Nursery Inn, Stockport

The Nursery Inn is a Hydes pub with nine hand pumps spread across the four serving counters of the central bar area. To the front is a carpeted open plan lounge where green-grey banquettes stretch around the panelled walls under garden related framed prints. On the left-hand wall is a red brick fireplace above which a television was airing muted football while the likes of Jack Johnson played in the background. Above the back of the banquettes are old buzzers, but these days service is from the bar only. I mainly stayed in this front area where I enjoyed a pint of Lowry with a pie from the Pieminister menu, although unfortunately they’d run out of mash so I ended up with frozen chips which detracted somewhat from the dish. The other counters on the bar serve the carpeted foyer around the entrance, a carpeted room at the rear with banquettes around the walls and a fireplace with a television above showing football, much like the lounge. In the left rear is a large public bar with minimal seating and a dartboard. This pub is a bit of a slog to the north of the town centre, but I thought the service was very polite and I enjoyed my visit so would have no issue making the effort for a return visit, maybe doing a double header with the Magnet.

Substantial backstreet local, retaining its original layout with four remarkable rooms (each with their own servery) around the central servery. All very tidy, with variations of highly attractive 1930s furniture and decor in each area. It was too dark to see the rear bowling green properly when I visited, but you could see this being a fine spot in sunny weather. As a Hydes house, 1863 (Original) Bitter, Lowry, Old Indie mild (£2.54) and the seasonal Hoppy Appeal and First Frost were available from various handpumps scattered around the counters. Already busy late on a Friday afternoon, and you could see why; this class act is well worth a special visit.

Official site of Nursery Inn - www.nurseryinn.co.uk

Official site of Nursery Inn - www.nurseryinn.co.uk

This is an ex CAMRA National Pub Of The Year (2001). It's a recently, sympathetically, refurbished community pub right in the middle of a good quality estate. Two large rooms, both nicely done, with a small snug with a separate entrance to the side. Lot's of great wood panelling as part of its "Nationally Important Pub Interior". Well priced, good looking meals were coming out of the kitchen on my Friday, early evening visit. 9 handpumps on the bar, beers are mainly from Hydes including their Beer Studio micro, plus a couple of guest ales. My pint was in very good nick and I settled down in the busy, buzzy front room. This is a very well run pub and if I lived around here this would be my local.