Pub of the Month November - Sun In September
Sun in September
588 Burnage Lane Burnage, Manchester M19 1NA
The November Pub of the Month is the Sun in September in Burnage. Peter Edwardson has been along.
The Sun in September stands on Burnage Lane in South Manchester close to the junction of Kingsway and Fog Lane. It was originally a detached Victorian villa in extensive grounds, which was converted to pub use by Samuel Smith’s in the 1980s. At first, the décor had something of an Indian Raj theme, which is where the name came from, but successive refurbishments have greatly toned this down. The grounds now provide an attractive beer garden featuring several mature trees, which is a popular spot in summer.
After a period of closure, the pub was taken over in October 2019 by John and Kerry Fitzmaurice. Unfortunately, this was quickly followed by the onset of Covid, but since lockdowns came to an end they have succeeded in developing it into a very popular local with a strong band of regulars and often a lively buzz of conversation, and it is this achievement that has won them the award. It supports a number of social activities including a darts team and regular quiz nights. After several closures over the years, it is now the only traditional pub remaining for some distance in any direction.
The main door leads you through into the spacious lounge, which has an L-shaped bar on the left, and four distinct seating areas centred around an impressive feature fireplace, one section with tramcar-style seating. There is also a plainer public bar with its own entrance around the back of the pub. The only cask beer is Old Brewery Bitter, kept in reliably good condition, while the pub also offers the usual Sam’s keg range, including the highly-regarded Extra Stout and two good-value milds.
Join us on Thursday 28 November from 8.30 pm onwards and help John and Kerry celebrate their well-deserved award. The pub is only a five-minute walk from Burnage Station on the Piccadilly-Manchester Airport line.