A pub just an hour from Manchester has been crowned as the Great British Pub of the Year, following a complete turn-around of its fate.
The Cholmondeley Arms, known to locals as The Chum, was once described as being a ‘lost cause’.
But under its owners Tim Bird and Mary Maclaughlin, it’s undergone an extensive refurbishment and restoration project.
The former Cheshire schoolhouse has now taken the big prize at the Great British Pub Awards, whose judges described it as ‘one of England’s most unique rural pubs’.
It still retains some of the features from its years as a Victorian school, including a blackboard and old desks – no w joined by a menu of premium food and drink and a huge range of gins (more than 300, displayed in an apothecary-style bar).
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The Cholmondeley Arms was a new entry to the awards this year and managed to scoop the top prize in both the Great British Pub of the Year and the Country/Rural Pub categories.
The judges also praised it for its hand-crafted steak and kidney pie and its ‘Cholmondeley Mess’, and noted its six newly refurbished rooms within the ‘Old Headmasters House’.
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The Cholmondeley Arms in Cheshire has a collection of more than 300 gins. Credit; Facebook
Tim Bird, owner of Cholmondeley Arms, said: “After all these years together, it means the world. When we opened, I said we can be a beacon of hope for rural pubs but now we can be an ambassador as the pub of the year for Great Britain.
“For the team, this is just amazing. Helen [the pub’s general manager] has worked at the Cholmondeley for 12 years and she is the epitome of what our pubs should be. I am so proud.”
It wasn’t the only north west success either.
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The Old Abbey Tap House, in Manchester, won the Community Hero award in recognition of its ‘hub-in-a-pub’, where local students can gather for creativity and diversity as well as research and outreach projects.
The Cholmondeley Arms in Cheshire has been named the best pub in Britain. Credit; Facebook
Ed Bedington, chair of judges for the Great British Pub Awards, said: “We’re delighted to be revealing the best pubs in the country. These businesses are pubs to cherish and support and I’d urge anyone to get out and visit these outstanding operations.
“We’ve recognised pubs of all types and characters, from community champions to high end food, entertainment focused through to pubs that embrace all the family, even the dog. These are the businesses that really set the standards for others to follow.
“Our overall winner, the Cholmondeley Arms, represents the pinnacle of all our winners – this is a pub that has a wow factor that impresses anyone that crosses the threshold. Impeccably run, this is a business that will offer a warm welcome to all visitors and give them an experience that will be impossible to beat.”
The winners of the Great British Pub Awards 2023
Best City/Urban Pub- The Turks Head, Twickenham London
Best Country/Rural Pub- Cholmondeley Arms, Cheshire
Best Pub for Food- The Loch and The Tyne, Berkshire
Best Pub for Dogs- The Bellflower, Lancashire
Best Pub for Families- The Plough Normanton on the Wolds, Nottinghamshire
Best Pub for Entertainment- The Kings Arms, Bexleyheath London
Best Pub Garden- Gaggle of Geese, Dorchester
Best Pub to Watch Sport- The Royal Dyche, Lancashire
Best Sustainable Pub- Stroud Brewery Taproom, Gloucester
Community Hero- The Old Abbey Taphouse, Manchester
Admiral Pub of the Year- Boot & Shoe, West Yorkshire
Stonegate Pub of the Year- The Woodman, Greater London
Greene King Pub of the Year- The Stag, Hampshire
Marston’s Pub of the Year- Rose & Crown, Worcestershire
Punch Pub of the Year- The Plough, Prestbury
Great British Pub of the Year- The Cholmondeley Arms, Cheshire
Featured image: Facebook
Eats
First look inside Social Osteria, Stockport’s buzzy new Italian restaurant
Lydia Mastrolonardo
That’s right Stopfordians – we’re gaining yet another brand new addition to our town’s blooming food and drink scene, as Social Osteria opens its doors at Weir Mill.
It’s safe to say we’re in good hands, with the geniuses behind The Social Trattoria, named best Trattoria at the Italian Awards UK 2025, being the ones to bring this new taste of Italy to South Manchester.
Just because we are no longer experiencing the weather to match an Italian summer, doesn’t mean we can’t continue eating like we’re there.
Social Osteria can now be found overlooking the River Mersey, as a beautiful 2,000 sq ft space within the buzzing new canalside development, fully equipped with the classic exposed red brickwork, vaulted ceilings and even the restored original kiln.
As you approach the restaurant, you are greeted by a sunken courtyard and riverside seating, making for the perfect alfresco dining spot, when the warmer weather finally rolls back around.
With the meaning of Osteria being an Italian tavern, for locals to gather and enjoy each other’s company, good wine and honest, flavourful food – the team have stayed true to the name. You can expect dim, ambient lighting, an open kitchen, fresh small plates, flavourful 48-hour pizzas, and traditional pasta.
Vibrant dishes at Social Osteria in Stockport. Credit: The Manc Group
This glamorous new restaurant is promising a spectacular menu, from cacio e pepe butter beans to guanciale topped pizzas and their very own slow-cooked beef shin and pork shoulder paccheri ragu, you know we’re in the right place.
With Italian food running in the family, the team’s cooking practices are rooted in traditional methods, passed down through the generations and then presented to us, with the freshest of ingredients.
It suits Capital&Centric, who’ve taken the same approach to Weir Mill itself – embracing the character of the historic mill whilst transforming it into a vibrant community, for generations to come.
Inside Social Osteria at Weir Mill. Credit: The Manc Group
Set below Stockport’s iconic viaduct, the £60m neighbourhood is now home to 253 apartments alongside bustling cafés, wine bars and stunning restaurants akin to Social Osteria, accompanied by plenty of outdoor seating, green spaces, and riverside viewpoints.
Where Osteria Social now calls home is part of Stockport’s £1 billion Town Centre West masterplan, adding to the town’s growing reputation as one of the best locations to live in the UK.
Social Osteria will officially open Thursday 22 October, at Weir Mill. Be sure to book your tables early as we fear this one might get a little booked up.
Traitors star and comedian Joe Lycett is putting cash behind the bar at two Manchester pubs
Daisy Jackson
Comedian Joe Lycett is putting money behind the bar at two Manchester pubs this week, as he continues to encourage people to get out and support their local boozers.
The TV favourite – who is also currently one of the stars on The Traitors – announced the news as he bid farewell to his fictional TV pub The Lycett Arms.
On the show, he said: “There are 45,000 pubs in the UK – go and give them some love.”
Joe Lycett then proceeded to list 30 brilliant pubs up and down the country, including two in Manchester, and announced that the drinks are on him this week.
He told audiences: “[This] Friday I’ll be putting a little bit of money behind the bar in all the pubs you’ve just seen. I hope you can have a drink on me.”
The pubs he picked out in Manchester are the iconic old boozer The Peveril of the Peak, and the excellent pub and comedy venue The Old Monkey.
The Peveril of the Peak on Great Bridgewater Street is a real icon in the city centre, with its green tiled exterior and its cosy interiors.
Until recently, it was run by legendary local landlady Nancy Swanick, who died in July at the age of 96.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterInside The Pev
Commenting on Joe Lycett’s post about his pub offer, they wrote: “You are all more than welcome at The Pev. Give me a shout and I will sort you out with a pie, Joe.”
The Old Monkey, meanwhile, is famed for its comedy nights run by Trapdoor Comedy Club, and for its open mic sessions, as well as award-winning beers.
The Portland Street pub has also very kindly agreed to match Joe Lycett’s donation, which means double the budget for pints for Mancs.
Daisy Jackson -
20th September 2023 
