Stockport Old Town’s budding food and drink scene has had another boost with the opening of a new craft beer and real ale tap room.

The Petersgate Tap is now open inside a former betting shop, where licensee Alan Gent, wife Carol and their son Chris are making their first foray into the beer business.

Behind the bar are six cask ales and four keg beers from the likes of Thirst Class, down the road in Reddish, and Manchester’s Cloudwater, as well as Cumbrian brewery Hawkshead, which supplies the house beer Windermere Pale.

There are also four ciders on draught and a range of bottled and canned beers from breweries including Magic Rock and Vocation.

Gin-lovers will be happy too, with the likes of Sipsmith and Silent Pool on the shelves alongside a selection of other spirits and wines.

“We thought Stockport really needed somewhere with a bit of a higher-end offering,” said Alan.

“We wanted to create somewhere suitable for everybody to come, especially women - my wife was always saying there was nowhere for her to go and drink in town.”

The bar, on St Petersgate and Etchells Street, joins a growing number of new food and drink businesses in the Old Town, including vegan restaurant The Allotment, which opened recently in the nearby Market Place alongside the likes of Remedy Bar and Brewhouse.

New fine dining restaurant Where The Light Gets In is also due to be opened soon on Rostron Brow by Samuel Buckley, formerly a chef at Michelin-starred restaurants including L’Enclume and the now-closed Juniper in Altrincham.

The Petersgate Tap is open Tuesday to Sunday from midday until 11pm.