February 2025. Stockport.
When I first did a (solo) crawl round Stockport 20-odd years ago the itinerary would have been something like Robbies/Sam’s/Holt/Sam’s/Robbie’s/Robbies/something exotic in the Olde Vic.
Hey ! We didn’t get Blackpool Jane in the Olde Vic that Friday. Instead, our 8th and final tick pub of the night came in the vibrant Underbanks, completing as varied set of places as anywhere in the UK.
Outside seating only in the tiny Cracked Actor,
a cosy keg bar without pretence,
exemplified by the draught line-up.
I sensed this was the place Jane would want to survey the cans, and if you want to see great young folk in action you needed to see how much time the barperson took to talk us through the Yonders and Vault Cities (“Just to warn you, that one’s fourteen pounds“).
We went big, but not that big.
I’d bought Mrs RM the Verdant Putty, forgetting it was 8%. Whether we can blame Verdant for Mrs RM’s subsequent dancing (below) is an ecumenical matter.
Or perhaps she was just pouncing on the table that became unexpectedly free.
No cask, but there’s a report on the 1928 FA Cup Final in the loos, which is more important.
What a great town.
retiredmartin 
“The 1928 FA Cup Final in the loos” reminds me of the Burnden Park disaster in Bolton 79 years and two days ago with a crowd crush resulting in the deaths of 33 people and injuries to hundreds of Bolton fans, then the deadliest stadium-related disaster in British history.
Incredibly, “The dead and injured were taken from the Railway End terrace, with those who had died laid along the touchline and covered in coats. A little under half an hour after the players had left the pitch, the game was restarted, with a new sawdust-lined touchline separating the players from the corpses”!
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So life in sport was much as it was in the workplace, then, Paul.
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Yes Etu.
I’ve always been cautious about going on about ‘the good old days’.
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It may very well be heretical, but I have a strong belief that beer quality is better than it’s ever been.
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Although that’s not true in Brain pubs I’m afraid, Etu.
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How do you reckon Donnington beers compare from a century ago Martin? Or is it the same cask?
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Don’t be silly, Scott. I only had my first Donnington in 1999 so that barrel is only 25 years old.
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You’re assuming it was fresh on that year?
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Regarding Brains, I was in two pubs on Sunday with it, The Reverend James drinking very well in the Red Lion at Little Haywood but Sarsons, replaced by Bass, in the Clifford Arms at Great Haywood.
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I’ve read some disparaging comments on the Rev James of late but I’ve always enjoyed it and it seems to have enough recognition to ensure reasonable turnover.
I can’t recall it in the Brain pubs on my last visit to Cardiff (which was too long ago).
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Oh yes, it was your comment on the Rev, Paul, and I did wonder at the time why you didn’t have the Bass first ! (But it is still a free country).
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The quality of keeping of Brains ales seems very variable, certainly, but I’m fortunate in having a very reliable one nearby, the Romilly, that is. Sorry to say that others have gone down.
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Er, in justifying that it could be to save the return train fare for Cardiff or that I know a descendant of The Reverend James, ‘Crewe Martin’ who you might have met.
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It depends on what you mean by “20-odd” but for years there was also Boddingtons almost under the viaduct (until they self-destructed) and Higson opposite the station. The Manchester area around say 1980 had a very early micro called Pollards but I’m not sure that any Stockport pubs sold it.
[IPW]
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2002 my first Stockport pub trip. I’d have been using the GBG so certainly whatever the Olde Vic had on and possibly Porter Brewery beers but not sure what else.
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I think that’s the 1922 FA Cup Final. PNE were robbed.
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And you speak as someone who was there.
I guessed ’28 as I knew Huddersfield were in it (v Blackburn).
I assume you’ll be wanting a prize ?
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That’s what happens when there’s no VAR.
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Things were confusing a few decades ago.
I was ordered never to use the word “bum” as it was “rude”.
I always remained sceptical on the point since the word featured endlessly in everything from the Esso Blue advert to “Why Must I Be A Teenager In Love”
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