All About The Pub - Pt 2 : Shudehill to Oldham St.
“They paved paradise, put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot”
“Big Yellow Taxi” - Joni Mitchell
Again. The pub.
I blame Mark Welsby (Runaway Brewery). If he hadn't have pointed out that a certain beer was on cask at a certain pub, I'd have been tucked up in the #ISBFBatcave
But I'm a sucker for rhubarb..
And that yearning prompted another. To pop in a pub or 3. Again, revisit my youth. In beautiful old pubs.
Just the 4. Didn't want to stay out too late.
The No8 bus from Bolton was hugely convenient. Considering the messaging coming from Chateau Runaway, dropping me just a few steps from…
Victoria Tap - Manchester Victoria Station
A few months ago, I saw some messaging around a “new bar” at Victoria. As there was already one there, I assumed that it had been taken over. By the Bloomsbury People (Euston / Piccadilly Taps).
Now, I'll freely admit, I'm not a fan of Piccadilly Tap. We got off on the wrong foot on opening night. Incomplete. Rushed. Portacabin loos. Just….
And what do I know. The place does a roaring trade.
But I love The Euston Tap. A different feel completely.
This place is lovely though. Small, but perfectly formed.
That picture almost encompasses the venue. But in that venue, there are fitted 19 keg and 5 cask lines.
There's one main room. And, unusually - for Manchester - there's substantial outside space. Which, in summer, will be a massive boon. But it was chilly tonight..
The beers? The Runaway / Crafty Beer Girls collab for #IWD2024 “Queen Bees” was a delight. Being a sucker for rhubarb, with a little honey in there too, it was perfectly balanced. The tartness of the rhubarb offset by the bees. Yum.
There was a Kernel beer “Amarillo”. I had to, didn't I? Predictably lovely.
The pub is small. But makes the most of a great location. It’s lovely - if slightly cramped - inside. And is justly popular, with quite the varied crowd.
Time to move on. Out of Victoria station, over Corporation Street, then up Balloon St, through Shudehill Interchange…
Hare & Hounds - Shudehill
This pub has featured strongly in my life. I was introduced to its joys in December 84. My first “office” Xmas Do. It was a Tetley pub then, in fact, it was only a year or so ago that the “huntsman” symbol was removed from the side of the pub.
My “stag” ended there. Italia 90. We watched Ireland v Italy, in hope. Hope destroyed as Salvatore Schillaci wheeled away in triumph. Memories.
The pub is a Mancunian classic. Beautiful tile work inside and out. 3 distinct drinking spaces and Mancunians. Drinking.
This is just a proper pub.
There are legends of “Pensioners Karaoke” in that room to the right at the rear….
Another thing about “The Hare” that I didn't know until recently is that it's a “Cut” pub (2 entrances. Front & back. You can “cut” through….). There are a few of these places in “Town”. And they're all lovely older places.
I adore the tilework. I love the fact that it's multi roomed, each space has a different feel. But what is universal to all those rooms is that it's Mancunian. Very much Mancunian.
The pint of White Rat was excellent. Nice to see that it seems to be permanent on the bar.
The pub was getting busier as I was getting ready to move on.
This pub has apparently been around since 1778. Let's hope it hangs around for other generations to appreciate it.
With the pace of development in the City Centre, who can tell.
Leaving The Hare, turning right, then right again onto Swan St and - bypassing The Smithfield (one of my very favourite pubs) - crossing the road, I entered another old favourite that I hadn't been into in years…
Bar Fringe - Swan Street
Quite possibly the quirkiest pub in the City Centre. If you haven't been in before, make sure you have a good look around. Drink it all in. It's quite the place. And - unless I've missed something - won't be here for much longer as the land was sold years ago for “redevelopment”.
Another favourite from the mid 80s (when it was called The White Bear I think…), this single room boozer has a devoted following and a local legend of a landlady, Charlie.
For as many years as I can remember, this place has been an hommage to Belgian beer. There are still numerous keg fonts dispensing said joys…
There are a few handpumps too. With a Dark from Thornbridge calling me. Coco Cocoa was utterly delicious.
I settled into one of the random armchairs and let the fabulous tunes from one of the best Jukes in Manchester wash over me.
Stevie Wonder, Labelle, Bill Withers. I was absolutely in my element.
The place was thronged. It was a joy to see that. Staff were busy and friendly. Charlie herself was in the background.
Yes. That's a motorbike. Over the doorway. (I did mention this place is quirky, right?)
The furniture is eclectic and random. This place just screams “PERSONALITY!”
I don't know how long we've got The Fringe for. But enjoy it while we have. Because, like Joni Mitchell sang “… you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone.”
Leaving The Fringe, turning left and crossing the road, then walk 100 yards or so down Oldham St, to another piece of Mancunian (and my) history…
The Castle - Oldham Street
Again, another pub that's apparently been around since 1778, this place was a regular haunt for me and mine in the mid 80s.
On my 21st birthday, I met my friends here to celebrate. I was first in. Waiting patiently to be served, the landlord was cleaning a line, changing a cask. And deliberately ignored me. One of the regulars asked was he going to serve me?
“If he wants a beer, he can ******* wait!”, then went downstairs into the cellar.
The regular went behind the bar, apologised for the rudeness and pulled me a pint. (Some things you remember….. 😁)
Back in the 80s, this was - technically - a 3 room pub. The bar room, a tiny room behind that, (where you should celebrate if you get a seat) and down the corridor, there was a large room, with a pool table and another bar (I never saw that being worked).
The place had partially outdoor toilets. It needed a little love. The pool room became a music venue. But the place still needed a hug. That happened in 2009, when Rupert Hill (former Coronation Street actor) and business partner Jonny Booth took it over.
They gave it that love, refurbished it. Opened up another room upstairs overlooking Oldham St.
Some things didn't change. Still a Robinsons pub. Still an absolute banger of a Juke (80s feel tonight, with The Clash, Bunnymen et al). Still that feeling of being slightly cramped.
I asked a guy if I could sit next to him, facing the bar. Eventually, I got to chatting….
“Can I ask a really rude question? How many years have you been coming here? To this pub?”
“Oh. About 50 years…..”
The accent sounded familiar. We both originated from Salford. Lived about a mile apart. We talked about pubs we knew (long gone), he filled me in on some details I didn't know - I moved away in 1990 - and, along with the lady with him, we just chatted. It was great.
A dog came in and could smell the dog treats in my pocket. I had a new friend.
I missed my bus. I couldn't have cared less.
I finished my pint of Dizzy Blonde (decent pint, horrible name), said my farewells to Humans & Canine and headed back for my bus.
I love this city. And the pubs in it have this ability to take me back to a time when life felt good. I may have had the overdraft from hell, we had Thatcherism rampaging throughout the North, Manchester was a grim shit hole. But it was OUR grim shit hole.
Times change. In Manchester more so than many places. Those changes aren't all bad. But, unless we are careful, we're going to lose so much history. 2 of these pubs have been here almost 250 years.
They may be mere bricks and mortar (and stunning tilework) to some, but there is more soul in the doorframes of these places than any tower.
And remember, sometimes, it's not about the beer. It’s the soul of the pub. The history.
Just remember what Joni said….”They paved paradise and put up a parking lot….”
Back soon. Be kind to one another.
Jx