I read some news on Tyson’s Beer Blog that I was delighted to learn: “The Star Inn at Broughton in Salford has been saved by locals who have clubbed together to buy it at auction for £80,000.”

I was delighted for more than one reason as well. Firstly, because it’s always great to see a local pub saved from closure, particularly through this sort of proactive community effort. And secondly, because I’ve been trying to remember the name and location of this particular pub for going on fifteen years now.

The first, last and only time Jo and I visited The Star Inn was back in our student days. We went along with an acquaintance of ours for a chess and folk music night. It was a Tuesday evening (if I remember correctly) and although I hadn’t played chess seriously for years (not since my school days) and wasn’t actually into folk music at the time (I was more a goth / heavy metal / industrial noise type back then) I had a fantastic time.

I remember: sitting down with a bunch of complete strangers (all friendly and welcoming, even though we were obviously pesky students), enjoying good beer (Robinson’s Best, I think), playing a game of chess or two (I lost, I’m sure) and listening to live music (it was an open mic night and I vividly remember one girl who played and sang a cover of Joan Osborne’s ‘One Of Us’ quite beautifully) was all something I wasn’t really used to at the time (The Banhsee and Rock World in Manchester being more my scene), but these days I’d be happy to do all evening, every evening, given half the chance.

I also remember that the beer engine they used to pour the Robinson’s was a strange, steampunk-esque device with some sort of horizontal, glass vacuum tube that at the touch of a button drew the beer up from the barrel and then pumped it into the glass . I’d never seen one before and I’ve never seen one since. Quite fascinating.

Anyway, back in the day, Jo and I both forgot the name of the pub and even whereabouts it was; we knew it was up the road from our flat, but we had no real idea how far as we took a taxi up there. So we’ve never gone back, even though I’ve thought about the place from time to time ever since, with an increasing sense of nostalgic fondness.

But now, thanks to Tyson, we’ll definitely be heading back to The Star again one of these days, now we know where it is and what it’s called. I wonder if they still have a chess & folk night on a Tuesday? I wonder if they’ll still use that weird beer engine, or even still serve Robinson’s? I wonder if the locals will still be friendly? I’m looking forward to finding out.