Stagger - West Didsbury
West Didsbury
Friday 21 February 2025
West Didsbury was fast aping Chorlton, with the number of café-bars rising to a crescendo in 2023 but many of these have had careers a little like a shooting star, shone brightly for a year or two but now closed and gone. Sadly, from CAMRAs point of view, even when open very few of these serve real ale! Thus there will be much peering through windows, or walking in just to be disappointed, tonight. West Didsbury, essentially Burton Road, has good public transport connections with Manchester but isn't as convenient to get to from Stockport.
Tonight's stagger starts in the Woodstock Arms, on the fringe of West Didsbury, on the major thoroughfare, Barlow Moor Road, in a building which once housed the British Council. At least it is on the 23 bus route from Stockport so arrival should be no problem. It is a typical Victorian businessman's residence, and retains many of the original features. Of note is the grand staircase to the upper floors, which is spacious enough to boast a settee on the landing! Being a Mitchells & Butlers house, it offers beers from major national suppliers.
On leaving, almost opposite is Albert's Restaurant & Bar which under its former guise of the Barleycorn served real ale. Alberts continued this, but with only one beer on offer. Currently, it is reported as having lost even this, so it is worth popping a head around the door to confirm this information is correct.
We now take a walk down Palatine Road whence we will reach our next intended pub, the Wine & Wallop on Lapwing Lane, right opposite the West Didsbury tram stop. Downstairs is where all the action is which boasts a utilitarian décor, with bare-board flooring and exposed brick walls. Upstairs is more relaxed, with settees and a balcony where you can lord it over the masses downstairs. There can be up to six beers on, usually from local, ie Greater Manchester, breweries. There may even be a 'home brew' available, as they are looking at getting their own kit.
WARNING: anyone without the means to pay electronically will either have to beg a drink off a mate, or tragically go without, as the bar is cashless. The photo shows the former use, as John Williams &Sons, Self Service shop (click on image to see full sized).
A few doors along from Wine & Wallop we have the Lapwing Deli. They did have two Burton Road beers - an IPA and a pale ale - both real ales but served via KeyKeg ™ so we should pop in to confirm/deny this.
To reach our 8:30pm destination, requires a slight backtrack [in the sence of walking towards the Woodstock] when we travel a short way along Old Lansdowne Road where we will find the Albert Club. Being a private club, access to members of the public isn't automatic, but the Club Steward has been contacted and we will be welcomed with open arms tonight. This was a recent Club Of The Year winner so the beer quality is assured, but the pandemic caused havoc with presentation of their certificate!
Our next destination is the Metropolitan. Inside it is cavernous, with a multitude of different areas in which to relax. In its former days, it was known as the Midland Hotel and was built in 1880 when the Midland Railway opened their shortcut from New Mills to Chorlton, cutting out the detour via Guide Bridge along what is now the route taken by the trams. When the line closed, and the need for a hotel vanished, it declined and gained a bad reputation. Taken over in 1998 by two local businessmen, who then recruited local artisans to rejuvenate it, thence the Metropolitan was born. The renaming was (probably) a nod to the previous owners, Grand Metropolitan. This resurrection meant it lost its bowling green and off-sales counter, but did incorporate the former stables into the outside drinking area.
Across the road to what is probably our last port of call we reach the Railway. Created from a cottage in the 1890s, this little pub is supposed to be haunted by the spirit of an old customer. This small Holts pub was (until the late 1990s when it was knocked through into the next-door cobblers) an even smaller John Smiths pub, so don't complain if it is a little crowded on a busy Friday night. The upside is, anyone joining the stagger here will be able to find the current revelers easily, as there are scant few hiding places! Beers on offer are Holt's Bitter, along with their Two Hoots and sometimes a guest. There may even be an odd remnant of Holts Sixex their, usually bottle only, strong ale which was especially on cask here aspart of Winter Warmer Wander.
Our journey should proceeds South along Burton Road, where there were a veritable myriad of café-bars. As is the way with their dynamic and quick-acting proprietors, their offering changes on an almost weekly basis. Many have previously offered real ale, either on handpump or via Real Ale in a Bottle, but current intelligence says none is available at the moment. Thus, the CAMRA campaigning flag can be flown, by breaking up into smaller groups and entering every outlet to discuss real ale. Remember, these days many KeyKeg ™beers are real ale and would be just the ticket here.
For those wishing to head home towards Fallowfield / Manchester (111) or Burnage / Levenshulme / Gorton / Openshaw and beyond (172), there is a bus stops on Burton Road opposite the Metropolitan. Stopfordians will have to journey up to Barlow Moor Road, where they will be able to catch a bus home.
Below, clicking on Map 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.
West Didsbury |
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| Timing | Pub Name | Address | Bus & Metrolink | Notes |
| 7:30pm Start point: | Woodstock Arms | 139 Barlow Moor Road, M20 2DY | Map West Didsbury |
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| Then: | Albert's Restaurant & Bar | 120-122 Barlow Moor Road, M20 2PU | Map West Didsbury |
No real ale |
| Wine and Wallop | 97 Lapwing Lane, M20 6UR | Map West Didsbury |
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| Lapwing Deli | 109 Lapwing Lane, M20 6UR | Map West Didsbury |
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| 8:30pm Mid point: | Albert Club | 39-41 Old Lansdowne Road, M20 2PA | Map West Didsbury |
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| Followed by: | Zaranda | 1 Lapwing Lane, M20 2NT | Map Burton Road> |
No real ale |
| Metropolitan | 2 Lapwing Lane, M20 2WS | Map Burton Road |
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| Drawing Room | 148b Burton Road, M20 1LH | Map Burton Road |
No real ale | |
| Proove | 160 Burton Road, M20 1LH | Map Burton Road |
No real ale | |
| Mary and Archie | 200 Burton Road, M20 2LW | Map Burton Road |
Closed | |
| Volta | 167 Burton Road, M20 2LN | Map Burton Road |
No real ale | |
| Folk | 169-171 Burton Road, M20 2LN | Map Burton Road |
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| Elk | 220 Burton Road, M20 2LW | Map Burton Road |
No real ale | |
| Santé | 222 Burton Road, M20 2LW | Map Burton Road |
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| Saison | 236 Burton Road, M20 2LW | Map Burton Road |
No real ale | |
| George Charles | 246 Burton Road, M20 2LW | Map Burton Road |
No real ale | |
| Finishing at | Railway | 3 Lapwing Lane, M20 2NT | Map Burton Road |
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View the West Didsbury map in a larger map.
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