Sneak peek inside reimagined pub after £1m transformation

It’s Cheadle Hulme’s worst kept secret - The Almond family is back in the Stockport suburb.

- BY JENNA CAMPBELL

Doug Almond, right, with his children, Vicki Williams and James at The Station House pub in Cheadle Hulme Almond

Having stepped away from the Hesketh tavern during the pandemic, five years later they've returned, this time taking on a mammoth challenge.

In September, it was confirmed that the Almond Family Pubs had teamed up with Manchester-based brewery Joseph Holt to revive Platform 5, a cavernous boozer on Station Road that runs right through the village, and turn it into Station House.

‘The family-run pub group have become something of an institution in Stockport, having successfully run venues including Puss in Boots in Offerton, Spread Eagle in Romiley, and Jolly Sailor in Davenport, as well as Fletchers Arms in Denton.

While they're known for their friendly teams and topnotch service, their food offering, which includes much-loved carveries, has set them apart.

New for the group and exclusive to Station House, they'll be swapping out the carvery in favour of an elevated traditional British Sunday roast with all the trimming and delicious extras.

Reopening next week after a £1m transformation, we took a sneak peek at the reimagined pub and spoke to the family behind it.

Nodding to the pub's location overlooking Cheadle Hulme Railway Station, both inside and out has been totally transformed in a 1930s-style evoking the glory days of rail travel.

Split across five areas, but all interlinking to create a natural flow throughout the space, a long timbre bar featuring brass and marble frames the space, greeting punters as they head through the doors.

Art Deco-esque lighting fixtures and chandeliers elevate it further, while cosy nooks with proper arm chairs break up the drinking and dining spaces and make sure both those in for a pint, and those in for something more substantial, have somewhere to relax.