Mild Magic – town and around

This is the second of a few posts about 2026’s Mild Magic, Stockport and South Manchester CAMRA‘s annual celebration of mild, covering Sale, Altrincham and some more town centre pubs. I walked into the Ford Madox Brown around lunchtime and nearly walked straight out again. Brightside‘s stouty dark mild Sup was in good nick, but the roastiness of the mild was complemented by the uncleared-ness of the tables and the loudness of a man at the bar who was intent on expressing his opinions and letting us all know about them. (I think he’d started considerably earlier, and/or not on beer.) But I stayed, I had another half (Evan Evans Wrecker) and something to eat, and it all calmed down. Spoons’ are like that. It was quiet in the Salutation, so much so that I surprised two different members of staff who were stealing a bit of down time. No need to look so guilty, guys, I’m not your boss! (I suppose in a sense I was, but I retired in 2022.) Bollington Bollington Nights was a bit basic and…