Eats

The White Lion, Stockport’s oldest pub, reopens after 15 years

The legendary White Lion roars again - and just in time for the Euros.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 19th June 2024

The White Lion, Stockport’s oldest and one of its most historic pubs has been reborn and is now officially open to the public for the first time in 15 years.

Brought back to life by the team behind Alfredo’s Pizza Social, which opened up just a stone’s throw away on Great Underbank last year, the newly reopened White Lion Coaching House is up there with the borough’s most storied and decadent buildings.

With a fascinating history which harks all the way back as far as the 15th century (when the location was said to have first been given its hostelry license to serve as a pub/inn), the building only became the impressive Edwardian structure we see today back in 1904, but it’s long been sat unutilised.

Now, though, The White Lion has been given a whole new lease of life and is set to serve not only as a bustling town centre boozer but also as a place to grab classic pub grub, book private functions and live sport. Perfect timing for the Euro 2024.

old pictures of underbank stockport
Back in the day (pre-1904).
white lion stockport reopening
Stockport’s The White Lion finally reopens on Underbank after 15-year absence.
Credit: Stockport Library/The White Lion Coaching House)

Having operated as a pub and coaching house throughout the Victorian era, The White Lion has served as everything from a post house for horseriders, a labour exchange, an auction house and even a coroner’s court at one point. It was given its distinct mock Tudor facade back in 1823.

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The upper floors of the Grade-II listed building were turned into 11 luxury apartments back in 2020 after being acquired by Stockport Council in partnership with the Trafford Housing Trust (now London & Quadrant) as part of £7m local investment, but now the pub itself has been brought back to life.

In the heart of SK’s historic Underbank district and adjacent to the busy Merseyway Shopping Centre, which is also steadily being redeveloped, the latest iteration of the White Lion has all the character of its rich heritage but with all new fittings and fixtures like plush booth-seating, multiple bars, TVs and more.

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The White Lion is also relaunching with a tried and tasted food menu of British pub classics like fish and chips, burgers; a proper Sunday roast and their soon-to-be signature ‘Lion Wraps’, which elevate the now-beloved Yorkshire puddings street food with pot of gravy for dipping to boot.

The interior has been lovingly refurbished.
Tiles and all.

Although the structure itself is made up of four storeys total, the newly opened pub spans across the entire ground floor and the fully converted cellar area, which promises to be perfect for live music, parties, meetings and popular live sporting events.

Being resurrected by industry veterans, Paul Astill and Jon Dootson – who between them have owned and run many Manc institutions including Cord, Centro, Thomas, the old Rampant Lion near Victoria Park and Tib Street Tavern over in the Northern Quarter, there’s plenty of pedigree behind this new opening.

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Commenting on the relaunch, Astill said: “As soon as Jon showed me the building I just fell in love with it and I instantly said I want to be involved. The White Lion has an amazing history and everyone in the community has a story to tell about it.

“It’s taken us over four years to finally open the doors and we’re really proud of the result. It’s a beautiful building but it was an empty shell when we started. We feel like we’ve really achieved something when people comment on us keeping the original features but it’s actually all new with the exception of the
entrance.”

dootson and astill pubs manchester
stockport pubs
The White Lion sits on the corner of the Stockport ‘Old Town’ cultural hub. (Credit: Stockport Council/Supplied)

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With the pub already open to the public from 11am-11pm from Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, Stopfordians are buzzing to have this important piece of their local history back open and restored to its former glory.

Paul went on to explain how they’ve “also created the ‘Lion’s Den’ and Boardroom in the cellars, which is a space that has never previously been used.” Lions, dens – get it?…

“It’s kind of a gentleman’s club feel that’s perfect for intimate gigs, parties or private functions”, he continued, adding: “It’ll also host the ‘Lion’s Den Sporting Club’ showing all sports starting with all the Euro games.”

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What about you, Stockport locals – have you popped into the new White Lion yet and, if so, what are your first impressions?

The White Lion Stockport reopens
The main pub lounge.
how old is the white lion pub in stockport?
The old and the new coming together.
white lion coaching house stockport sporting den
The White Lion’s Den Sporting Club and Boardroom.

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Featured Images — The White Lion Coaching House (supplied)

Eats

Popular Manchester restaurant bar to give out FREE sausage rolls to people called ‘Greg’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Sausage roll

One of Manchester’s much-loved restaurant bars is doing a free sausage roll giveaway next week… but there’s a catch.

The catch being you have to have a certain name in particular.

It was only last week that popular high street chain Pret A Manger announced it would be slinging out free sandwiches to any Mancs with ‘Nic’ in their name over the late May bank holiday weekend, and now Tariff & Dale is getting it on the giveaway action, and it’s all to celebrate the iconic event that is National Sausage Roll Day.

In case you didn’t know – which is very likely, let’s be real – next Thursday (5 June) is the day dedicated to all things sausage roll.

So what better way to mark the occasion than with free portions of Tariff & Dale‘s legendary meaty treat?

The popular Northern Quarter restaurant bar is known for its creative comfort food, craft beers and cocktails, and laid-back industrial vibe, with one of the cult-classic dishes on its menu having always been the honey pork sausage roll – which just so happens to be a whopping 15-inches long, by the way.

Resembling something more of a pork wellington than a sausage roll, if you will, the dish is crispy, golden, and glazed with honey on top.

But to celebrate National Sausage Roll day, instead of parting with £9.50 for a portion or £48 for the full 15-inch thing, people with one specific name can actually get a slice for completely free of charge.

Tariff & Dale sausage roll
Tariff & Dale is giving away FREE sausage rolls to people with this name next week / Credit: Supplied

And that name is ‘Greg’, because if we’re honest, when it comes to sausage rolls, we all tend to think of Greggs.

So whether your surname is Gregory or Gregson, or you’re simply just called Greg, then all you need to do to claim your complimentary slice of sausage roll heaven is head on down to Tariff & Dale next Thursday 5 June from 12pm up until 9pm.

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Make sure you show your valid ID proving your name when you order at the bar, and get ready to stuff your face.

Failing that, anyone not called Greg will just have to pop into actual Greggs instead.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons

Eats

Plans to open a brand-new pub on the site of the Rovers Return

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Stables Tavern is coming to Manchester in June. Credit: Supplied

A brand-new pub is set to open in Manchester city centre net month, with treats in store like complimentary bowls of crisps, an outdoor terrace, and a games parlour.

The Stables Tavern is taking shape in the St John’s district, poetically on the same site that was once home to Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub.

They’re promising this will be a ‘historic tavern reimagined for today’s lover of a proper pint’.

The pub will come from Shiko Group, which is also behind Courts Club, where you can play tennis or basketball followed by court-side pints, and Side Street, a bar-restaurant-events space with a mid-Century interior.

Neighbouring the Bonded Warehouse, The Stables Tavern will join this rapidly blossoming new creative district, just across the yard from Caravan, The Trading Route and Aviva Studios.

Inside, punters will find multiple beer taps with local beers, served with complimentary bowls of crisps as well as a menu of pub snacks like handmade sausage rolls and local pies.

The pub will be split into three sections – an outside terrace, a main bar, and a parlour area at the back of the pub for live entertainment, old school games, and rounds of whiskey.

This might be a new district but it’s a historic area for the city – the same building was a busy watering hole back in the early 19th century for workers, merchants and visitors who made use of the nearby canals and cobbled streets.

It was then the home of the Rovers Return, back when this area was the home of Granada Studios.

Hayley Sammé, Marketing Director, said: “We’re so excited to bring The Stables Tavern back to St John’s. The area’s extensive historical backdrop and burgeoning hospitality scene provides the perfect landscape for a traditional British pub.

“It’s the perfect addition to the existing scene, and we hope it’s going to become a popular spot in our new creative district.”

The Stables Tavern will open at St John’s on Friday 6 June.

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Featured image: Supplied

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