Stalybridge Buffet Bar review

Brief Encounter, directed by David Lean, had three main characters, Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard and a station buffet bar. The actors never consummated their love affair but they gave that catering facility a right seeing to.

But don’t for a second think that you’ll just meet locals. We struck up a conversation with a Scottish couple who had made a special trip out from Manchester to discover this holy grail of pubs.

Looking back the film recalled the golden age of buffets, before they became plastic hells where the height of culinary excellence was a packet of Walker’s crisps.

The old buffets, and associated bars, have mostly died out, with just a few exceptions. The three closest survivors to us are at Dewsbury, Huddersfield and, thank the Lord, Stalybridge.

James May and Oz Clarke popped into them at the start of their latest drinking odyssey series, but the programme barely touched on the glories within the Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar, to give it its full title.

James May slurred a few comments, but they seemed to be insults aimed at Oz rather than compliments aimed at the Buffet. This puts the record straight. You’d have to be a) stupid, b) one of those strange people who enjoy ‘sports’ bars and drink lager or c) dead not to appreciate this gem which sits at the end of the station platform.

Architecturally alone it’s worth a visit. The four rooms are packed with more old posters, stained glass, real fireplaces, railway memorabilia, antique mirrors, knick-knacks and original features than you can shake a station master’s flag at.

Once inside, it’s like you’ve hopped into Dr Who’s tardis and arrived back in the 1920s.

We took the kids – yes, they’re allowed – and parked our bums in the conservatory at the end. Well, I say conservatory, but it’s not made out of nasty plastic and there are no roof windows, but the polygon-sides are packed with glass to facilitate nice views of the trains.

And, shock horror, since our last visit, the French windows have been replaced and the room has received a posh paint job. But it still feels old, which is the main thing.

A bird cage hangs from the ceiling, minus any sign of a bird, next to a ceiling fan. On a table in a corner there’s an old stick of furniture supporting the food accoutrements – most notably the Lea and Perrins.

That iconic bottle gives you a clue to what constitutes the food at the Buffet Bar – honest and cheap. We’d eaten, but just to get in the mood, the four of use shared a single container of the house speciality…the old fashioned black peas at 70p a go.

We could have really pushed the boat out, though, and had liver and onions with peas, mash and gravy for £3.35 or fresh pie with mushy peas and gravy for £2.35, from a menu of similar fare. A specials board boasted of black pudding with black peas.

Black peas on their own it was, though, and we looked like Tiny Tim’s family hunched over another measly Christmas dinner. Except we weren’t miserable under the yoke of Scrooge, but extremely jolly, having ordered pints each (me and mum, not the kids) of the super lovely Glott’s Hop bitter from the Howard Town brewery, which was followed by another cracker, Tiger Rut, from Millstone brewery.

Other choices, on our visit, were Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Bobbins Ale, Boddies and, get this, re-Session Ale (funny and very topical, eh?). For imbibers in search of the more exotic brews, there’s a menu of Belgian beers on offer.

One of the pleasures of a visit to the Buffet Bar, though, goes beyond merely supping and scoffing. It’s impossible not to just wander around the place and admire how it has been so lovingly fitted out over the years.

At the opposite end to the conservatory stands the special room used for functions, and which had just been opened after we arrived for the popular quiz night. A sign screams ‘Ladies’ Room’, but it should really be called the Laurel and Hardy room, as statues and pictures of the comedy legends are scattered liberally throughout.

This is probably the best pub quiz room in the world.

The real heart of the Buffet Bar, however, is the main bar area, where you can either snuggle up next to the real coal fire, sit on stools at the ornate wooden bar or sit round one of the reclaimed oak tables and chat to the other punters.

But don’t for a second think that you’ll just meet locals. We struck up a conversation with a Scottish couple who had made a special trip out from Manchester to discover this holy grail of pubs.

And we detected American, or more likely Canadian, accents at the other end of the bar. Sounds crazy, does it it? Tourists in Stalybridge, but this place really does attract people from all over world.

So if you’re reading this anywhere within 30 miles of Manchester, you’ve got absolutely no excuse. And remember this is just fifteen minutes from Piccadilly on the Leeds line. Forget drinking and driving. You’ve really no excuse.

Rating:	19/20
Breakdown:	4/5 food 5/5 ale 5/5 décor 5/5 atmosphere
Address:	The Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar Stalybridge Railway Station Rassbottom Street Stalybridge SK15 1RF 0161 303 0007 Food served 10am to 6pm seven days a week.

Venues are rated against the best examples of their kind: fine dining against the best fine dining, cafes against the best cafes. Following on from this the scores represent: 1-5 saw your leg off and eat it, 6-9 get a DVD, 10-11 if you must, 12-13 if you’re passing,14-15 worth a trip,16-17 very good, 17-18 exceptional, 19 pure quality, 20 perfect. More than 20: Gordo gets carried away