November - Reasons To Be Cheerful
Reasons To Be Cheerful
228 Fog Lane, Burnage M20 6EL
The Stockport & South Manchester Pub of the Month for November is Reasons To Be Cheerful, a new micropub at 228 Fog Lane in Burnage. Margaret O'Brien interviewed Elena Rowe, one of the owners, and her reply really sums up why it won.
"We have been blown away by winning awards before we've been open a year, winning CAMRA Pub of the Month especially, because we love cask ale and we're obsessed with making sure it's kept well. We hope that winning those awards reflects how hard we've been working to make Reasons To Be Cheerful a great place to drink really great quality beer!
"We're completely independent, and that was one of the most important things to us when we were setting up. We're family owned and run, now with one other member of staff. Also, importantly, our lines are not tied to any suppliers or breweries so our selection is constantly changing and we are always on the lookout for new things. The diversity and quality of the beer is really important to us because that is what we like to see when we go to other pubs and bars. We were inspired by places like the Magnet, Café Beermoth and Heaton Hops. We looked at cafes and cosy coffee shops and living rooms to get something that didn't look or feel like a typical bar or micropub.
"I also want to mention how important the community aspect of it is to us. When we set up we knew we wanted to create a community hub, somewhere where everyone would feel welcome, and it's a pleasure to see that happen.
"We feel like we don't just run a bar. We make an effort to get to know our customers and provide a friendly, personal service. We want to make sure there is lots of buzz and energy about the bar and always something different going on here to attract new people and keep those we know coming back.
"We absolutely love running Reasons To Be Cheerful; every day is different but always a pleasure. We have made new friends and have been blown away by how supportive and friendly the people of Burnage and Didsbury are."
This is a very welcome addition to the South Manchester pub scene, in an area where pubs are thin on the ground. The award will be presented on Thursday 23 November from 8.00pm. Reasons to be Cheerful is close to Burnage Station and the 50 bus route.