January - Waterloo
Waterloo
220 Waterloo Road, Stockport, SK1 3BD
The Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Month award for January 2013 has been awarded to the Waterloo, Waterloo Road, Stockport, writes Dave Sharpe.
For those who don't know this older part of Stockport, the Waterloo pub is about 50 yards down the hill on Waterloo Road from its junction with Middle Hillgate, situated on the corner of Canal Street and facing Hopes Carr. It lies betwixt two 'historical' sites. Diagonally over to the left was the late Strawberry Studios where many famous groups, bands and singers made their first recordings. Over to the right is the memorial site to the 72 people who lost their lives in the plane crash in June 1967.
Now you know where you are get yourself into this Robinsons house and meet Linda and her staff and experience a warm and friendly atmosphere. There are records of buildings on this site in 1781. The first mention of the Waterloo was in 1878. Bells Brewery took it over in 1891 and in 1949 Robinsons took over Bells. The current pub is a combination of a corner shop, pub and cottage. It now consists of three rooms with a central bar dispensing from hand pulls Robinson's Unicorn and 1892 better known to the older imbiber as Mild. Food is served at lunchtimes. Entering the door on the right takes you into the lounge which runs along the front and was refurbished two years ago following a fire behind the bar. The door facing puts you into the vault. There is a small games room at the rear containing a pool table and dart board. A car park at the rear is accessed from Canal Street.
I hope that as many of you as possible will turn up on Tuesday 22nd January to give Linda and Billy, her husband of six months, her staff and not forgetting the 'regulars', all the support they deserve.