Part of the Meet Marple project.
The Northumberland Arms: Meet Phil, the landlord of Marple Bridge’s own community pub.
Name of business:
The Northumberland Arms.
Where did the name come from?
Honestly, who knows – the pub is over 200 years old now so I’m sure it made sense back then. Most people now know us as The Thumb.
What do you sell?
5 Cask ales, 9 keg beers, and an assortment of others. We also do street food events every Thursday and every second Friday, as well as live music every months too. It’s always busy at The Thumb!
How many people are in your team?
Myself (Phil) and 7 others across the week.
How long have you been open?
Originally we opened in 1824! But we’ve been a Community Pub for 7 years now and thanks to the community we’re flourishing.
Are you from Marple?
Originally from round the corner in Compstall, but have lived in Marple, Romiley, and a few years in Spain.
What do you like about having your business in Marple/living in Marple?
It’s such a friendly area, and a lovely place to live. There’s loads of great independent businesses – and of course, fantastic locals!
Is there anything exciting going on at the moment?
We’ve recently been crowned CAMRA’s Greater Manchester Pub of the Year 2024 – we came top out of 2109 pubs!
You can find The Thumb at 64 Compstall Road, and at their website (https://www.thenorthumberlandarms.com/), and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thumbcommunitypub .
