MANCHESTER.

The Beer house is just off the main A664 road near the A665 junction and is well worth the effort to find it. This was once a very boring Tetley's house with no real ale. Now it is one of the very best ale houses in Manchester. A plain looking tiled exterior in the Victorian style leads through to a modern firkin style makeover inside - all wooden floors (part lino), wooden 'S' shaped bar with overhang for glasses. The bar is to the left on entrance, almost behind the door. As you turn round to get to it notice the huge blackboard on the far wall. Here you will be presented with the best view in the world - a list of 12, that's twelve real ales. The landlord tries to keep 12 ales on at all times and the commitment shows in the excellent selection and quality of ale. The beers on at the time are too many to list, though I tried Boat - Man in a Boat Mild 3.5%, Moor - Sandwiches 4.5% and Castle - Execution Ale 4.6%. Ask for the sparkler to be removed. If you fancy Belgian beers they have a few on draught including Kriek, Leffe Blonde and Hoegaarden, all served in the correct glasses - no stealing them please! For the wine drinker there are fruit wines from a UK source. Seating is mixed with some benches on the far wall and small round tables and chairs/stools nearer the door. It's difficult to see in as they have bathroom style glass. Music is provided by the jukebox in the corner and has some up to date tunes, particularly indie sounds. The toilets (clean) are on the ground floor, though there are steps up in to the pub which makes it not for the disabled in wheelchairs. Ceilings are low and this is reflected in the rooms upstairs. Here there is another bar area with tables and chairs. This is not used as a bar, but you can sit there, and there is a new bar billiard table, plus Sky Sports. This area is also used for the frequent beer festivals where beer is dispensed by gravity. Check out the web site below for details of the festivals and book your place, it's a must. Food is served here at lunchtimes and early evenings. It is traditional fayre including chip butties. Food is available lunchtimes 11.30-2.00pm, Monday lunchtimes there are half price specials; Wednesday evening free chip muffins 5-6pm; Thursday evening is curry night 5-8pm, and Friday evening food is served 5-7pm. A beer garden of sorts is available in summer. The nearest train and tram is Victoria station - 5-10 minutes walk away. No accommodation here.

Friendly local in the city, real (gas) fire traditional, friendly staff. Traditional beer, great pint, well kept. Beers on at the time were: Burtonwood bitter 3.7%, £1.75; Top Hat Bitter 4.8% plus three guest bitters. Great food, snacks, meals and vegetarian options, served 12-2.30pm and 5-10.30pm Mon-Fri. Sunday lunch is available and there is an all day breakfast Sunday. Friendly staff, great pub, traditional lots of wood, no plastic. Great Quiz night Tuesday 9pm and pleasant atmosphere. No accommodation here.  No disabled access, yet. Web page: www.bullsheadpub.co.uk.

Part of the Hogs Head chain, the Lass is still brewing its own beer and one is usually available at all times. Beers on at the time were: Lass Log 42, Daleside Green Grass, plus two others. The exterior of this corner pub is a gem, as it still has its original tiles, though the inside blends well with the rest of the Hogshead chain. The decor is all wooden, including pictures of the brewing process and local scenes. There are four distinct drinking areas. The bar area has an open space for standing with fruit machines and the toilets are here - not good access for the disabled as narrow. The rest of the main bar area has tall barrels and stools around the brewery viewing window and a raised platform with more conventional tables and chairs. The last area off the main bar and straight ahead of the main entrance, has round tables and stools, with some chairs. This is a snug of sorts with a fireplace, but no fire. Not far from Oxford Road railway station. Food is served at lunchtimes only and is the same menu as in other Hogs Head's, though check the daily specials board. Prices are reasonable, but not as good as Wetherspoons. A friendly pub, though populated by students during term time. Cider also available. Open: Mon-Sat 11.30-11pm; Sun 12-10.30pm. No accommodation here.

Built in 1888 by McKenna's Brewery this is a tiled palace of Victorian splendour inside and out. Completely tiled on the inside from floor to ceiling (part mosaic floor). The floor slopes towards the bar so beware, it can be difficult for the disabled and the slightly drunk customer. Toilets are not accessible for the disabled either. The wall has a cabinet with pump clips in and a shelf for water jugs is high up on the wall. There is a real fireplace near the bar which is at the far end of the pub. Above the fireplace is a large brewery mirror. Seating is a mixture of pews, benches and wing back chairs. These nestle with round and square tables and the single oblong one for groups. The bar is new and all stained pine with tile inlay. There are lots of Marble beers on at any one time Amber Kitchen Ale 4.7%, N4 3.8%, Bitter 4%, Ginger 4.5%, IPA 4.6%, Summer 4.7%, Porter 5.0% plus a guest ale Joules Old Knotty. Food is cheap and served lunchtimes only and has plenty of veggie choice, mainly sandwiches and burgers on the menu, but there are a couple of main courses which can be found on the blackboard next to the bar. If you go to the toilets there are steps and it takes you to an anti-room with a pinball machine/fruit machine and then into what could be described as a student room where the walls are covered in posters. From here you can see the brewery through a window. It looks small, but the beers are perfectly formed and the smell is wonderful. There are large benches here with long tables. If you fancy the beer at home, you can buy polypins to take home at a reduced price. Not far from Victoria rail/metro station. Beers are aslo available at: The Marble Beer House, 57 Manchester Road, Chorlton and The Bars, 531/533 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton. No accommodation here but try: Mitre Hotel, Cathedral Gates, M3 1SW. Prices from: single £40-£49.99, double £50-£65.

	Symbols:		Open:	Monday-Saturday:	Sunday:	Map	Pics:
				11.30-11 (Sat 12-11)	Closed	View

The Sandbar is another student venue, situated by Manchester Met Uni and is usually full of students avoiding lectures and discussing the latest exciting fashions in thought. Alright, perhaps that bit isn't true, but there were plenty of students with their folders open in there when visited. The bar is made up of two shops knocked through, which means the two bars are separated inside by steps and different level drinking areas. The left hand bar can get cramped and it is not easy to get served when busy due to a large pillar being in the way. Here there are wooden floors and round/square tables and chairs, an old fireplace sits idle. Towards the rear of this room are steps down to another drinking area linking the two bars and the toilets. A long table can seat up to 14 for those large gatherings. More steps then take you up into the second or right (when facing the Sandbar) bar. This room is larger though still has load bearing walls obscuring a possible open space. Again tables and chairs predominate, though there are some standing/leaning areas too. Large shop front windows allows plenty of light to enter. This use of natural light also enhances the local artists work which is hung about the place. Usually there are about four guest beers on : Phoenix Christmas Kiss, Bantam plus two changing others. The Phoenix Bantam tends to be permanent with the others changing. The Sandbar is also the best place to come for European beers with the largest selection in Manchester - some on draught. Again this bar is close to Oxford Road station and if you come to see the Lass O'Gowrie, then you may as well walk up the road to the Sandbar also. The Sandbar is also worth a solo visit, especially out of term time when you can get a seat for food which is served at lunchtimes only. Novel choices are complemented by more traditional food. Prices are average, but not as cheap as you would think - being next to a university and poor students. Toilets not suitable for disabled access, nor is the bar which has many steps/levels and narrow walkways between pillars/areas. Open: Mon-Fri 11(Sat 12.30)-11pm; Sun 5-10.30pm. No accommodation here.

This pub is across the road form the CAMRA Winter beer festival site, so it's got to be good. You enter via the corner doors in to something akin to a Victorian boozer with iron pillars and dark wood everywhere. There are tables and a fire/range (never lit) to the left, here there are pictures of the local area and people on the walls. The bar is straight ahead when you enter and curls round to the right. There is more seating here and a raised area at the rear. Beer tends to be the staple Taylor's Landlord and then a selection from the Phoenix brewery with a couple of guests on top. So, well worth a visit for the beer alone. If you are a Manchester United fan then this is your pub as they sail a barge to games at Old Trafford on match days. Naturally they show all major sporting events on a large screen. Food is served all day from 12-9pm and range from snacks to main meals. All were cooked well and were home cooked. Friday/Saturday/Sunday there is a disco and we mean disco with music form the 60s/70s/80s. Next door is the historic Castlefield Roman Fort. Access for the disabled is possible.

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