Awards bonanza for popular Oldham pub
Reporter: Ken Bennett
Date published: 24 April 2025
Chris Riley and his crew at the Fox and Pine, which is backed by his wife Michelle who produces tasty meals and is landlady of their other pub, The Cob and Coal in Tommyfield Market
The proud landlord of a tiny Oldham pub celebrated taking home a trio of awards and announced an initiative to encourage a return of real ale in pubs across the town.
Chris Riley’s Fox and Pine scooped CAMRA’s top branch accolade for the fourth year, as voted by local branch members, the CAMRA branch pub of the year and real cider pub of the year.
And at a celebration in the Greaves Street establishment Chris revealed plans for an ‘Oldham Ale Hop’ for an August weekend.
He said: “We want to see a return of real ales to the town centre and offer support to landlords to encourage them to take part in the event.
“There is great enthusiasm and some fantastic ideas to encourage beer drinkers to join the Oldham Ale Hop around the town.”
And he paid tribute to his staff and customers, adding: “Thanks to everyone that actually believed a terraced house in Oldham town centre could be a pub… and not only a pub, a community hub for so many people.
“Oldham has the best live music venues, best soul nights, the best open mic nights.
"It really is the place to be.”
Mike Robinson, vice chairman of Rochdale, Oldham and Bury CAMRA and Branch Cider Representative, presented the awards at a thronged celebration in the pub.
He said: "It’s always a pleasant task to make a presentation to a pub voted the best real ale and real cider pub in the branch area, by members of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale).
"The branch area covers the whole of Oldham, Rochdale and Bury, so it's quite an achievement.
“The overall range, selection and quality of the beers and ciders on sale at the Fox and Pine over the last 12 months has greatly contributed to the pub being voted the best pub and cider pub in the branch area.
"However, it is particularly pleasing to present the awards to an Oldham pub, which is great for Oldham and Oldham town centre in particular, by encouraging more real ale and cider drinkers to visit the pubs of Oldham.
“The award to an Oldham pub will hopefully enable more pubs to sell quality real ales to benefit the town.
"There are several excellent pubs nearby and this award should help to increase trade all round and hopefully encourage other pubs and clubs to consider selling real ales and real ciders.
“An ‘Ale Hop’ is already being planned by town centre pubs and clubs for the first weekend in August.
“CAMRA supports and promotes all pubs and clubs throughout the country in the sale of quality real ales and ciders and encourages sensible drinking in the pleasant and controlled environment of public houses and clubs,” he added.
“And cask-conditioned real ale is a unique product to Britain which can only be purchased in pubs and clubs and is usually served by hand pump from their cooled cellar environment which enhances the quality of the product.”
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