Stagger - Heaton Moor and Heaton Chapel
Heaton Moor east and Heaton Chapel
20 October 2023
Tonight's stagger starts in a very rare beast for Stockport, a J W Lees house, the Elizabethan on Heaton Moor Road. Converted from an impressive, large, detached Victorian house sometime around the millenium. Noted for its food offering, but still welcoming drinkers into its midst with a good range of Lees's beer are on offer. The outside drinking at tables in the front garden can be a heaven in summer, but probably only for the hardy (or fool-hardy) on an evening in January! A range of J W Lees beers adorn the bar.
Next up, across the road, should be the relaxed café bar Thom's Wine Bar (was Orangery until June 2013). In early 2014 it started to sell cask beer, but that sadly has ended. Never mind - move on. Almost next door, the Casa De Moor (was Town Bar until Dec 2018), a contemporary café bar unfortunalty is keg-only, so once again - forwards.
Back across the road and next door to the Elizabethan we reach the Moor Club. This is a private members only club, but CAMRA Staggers are welcome after they have been forewarned. Trade must be brisk as they manage to support three cast ales, Holts Bitter plus two changing beers, often from the Marston's stable. It has three full-size billiard tables (members only) or are they snooker tables as the former is rarely played these days? Awarded local CAMRA branch 'Club of the Year' in 2016 and 2019. If arriving late do not confuse the club with The Village Point which is upstairs and a separate entity.
If some deft timing has ensued, a 42A omnibus can be used to get to our next venue, if not a ten minute walk (better not be a stagger this early in the evening!) will have to be undertaken.
Stood on the junction of Manchester Road and School Lane, the large and striking brick and stone building is the George & Dragon. Originally built for Richard Clarke's Reddish Brewery and having passed through the hands of Boddingtons it is now owned by Greene King. The George and Dragon was opened out considerably some years ago but still retains its distinct areas and sense of community.
Going diagonally across the traffic lights brings us to Heaton Hops.
Being in the middle of a row of shops, it gives tha game away as being one of the new breed of micro-pubs. The converted shop premise offers two small rooms (the second is downstairs in the basement) with the pavement outside used to good effect in fine weather, but much more challenging when inclement. It majors on selling a large range of bottle-conditioned beers from the UK and around the world. Supplementing these are two cask ale lines, alongside eight keg taps and two traditional ciders making up the range. Wine and locally roasted coffee is available (plus there is an excellent family butchers next door who do stunning pies). Heaton Hops can be seen in the photo, left, behind the Hillman Imp, with Littlewoods butchers to the left.
Having had one of our shortest walks, it is back to a longer walk down the Stockport by-pass. The Manchester and Buxton Trust had originally, in 1724, improved the main London bound route of Manchester Road, Lancashire Hill, Great Underbank and Hillgate. As can be imagined, this soon became congested, expecially in and around the market place. To overcome this, with the opening of the new viaduct across Mersey Square in 1826 (the bridges between there and the bus station, NOT the railway viaduct - that was opened on 4 June 1840), the straight, wide, Wellington Roads North and South became a very early (the first?) town by-pass.
As you approach the Miller & Carter Heaton Chapel (formerly Toby Carvery and before that the Rudyard Hotel). It used to have real ale but after a major re-fit this vanished on re-opening. What the reason for this is, being owned by Mitchel and Butler, beyond our comprehension.
We are on the last leg now, but our final destination still requires a similar length walk through the residential streets of Heaton Chapel to reach the Hind's Head. Built on the site of the Poco-A-Poco Cabaret Club where in the late 60s and early 70s such stars as Bill Haley and his Comets (for 7 nights on the trot!), David Bowie and Barclay James Harvest performed on stage!
The photo left captures the time when Billy Fury was performing. For a brief history follow this link. Unfortunately in 1987 a (second) serious fire resulted in the building being demolished and the Hind's Head built in its stead. Built in the style of a rambling country house, the décor and furnishings give a clean, open, pleasant feel to the pub. The conservatory on the south end of the building and the pub garden cover all aspects of the English weather.
The Hind’s Head is the traditional end to the night as the title indicates, Heaton Moor and Heaton Chapel. It was thought, however, we may like to proceed further along Manchester Road, to number one in fact, and the Navigation. So, leaving any traditionalists behind, the rest of us can either take the 10 minute walk, or if carefully co-ordinated, catch the number 7 bus.
The Navigation is almost built into Nelstrop's Flour Mill, but you may ask "Why is it called the Navigation when it is nowhere near a waterway?" The Stockport branch of the Ashton Canal used to pass through what is now the underpass outside the front door. The canal remained in use, though with little commercial traffic, until it fell into disrepair in the 1950s. It was officially abandoned to traffic in 1962, after which it was filled in slowly, work being very protracted and not being completed until c.1975. This may not be the end however, because a band of Inland Waterway enthusiasts would like to re-open as much as is practical (ie probably as far as Broadstone Road).
This is Beartown Brewery's only establishment in Stockport, and a good selection of their beers, along with a guests, are always available. In times gone by the Navigation was managed by Manchester United's goalkeeper Alex Stepney. Interestingly, though everyone would now refer to the Navigation being on Lancashire Hill, its address is actually 1 Manchester Road. If you look at the Lancashire Hill/Sandy Lane/Manchester Road junction in the photo left, you will see that the Navigation is on the latter road.
Below, clicking on Map link will call up a Google travel map with that location automatically set as the destination. Insert your current location (post code?) as the start and choose a travel mode (public, car, cycle or foot) and discover your travel options. Following THIS LINK will take you to the Transport for Greater Manchester website for current travel information.
| Heaton Moor east and Heaton Chapel | ||||
| Timing | Pub Name | Address | Bus & Rail | Notes |
| 7.30pm Start point: | Elizabethan | 33 Heaton Moor Road SK4 4PB |
Map Heaton Chapel |
|
| Followed by: | Thom's Wine Bar | 54 Heaton Moor Road SK4 4NZ |
Map Heaton Chapel |
No Real Ale |
| Casa De Moor | 60 Heaton Moor Road Heaton Moor SK4 4NZ |
Map Heaton Chapel |
No Real Ale | |
| Moor Club | 35 Heaton Moor Road Heaton Moor SK4 4PB |
Map Heaton Chapel |
||
| 8.30pm Mid point: | George & Dragon | 422 Manchester Road Heaton Chapel SK4 5DH |
Map Heaton Chapel |
|
| Then | Heaton Hops | 7 School Lane Heaton Chapel SK4 5DE |
Map Heaton Chapel |
|
| Miller & Carter Heaton Chapel | 271 Wellington Road North Heaton Chapel SK4 5BP |
Map Heaton Chapel |
No Real Ale | |
| Hind's Head | Manchester Road Heaton Chapel SK4 2RB |
Map | ||
| Finishing at: | Navigation | 1 Manchester Road Heaton Chapel SK4 1TY |
Map | |
View Heaton Moor east and Heaton Chapel in a larger map
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