Rosie's Coffee House

The City Daily Photo theme for today is "Scene from a Coffee House".

Well I don't generally frequent coffee houses, preferring a nice cup of tea in a friendly little tea room. I certain would avoid all the big name chains. So I found it a little hard to decide what to post for this theme.

This is Rosie's Coffee House and Kitchen on Prince's Street. It has only been open a few months and I can't tell you whether it is any good or not, but it looks promising. The premises were previously occupied by jewellers Herbert Brown. The company had been taken over in 2007 by the Albermarle & Bond group of pawnbrokers which collapsed into administration in 2014. Pawnbrokers or coffee-house? - I know which I'd prefer.

To visit the other participants to the theme click here.

Architectural style in Stockport

The Three Shires on Great Underbank was built around 1580 as a half-timbered town house for the Leghs of Adlington Hall. A shopfront was inserted in 1824.

At various times it has housed a confectioners, bakehouse, surgery, solicitors, restaurant and wine bar. Since 2011 it has been Huffy's Cafe Bar & Restaurant.

The modern building on the left houses Prickett's solicitors.

Visit other contributions to the Style theme at City Daily Photo.

Fresh Chicken Legs

Saw this sign recently on Bridge Street.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Da Vinci's Coffee House and Eatery

The sign for Da Vinci's Coffee House and Eatery.

It stands on the corner of St Petersgate and Tatton Street.

In 2009 it was the Stockport Arms. Tatton Street leads to St Joseph's RC Church.

A contribution to signs, signs.

J is for Just Eat

This Cafe on the corner of Hillgate and Mowbray Street is open weekdays from breakfast to after lunch - I haven't been in it but it looks like just the place for decent cup of tea, a bacon sarnie or a reasonably priced hot lunch.

Next door is a chinese chippie that probably opens around tea-time until late evening.

There is a sign between the two advertising a website called "Just Eat" where apparently you can order a meal online and have it delivered. Reports I've heard suggest that the quality of the service is questionable and often the meals are not cooked in the establishment from which you thought you had ordered. If I wanted my food delivered I think I'd phone the takeaway directly rather than going through a third party.

In any case you can just eat without going online.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Takeaways on Mersey Square

Fancy a quick bite to eat?

"Sandwich Pound" is next to "bap" is next to "Greggs" is next to "Gabbots Farm".

Take it away or sit by the tables and chairs or on one of the benches in Mersey Square.

Visit other contributions to the Takeaway theme at City Daily Photo.

No Street Drinking

This sign is at the bottom of the pedestrianised part of Lord Street alongside the Job Centre.

A contribution to signs, signs.

The New Empire and Bonny Bouncer

On Stockport Road West at Bredbury are a group of shops that include a Cantonese takeaway and a children's clothes shop.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows and Blue Monday.

P is for Pound Bakery in Pedestrianised Prince's Street

Two doors up from the Cancer Research UK charity shop featured here on 28th April is the Pound Bakery.

With numerous outlets throughout the North West they are the place to go for a quick cheap snack that won't break the budget.

Between the two new shops is family butcher's "Tittertons" who have been established since 1875. If your palate is bit more discerning you can't go far wrong there. See their website for details of their offerings.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

McDonald's and the Triangle Church

This is another follow-up to Tuesday's post about the Triangle Church looking up Clarendon Street to the rear of the Triangle Church and the McDonalds on the other side of Sandy Lane.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Himalayas Tea

The former carpet shop next to Superdrug on Mersey Square is now the home of Himalayas Tea which formerly operated from a shop in Middle Hillgate. The railway viaduct is reflected in the window, the gantries interweaving with the Christmas lights.

Looking out from inside both the Wellington Road viaduct and the railway viaduct can be clearly seen.

My tea was 100% caffeine free Earl Grey and the cake was made from a blend of teas and marzipan (no sugar).

Find out more about Himalayas Tea by visiting their website.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections and Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Tony Doyle's Mobile Butcher's Van

Every Friday and Saturday you'll find one of Tony Doyle's vans on Stockport Market.

According to the company website the butcher's based in Kinmel Bay has some ten vans that visit various markets in North Wales and the Northwest of England.

A contribution to signs, signs.

U is for Unicorn Brewery

The brewery is named after the Unicorn Inn which was bought by William Robinson in 1838. This stood on what is now the bottom yard in Lower Hillgate. William was joined in 1865 by his younger son Frederic, who started to brew beer for other local hostelries and his first customer was Mrs. Lamb (Bridge Inn, Chestergate). In 1876, shortly after his father's death, he bought his first house the Royal Scot, Marple Bridge (then the Railway Inn). Bottling commenced from a new building in 1908; new offices opened in 1913 and a new brew house in 1929. In 1975 bottling was carried out at Bredbury and now, after fermentation is complete, all the beers are transferred to Bredbury for packaging and distribution from there. It remains a family business.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

O is for the Old King

The Old King public house was built in c.1828, and remodelled in 1973. The building was constructed of red brick laid in Flemish bond, to the original phase, the 1970s phase was built of brown stretcher bond brick. The 2-storey, 4-bay frontage retained early 19th century fabric to the right hand bay only, the rest was re-fronted and all windows were 20th century. To the rear was a late 19th century single-storey function room, and a mono-pitch 19th century outbuilding, possibly a brew house or store.

Standing on the corner of Great Portwood Street and Lancaster Street it was a listed building pictured here "for sale" in 2008.

In 2011 it was still waiting for a buyer.

In April 2012 I happened to walk into Lancaster Street and found this scene.

Despite being listed it was demolished to make way for a branch of Nando's.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and signs, signs.

L is for Lynn's Café

Inside the Market Hall.

50p for a cup of tea; 50p for a toasted teacake!

This photograph was taken 24th December 2011.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

The Unicorn and St Mary's

The view down Apsley Street towards Robinson's Unicorn Brewery and the Parish Church of St Mary's in the Marketplace.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Fun on Mersey Square

There were lots going on in Mersey Square in Saturday with plenty for the children with a big bouncy castle (on the right) and something called a "Big Top Play Zone".

In the middle there was a roundabout and an ice-cream van.

On the far side of the square was a bar for the adults advertising a Beer Festival in September. In between were a number of stalls under the guise of "The Teenage Market".

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

Fire behind McDonald's

On 20th August 2013 a large fire broke out at a waste recycling plant on Bredbury Industrial Estate. The fire could be seen from miles around and thick acrid smoke spread as far as Leeds. There were, however, no reports of any casualties.

This was the scene four days later; the fire is contained but still burning. The roads are all now open and there is access to all the businesses in the area which are mostly carrying on as normal.

This photograph was taken by the entrance to McDonald's on Whitefield Road.

For a news report see BBC News.

For a real inside view see the Manchester Evening News.

Readers should note that this place is NOT the Bredbury Park Household Recycling Centre although it isn't far away from there.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe

The shop on the corner of Bridge Street and Great Underbank was Boots the Chemists until 1970. Now it is Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe.

It is a listed building described as "House of three storeys which is canted to the corner of Great Underbank and Bridge Street Brow. Three storeys, of painted brick with a three-window range to Great Underbank, one-window range to the street corner. The windows have very slightly cambered heads with keystones and stone sills, all painted. Timber modillion eaves cornice. There are tie plates in the upper part of the Great Underbank elevation. At the ground floor an altered timber shop front is probably of late 19th or early 20th century date. Attached two-storey two-bay range in similar style with similar shop front."

A coloured view can be seen on Geograph.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

Borough Chambers

Borough Chambers, at the corner of St Petersgate and High Street, was formerly the Stockport Advertiser offices. Next to the ornate doorway and red door is the sandwich bar, "Wonderland Cakes".

For Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.