It came down to a dead heat between the two Bury businesses
Irwell Works Brewery(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Two Greater Manchester venues have spoken of their delight at having been named the joint winners of a prestigious award.
The two businesses, located in Ramsbottom and Bury respectively have taken home the Campaign For Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Pub of the Year Award for Rochdale, Oldham and Bury after it came down to a “dead heat”.
Irwell Works Brewery and Broad Street Social will now share the coveted title for 2025 after the tie was announced earlier this week following vote my members of the branch.
To decide the winners, CAMRA members visited nominated pubs across the region to assess beer quality, cleanliness, atmosphere, service and community focus.
Irwell Works Brewery(Image: ABNM Photography)
The award-winning micro-brewery and brewery tap in the heart of Ramsbottom first started brewing in 2010 and are coming up to their 15th birthday towards the end of the year.
Situated just above the brewery itself, the Irwell Works Brewery Tap, the friendly pub serves a selection of their home brewed beers, including their ever popular ‘Costa Del Salford‘.
Sharing the news on Facebook, the team wrote: “We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been awarded Rochdale, Oldham & Bury CAMRA’s BURY PUB OF THE YEAR and we’re absolutely over the moon!!
Irwell Works Brewery(Image: Supplied)
“In a dead heat vote, we’re sharing the award with Broad Street Social, we’re delighted to be in such good company!
“Join us here at the brewery THIS SATURDAY at 12noon for the official presentation!
“A massive thank you to everyone who voted for us! To all of our loyal customers, thank you for continued custom and support – we wouldn’t be here without you.”
The original owners, Sara D’Arcy & Keith Powell, took back over the business in December 2023.
Irwell Works Brewery(Image: Supplied)
The brewery tap is open 6 days a week and they have live music every week and serve warm pies and pasties on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News about the win, Catherine Hollin, the brewery and bar’s manager said: “We’re absolutely over the moon about receiving the award, we’d really like to thank everyone at CAMRA who voted for us and also to thank out loyal customers and staff without whom, we wouldn’t be who we are.”
Over in Bury the popular Broad Street which is run by Jennifer Smith and her husband James said the joint win was “brilliant” and said it has been great to see their independent venue recognised.
Sarah and James are also Brewsmith Beer, the family-run micro-brewery based in Ramsbottom which opened in 2014. They then launched their bar in Bury between Covid lockdowns as they wanted to provide something a little different for the borough.
Broad Street Social in Bury(Image: Supplied)
They specialise in cask ales, particularly those made at their brewery but also guests ales from across the region, and they won the title of Rochdale, Oldham and Bury CAMRA pub last year too.
Jennifer and James have been more than happy to support the local businesses too and regularly host open mic and spoken word nights with musicians and poets from the area.
They told the M.E.N.: “If you’re a CAMRA member you get to vote on local venues, it’s the customers who decide, so it means a lot to us.
“It means they think we’re the best and that’s the most important thing.
“We know the guys at Irwell, we have good relationship so we are dead chuffed for them.”
“It shows that people do want to come out, they want to come out locally and be part of the town that they live in.”