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The Prairie Schooner Taphouse was presented with the "Best LocAle Pub" award,
Then a short trip to the Lord Nelson who received the "Best Community Pub".
Trafford and Hulme’s Autumn Pub of the Season is the Prairie Schooner Taphouse on Flixton Road in Urmston.
Ostensibly a micro pub but actually a decent size, with two distinct seating areas either side of an island bar. Owner Robert MacRae opened the bar two years ago and was named the branch's best Newcomer in 2015. It's second anniversary will coincide with the presentation of the award.
One recent reviewer likened the premises to bringing a bit of Chorlton or Didsbury to Urmston. Can make of that what you will but it has certainly enhanced an area which is up and coming on the leisure front where along with numerous restaurants many real ale outlets have sprung up in recent years.
The premises were formerly a shop selling golfing tackle. The emphasis now is on fermented malt and fruit, consumed in a tranquil atmosphere (no TV or background music). No meals are available but nuts and nibbles are available. Lovers of whisky and wine will also find something of interest and small batch gin is a recent addition.
The Trafford & Hulme CAMRA Pub Of The Year 2016 is Pi (Altrincham). The award was presented to a packed pub of regulars and CAMRA members on 23rd June. The pub took the opportunity to launch their new range of bar snacks and also provided samples of new varieties of Pie Minster pies.
Pub manager Chris Bardsley receiving the award from branch Chair John O'Donnell
The Trafford & Hulme Pub Of The Season for Summer 2016 is the JP Joule, Sale.
The presentation was made on 21st June.
Pictured are Branch Chair John O'Donnell with Shift Leader Emma Stubbs.
The Trafford & Hulme Pub Of The Season for Summer 2016 is The JP Joule.
Situated on Northenden Road in Sale, the JP Joule is just a few minutes’ walk away from the tram station, and is on several major bus routes.
Spread over 2 floors, with a bar on each, there are a total of 13 handpumps, ensuring a good range of real ale in this popular Wetherspoon pub.
‘House’ ales are Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best, and Sharps Doom Bar. Supporting LocAle, ‘guest’ ales are from local breweries including Dunscar Bridge, Phoenix, Robinsons and Weetwood (to name but a few), as well as, from slightly further afield, Hawkshead, Moorhouses, Peerless and Saltaire.
The Trafford & Hulme branch Pub Of The Year for 2016 is Pi (Altrincham).
Presentation Thursday 23rd June from 8pm. Will also be presenting runners up awards to Blackjack Beers' Jack In The Box and Marble Beer's Marble Beer House with beers from both breweries invading Pi for the evening.
Situated on Shaw’s Road opposite Altrincham Market Hall, it’s not a bar which shouts loudly about itself but has quietly spent the last three years building a well-earned reputation for serving good beer in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. There are no pretentions about this bar - no DJ nights, no TV sports and no desire to be a gastropub or do “street food”. Quite simply while it may not be a traditional pub, it is very much a proper pub – all about enjoying beer in good company.
House ale Tatton Blonde is joined by two guest ales most commonly from RedWillow, Saltaire & First Chop while the fonts serve only quality local and imported beers and lagers – there are no mainstream brands. Where bottle menus may be a common sight at craft beer bars these days, the Pi Beer Bible has been a fixture since the first Pi opened in Chorlton back in 2007.
The simple but effective menu offers a choice of four PieMinster pies usually including two vegetarian options, served with your choice of creamy mash, minty peas and gravy. Service is quick and food is served until 11pm daily.
The Trafford & Hulme Branch Pub of the Season for Spring 2016 is The Bar in Chorlton.
The Bar on Wilbraham Road is one of the longest standing pubs in Chorlton and sister pub to The Knott, city centre and The Macc, Macclesfield. As one of the first of the new breed of ‘café/ bars’ in the area they were at the forefront of the revolution that now sees 30 real ale outlets in a square mile of what was once described as a ‘beer desert’.
Over the past close to 20 years it has gathered a loyal following and now arguably has the most diverse clientele in Chorlton. The 3 areas of the pub are open plan, yet separate enough to give a sense of intimacy, particularly in the small snug in back past the bar. The larger area to the left on entry hosts a weekly quiz and music nights and also serves as the main dining area, a full menu is now being served.
The long area in front of the bar has a lovely tiled fire place and there are 8 hand pumps on the bar, 4 either side of the large pillar. Beers are mostly regional and more often LocAle with offerings from Pictish, Acorn, Marble and Magic Rock frequently on the bar. Real cider is also available, 4 bag-in-box are usually found in the fridge.
Blackboards behind the bar advertise the offerings including ‘craft’ keg both foreign and domestic. There’s a patio to the front where smoking is allowed and a beer garden to the rear where it isn’t. A few things have changed over the years, but they don’t do cocktails and still don’t sell Stalla!
The Pub of the Season award will be presented on Thursday 21st April from 8pm. It’s located opposite the Chorlton Metrolink stop and several bus routes go close by.
Trafford & Hulme Branch awards four seasonal awards to pubs, bars & clubs in the branch area
The Pub Of The Season award is presented to a pub or bar within the branch area which has excelled in one or more areas:
a) introducing real ale to a new area or market where none has been available
b) on-going excellence in the quality of real ales (and ciders) on offer
c) on-going excellence of service to customers and/or the local community
d) significant increases in the sales of real ales and/or traditional ciders
e) excellence in support promotion of CAMRA and its aims
f) significant charitable work
Nominees for the award are put forward by local CAMRA members & voted on by branch members once a quarter.
A pub (while under the same management) cannot be Pub Of The Season more than once in a 3 year period. A pub must have been under the same management for over one year before it becomes eligible to be nominated as Pub Of The Season.
Find out more about Trafford & Hulme Branch's process for pub and club awards here.
The Pub Of The Year award is presented annually to a pub or bar which in the opinion of the membership “ticks all the boxes”. It should ideally offer a range of quality real ales, including speciality styles like dark beers; offer good real cider and perry; and offer at least one LocAle. A branch pub of the year should be a community pub that provides events and services for the local community. The pub should have a strong identity and personality that will often reflect the tastes of the licensee. The pub should exude a sense of welcome and the experience of your visit should leave you wanting to return.
The pub or bar should be the one the branch feels is the very best overall in our area as the Pub Of The Year shall be put forward by the branch for entry into the Greater Manchester Regional round of the CAMRA National Pub Of The Year award where it will be judged on quality of cask ale (and cider); atmosphere; décor; customer service; welcome; value for money; customer mix.
Find out more about Trafford & Hulme Branch's process for pub and club awards here.
While the branch celebrates four Pub Of The Season winners throughout the year, these often go to long standing pubs and bars which are awarded for longevity of excellence. Starting from 2013, the branch decided it wanted to also recognise pubs that excel in specific areas.
The branch presents four annual awards in addition to existing Pub of The Season and Pub Of The Year awards:
Best Newcomer
Most Improved Pub Or Club
Best Community Pub
Best LocAle Pub or Club
For full details of the awards, click here
The Club Of The Year award is presented annually to the club, which shows the greatest commitment to Quality Real Ale. Factors to be considered are quality of cask ale (and cider); sympathy with CAMRA's aims (e.g. CAMRA literature displayed; hosting CAMRA events such as branch or committee meetings); welcome given to non-member cask ale drinkers; value for money on cask ales and ciders; promotion of real ale (e.g. real ale beer festivals, brewery nights, other real ale promotions).
Additionally CAMRA members must be welcomed to drink in the club on production of a current CAMRA membership card (guest admission fees and maximum visits before joining the club may apply).
Find out more about Trafford & Hulme Branch's process for pub and club awards here.
The Cider & Perry Pub Of The Year award recognises a pub, bar or club that has best excelled in the promotion of real traditional draught ciders and perries appropriately served. Quality of the cider and perry offered is the most important criteria alongside overall promotion of real cider and perry and cider producers by the pub (e.g. posters and literature in the pub; tasting events; cider and perry pub festivals). A branch cider/perry pub of the year should offer a good range of quality real cider and perry, and ideally the choice over time should include a range of styles from different cider producers.
Find out more about Trafford & Hulme Branch's process for pub and club awards here.
The Trafford & Hulme Cask Champion award was created in 2010 to recognise the achievements of a person, group, pub or company that have made an outstanding contribution to furthering CAMRA\'s aims in the branch area.
There award is only presented infrequently when the branch considers that there is a candidate worthy of this honour.
Find out more about Trafford & Hulme Branch's process for pub and club awards here.
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