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The Trafford & Hulme Pub Of The Season for Summer 2015 is Pi, Shaw's Road, Altrincham.
Pi opened in October 2012 as the third outlet for Chorlton based Pivo Inns. The original Pi on Manchester Road in Chorlton was Pub of The Season for Spring 2010 with Pi(Rose Lane) in the Liverpool suburb of Mosley Hill joining the family in 2011.
The Altrincham bar follows the same basic formula as its siblings - specialising in beer with a basic but hugely successful food menu based around the products of Bristol's PieMinster. The concept of Pi was born out of owner Andy Ingham's desire for a local bar that he would want to drink in - as nobody else was opening the kind of place he liked, he did it himself.
There are two handpumps on the bar, one selling permanent beer Tatton Blonde. The guest pump serves an ever changing range of guests with regularly featured breweries including RedWillow, Saltaire and Brightside. The cask ales are complemented by a wide range of distinctive draught beers - there are no national brands here - and a massive range of bottles from the "beer bible". Essentially it's a beer heaven.
The Font Bar does it again – come join the celebrations
The Font Bar in Chorlton has for the second year in a row won the Trafford and Hulme Cider Pub of the year. In fact, it has won our Cider pub of the year award every year since it opened (ok, it has only been open for a couple of years…. )…
While the Font Chorlton has won for two years now, the Font bar chain are no strangers to winning Cider awards with its sister bar in Manchester being a previous Cider Pub of the Year Winner.
With such a cider pedigree the Font Chorlton is a natural contender as one of Manchester’s finest Cider pubs. With up to eight different ciders on tap from a range of interesting producers it stands out as a cider drinker destination bar.
Come and join the Celebration of a great Cider Pub and be there when the presentation is made – let’s show the region that Trafford and Hulme supports not only real ale, but also great Cider and Perry.
The presentation and evening celebrations are on Tuesday the 5th May, 8pm at the Font, Chorlton, M21 9PG
Trafford & Hulme Branch is fortunate in having a number of Clubs in its area doing an excellent job in selling and promoting quality cask ale. However, it is Flixton Conservative Club who continues to set the benchmark and for that reason they have been selected as the Trafford & Hulme Branch Club of the Year 2015.
T&H Chairman Paul King presenting the award to Nigel & Sharon Porter
The Trafford & Hulme Pub Of The Season for Spring 2015 is The Sedge Lynn, Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
Whilst possibly not having the trendy appeal of some of Chorlton's other bars, the Sedge Lynn sits quietly on Manchester Road selling vast quantities of quality real ales day in day out. Its 12 handpumps will typically feature 8 different real ales alongside two traditional ciders and have seen it become one of JD Wetherspoon's top selling real ale outlets, easily selling more real ale than most of it's competition.
Current manager Kirstin Downham took over 18 months ago having moved from The Kingfisher in Poynton. Local readers may also remember her from Didsbury's Milson Rhodes where she was the original manager in 2010. Since moving to Chorlton, Kirstin has continued the good work of her predecessor Leanne Kempthorne who boosted real ale sales at the pub with a more varied range and much improved quality, taking the pub into the Good Beer Guide in the process. In September last year, the pub was named the North West regional winner for Real Ale in Wetherspoons annual awards.
Trafford & Hulme CAMRA has revealed the winners in their annual Pub & Club awards.
The top accolade of Pub Of The Year has been awarded to The Knott on Deansgate, Manchester. Nestled in the railway arches opposite Deansgate railway station, this is the third time the Castlefield bar has taken the top title having won it in both 2009 & 2010 - the latter being on the way to being named Greater Manchester Pub Of the Year in 2010.
The Club Of The Year has been named as Flixton Conservative Club while cider & perry lovers will want to head to Cider Pub Of The Year, The Font on Manchester Road, Chorlton.
The Knott has been a haven for beer fans in the city for over 10 years, leading the way for what has become known as the Craft Beer Revolution. With a selection of 7 cask ales, a wide range of European lagers, craft beers from the UK & abroad and an enviable selection of bottles from around the world, there is no better place in the city for the modern beer lover. The bar supports a wide range of local breweries with long established favourites like Marble Beers and Rochdale\'s Pictish Brewery sharing bar space with some of the most exciting new local breweries like Shindigger and Brewsmith. Add a warm welcome, efficient service and freshly cooked restaurant quality food at pub prices, the bar offers the complete package.
Pipped to the post to end up as runner up was Altrincham\'s Costello\'s Bar - the brewery tap of Dunham Massey Brewing Co - themselves a former winner having taken the title in 2011 & 2012. Chorlton\'s The Beech Inn was third.
John O\'Donnell, spokesman for Trafford & Hulme CAMRA said \"We are very pleased that The Knott has regained the Pub Of The Year title - they have long been one of the very best pubs across the area and have been in the running for the award year on year. Ahead of their time when they opened, they have kept moving as the city\'s beer market has evolved, offering craft beers long before others caught on but all on the solid foundations of well kept real ale.\"
Alongside the Pub Of The Year announcement, the branch has also confirmed their Club Of The Year award has gone to Flixton Conservative Club for the third year in a row. The private members club on Flixton Road has cemented a considerable reputation for choice and quality of its real ales under the stewardship of Nigel & Sharon Porter, a feature which has helped the club grow its membership and customer base at a time when other clubs are struggling.
Finally, the Cider Pub Of The Year is The Font on Manchester Road Chorlton-cum-Hardy, recognised for offering four traditional ciders & perries on draught at all times alongside the widest range of bottled ciders that you will find anywhere in the city. The award marks the third time in a row that the Font chain has taken this title, with their Manchester bar winning it in 2013 before conceding to their younger Chorlton based sister bar for 2014.
Notes to editors:
Congratulations to Pete & Wendy (pictured with Beverley Gobbett who proposed the award) and the rest of the team at the Railway in Broadheath, on winning the 2014 Trafford and Hulme Community Pub of the Year award.
A well deserved award for this pub that has successfully served the locals of Broadheath since it was saved from demolition in the mid 1990's by a joint campaign organised by CAMRA and its locals. Pete and his partner Wendy have carried on the tradition of keeping the Railway a locals local since taking over the lease.
Some pubs have a smart kitchen and are able to serve meals, the Railway doesn't, some pubs have the space to allow live music & comedy acts, the Railway doesn't. The Railway relies entirely on its community spirit, and great ale, to attract and keep its customers So let's wish Pete & Wendy a long and successful future, well done!
Pub of The Season for Winter 2014/15 was The Beech Inn, Beech Road, Chorlton
The branch has named The Sip Club, Barton Road, Stretford as Best Newcomer 2014.
The bar which was also the branch's Pub of The Season for Autumn 2014 opened in April 2014 but has made a massive impact in such a short time - some much that even before CAMRA could present the Newcomer Award, it was named "Best Bar" in the annual CityLife Awards.
They went on to complete a triumvirate of awards with an off-field offering from the Federation of Small Businesses in recognition of their efforts to promote and engage with other Stretford businesses. Local MP Kate Green nominated the bar for the Business Buddy Award after noting their efforts to use local suppliers whereever possible (including almost exclusively offering beers & ciders from local brewers and producers) and to promote other Stretford businesses via events such as the bimonthly "Made In M32" craft fairs.
Pictured is branch chair Paul King presenting owner Heather Garlick with the Best Newcomer award.
The runner up for Best Newcomer was The Moose in Hale.
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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