The George & Dragon, Stockport

The George & Dragon was one of the busier pubs I came across during a recent Tuesday evening crawl along Hazel Grove. By the entrance is a golden goal competition board and to the right is a pool table and dartboard as well as a large television screen for the live football. To the left of the entrance is a very long and thin seating area that runs across the front of the pub. I believe this area is geared more towards dining. Located opposite the entrance is the bar area where a serving counter runs up the right facing raised seating up the left. Out the back is a picnic table seating and large car park. Standard and premium keg were available alongside Beavertown’s Neck Oil and the five plastic hop adorned hand pumps were drawing GK Old Speckled Hen, Buxton Brewery’s Right to Roam and Over Exposed, Coach House Brewing’s Gunpowder and Lilley’s Somerset Scrumpy. The barman was polite with a very dry sense of humour. I thought this place was pretty good for the area and I’d call it one of my locals if I lived nearby.

Obviously an old pub with "Brewers Tudor" black and white exterior and low beams throughout the inside rooms. Sadly it's been decorated like the GK chain outlet that it has now become. At least it's not a modern barn, despite the décor. Several areas, all set up for diners, although there was no-one dining at all during my Friday 4 p.m. visit. Lots of TVs around the place, along with a dartboard and a beer garden to the rear. It's obviously not just a dining pub. There were quite a few drinkers in the bar and more in the beer garden. Three handpumps on the bar serving GK IPA, Abbot and Olde Trip which was a well kept pint. Overall it was rather better than I was expecting.