January - Arden Arms
Arden Arms
23 Millgate, Stockport SK1 2LX
The Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Month for January is the Arden Arms, Millgate, Stockport. Dave Platt explains why it won.
When a local institution changes hands, and make no mistake the Arden Arms is an institution, there is always a sense of nervousness and perhaps anticipation too. What will the new people be like? What will they change? That was certainly the case when Geoff and Maria Troughton took over in August 2017.
When Opening Times interviewed them shortly afterwards Geoff told us, "We're not here to change anything; we just want to run a great pub". And that is what they've done.
There have been some small changes - not least a redecoration, slowly carried out by Geoff before opening time, and so carefully done that hardly anyone noticed (although the pub did look brighter). There has been some work on the bar back, too, which now has a fresher look - and it sports some impressive new handpumps which are nevertheless in keeping with the pub. Cellar improvements show in the consistently high standard of the Robinsons beers - many say they are better than ever and the Arden is certainly a real flagship for the brewery.
The food remains varied and excellent with the kitchen open every lunchtime from 12 noon (until 2.00pm Sunday to Friday and 4.30pm on Saturdays) and also in the evenings between 6.00pm and 9.00pm Thursday to Saturday. The pub's reputation for music is also undiminished with live bands every Saturday night.
Geoff and Maria have done an excellent job in not only maintaining but also enhancing the reputation of this classic pub (its historic interior has earned it a place on CAMRA's National Inventory of Heritage Pubs). Come and join us on Thursday 31 January when we celebrate their success and present this very well-deserved award. The pub is just off Stockport Market Place so is handy for too many bus routes to list here!