June - Nursery
The Nursery
258 Green Lane, Heaton Norris, Stockport, SK4 2NA
The Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Month award for June 2014 has been awarded to the Nursery, Green Lane, Heaton Norris. Jim Flynn reports.
Over the years there have been accolades galore for the Nursery. With its classic unspoilt structure and decor, wonderful light oak panelling, delightful windows decorated with horticultural images and well-manicured bowling green to the rear. However in 2013 the pub fell on relatively hard times with the very sudden and unexpected departure of the long standing licensee whose family had overseen the pub for decades and taken it to the pinnacle with 30 years in the Good Beer Guide and the award of National Pub of the Year in 2001. Sadly following this upheaval customers drifted away as rumours abounded.
The Nursery however is not a pub to be kept down and November brought in a new highly experienced licensee, Brendan Adderley who had previously done sterling work at High Grove for 13 years. Brendan has laboured tirelessly to return the excellence of the beer and food plus the warmth of the welcome. Once again, despite being tucked away down the cobbled Green Lane, the Nursery is attracting customers from miles around encouraged by the friendliness of the staff, the excellence of the food and the quality of the Hydes beers and guest ales.
If anything the beer range has improved with Hydes Original, Manchester Finest, 1863 and Owd Oak (yes that's two milds!) together with beers from their Beer Studio and new Lowry ranges. In addition there is always between two and four guest beers available. The lunches are also to be recommended, being available six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday. Altogether a pub well worth a visit and very soon Hydes are promising a sensitive spruce up without adversely affecting the fabulous fabric and ambiance of the place.
June could not be a better month for a Pub of the Month at the Nursery as with good weather you will be able to sit outside and maybe even watch a bowls match being fought out on the luscious green in front of you while sampling the excellent fare on offer. So why not join the local CAMRA branch to celebrate the return to grace of an old favourite and make the award to Brendan and his staff on Thursday, 26th June when, I am sure, a great night will be enjoyed by all.
The pub is less than 10 minutes from the main 192 bus route (walk down Bowerfold Lane or Heaton Lane), 10 minutes from the 84 and 197 routes in Heaton Moor and the 22 stops within a ¼ mile of the door. Don't miss it!