Queens Head, Stockport

A tiny Sam Smiths pub with wood panelled walls. Although very narrow it goes back much further than you'd think. There are 3 rooms, one behind each other. Typical Sams clientele i.e. a right old mix. I got talking to an older regular within about 3 minutes of entering the pub. As I'm not a fan of OBB I decided to have a half of Dark Mild which was a steal at 67p. It's a very good locals pub in the centre of town and I'd happily call in again.

Almost under the St Petersgate bridge in the old part of Stockport is The Queens Head, a pub with a narrow frontage and which is still, apparently, referred to locally as Turners Vaults, as the premises was previously the tasting room for Turners Wine Merchants. A small front bar has wooden floors, boarded wood panelling and some high backed bench seating opposite the bar counter and also by the window. Notably, and most unusually, on the bar counter are two arcs of old spirit taps, evidently no longer in use. It’s very narrow in front of the bar, but, squeezing past other customers, one reaches two further rooms behind. An attractive small lounge at the back is quieter and has banquette seating, old bell pushes and elegant cornicing. Between the bar servery and this lounge is the “News Room”, which is effectively a partitioned alcove set back from the corridor leading to the back room. The News Room is a basic room with brass rods on which newspapers are hung, together with bench seating. Locals evidently favour the front bar and these two back rooms were noticeably quieter on my recent visit. It’s very much a locals pub, with a few characters, and was already quite busy when I called in at about 11.30 in the morning. It’s a Sam Smiths pub with OBB on handpump. The landlady apologised profusely at charging me £ 1.80p, and, seeing my quizzical expression, explained that it had gone up from £ 1.60p the previous day, a price rise that was being applied to all Sam’s pubs in the North West. For its characteful unspoilt interior, it’s worth a look in, but I gather it’s better to do so in the evenings when it’s quieter.