The Samuel Oldknow, Stockport

A blueprint for micros. Pubby exterior and interior. The main bar is quite small but I believe there is another room downstairs. What sets it apart from other micros is the choice - 10 Keg and Cask is to be expected (and my Cask Strange Times IPA) was perfect. Add to this a large cider collection, many Belgian and German bottles and a decent whisky collection and you have it in a nutshell how a micro should be run. Mulled wine being offered outside to the street market customers. Busy, but pleasant on a Saturday afternoon. Excellent pub.

The owner told me that he took the time off during Covid lockdowns to completely revamp the pub which has been here for around six years. There is a seating area in front, and the interior is now very much like a traditional pub. It's been done with taste and expertise, making the best use of the limited space available. Toilets and another seating area are downstairs, together with access to a garden at the rear. The bar has six hand pumps, with three beers from Strange Times (formerly Outstanding) and three others (see photos); some shelves next to the bar had a variety of bottles and cans, but I didn't have time to check them out. My half of Strange Times Mad King Sweeney Red Ale 4.6% was less of a mouthful to drink than to say, and I'd have stayed to try another except that I had a train to catch. This pub would be a good reason for making another trip to Marple.

Official site of The Samuel Oldknow - www.samueloldknow.co.uk

Official site of The Samuel Oldknow - www.samueloldknow.co.uk

You step down into this Dickensian style fronted micro and find a long narrow room with a small compact bar at the rear. The interior had a timber floor and wooden bench seating. The pub had a good jolly atmosphere, where we met a few locals discussing recent news affairs and one of the blokes holding conversation about what he's going to do when his wife gets back from holiday, as it will disturb his peace and quiet. Six pumps with four ales, served from old porcelain handle pulls. There was also a choice of 14 ciders and six keg. I went for the Salopian Velocity which was excellent.