A brass band's home in the Saddleworth hills has scored first prize as it is named Greater Manchester CAMRA's Club of the Year.
Dobcross Band and Social Club has been a key part of the village community for many years, and has recently dominated the local branch's choice as its nomination. But this is the first year it has won over regional judges drawn from the membership of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
The club moved away from a tie with a local brewery and now offers members a choice of four real ales, with Mossley brewery Millstone's Tiger Rut and Joseph Holt's Bitter equally popular. The last few months has seen a rare regional appearance for Bowland brewery's Hen Harrier, alongside popular Middleton brewer J W Lees.
But judges mark more than just the choice and quality of drinks on offer. They described the club as "faultless with a friendly welcome and spotless throughout".
They praised the steward's knowledge of real ale, and were impressed with the wide range of activities from snooker through exercise classes to a book lending library. And all admired the views from what is probably the best located bowling green in Greater Manchester.
CAMRA's regional judging organiser Tony Evans said: "Our adjudicators are drawn from across the region, although the local branch is not involved in assessing its own nominee. They look for a strong commitment to the local community, and whether the venues are in tune with the wider aims of CAMRA. A friendly welcome and knowledgeable bar staff also feature highly in their assessments. But obviously the condition of cask beer is uppermost.
"Clubs have had to adopt to changing social and spending patterns. Many hospitality premises have had to review opening hours to align with business. Dobcross Band and Social Club manages to open seven days a week and rewards its members with lower bar prices while welcoming all."
John Holden has been steward at Dobcross for almost 40 years. His commitment to the Club has been recognised by members who named the recently-refurbished comfortable lounge in his honour. And throughout he has championed real ale, picking up awards for the consistently excellent condition of his cask beers.
He said: "This is wonderful news. I was proud when the Rochdale, Oldham and Bury branch of CAMRA first named us as its Club of the Year. I always aimed to keep winning, but I didn't expect this regional award.
"There's no secret to our success - a welcoming atmosphere keeps customers happy. The committee are always supportive and in tune with the promotion of real ale. Weekends are busy, but band practices mean the club is well-used during weekday evenings too. And we've got great hard-working staff, most of whom live local."
John and club chairman Terry Lawless will be presented with the award on 8 October. Dobcross will now compete with other regional winners for the national title in the autumn.
‘My daughter was strip searched by police after a harrowing ordeal’
GREATER MANCHESTER: All the key developments planned for Greater Manchester this week
The two new Greater Manchester train stations that could be built before 2030
Keep your dog safe from the dangers of antifreeze this winter, warns Dogs Trust
