Macclesfield: Langley couple celebrate decade in charge of community pub
By Alex Greensmith
20th Feb 2023 | Local News
Meet the passionate pair who have ran a community pub near Macclesfield Forest for the past ten years.
Sarah-Kate Cantlie and her partner Will are the team behind the St Dunstans Inn in Langley.
A hidden gem on a quiet countryside street, the real ale pub dates back to 1825.
Since 2012, it has been led by Sarah and Will. The pair hire three other people, and have shared with Macclesfield Nub News the secrets of their success.
"We moved to Macclesfield in 2007", said Sarah.
"Will used to work at The Cock Inn in Henbury and I have a day job in the town.
"We moved to Langley shortly after as we were expecting our first child. We were attracted to Langley as we both wanted something more rural. Will is from Scotland and I'm from the Lake District originally.
"And the fact we live in the pub is what sets us apart. For me, this is our home. So we are personally invested to put so much back into it.
"We decided to use the time in COVID to produce a mega-refurb of the pub. My personal highlight was doing the bar myself, and the refurbishment still has more to come.
"We have done quite a lot of alternations over the years to make the pub feel more like a destination."
"We have seven beers on tap and one cider," said Will.
"I deal with the food side of the business, doing the cooking myself, as well as managing the cellar, while Sarah deals with everything else."
The St Dunstans Inn seats 70 inside and 50 outside.
The beer garden boasts stunning views, and is in view of Langley playground to keep the kids busy.
"We like to think we offer a large variety of things to do," added Sarah.
"We have free pool, a jukebox. Will works so hard in the kitchen, every dish he makes is from scratch. He takes a lot of pride in what he cooks."
There's a whopping 115 spirits on offer, and an ample selection of bottled drinks and wines.
In addition to this, there are reasonably priced cocktails from £6.95.
And there's complimentary dog treats given the fact the pub is nicely nestled next to two public footpath walks towards Tegg's Nose.
"We were trained to deliver service at a high quality and we try to deliver that every day", explained Sarah.
The St Dunstans Inn supports local produce from fellow Macclesfield Forest business Forest Gin and Distillery, to getting their meat from Nick Carters Butchers on Church Street in Macclesfield.
It isn't just what they serve that celebrates the localness. Former Rainow resident Karen Torr's art adorns the walls of the restaurant, and the pub also goes above and beyond for charity.
The venue is part of both the The Langley Eleven walk, held in May and September, as well as the held twice in Sutton Eight June then December.
They are also a vessel for selling a lot of tickets for the Langley Duck Race, which last month raised money for Sutton St James' Pre-school. They also run the bar for the Langley Fete.
They most recently raised £709.22 for Macclesfield's East Cheshire Hospice. And all year round they have a charity pot for Sutton good cause The Rossendale Trust.
"My favourite thing about working here is the community", Sarah also said.
"The people that come here are so lovely. I've met so many friends just from them coming into the pub.
"We see a lot of people weekly, and know most by name. We get to know them and ask them about their lives and how their families are.
"I also love that me and Will get to spend so much time together here with our family, we get to make decisions together and are always there for each other. It is such a nice thing to have."
The pub is just a stone's throw from Macclesfield Forest, making it a big walkers pub. For tired legs, there's a bus stop just round the corner on Cock Hall Lane.
Other benefits of the pub include include a brand new coffee machine, and the fact the clean toilets feel like they were put in yesterday. The pub also has wi-fi if you fancy a bringing your laptop for a bit of work.
In the near future, Sarah and Will hope to complete their refurb by giving their darts and pool room a bit of TLC.
The country pub can also be booked for private events.
"My message to Macclesfield would be to come and try us," concluded Sarah.
"It is not the pub that you think it is from the outside. We're much bigger, modern, and have a huge beer garden that you can't see from the street.
"Thank you to everyone over the years for their support."
St Dunstans Inn is located at Main Rd, Langley, Macclesfield SK11 0BU. Macclesfield: Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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