The Romper, MANCHESTER, Greater Manchester

With its charming, whitewashed, slate-tiled exterior and rampant lion roaring above the door, The Romper is a former coaching inn, tucked away on a old country lane, on the edge of Altrincham. Just 6 miles from Tatton Park, one of the UK’s most historic estates, and the 18th century Quarry Bank Mill, The Romper is a dog friendly pub that is just a stone’s throw from Manchester Airport, making it a perfect stopover, whether you’re exploring the local area or about to take to the skies. Offering easy access to Cheshire’s lovely villages and towns, including Hale, Cheadle and Wilmslow, as well as some of the county’s prettiest countryside, The Romper is well placed for walkers wanting to experience both the county’s rural and cosmopolitan sides. Sat in the lovely beer garden on a sunny day, surrounded by leafy lanes, it’s hard to believe how close you are to one of Europe’s busiest airports. In winter, when the log fire crackles in the hearth, and pints of cask ale are being poured under the old-beamed ceilings, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in a rustic country pub. Though it’s hard to date precisely, parts of The Romper have stood for over 400 years – the characterful, low-ceilinged section of the building may once have been the local smithy. What is known for sure is that The Romper was once named The Red Lion, though at some point in its existence, a local village wag bequeathed it the nickname, “The Rompin’ Kittlin”. One story goes that a local painter had repainted the lion on the pub’s sign one day, but when he presented his efforts to the drinkers at the bar he was met with derision. They sneeringly declared it bore more resemblance to a romping kitten than a rampant lion.