We all need a few reasons to be cheerful in January, and a new craft beer bar and bottle shop opened in Burnage this week is giving residents just that.

Reasons To Be Cheerful - named after the Ian Dury and the Blockheads song - is now open at 228 Fog Lane, serving locally-brewed real ale, craft beer, wines and spirits.

The family micropub has been launched by Elena Rowe, her parents Estelle and David, and her boyfriend Andrew Munro, who say they want to create a ‘friendly and inviting social space for all of the community’.

Breweries such as Manchester’s Marble - which Elena and Andrew both previously worked for - Blackjack, Runaway and Squawk will be appearing across the three cask pumps and six keg lines, with prices from £3 a pint. The shelves will also be stocked with bottles to drink in or take home.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

“We wanted to try to keep things as independent as possible,” said Elena, who lives in neighbouring Didsbury and named the place as a tribute to her late uncle, a huge Ian Dury fan.

“We were looking for a long time for premises, trying to find the right area, and we found a really nice community here.

“There are some nice pubs here, like The Sun In September, but it didn’t seem like there were many places to go and a lot of people were going into Didsbury or Heaton Moor for a drink.”

Now, locals will somewhere on their doorstep as a family-friendly alternative to the traditional pub, in a space Elena hopes will encourage ‘conversation and community spirit’.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

“We don’t want to be somewhere rowdy with loud music, we just want to be somewhere nice for people to go, focused on good quality and reasonable products,” she said.

The bar is open from 3.30pm to 10pm, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 1.30pm to 11pm, Friday to Sunday. Follow @R2BCBeerCafe on Twitter for the latest beer lists.