May - Kenilworth
The Kenilworth
Cheadle Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 5DX
The Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Month for May is the Kenilworth on Cheadle Road in Cheadle Hulme. Jim Flynn reports.
This large, open plan 1930s pub is often overlooked, being away from the main drag on the way out of Cheadle Hulme towards Cheadle, It has an emphasis on pub games, quizzes, occasional karaoke, football on TV and quality, good value food. So the fact that the Kenilworth also serves quality cask beers, often from local micros, can go unnoticed by some perhaps less perceptive CAMRA members. This is a mistake because landlord John Powell knows how to run a good pub and there are usually three well-kept cask ales from which to choose. As a result this ultra-friendly hostelry is absolutely thriving!
John and Annette have been at the pub for 14 years. Originally John was the manager but latterly he has leased the pub from Spirit who themselves have a long term lease from a property company (the machinations of big business!!). Having reintroduced real ale into the pub he is passionate about his cask beers and often has beers from Mobberley Ales (one of the brewers lives nearby and is a pub regular). This year John jumped at the chance to join Mild Magic such is his enthusiasm.
So why not join the local CAMRA branch to celebrate the award which will be presented to John, Annette and their staff on Tuesday, 26th May when I am sure we will all be made royally welcome by these very friendly people. Come along for a great night as we congratulate them on an outstanding job well done!
X57/157 buses from Manchester to Woodford, which go through Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle and East Didsbury go past the door and the 369 from Stockport stops just a couple of minutes away at the junction of Cheadle Road and Turves Road. Cheadle Hulme station is less than 10 minutes walk away.