The Didsbury

The Ice Man Cometh...

With roots dating all the way back to 1644 - to a time when the village provided a backdrop to the English Civil War - The Didsbury pub has grown into something of a local institution.

These days though, it’s more groups of thirsty thirtysomethings than ravenous Roundheads that the current landlord-lady team of Paul and Paula Johnson are likely to encounter on a day-to-day basis. But with the introduction of a brand new food menu - to complement the fine selection of ciders, cask ales and wines that are already on offer, there’s something for all at The Didsbury.

ICE MAN

Though the couple may have spent the majority of their working lives in the pub trade - in fact they actually met each other working at the “sticky carpeted” Squires (later the Clock Tower) - bizarrely, there was still a time when you’d have been more likely to have encountered Blackpool born Paul hurdling, rather than lifting beer barrels: “I used to play Ice Hockey for the Blackpool Seagulls,” Paul explains. “But then I moved into the ‘Hot Ice’ stunt shows, where one of the stunts involved me driving a motorbike on ice and jumping over rows of barrels”.

THE SPECIALS

But these days, it’s through the quality of his daily, fortnightly and monthly specials that Paul prefers to dazzle the public: “We’re lucky because while the pub’s brewery owned, we still get a lot of opportunity to stamp our own mark on the menu - especially in terms of the specials,” he says.

So, to complement hearty British classics such as British beef and Bombardier ale pie and Whitby Scampi, head chef Matthew is also encouraged to chip in with his own ideas - with great results.

Recently, he’s been demonstrating a particular flair for fish themed specials. These have included, amongst others, a delicious seared tuna steak with salsa dish, as well as a fabulous cod loin with chorizo creation. But it isn’t about being overly fancy or pretentious at The Didsbury. “It’s not fish for fish’s sake,” Paul explains. “These are designed to stand out in their own right - whether you’re a fish person or not."

So it makes for a winning combination really. While the brewery source out fine ingredients, such as premium quality British beef and farm assured chicken, Paul and Matthew are still free to visit local outlets, such as Evans’ of Didsbury, to gain fresh inspiration for specials.

ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE

A testament to the warm welcome dished out by the cheerful staff at The Didsbury is the sheer variety of the clientele you’re likely to encounter within the pub. Paul explains: “It’s all about making everyone feel comfortable- we’re not trying to attract a certain type of customer,”he says. “Really, the pub’s key strength is that it’s a lot of things to a lot of people”.

So, while during the day Paula will take lunch orders from groups of students, and serve up afternoon tea to old ladies, in the evenings it’s the turn of local clubs, societies and even Facebook groups to descend on the pub: “And, of course it’s always fine to just sit down and have a drink too,” Paul adds. “Even on a Sunday when tables can be scarce, because the atmosphere in any pub owes a lot to a healthy drinks trade”. In fact, The Didsbury actually boasts the widest range of cask ales in the entire village to entice in the drinks connoisseurs - something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by CAMRA, who hold their AGMs in the upstairs function room.

DOMINATION

But with four strong years at the helm, Paul and Paula aren’t finished yet. They’re currently looking into the possibility of introducing full table service - indoors and outdoors - meaning that once you find a table, you’d be able to sit back, relax and be pampered all night. In addition, there are also plans to utilise the pub’s fantastic garden area for live Jazz in the warmer summer months: “We’re both very proud of what we’ve achieved so far- but we’ve still got lots of ideas,” Paul says. “I suppose that, ultimately, our aim is to be the best pub in the whole Chef and Brewer chain” - and they’re well on the way already.

Words by Chris Dolan