The Club of the Year 2012 for Trafford & Hulme branch is the Altrincham Conservative Club on Market Street. This club was established in 1878 and has been in the same premises ever since. It has a large billiard room and an impressive kitchen for providing catering for its many events run throughout the year for its members and guests.
The building is very impressive and the bar area is large, well appointed with high ceilings giving quite a sense of oppulence. There used to be a ladies only billiard room but the club has now moved on and allows mixed playing of the game.
The building is very impressive and the bar area is large, well appointed with high ceilings giving quite a sense of oppulence. There used to be a ladies only billiard room but the club has now moved on and allows mixed playing of the game.
Sunday evenings sees a Folk Club every weekend when entry is just £1 to anyone. During the rest of the week CAMRA members are always welcome if they show a current membership card and pay £1 when signing the visitors book. This also means that you can take advantage of the lunches served Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 2.30pm if you find yourself stranded at Altrincham market.
Bob Jones is the current Steward and has been there since June 2002. When Bob took over the club was only serving 1 cask of ale a week, he now averages around 6. There is only one handpump and the Club is free of tie so Bob is able to choose whatever he likes or what his members ask for.
Trafford & Hulme have chosen the Altrincham Conservative Club as their Club of the Year for many reasons but one to point out to others is that it is possible to consistently serve great beer and offer a good choice of styles to a limited number of members when you only have one handpump. Bob's efforts in his cellar are testiment to this and so we hope this offers encouragement to others to give serving Real Ale a go even with a limited audience and no more room than for one handpump.
Please come along and join the branch and club members in celebrating this Award on Thursday 10th May from 8pm.