The Arden Arms, Stockport

LOCATION, location, location. So goes the mantra about the desirability and profitability of a property.

Bunkum, bunkum, bunkum could be the response to that from the people who run the Arden Arms in Stockport, which recently won the best pub category in the Manchester Food And Drink Festival Awards.

Because our region’s top boozer – if we are to trust the opinion of the esteemed judges - is like a precious bauble that your dog has swallowed and, after the call of nature, nestles incongruously in the surrounding pooch poo.

A bloody marvellous ‘people pub’, without prejudice, which just happens to serve well kept Robinson’s beer and great lunches.

This part of Stockport – unfortunately detached from the nearby glorious Victorian Market and its historic precincts – is a bleak no-man’s land.

The back of Asda, the ugliest supermarket ever built and whose brutalism would look right at home in downtown Bucharest, dominates the landscape. Then there’s a nasty little roundabout, where boy racers converge from all directions to make crossing the road akin to Russian Roulette. And, across from the facing windswept car park, there’s the view of budget store Matalan. Lovely.

Who then, to paraphrase Through The Keyhole’s Loyd Grossman, while looking through the Arden’s etched front window, would you expect to see in a place like this? Who would be so daft as to venture to such an unassuming (to put it mildly) spot in search of a pint and a nibble? Well, despite the surrounding bombsite vibe, you’d have to say people who are very, very discerning.

Eh, and that includes me, because I’ve been singing the praises of the Arden since it was taken over – and rescued from creeping dereliction – by the blokes who used to own That Café in Levenshulme. It’s well known that they are a gay couple, and the Arden is gay friendly, with gay magazines discreetly displayed next to the antique French dresser, but this isn’t a 'gay pub'. It's not any species of 'niche market' at all.

As all good pubs should be it's for everyman: a bloody marvellous ‘people pub’, without prejudice, which just happens to serve well kept Robinson’s beer and great lunches (you can see how they made That Café one of Manchester’s best restaurants) in a cosy cocoon of restored late Georgian/Victorian wonderfulness.

But where to sit, as everywhere is so inviting? You can perch at the original floor-to-ceiling mahogany bar, surrounded by black and white tiles, where you can chat to the locals or the friendly bar staff.

Or you can actually walk behind the bar and through the serving hatch to sit in a tiny snug only slightly roomier than a shed where, after a few pints, it feels like you’ve returned to the womb.

Or there’s the side room with its red leather banquettes, ordering bells and framed period drawings and photographs. Or, like us, you can sit in the larger Millgate Room, where the influence is fin de siecle Parisian café.

Furniture, of course, is mostly oak, with a dash of pine, all cobbled together from here and there but adding up to a satisfying, harmonious whole, while the tiled floor is a classic black and tan.

The only lapse in taste, and we’re talking more about the liquid type here, is the poster for John Smith’s Magnet Ale. John Smith’s? In a Robbies pub? Sacrilege.

The décor sets the scene, but it’s the clientele and atmosphere which make the Arden so special. You feel you could strike up a civilised conversation with any of the punters, musing on the Robinson’s best bitter you’re supping, the beauty of the pub itself or its fine food.

And the food. We had oven roasted fillet of salmon in fresh chive and butter sauce with crushed new potatoes and green beans (£8.95) and grilled goat’s cheese with beetroot and pine nut salad and mixed leaves in basil oil dressing with garlic bread (£6.95).

Both meals, in execution, proportion, presentation and delectation, were far superior to most restaurant offerings.

And both were only advertised on the specials menu – because the main courses change daily, and the regular menu has a selection of fancy baguettes and sandwiches. I recommend the soup and sandwich combo for £5.50.

In the evenings, the Arden has a variety of diversions, including jazz and a quiz night, and in the summer or even on crisp winter days, there’s a cute little beer garden at the back, where a hired marquee for special occasions can often be seen.

Better than some anonymous hotel any day.

But that’s all in the future; this is now, and the question is this:

Is this really the best pub in the Greater Manchester area? Quite possibly, but is it better than the best pub in Merseyside, the legendary Philharmonic? Perhaps there should be a drink off.

Rating:	18/20
Breakdown:	5/5 food 4/5 drinks 4/5 décor 5/5 atmosphere
Address:	The Arden Arms 23 Millage Stockport SK1 2LY 0161 480 2185 www.ardenarms.com

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