December 2025. Bredbury. Stockport.
A flying visit back Home (No. 1) at least gives me chance to do the laundry, discuss viscosity with Will, and get to the final game of the year.
The last Saturday before Christmas was always going to put strain on the Sheffield-Manchester-Liverpool rail “service”, especially with the Egyptians and pixies flying in.
Sardine-like standing conditions on the 49 minute fast service to Piccadilly, so I take the barely less busy slow train through the Peak and New Mills,
which as a bonus allows me to get a new GBG tick in Bredbury in the mysterious “east of Stockport”.
I’ve only given myself half an hour to get from platform to pub and back, so I’ve sold Bredbury short on this post, but it’s surrounded by great country parks (Werneth Low and Etherow) and has chips.
And a new micro/neighbourhood bar which I (and BRAPA) absolutely loved.
I’m not very beery, but there’s something about the Steelworks beer board that really appeals to me.
Old favourites, quality micros, two (2) dark beers, matching woolly hats that you wear to get the full flavours from that Irish Cream Milkshake Stout.
I should have gone for that Wilde Childe, but Mrs RM had stayed at home so I wouldn’t have the satisfaction of her saying “I like my beer to taste like beer !!!” to the landlord.
She’d have gone Blonde; I reckoned it was time to give the Boddies another go.
I’d only had a taster (half pint) of Lees bid for world domination before, as in Stockport’s Crown you stick to Bass.
New Boddingtons seems to be doing good trade, and this was served at a perfect temperature in a spotless glass (NBSS 4).
But that’s just the beer. A marvellously cheery place, the guvnor happily chatting about life and quizzes and community.
An absolute gem.
retiredmartin 
I’ve had three (3) pints of the ‘new’ Boddingtons in Oak Taverns’ pubs, where you expect the quality to be very good, but have been underwhelmed. Nothing akin to the Cream of Manchester: just three poor pints with no body (if you excuse the pun), as you’ll see from my Untappd check-ins. Still holding out for fourth time lucky. By the way, Egyptians and Pixies sounds like it would have been great gig c.1987.
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It’s not a complex beer, to be honest. I think the Steelworks makes the best of it. I preferred Lees Manchester Pale Ale (MPA).
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Blimey, not had a Boddingtons for many a decade. Must rectify that very soon. Thanks for the Spike Milligan ditti. Must remember not to take life too seriously 😀
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I’ve visited Spike’s grave, just up the road from Rye in Winchelsea, to see that “I told you I was ill” inscription (in Latin).
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The photo following that of the Egyptians is mint 🙂
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Should have prefaced comment with Eeeh the heck lad …
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Perhaps a bit too far for a day trip, but you’d love New Mills and the cafe at the mill.
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I’ve only been to Stockport town which I liked.
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Stockport always seems a different world, and we like it like that !
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Five months ago tomorrow I was in the Rock Tavern and the Royal Oak and can’t believe that a café at t’mill could equal either of those proper pubs.
If a mill’s no longer a proper mill then surely it’s better as the Swizzels sweet factory ( bombed out of London during the blitz ) than yet another café.
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Fair point in general, though New Mills was a bit short served by cafe’s and the one at the mill is a boon.
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