Something interesting is happening in Stockport right now. Having played second fiddle to Manchester for many years, the town is finally getting its moment in the sun.
The rise of local lads Blossoms - one of the town’s more recent musical exports - goes some way to explaining the sudden interest from outsiders. And then there’s Stockport County’s long-awaited return to the football league after an 11-year absence, which has given fans, and even those with a passing interest, something to be proud of.
However, a big reason for the town's resurgence is its thriving food and drink scene, led by a host of creative and forward-thinking independents. A flurry of new and exciting arrivals, predominantly concentrated along the Underbanks and market areas of the town, is putting Stockport on the map, and attracting operators across the region.
Some are even opting for the post-industrial town over Manchester, like Runaway Brewery, drawn by cheaper rent and a vibrant, grassroots scene, while others are returning after a stint away, realising the potential of this burgeoning movement. There’s Michelin-star dining from Sam Buckley’s Where The Light Gets In, street food in abundance at The Produce Hall and Foodie Friday, and a shedload of beer thanks to a strong contingent of pubs and bars.
And now, it’s spilling over into Edgeley, or to be more precise, the Cheadle End of Stockport County Football Club, less than a mile from Stockport town centre. Last November, the club announced plans for a new fan zone, County Courtyard, which would cater for up to 1,500 fans before and after matches.
Given the green light by Stockport Council just before Christmas, the new fan zone has been designed to bring supporters together, while also hopefully easing congestion around the ground as attendance numbers grow, thanks to the re-entry into league football.
Designed by Cheshire-based architects White Crate - the same firm behind similar concepts at Manchester City and Liverpool, and city centre food village Hatch - the space is flanked by three shipping containers and covered by a canopy style stretch tent in the same colour as The Hatters’ famous royal blue strip. The space, which is furnished with tables and chairs and fairy lights, also features a small stage for local music acts to warm up the crowd before the match, or listen to player interviews.
Our interest was piqued by a couple of things. Firstly, the food concept. When it was first announced, details were a little scarce, but we were promised a host of rotating street food vendors with European-inspired fare paying homage to Greek, Italian and Spanish dishes, using ingredients celebrating the best local produce.
Then, they said they would be christening the new courtyard with the nation’s first Christmas dinner in a cup. It was at this point we knew we had to try it.
We all know - or maybe just accept - Bovril as a long-standing match-day tradition, but it leaves a lot to be desired, and for a club now back in the football league, there’s a sense their game is being upped off the pitch as well. In essence, the roast dinner in a cup had a lot of potential, even if we’re a little unsure about molten hot gravy sloshing over the sides.
Sadly, the club’s fixture with Gillingham was called off at the last minute, meaning our dreams of tucking into the 'Christmas Cup' as I like to call it, were dashed. And while they did get a chance to debut the dish at the Boxing Day fixture, the stars didn’t quite align - so, arranging to go down and try the other cup classics became a priority.
In case you’re curious, the cup, priced at £4.50, sounded delightful, and featured all the usual suspects, from roast turkey to pigs and blankets, as well as stuffing and brussels sprouts all wedged together alongside a dollop mash and meaty gravy - I know, we’re kicking ourselves too.
Undeterred, we headed down a few weeks ago to watch County take on Stevenage, which saw The Hatters move up a place to sixth, and remain within four points of automatic promotion positions, thanks to a two-goal triumph. If you would like to read a full match report, this isn’t the place, on account of my limited football knowledge, but if a slow-cooked spaghetti Bolognese in a cup does it for you, you may want to continue reading.
As you may have guessed, the courtyard drew inspiration from Italy for this matchday's line-up of food stars, and treated fans to not one, but two riffs on classic Italian fare. Before we get into the whole cup situation, we take a slight detour to try the spicy arrabiata with meatballs, pasta and garlic bread (£6.50).
The classic arrabiata sauce, or sugo all'arrabbiata for those pretending they're in Italy and not Stockport, was both rich and hearty - ideal for dining al fresco in Edgeley in winter. Made with tomatoes, lots of garlic and red pepper flakes, County's take provides a balanced hit between sweet and spice, though I think they could have taken the risk and ramped up the latter a little more. The only slightly disappointing element was the slabs of garlic bread poking out of the paper dish, which were near impossible to break in half and lacking in flavour.
Not one to dwell on these things, next up was the much-anticipated meal in a cup (£4.50) with slow-cooked bolognaise, Italian herbs, rich tomato sauce and penne pasta, topped with parmesan cheese and the aforementioned garlic bread. Now, I know there might be a few questions about logistics - firstly how exactly do you tackle a meal that is essentially in a coffee cup?
My tip would be to use the fork as if its a trowel digging for gold, and to take your time - there's a real risk of spillage with this one. That said, when you get to the goods, it is very good. The warming and rich ragu sauce stands out and, if you use you fork wisely, you can release the pasta dam and ensure it fills the whole cup. I'm told for the club's Gillingham fixture there was a madras with rice, riata and poppadum - further fuelling my new obsession for food served in cups.
If that's not quite your thing then you'll be pleased to know there is some more traditional football fare at the courtyard too. Local pie heroes Ate Days A Week and Great North Pie Co are both selling their pies down at the fan zone for just a fiver - and they're certainly an upgrade on your average match-day grub.
When we were down for the Stevenage fixture, fans couldn't get enough of Ate Days A Week's two pies, which included a steak, Guinness and potato option, and fondant potato and cheese. Both come with the option of a healthy side of mash, peas and a thick onion gravy.
Meanwhile, Great North Pie Co, who already have a concession inside the ground, and have just opened a restaurant and bar in Manchester city centre, have popped up at the courtyard and are now offering a steak and ale pie, which has been created in collaboration with local brewers Thirst Glass Ales, whose Mosaic Pale Ale and 'I Don't Want To Change The World' beer are also available at the bar.
Take it from us, Great North Pie Co's 14-hour braised beef and ale pie, served in town, is one of the best in the region, so you would be wise to snap up one at County's next home match.
I know I said I wouldn't do a post-match report, and I still won't, however, as far as football grub goes, County Courtyard's is certainly up there. Reflecting not only the ambitions of a football club on the up but also Stockport's rise more widely, you can be sure that there's still a lot left in store.
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