’s had been open barely 3 months, the most speculative of pre-emptive ticks.
Plain exterior, lovingly curated interior paying tribute to Gracie,
though the soundtrack was rather less “Ee by gum” and rather more “1960’s deep cuts”.
I really liked Our Gracie’s. The soft furnishings enhanced that soundtrack, pitched at exactly the right volume, the Whitworth Valley Stout (brewed in the town !),
was rich and creamy (NBSS 3.5), and there was a lovely mixed crowd on the comfortable seating.
OK, you look at the pic and you don’t think “heritage”, but there’s more to life than heritage. Especially in Rochdale.
retiredmartin 
I was in Our Gracie’s on Wednesday as well, just missed you.
Whitworth Valley brew beer with a tenuous musical theme like Stout out to my ex, Drop it like it’s hop etc.
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Sorry I missed you.
“Shout to my ex” is only available on the Gracie Fields rarities album, of course.
Interestingly, we all had the stout and the third one was noticeably cooler than the first.
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