The Midland Pub, Stockport

First visit to this plain-looking pub, despite having walked part it several times (thinking that it was closed, although, in hindsight, that may not have been the case). Anyway, it has a quite and old-fashioned interior - light in the bar, darker and more traditional in the lounge, and with some splendid brown-and-cream Art Nouveau tiling in the entrance lobby and corridors. With four of the five handpumps in use, we found Wainwright Gold, Offilers' Best Bitter, Brightside Odin and the long-lost Lord Lucan who had emerged from Wincle.

The ‘No Riff Raff’ sign in the window kind of gives the game away that the Midland is run by an old school governor. I actually thought it was shut so was surprised when the door moved when I pushed it. Inside to the right is a seating area where some building work was being carried out. There seemed to be some discussions about what wall to put the dartboard up on the was laying on the floor. The bar is found to the left of the entrance where there were a handful of locals during a recent Tuesday evening visit. I counted five handpumps, but three were unused which left two cask ales from Wincle Brewery. There are also a few taps for standard and premium keg. At the rear of the bar is some sofa seating with tables and adjacent is another, smaller, seating area. There are televisions that were all off and there was some low background music playing. I thought this place was OK, but there is some stiff competition up the road so I don’t see myself returning if I find myself in the area again.

Bit of a knocked-around pub that is halfway between traditional and refurbed. Three rooms off a criminally molested art nouveau tiled corridor, including some grumpy clientele not used to out-of-towners. Five pumps, with four on. I went for an Oakham Inferno which was fine. I didn't get on with this one much, would have been better-off in the Magnet for an extra one. 5.5