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.
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.”
The White Lion sits on the corner of the Stockport ‘Old Town’ cultural hub. (Credit: Stockport Council/Supplied)
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 main pub lounge.The old and the new coming together.The White Lion’s Den Sporting Club and Boardroom.
Featured Images — The White Lion Coaching House (supplied)
Eats
Viral Manchester Christmas Markets trader shares apology for ‘below standard’ bakes
Daisy Jackson
One of the most popular traders at the Manchester Christmas Markets has shared a public apology statement after noticing its viral bakes ‘weren’t at the usual standard’.
The Flat Baker, which has been so popular in previous years Manchester City Council had to install a queueing system, thanked customers for their patience.
The bakery is famed for its Brazilian-inspired pastries, with its Christmas Markets offering featuring croissants served in a pot of molten pistachio sauce, and hot chocolates in an edible cookie cup.
But they said that an electrical issue at the stall left their viral croissants ‘cold and without texture’ and the team ended up pulling more than 20 boxes of croissants from sale.
The Flat Baker said they are ‘truly sorry’ to those who were served a croissant that wasn’t their usual standard, and assured fans that their electric warming cabinet is now back up and running, with every croissant ‘fresh, warm, and exactly as it should be’.
The bakery is run by couple Matt and Deb, who recently opened their first proper cafe in Ancoats, just down the road from their original hatch.
They described this as a ‘tough week’ for the business and wrote: “Over the past week, some of you noticed that our croissants at the Christmas Market weren’t quite up to the usual Flat Baker standard, and you were right.
“Unfortunately, due to electrical issues at our stall (managed by the event organisers), our warming cabinet couldn’t be used at all. That meant we couldn’t keep our croissants at their ideal temperature and texture throughout the day – something that’s essential for maintaining the quality we’re known for.
“We honestly didn’t realise how much this would affect the quality until it was too late, and that’s on us. Some of the croissants we served weren’t at our usual standard, and for that, we’re truly sorry.
“Without the warmer, their “shelf life” became much shorter, and they turned cold and lost texture far too quickly. We ended up bringing back over 20 boxes of croissants that we chose not to sell, because serving anything below our best just isn’t who we we are.”
They continued: “And as for those 20 boxes… nothing will go to waste. We’re already turning them into something new, warm, and seriously delicious, you’ll find out soon.
“Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and your continued love for what we do. We’ll always choose quality, honesty, and creativity, even when things don’t go as planned.”
The Flat Baker are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets now, and you can find them at Piccadilly Gardens.
Manchester Irish bar Mother Mary’s announces shock closure
Daisy Jackson
Irish bar Mother Mary’s has announced its closure in Manchester, just 18 months after opening.
The bar and live music venue opened last May on New Wakefield Street, taking over the building that had previously been home to legendary student haunt Font.
But just over a year after opening, and this Manchester Irish pub has announced its sudden closure due to financial pressures.
Mother Mary’s, at the time of opening, was headed up by nightlife veterans Greg Dwyer, Joseph Finegan and Chris Sharp, who transformed the venue with state-of-the-art sound systems for its live music offering.
Spread across two floors, the venue also served spice bags, pizzas, and plenty of Guinness, and hosted many-an-after party for some of the city’s biggest gigs.
Their full statement addressing their closure states: “It breaks our hearts to share that Mother Mary’s, as of this past weekend, has been forced to close its doors due to financial pressures.
Mother Mary’s Irish bar in Manchester has announced its closure. Credit: The Manc Group
“Only last week we were representing our venue at the This Is Manchester Awards as shortlisted nominee’s, so you can imagine this is a shock to everyone involved.
“Over the past year, Mother Mary’s has become so much more than a bar, it has grown into a true community hub. We’ve been home to grassroots music, inclusive club nights, and events that brought together people from all walks of life. From the bands who played their very first gigs on our stage (and have already gone on to fill bigger venues), to the regulars who made this place feel like home, to the countless partygoers who filled the dance floor with joy. YOU are what made Mother Mary’s so special.
“Spaces like ours that are wheelchair accessible, queer-inclusive, independent, and dedicated to championing local talent are so incredibly important. Especially also with the heart and spirit to offer a free space to fundraisers and events that are integral to those in our city that are often underrepresented. What we’ve built together is rare, beautiful, and deeply loved.
“It’s hard to imagine a world without Mother Mary’s, and while this may be the end of this chapter, we truly hope it’s not the end of our story. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the love, the music, the laughter, and the community we created together.
“Keep an eye out on our social media for any updates, we still have memories of our own from events that we would like to share with you. While our doors may be closed, our soul is very much still here and in everything we do.
“Please keep sharing the love and the memories. Every post, every message, every bit of support means the world right now.
“With love and gratitude, The Mother Mary’s Team.”
Danny Jones -
19th June 2024 
