July - Milson Rhodes
1D School Lane, Didsbury, M20 6RD
The Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Month for July is the Milson Rhodes on School Lane in Didsbury. Didsbury pub fan Stuart Ballantyne went to visit this relative newcomer to the village's pub scene.
The Milson Rhodes is Wetherspoons first venture into Didsbury and it has introduced some much needed competition into the village. The pub is named after Dr. John Milson Rhodes (1847-1909) who has been described as 'a friend to humanity'. Dr. Rhodes lived in Didsbury treating patients with learning difficulties and epilepsy. He was so highly regarded that on his death Didsbury's four square clock tower on Wilmslow road was built to commemorate his life.
The manager of the Milson Rhodes is Kirstin Downham, formerly the duty manager at the Ford Madox Brown in Rusholme. She told Opening Times that she drinks cask beers herself and uses her own experience and beer preferences to choose which beers to sell. She always tries to mix well known beers with those of her own choice and from smaller breweries up and down the country. "I am always willing to try new beers" she says.
At the Milson Rhodes attention to detail is important. Kirstin has trained her own management team to ensure that quality is always high. She always supports local charities and regularly raises money for the nearby Christie hospital.
Kirstin's plans for the near future include running a mini Manchester beer festival featuring micro breweries across Greater Manchester and participating in the Wetherspoons cider festival. As if this were not enough, she is also in negotiations with a North West brewery to brew a beer to her own recipe.
For the new kid on the block, the Milson Rhodes has covered the ground fast. We will present Kirstin and her team with the Pub of the Month award for July on Thursday 28 July. To add to the celebrations on the same night from 7pm there will also be a "Meet the Brewer" event with representatives from Milestone Brewery.