All About The Pub - Pt 1 : Portland Street, Manchester.

As in the previous post (here), lockdown Zoom chats focused - at times - on things we'd love to be doing, places we'd love to be. And one of the things I simply couldn't get out of my head was “The Pub”.

When I say “The Pub”, what I mean is the location, the ambience, the soul. Maybe not the places that serve the most banging kegs, but places from my youth with which an attachment was made. Pubs that I fell in love with.

My buddies and I are coming together from different parts for such a crawl in June, but, on payday (last Friday), I needed a reaffirmation. Do something I hadn't done in years.

And I'd not seen my blogging inspiration (Jaz) for some time. So, plans having been made, I jumped the 37 bus and headed for King Street, then a short 3 minute stroll to Kennedy St…

The City Arms - Kennedy St

It must be over 40 years since my first visit to this small - yet perfectly formed (there's a theme tonight!) - Mancunian classic. As with many Manchester pubs, I owe a debt to my colleagues from back in ‘84 who introduced me to so many. Several of which are long gone.

The City still stands proud. And it's rarely less than rammed (another theme tonight).

I'm a creature of habit. Early in an evening I need a session beer, tonight's list in here was superb, but I needed something light. And I got just that, with a nice refreshing Pale from Burton Road.

We stood in the narrow corridor to the rear of the bar, just loving how busy this was.

But, being slightly off theme (ie not Portland St) we headed off in that direction.

Now then, Jaz made suggestion or two en route. And I caved….. There was a particular pub I'd never been in. And was intrigued…

The Seven Oaks - Nicholas Street

Like I said, I'd never been in before, so had no idea what to expect.

Friendly staff, with 3 handpulls (1 unused) with GK Abbot and a beer named something like Oaks Pale, which, when ordered, tasted suspiciously like Greene King IPA. It was kept well and was certainly decent enough. With the keg option being Macro Lager or Macro “Craft” (Neck Oil), I was content with my choice.

Substantially larger than The City, the toilets are at basement level with another room upstairs. We got seats and settled for our short visit. Friendly crowd, with a group behind us - judging by the accents - from Northern Europe, the pub has a really good feel to it.

Apparently, the pub has (or had) a rather late licence (indeed, it's FB listing is “always open”) and is legendary for this.

All I can say is, I'll be back. As I said earlier, sometimes it's about the pub. Not DDH this and that.

Moving on. This time to another Manchester Classic. With a claim (or two) to fame.

The Circus Tavern - Portland Street.

As we approached, Jaz said “At least the doors are open”…. Which reminded me that when the pub used to reach (its very small) capacity, they'd lock the doors. At the front. (Those in the know could access via the rear of the premises)

Now then. Remember “The Smallest Bar in Europe” bit?

Those hand pulls and keg fonts are it. No fridge. No fripperies. The bar is minute! So much so that when the landlady came up from the cellar she nearly sent the sole barstaff flying! Compact. To say the least.

We grabbed our pints of Wainwright (again, in perfect condition) and settled in in one of the few spaces, to the rear of the bar.

The pub is one of the smallest I've been in (not quite as tiny as The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds) with two small rooms just off a narrow (seriously so!) corridor that runs past the bar.

In this pub, the great thing is that you don't have a choice but to interact with the other customers. We got chatting to a lovely couple from Maghull and shot the breeze for a while. Just one of the things that makes The Circus special.

Have always had a soft spot for The Circus. It's a classic.

As is, for me, the pub about 3 doors down..

The Grey Horse - Portland Street

Again, a much-loved pub from my youth. This time, single roomed, with a bit more space, but rarely the opportunity for a table 🤣, this place has always had the feel of a local to me. Warm. Welcoming. Special.

Having grown with this pub since the 80s, it shared something unusual with The Circus (along with The Castle). They all had outdoor Gents “facilities”. No longer, of course!

This pub also lingers long in my memory for another - less quirky - reason (you can ask me that in my DMs!).

I’ve always had a soft spot for The Horse.

Busy when we walked in, we quickly settled with a pint - mine was Hydes Original. Again, a decent pint and very well kept.

There was a fabulous Northern Soul soundtrack going on and the pub was bustling, lively with conversation. Again, being relatively small, we ended up striking conversation with a fella who turned out to be the Landlord! He was happy - the pub was busy, the atmosphere friendly and lively - and rightly proud of the beer quality. In a world of seemingly accelerating pub closures, The Horse is going nowhere.

Just the feel of this place. A proper Mancunian Pub. No airs, no graces. It does what it does and does it well.

We were now on the “final stretch”. This wasn’t to be a long evening - and I have no faith in bus services back towards mine - and we stayed close to Piccadilly. Crossing Portland street and turning right onto Chorlton Street, take the 4th left onto Richmond Street. And here you will find a little treasure….

With the most magnificent mural on the side of the building…

The Molly House - Richmond Street

Another place I have a real soft spot for. And one I don’t get into nearly often enough.

Walking up the steps, turn left into the main bar (there is another bar on the first floor). Open plan, wooden floors, plenty of tables (YAY we got a seat!) and the kitchen is in this space (superb food by all accounts). More of a relaxed feel in here, cosy, sound of gentle chatter.

As I have learned over the years, as well as excellent food, the beers in the Molly House are superb. They source from some of the North’s finest. Tonight, there were (from memory) two from Buxton on the bar, including a Porter (normally Jimbo Catnip), but I was distracted by a clip proclaiming “Red IPA”, something I rarely overlook.

Again, friendly excellent staff. 2 pints secured I sat with Jaz and discussed what I though was the wrong beer! It was as Red as Thatcher’s world view. I asked to try the others and the bar staff could not have been more obliging. Yep. Definitely the correct beer from the line, just not Red! That said, it tasted bloody lovely and was in excellent nick (as I would expect from this ace bar.

The layout had altered slightly from a previous visit, more tables being welcome. It’s a lovely place, with reliably excellent beer. I just need to make sure The Boss & I come here one evening for food!

“One More Beer” was the cry. So, glasses returned to the bar, we said our fond farewells and turned left onto Richmond Street headed toward Piccadilly then Paton Street onto Dale Street…

Pelican Bar - Dale Street (No pics I’m afraid!)

Plan was for an ultra swift beer in here, prior to catching the 37 back to Bolton. Hence no pics….Pelican is a premises in a slight “L” shape, with the bar at the far end. Taken on by Rosie (Manc Beer Heroine) and Oli (Squawk), they gave it a refresh when they took it on, improving the feel hugely from when it was Beatnikz.

Same - if not better - fabulous beer range, a much warmer feel to the place with some lovely touches. It just feels right. And just a 3 minute walk off Piccadilly with the Northern Monk Refectory just across the side street. In summer, there’s loads of outside seating (there is some outside even now!) making this a nice little nexus of bars (Port Street being close by too). Pelican loses nothing in comparison. It’s a belting spot.

Tonight, I grabbed a pint of Burning Sky Plateau on cask and was swooning at the refreshing hoppy flavours when we bumped into Claire & Scott from House of Hops in Swinton (you’ll be hearing more from me about them later this week!). Needless to say, I got distracted, missed my bus and HAD to console myself with 2/3 of Assemblage V (mixed ferm joy, again from Burning Sky)

Like I said, the beer selection is top. I would expect nothing less from Rosie!

It was lovely bumping into Claire & Scott, not just because they are lovely humans, but because, post Pandemic, on each occasion I’ve been into Manchester since, it’s been rare to see people you recognise. This was never the case before 2020. Have drinking habits changed that much? I, for one, drink at home a lot more than I used to. Something that I need to change. Drinking is not - for me at any rate - a solitary pursuit. It’s always, but always, better in the company of friends.

Good beer is great. Good people are even better. Put the two together, and…….

A great evening. Being with Jaz is always a Joy. Let’s be honest, without him, this blog wouldn’t have started back in 2012.

Without this blog, there’s - for certain - no ISBF. I owe that man more than I can say.

Anyway, away with this sentimental nonsense. Be kind to one another.

Back soon. Jx