February 2026. Stockport.
Hah ! Clickbait. Not a new local for me, though Mrs RM is already tired of Sheffield as our house has a garden that she now regrets buying. Why can’t you make an increased offer to buy a property without a garden.
Youngest lad Matthew is looking to leave the rents of central Manchester and has been scouring Right Move for starter homes in Greater Stockport, which under CAMRA boundaries seems to extend from Stoke to the Etihad. What use is a dad if he can’t help his son evaluate potential local boozers ?
I’m not one to feed a stereotype, but it was raining as I headed from the station to the Underbanks, pausing only to wonder what become of Robbies brewery site.
Be a good place for that Museum of Pubs that Wolverhampton Spoons never got around to.
Talking of Spoons.
I’m not saying it’s as good as the Jaipur that had just gone on (causing a rush to the bar),
but that Isotonic low alcohol Erdinger is a decent lunch-time option, and counts as the cheaper soft drink option with your Korean chicken. Don’t be fooled like I was, though, it’s the fried chicken you want, not the grilled one.
I know you find my dietary advice useful. I also advise Superdrug for your umbrella that won’t get confiscated that night at the Etihad but will disintegrate at the first drop of actual rain. In fairness, the drizzle stopped as I headed past new hipster bar “Holy Diver”,
but then became torrential crossing the M60 on the dash up Lancashire Hill.
As you’ll see, a flood of pubs in Heaton Moor and Stocky centre,
slimmer pickings at Lancashire Hill/Heaton Norris (east).
“Fancy a coke, Matt ?“. Matt, on a dash from Heaton Chapel, was soaked. He fancied a pint.
It’s 25 years since the Navigation was local Pub of the Year, an outlet for Congleton’s finest and a GBG regular, and just as I remembered it.
The landlady, as cheery as you’d hope, offered tasters of the two Beartown cask beers. “A pint’s a taster !”. I didn’t want to cause a scene by refusing.
I cannot lie about beer quality. The Creme Brulee and IPA veered towards NBSS 4 and 3.5, and that’s a win.
The bloke at the bar chatted City and VAR, the Gents provided poetry,
and there’s even a pool table.
Matt seems to have been won over by the charms of the Crown, but the Navigation would do for me.
retiredmartin 
Will the Manchester rent be higher than the Stockport home payment each month?
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Comparable I guess, and he needs to start buying into equity. Not sure exactly where he will end up at the moment, but it only needs to be close to central Manchester on bus or train.
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“Not a new local for me, though Mrs RM is already tired of Sheffield as our house has a garden that she now regrets buying. Why can’t you make an increased offer to buy a property without a garden.”
Oof. You’re talking my language alas. Though, I’ve managed to convince my darling wide that it’s good exercise tending a garden (for her, that is). 😉
“What use is a dad if he can’t help his son evaluate potential local boozers ?”
(slow golf clap)
“pausing only to wonder what become of Robbies brewery site.”
You almost had me there! (I had to check, and, I’m still not 100% sure)
“I’m not saying it’s as good as the Jaipur that had just gone on (causing a rush to the bar),”
(looks up)
I should bloody well hope not!
(had it over here; it’s… meh)
Also, (looks down)
Blimey. I’d be there all afternoon!
“Don’t be fooled like I was, though, it’s the fried chicken you want, not the grilled one.”
But isn’t the grilled chicken healthier?
(says the gent who’s had frozen (air fried) chicken nuggets with sweet chili Thai sauce for lunch the last 3 days, what with is darling wife being away)
“I know you find my dietary advice useful. I also advise Superdrug for your umbrella that won’t get confiscated that night at the Etihad but will disintegrate at the first drop of actual rain.”
Ah. So, got me there! 😁
“In fairness, the drizzle stopped as I headed past new hipster bar “Holy Diver”,”
(looks down)
I’m not sure if they’re allowed to use the word ‘holy’.
“but then became torrential crossing the M60 on the dash yto Navigation Hill.”
Did the torrential rain cause the ‘y’ in ‘to’?
“As you’ll see, a flood of pubs in Heaton Moor and Stocky centre,”
(looks down)
Talk about competition!
“slimmer pickings at Navigation Hill/Heaton Norris (east).”
(looks down)
Talk about a pub desert!
“Matt, on a dash from Heaton Chapel, was soaked. He fancied a pint.”
Good man, that! 👍
“I didn’t want to cause a scene by refusing.”
Good lord man. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
“The Creme Brulee and IPA veered towards NBSS 4 and 3.5, and that’s a win.”
I hope that wasn’t the Imperial Creme Brulee!
“The bloke at the bar chatted City and VAR, the Gents provided poetry,”
(looks down)
Isn’t putting the seat up normal when peeing over there?
“Matt seems to have been won over by the charms of the Crown, but the Navigation would do for me.”
Ah… youth.
Cheers
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Navigation Hill is of course officially Lancashire Hill, a reminder that being on both the northern and southern bank of the Mersey the County Borough of Stockport straddled two counties.
I was on a CAMRA crawl last month from the Elizabethan to the Navigation. Heaton Chapel station to there is a good walk, albeit mostly downhill.
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My error, Matthew. Mudgie would have been appalled. I think I’ve thought of it as Navigation Hill as long as the pub has been there on the map !
Matt did the walk from Heaton Chapel Station to the Navigation in 15 minutes; I did it from Stockport Station in 14.
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