A popular pub in Oldham town centre battled seven other venues across Greater Manchester in a bid to take home the prestigious title of 'pub of the year'.

The Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards (MFDF) celebrates the region's most talented venues and its hospitality, and this year staged its awards ceremony at Manchester's New Century venue on Monday (January 29).

The categories and shortlisted premises were compiled by the MFDF judging panel which is comprised of food and drink critics, writers and other experts, but the final vote came down to the public.

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Categories included plant-based offering of the year, takeaway of the year, independent food/drinks producer(s) of the year, foodie neighbourhood of the year, coffee shop of the year, food trader of the year and more.

The ceremony also crowned a chef, newcomer, bar and pop-up project as the best of the year.

However, it was the 'pub or beer bar of the year' where the Fox and Pine pub on Greaves Street represented Oldham and faced off against seven other contenders from Manchester, Stockport and Levenshulme.

On social media, pub bosses Chris and Michelle Riley, who opened the pub after lockdown, said it was not "your everyday Monday night" as they attended the ceremony.

A photograph shows their seat at the table for the MFDF Awards as the pair added: "Fingers crossed."

While it was The Marble Arch on Rochdale Road who took home the trophy this time, the Fox and Pine still stands as one of the best in the borough and has several accolades to its name already.

Last year, the pub was crowned as CAMRA's Greater Manchester Pub of the year - and the Campaign for Real Ale also named it as one of the top 10 places to grab a pint in the borough, featuring it in its Good Beer Guide 2023.

Other shortlisted venues for the accolade were:

  • Track Brewery Taproom, Manchester
  • The City Arms, Manchester 
  • Runaway Brewery Taproom, Stockport
  • Reddish Ale, Reddish, Stockport
  • Station Hop, Levenshulme
  • Heaton Hops, Stockport

Lily's Indian Vegetarian Cuisine in Ashton-under-Lyne was also shortlisted in the category 'plant-based offering of the year' but lost out to Manchester's Bundobust.

Got a pub, restaurant or local business story? Get in touch by emailing me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or send me a message on Twitter @Livbridge