| Pub | Comments | Location |
|---|---|---|
| ALTRINCHAM | ||
| Orange Tree | This pleasant pub has a nice traditional multi-roomed interior, and serves excellent real ale.
Last visited April 2006. |
Old Market Place |
| BOLTON | ||
| Wetherspoon's Spinning Mule | A nicely decorated Wetherspoon's of medium size with a large range of real ales including a number of local ones.
Last visited July 2011. |
|
| BOWDEN | ||
| Stamford Arms | A nicely done out large low-ceilinged pub serving Boddingtons Bitter on hand pump.
Last visited December 2002. |
Church Brow |
| BURY | ||
| Trackside | An excellent bar located on platform two at the East Lancashire Railway station. Eight real ales were on hand pump when I visited. The food looks good.
Last visited November 2009. |
|
| BRYN | ||
| Oddfellows Arms | A plain friendly two-bar local boozer, serving only plastic ale.
Last visited March 2007. |
Downall Green Road / Medway Close |
| CHORLTON | ||
| Horse and Jockey | A presumably genuine old building with a large interior with two bars, rather dark on a sunny day, plus a terrace at the front. Excellent real ales including some from the on-site Bootleg Brewery, their stout is superb. Good food in the bar, and there's a restaurant as well.
Last visited July 2011. |
Chorlton Green |
| FALLOWFIELD | ||
| Friendship Inn | A large old house nicely converted into a tastefully decorated multi-roomed pub. Excellent pints of Hydes beers are served, and the Chinese and English food looks good.
Last visited September 2008. |
Wilmslow Road / Egerton Road |
| GREENFIELD | ||
| Railway | Multiple rooms surround the island bar where they serve a good range of excellent real ales. The interior decor is fake beams and half timbering. Conveniently adjacent to the station.
Last visited December 2011. |
Shaw Hall bank Road |
| HAZEL GROVE | ||
| Grapes | A proper traditional two sided local pub serving a spot on pint of Robinson's Unicorn. On a Wednesday afternoon I sat alone in the comfortable lounge side, while a few regulars - The barmaid knew them all - used the bar.
Last visited November 2011. |
London Road / Hatherlow Lane |
| HYDE | ||
| Queens | Pleasant modern pub decor in this pub with a large open main room plus a plainer snug at one side. Surprisingly busy on a Monday lunchtime. Holt's Bitter and Mild on handpump.
Last visited November 2011. |
|
| Wetherspoon's Cotton Bale | A smaller than average Wetherspoon's, nicely done out.
Last visited November 2011. |
|
| MANCHESTER | ||
| Beer House | Under New Management said the sign, causing a moment of panic, but I needn't have worried as this small backstreet pub continues to provide a wide selection of cask conditioned ales in perfect condition. Ten different ones were on when I visited, as well as Hoegaarden Wit and other imports. Food - chile, sausage egg & chips etc - is lunchtimes only I think. On my most recent visit the range of real ales seemed to be slightly less, but with five or six to choose from who's complaining.
After a period of closure this has now re-opened as The Angel and I look forward to visiting again. Last visited July 2003. |
Angel Street |
| Bull's Head | A regular haunt in my student days long ago, this Burtonwood pub then had two small bars plus a side room. More recently it has been knocked through and there is just one room with spoof antique decor. One thing hasn't changed, though - they serve an excellent pint.
Last visited July 2011. |
London Road / Fairfield Street |
| Castle | This well preserved antique city centre boozer has a small busy front bar plus a couple of more peaceful back rooms, one of which contains a piano. A range of Robinson's brews on hand pump.
Last visited April 2003. |
66 Oldham Street |
| Dutton Hotel | An excellent and reasonably priced pint of Holt's Bitter in this plain traditional boozer with three small half-timbered rooms. One of those places where the music might stop when a stranger walks in, but the regulars seemed friendly to me.
Last visited April 2009. |
Park Street / Dutton Street |
| English Lounge | Five or six real ales on tap in this large comfortable pub/restaurant.
Last visited February 2011. |
High Street |
| Hare & Hounds | A well preserved pub with a main bar in the centre and two side rooms served from hatches. Beautiful tilework on the walls and leaded glass in the doors and above the bar. Tetley and Holts bitters on hand pump. Beware the very noisy karaoke on a Friday night.
Last visited December 2007. |
Shudehill / Thomas Street |
| Lass O Gowrie | A nice range of guest ales in this traditionally styled wood floor and bare brick pub. Good food.
Last visited December 2011. |
Charles Street / Donald Street |
| Lowry Centre | Purple and orange decor and modern stylish furniture in this expensive bar in the Lowry Centre. There's some nice canalside tables outside.
Last visited July 2004.
|
|
| Old Wellington | This splendid half-timbered building was moved in the late 1990s to make way for extensions to the Arndale Centre, so whether it counts as historic I'm not sure. Anyway, excellent ales from eight hand-pumps and fine food are served and there's seating in the main bar inside, in the restaurant upstairs and on the terrace outside.
Last visited December 2010.
|
by the Cathedral |
| Ox | A small selection of good real ales on sale in this "award winning gastro-pub". The pleasant interior is partially knocked through but retains separate areas.
Last visited December 2011. |
Liverpool Road |
| Salisbury | The plastic antique interior is fairly well done but a little grubby. A standard range of real ales including Directors, Old Peculier and Theakston's Best, in mediocre condition.
Last visited July 2002. |
Leigh Street |
| Samuel Platt's | A modern plastic construction overlooking the ship canal. The hand pump was serving pure vinegar when I visited. Good down-market food.
Last visited September 2002. |
Wharf Road / Water's Reach |
| Waldorf Hotel | A rather nice but perhaps a little worn in places, pub hidden in a back street, with a small selection of excellent ales. Function room upstairs (Where they do a fine dinner). The range of real ales seems to have reduced recently.
Last visited July 2011. |
Gore Street |
| White Lion | Traditional decor including some good unglazed encaustic tiles on the floor in this friendly traditional pub. The food looks good and includes Chinese dishes as well as the usual pub fare.
Last visited December 2010. |
Liverpool Road |
| MANCHESTER AIRPORT | ||
| 08 Bar | A large flashy plastic airport bar, with no draught beers available on a Saturday afternoon.
Last visited December 2007. |
Terminal 3, air side. |
| Bar MCR | Expensive plastic beer in a stylish plastic airport bar.
Last visited October 2009. |
Terminal 1, air side. |
| Bar des Voyages | Keg Worthington in a large spacious plastic airport bar.
Last visited July 2005. |
Terminal 1, air side. |
| Donkey Stone | Rather nice (fake) traditional pub decor, and your last chance for a decent pint before flying out, with hand-pulled Boddies, Bass and a guest. One would have thought that at these prices they could afford to replace the rather tatty carpet. Very disappointed to discover this has been refurbished out of existence in the 2008/9 changes to the terminal - there's now nothing land-side, and no real ale anywhere as far as I could find.
Last visited December 2005. |
Terminal 1, land side. |
| Voyager | A small bar counter hidden in a corner.
Last visited December 2007. |
Terminal 3, air side. |
| MARPLE | ||
| Railway | A very pleasant two-roomed pub, ticking over with friendly locals on a Monday afternoon, but suddenly empty at 3 o'clock. I enjoyed a fine pint of Robinson's Unicorn.
Last visited November 2011. |
|
| ORRELL | ||
| Saint James Social Centre | A rather good social club with a large function room plus at least one smaller bar. Excellent Cask Tetley Bitter served by efficient staff.
Last visited October 2008. |
|
| ROMILEY | ||
| Railway | This nicely decorated, partly knocked through traditional pub has a side room with comfortable sofas, and a pool room. A fine pint of Robinson's is served.
Last visited December 2003. |
by the station |
| Romiley Arms | A nicely done plastic pub with keg Tetley and Boddingtons, and I'm told that since my visit they've started serving a guest real ale. The tables outside are useful if you've just been to the chippy!
Last visited December 2003. |
by the station |
| STALYBRIDGE | ||
| Q Inn | This rather nice pub has two rooms partially knocked through. The decor is bare brick and bare floorboards. Five handpumps serve mainly Hydes brews, plus the rather nice house beer - Q X.S.B.
Last visited November 2002. |
Ramsbottom Street / Hully Street |
| Station Buffet Bar | I first visited this famous gem in 1980 and I've been going back as often as possible. Excellent real ales and you must try the black peas, a local delicacy. Their annual beer festival is well worth a visit.
Last visited December 2011.
|
Platform 1 |
| Wetherspoon's The Society Rooms | Modern decor in this standard Wetherspoon's. Prompt service on my visit.
Last visited October 2011.
|
Grosvenor Street |
| STOCKPORT | ||
| Crown | An excellent range of real ales in this splendid multi-room traditionally decorated pub, hidden under the viaduct.
Last visited March 2011. |
Heaton Lane / Great Egerton Street |
| Magnet | A very good choice of real ales, on 12 handpumps, in this pleasant lively multi-roomed pub. Function room upstairs.
Last visited March 2011. |
Wellington Road North / Railway Street |
| Pineapple | A traditional local boozer with three or more rooms, serving perfect pints of Robinsons' Unicorn and others.
Last visited March 2011. |
Heaton Lane |
| Wetherspoon's Calverts Court | An enormous long Wetherspoon's with a relatively small street frontage.
Last visited March 2011. |
St. Petersgate |
| TRAFFORD PARK | ||
| Trafford Park Hotel | An impressive building, sadly now closed.
Not visited. |
Village Way / Third Avenue |
| Village Inn | A friendly pub with a large knocked through interior in the standard refurbished pub style, well looked after. Sadly, the excellent lunchtime food is no longer served. No real ale.
Last visited November 2011. |
Third Avenue / Fifth Street |
| WIGAN | ||
| Anvil | A plain multi-roomed Hydes house, very busy when I visited after a Wigan Athletic home match, serving an excellent range of real ales. The array of award certificates is well deserved.
Last visited May 2010. |
Dorning Street / Hallgate |
| Berkeley | A large knocked-through pub with a dance floor to the rear and an enormous LSTV at the front. The very nice interior decor is well looked after. A choice of five excellent real ales was available.
Last visited December 2011. |
Wallgate / Library Street |
| John Bull | A rather splendid bare brick and beams interior in this small popular pub hidden in a back street behind Wetherspoons. As well as the main room on the ground floor there's a small lounge and a pool table upstairs. The juke box includes some excellent music!
Last visited April 2008. |
The Wiend |
| Last orders | A big busy plain boozer full of old men. No real ale. | Wallgate |
| Little Fifteen | The frontage looks like a restaurant but inside you find a very long narrow pub with stylish and rather quirky decor. Two real ales available, the one I tried was of mediocre quality.
Last visited December 2011. |
Wallgate / Library Street |
| Moon Under Water | A nice interior in standard Wetherspoon's style. The separate upstairs area is somewhat labyrinthine, and it feels like you're in a completely different pub - but it's a long walk to the gents!
I visited early on a Saturday evening in 2002, during their "Halloween beer festival", but there was no real ale available at all, so after a quick pint of plastic John Smith's we moved elsewhere. I'm pleased to report that on more recent occasions there has been a good choice of beers. Wetherspoon's usual cheap and good food is available. Last visited December 2011. |
|
| Old Pear Tree | A pleasant olde-worlde interior in this friendly pub where the food smells good. Excellent real ale, Pedigree and Jennings' Cumberland on my most recent visit.
Nicely refurbished in early 2008, although I think it's lost a little of its character in the process. In 2010 I was served an off pint of Jennings, which was only grudgingly replaced by a perfect pint of Pedigree. Last visited May 2010. |
44 Frog Lane |
| Orange House | A large pleasant open food-oriented pub with plastic traditional decor. Only one real ale but the Old Speckeld Hen was good. LSTV for sports.
Last visited March 2003. |
|
| Raven | A splendid traditional interior in this large town centre pub with one main room plus a small side room and a back room for food. Hand pulled Tetley Bitter in fine condition.
When I passed in December 2008 it was closed. Last visited March 2003. |
Mount Pleasant |
| Swan and Railway | A very nicely preserved three-room pub with nice ceramics and a mosaic floor in the corridor, and a tremendous stained glass panel over the bar. Hand pulled ales include Banks's Bitter and Banks's Original. There's a large back room.
Sometimes referred to as The Stag over troubled Railway, or The Stag and Rainbow. Last visited March 2007. |
Across the road from North Western station |
| ©2012 Phil Wieland | Elsewhere in the World | My other Pub Guides |