Another visit to Manchester, or Salford to be more precise, which has three fine traditional pubs in the 2024 Good Beer Guide. Back in Manchester, I then called in to another new bar in the city centre which had only opened its doors for the first time during the week....
You left me last time having just departed from the Gas Lamp, on Bridge Street, just off Deansgate. From there I carried on down Bridge Street, crossed the bridge over the River Irwell, passed beneath Salford Central railway station, and rather than turning on to Chapel Street which subsequently becomes Salford Crescent, I crossed over and kept straight on to what was now Bloom Street where a little further along was the first pub I'd earmarked in Manchester's close neighbour.
The Kings Arms is a classic redbrick Salford pub, a breed which is much less common than it was 40 odd years ago when I spent a year living in the city. There are plenty of signs that leave you in no doubt as to where you are when you arrive at this imposing building, including a much older and plain one up on high from years gone by. I went inside and in to the main room which follows the curves of one end of the building (opening image). A large, classic bar is situated on one side of the room, whilst opposite bench seating runs along facing in from the outer wall of the room. There is much dark wood, brass, and glass in evidence. There were five beers available on offer when I called, from which I selected Halo, a 3.6% pale session ale from Cross Bay as I hadn't seen their beers for a while, which was in fine form (NBSS 3.5). The Kings Arms also has its own house beer from Salford brewers Strange Times called Queens Legs (geddit?!!!). There were several punters sat at different tables around the room and there was a quiet calm about the place, the hum of conversation just detectable above a cool and eclectic soundtrack which at one point featured Disco Volador by the Orielles, who I still think of proudly as being a local Halifax band although they have actually been based in Manchester for several years! (Maintaining the musical theme, I was subsequently told that Paul Heaton of the Beautiful South and formerly the Housemartins had been the leaseholder here from 2011 until 2015).
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| Classic Salford pub: The Kings Arms |
I went to the loo and had a look around once I'd been. There is a downstairs snug, and upstairs there are other rooms, plus a beer garden away down a corridor. There were posters for various events on the walls, including films and theatre both of which take place here. There were plenty of attractive features as befits a classic old pub, such as black and white photos of old Salford, along with some quirky touches. There was a slightly bohemian feel to the place, which added to its charm. And despite the inevitable encroaching tide of concrete and glass towers close by, this rambling pub appeared to be in rude health. Well worth a visit, and it is only a short walk across the bridge from the centre of Manchester.
I'd decided to re-visit a pub a few minutes' walk away which I had been to before, although not for several years. Last time I'd taken a walk into deepest Salford to check out the Salford Lad's Club, a beacon of hope and aspiration for the local youth amongst the boarded up houses of the surrounding redbrick streets. There was a photo which had featured the band stood on the steps outside on the inner sleeve of the Smiths classic album The Queen Is Dead, making it a place of pilgrimage for fans of the band, and which I subsequently written about in an early blog. And so, nearly 9 years on, I walked up to the New Oxford which is situated on Bexley Square in a historic area of the city which also includes the town hall and cathedral. The pub is at the far end of the square on the left, with a seating area outside clearly delineated by banners advertising Madri, the increasingly popular lager brand. But that doesn't really indicate the scale of the real ale sold inside this popular two-room pub. There are 20 hand pumps on the bar, with 3 given over to real cider or perry, plus a further 20 fonts selling craft beers and lager. There is also a large selection of bottled Belgian beers.
I walked in and it was quite busy, but it didn't take too long to get served. I noticed that Solar Wave, the new hazy IPA from Sharps of Doom Bar fame was amongst the wickets, so I decided I would give it a go for "research purposes". Whilst most of the tables were taken, I managed to grab an empty one and had a taste of my half. And it wasn't too bad, quite juicy and with tropical fruit and a hint of bitterness on the palate, a decent ABV of 4.6% helping give it a bit of oomph. Whilst it wasn't a world-beater on this showing, it was perfectly acceptable (NBSS 3), and if you see it around, give it a go and see what you think.
I heard someone quietly calling my name from the next table, and I turned around it was Jason, an old friend from the Buffet Bar in Stalybridge, who was having a drink with some friends. We got chatting and whilst my original plan had been to have one drink and move, I ended up staying for another half. This time I went for a Simcoe in Your Heart from Cloudwater, a single hop session pale weighing in at 4.4% ABV, with a flavour profile featuring stone fruit, pine, and citrus zest, which I rated as an NBSS 3. After resuming our catch up it was time to move on after a little while, so I finished my half, and bade farewell to Jason and his companions, and I said I would try and get over to see my old friends from the Buffet Bar soon. The New Oxford is another great traditional pub and well worth seeking out.
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| The bar at the New Oxford, Salford |
I left the New Oxford and made my way back to the station to catch the train home, and so it was a week later when I concluded my tour of Salford's real ale pubs, which I paired with a trip to the new bar at Victoria that had opened during the week. By contrast, this final Salford pub was one I had visited a few times, the last one only a year or two ago, so this was more of an update to see how it was all going. Nevertheless it gave me the opportunity to navigate through the new high rise developments that had sprung up over the intervening period as I walked there and tried to avoid becoming disorientated .
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| High rise Salford |
The Eagle Inn is another traditional redbrick Salford boozer, a real hidden gem tucked away amongst and almost engulfed by the new developments on Collier Street, only about 10 minutes away from Victoria (if you don't get lost!). Grade II-listed, it is operated by Joseph Holt, and features a fine exterior with distinctive brickwork. Inside there is a traditional wood-panelled central bar with small vault to the left, an attractive lounge to the right, and a further snug with posters on the walls on the way to the loos. At one point they knocked through into an adjoining cottage and there is an 80-capacity venue which features regular music, theatre, and other events.
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| Hanging on in there: the Eagle, Salford |
There are 4 handpumps on the bar, although not all had beer on when I called in, but it normally features two beers from Holts and one from their other brand, Bootleg Brewing. Holts Bitter was on, and whilst it is a tame animal compared to the ultra-bitter beast it was when I used to drink it back in those days of living in Salford, it was pleasant enough (NBSS 3). Sitting for a wee while on the traditional upholstered banquette seating in the lounge on my own, nursing my pint, with an old tiled fireplace and other features, it could have been 40 years ago, although if my memory is correct it used to be gaslit back in those days. My train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a guy with pink eyeliner who was looking for a lost bag, but it didn't appear to be here. It turned out there'd been an event on and shortly afterwards several colourfully-dressed young people passed by the lounge door, the odd one popping in to collect a coat from a rack by the door, before congregating at the tables outside prior to drifting away. And it showed that whilst at first glance the Eagle may look like an old man boozer, it attracts a wide mix of clientele. The lad popped back to tell me he'd found his bag, so all was well. It had been good to come back here, and I just hope that it will manage to carry on for another 40 years and beyond, despite the seemingly unstoppable development in these parts.
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| The lounge at the Eagle Inn |
And then the new bar at Victoria Station had opened during the week. Like Pomona Island's new venture in Manchester which I visited last time, the opening has been eagerly anticipated by beer drinkers and thirsty commuters alike. The immediate area around the station has been something of a beer desert particularly if you only had time for a quick drink. If you were desperate, you could brave the existing station bar and take your chances on any beer that might be on one of the two hand pumps (invariably it would be dreadful!). Then a few years ago the Pilcrow (now the Sadler's Cat) opened a couple of minutes walk away in Sadler's Yard, but unlike many other railway stations across the country Victoria was still missing its own station bar.
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| Image courtesy of The Manc Group |
The Victoria Tap has now arrived to plug that gap. It is owned by the Bloomsbury Leisure Group who also operate the Piccadilly Tap, the Euston Tap, and a number of other pubs and restaurants, predominantly, but not exclusively, in London. Opening in what was a former bin store by the entrance on the Corporation Street side of the station, this small single room bar would most accurately be described as a micro pub. As you walk in, a narrow bar is situated opposite the entrance and runs for much of the length of the building. It is attractively decorated with painted walls and sympathetic lighting. There is parquet flooring throughout, with seating on high stools and some banquette seating at the far end of the bar. There is also a small beer garden providing additional seating and affording close-up views of the passing trams. There are 4 hand pumps on the bar, plus a large number of keg lines, listed on a large board behind the bar, whilst a digital display screen provides live train times. There is no toilet here at the moment, but the main station toilets are close by.
It was busy and lively when I walked in at around twenty to one. It was the day of the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford, and the seating at the far end of the bar had been taken over by a group of laughing and singing fans of Catalan Dragons, whilst several supporters of their opponents, Wigan, were also present in the pub. It made for a great, friendly atmosphere. I ordered a pint of Manchester Bitter which was on hand pump and very good it was too (NBSS 3). I started drinking it at the bar, but when the Catalans decided to move on, wishing everyone a bonjour as they walked past, I grabbed a corner table that had just been vacated.
I called in again later in the day before I caught the train home and it was still busy as I ordered a quick half of Steady Rolling Man. As it was the bar's first weekend, there will inevitably have been people just popping in for a nosey, but I am sure that the Victoria Tap will soon become a regular haunt for many now that it is possible after all these years to get a decent pint in a pleasant and relaxed bar at the station....
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