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TV fame for fine ales at rail station pub

Sue Carr
30/ 7/2008

THEIR quest for fine wine took them all over France.

But when Oz Clarke and James May decided to find the best real ales, they hopped straight on a train to Stalybridge.

The wine expert and James, best known for presenting Top Gear, first teamed up for BBC2 series ‘Oz and James Big Wine Adventure’ when Oz tried to teach his uncouth companion about wine.

Now beer drinker James is about to get his own back when the pair tour Britain’s hostelries in search of the perfect pint.

The odd couple surprised punters at Stalybridge Buffet Bar on Sunday when they popped in for a pint or nine!

John Hesketh, who runs the ale lovers haunt at Stalybridge Railway Station, said: "They tasted all the eight beers we had on then they tried a nine per cent real cider.

"They asked for a pint of every one but they didn’t finish them all!

"They spent about an hour with us and they seemed to have a good time.

"Of course they had to try our famous black peas as well - people come from all over the country just for those - and they thought they were wonderful."

The series, which has a working title of ‘Oz and James Big Beer Adventure’ is due to hit our screens in October.

But despite its new claim to fame, John, 64, says the bar is already world-famous.

"It’s not unusual to get customers from Australia, New Zealand, all over the world" he added.

"One of the best ones was a man from Inner Mongolia who liked it so much that he came in every night for a week!"