Stockport : The Magnet (Good Beer Guide)
Whilst in Stockport, I thought that I would have a little meander around some of the Good Beer Guide venues, with this being the first one.
The pub was opened in 1840 and was used as a coaching inn given its location to the Heaton Norris railway station, which closed in the 1960s. There’s a traditional feel to the decor and I like that there are numerous rooms with different seating and design styles. There’s an article in the newspaper from 1841 which notes:
“John Newton, of Stockport, will wrestle any person whose weight does not exceed his (5 and a half score) for £5 a side. He may be heard of at the Magnet Inn in Stockport.”
I suppose that was a handy guy to have as a doorman…. I have no idea what that weight means, the nearest that AI could get was that a northern measure of weight was a score which was 20 pounds, but that would make for a very light wrestler.
The Magnet is the ‘inn’ by Andrew Street, showing how near the railway station was. It has lost that railway station link now and it had some troubled years, being closed and starting to become derelict for a short while. However, it has been turned around over recent years and it has become something of a destination venue.
It was reasonably busy on the evening that I was there, with the service being friendly and welcoming.
The beer selection is substantial and they use Untappd for their beer menus. They have around 14 cask beers and 12 kegs to choose from, with the selection being well curated with most beer styles represented. The beer prices are also all towards the lower end of the scale.
My first beer was the Bright & Early from Wakey Wakey Brew Co and after trying it, I was surprised at its low rating on Untappd. Lots of toffee evident in the flavour, along with orange peel. The staff member pro-actively mentioned that they use lined glasses for their half pints, something which I personally think is a rather good policy.
Second beer was the Whiskey in the Jar from Liquid Light Brew Co. It was rather sweet and a little boozy with a taste of dark chocolate, really quite punchy.
I can absolutely see why this pub is in the Good Beer Guide as it’s welcoming, clean and has lots of beer which seems to be in very good condition. The reviews on-line are very positive and just about as high as a busy pub can reasonably get. They’ve never picked up a one star review on Google which is an achievement in itself. The food option is pizzas which are freshly made, with the non-beer drinks choice also being wide. The National Geographic also published an article last year, which I think is badly written for numerous reasons, but it mentions the pub as one of the twelve best pubs in the UK which must have been a pleasant little boost for them. And this was a positive start to my visit of pubs in Stockport, friendly and hospitable, so all rather lovely.
