Arden Arms, Stockport

This is a famous old multi-roomed Robinson's pub that is not too unlike their Black Horse in Preston. I arrived here early Saturday afternoon to find it busy so found a seat outside. Six Robinson's beers were available and I went for their Double Hop (£3.40) which was in decent nick. The most off putting thing here was an over loud soundtrack playing (including outside) which to me just isn't right for such an old fashioned pub. I've visited this one on both previous occasions I've been to Stockport but somehow it didn't seem as good as I remembered it.

A real cracker of a multi room pub including one room (The Snug) which can only be reached by going through the servery. The six pulls are all on the bar back and it's a Robbo's pub with a most of their range in excellent nick. Dark wood and stained glass abounds and there are the old bell pushes in position some of which still work. Furnishing is very tradition with bench seating and Britannia tables. Lovely and unmissable.

Very busy doing christmas meal no time for people that just want a drink had a pint of Robinsons Unicorn not very good. Must be the wrong time of year just for us drinkers will give it another go

Both John B & Roger B have described the interior of the pub excellently, so I won't. It's quite a foody place and the right hand room as you enter was reseved for diners only on my Friday late afternoon visit. In fact you have to wait to be seated in there. The pub itself was very busy with the post work crowd, but the service was efficient. I had a pint of the Dizzy Blonde. I'm not a great fan of Robinsons beers, but I've always had a well kept pint of it here. This pub is in the GBG2012 and also on CAMRA's National Inventory Of Historic Pub Interiors.

Occupying a street corner position at the foot of a small hill down from the Market Place is The Arden Arms, a fine traditional unspoilt pub retaining many original features. It’s a Georgian style brick built building dating back to 1815 and is Grade 2 listed. Several different rooms are served from a superb central curved mahogany bar with sash windows and glass screens that extend up to the ceiling. The drinking lobby here has a black and white chequerboard tiled floor. A framed certificate by the bar tells us that The Arden Arms was CAMRA Pub of the Year 2004 runner up. Posters advertised live jazz on Monday evenings. A small room on the angle of the streets has fixed seating, bell pushes and “Arden Arms” etched windows. On the wall in this room is a Brains mirror. At the other end of the bar, a much larger comfortable room features a grandfather clock and rinks posters and is used as a dedicated dining room with a prominent notice by the entrance telling us to “Please see Joe to be seated”. As well as lunchtime meals, food is served in the evening from 5.30 to 8 pm between Wednesday and Sunday. Rather unusually, a small snug is situated on the staff side of the counter and can only be accessed by walking through the bar servery. Access to this room is by invitation only, an arrangement that reminded me of The Bridge at Topsham ( near Exeter ) – the only other pub that I can remember having this feature. The pub is listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. A pleasant outside drinking area features a cobbled stabled courtyard with outbuildings. It’s a Robinsons pub which was serving the usual range of beers on my recent evening visit. Notably, the beer pumps are at the back of the bar, not on the bar counter. The Unicorn - £ 2.60p – was reasonable. The pub is a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular. Unfortunately, a fellow customer was unnecessarily rude to me when I accidentally picked up the wrong glass from the bar which put a slight damper on proceedings. It’s the type of minor, trivial occurrence that, somewhat illogically, one always remembers. However, this is an attractive traditional pub, worth seeking out

Excellent Town centre local, serving Robinsons on top form. Large drinking corridor with rooms off. The Millgate room is set aside for diners at lunch times. A snug is located through the bar itself. Up to six Robinsons beers on tap. Great food menu at reasonable prices. Outside their is a beer garden. Two min walk from the town centre.