retiredmartin

February 2025. Stockport. Cheshire.

A day of culture with Blackpool Jane, Aberdeen Karen and itinerant Mrs RM, a day when the sun shone on the righteous (Me !), and Stockport’s visitor attractions looked the real deal.

Unlike some recent flagship openings like the V & A in Dundee, the HatWorks, town museum and adjacent Staircase House hit that between “all exterior and cafe with nothing inside” and “just too much for folk whose attention span is 33 minutes“.

33 minutes took us past 1pm, and after confirming there was still no room at the inn (the Arden), we became instantly ravenous, having been “not at all hungry” an hour ago.

The only other pub with food appeared to be the “Hot dog and burger” Bakers Vaults, but the kitchen wasn’t open.

The nice young man directed us next door to the Produce Hall,

more Crewe Cheese Hall than Mackie Mayor, where Thief Street’s Korean BBQ box was a star; a keg bar less so.

“Are we going to a pub soon ?” asks Mrs RM, bored of culture. If I’d said that…

Jane is ticking the Beer Guide AND the Matthew Curtis beer book,

18 months old and looking a bit dog-eared, but still essential.

We took the scenic route through Merseyway Shopping Centre to the Swan With Two Necks to start the day properly, I always thought it was two Nicks.

The weight of responsibility of guiding guests round our greatest pub town hangs heavy, but I knew the architecture would win out,

even if the beer range was a bit dull to the crafties.

It was late 2021 when I was last here on an Old Codgers crawl, a day famous for Old Mudgie dancing,

and if I’m honest the Unicorn didn’t match those heights, rich and tasty but not as crisp (NBSS 3).

But, what a pub.

Reminds me of a different Vaults, but that one has Bass.