Award for bar named after man’s late father
AMICRO-PUB named after its owner’s late father celebrated a year since opening by winning an award.
Jake’s Ale House, in Romiley, opened in March 2017 and this year was named the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) pub of the winter for High Peak, Tameside and north east Cheshire.
The venue is owned by Darren and Cheryl Shaw, 48 and 36, who previously ran a catering company with high profile clients including Premier League footballers and the Real Housewives of Cheshire cast.
But after Darren’s father Jake passed away in 2015 he decided to follow his dream of opening a bar.
Following advice from his pal Billy Booth, coowner of the Samuel Oldknow pub in Marple, he then converted a former shop on Compstall Road.
He said: “I’ve always wanted to run a pub or own a bar and when my dad passed away I had a conversation with Billy and just thought ‘life’s too short’ so I set the wheels in motion.
“Dad was a local builder and known as a bit of a character in the local pubs in Romiley so it seemed fitting to renovate the premises and name it after him.
“I’d like to think my old man and younger brother Anthony, who passed away 14 years ago, would be proud of what we’ve achieved and I hope they’ll raise a pint with us on our first anniversary too.”
The family theme continues, as helping out Darren and Cheryl behind the bar is their niece Leah.
The bar offers 60 types of ale and 40 types of gin as well as a selection of ciders and wine.
Prior to being a pub the premises had been a clothes shop for 65 years.
Darren and Cheryl will celebrate the pub’s one year anniversary by having a beer tent in Romiley Precinct on Good Friday.
There will be a comedy night at the bar on Easter Saturday and a live singer on Easter Sunday.
Darren said: “We’re extremely passionate about our beer and really enjoying this relatively new venture and are delighted with how complimentary everyone has been about us trying to do something different in the village.
“A special thanks to my long suffering wife who this wouldn’t have been possible without, our staff, my two sons who occasionally turn up to do glass collecting and our regulars who continue to support us.”