I've been back over the Pennines and revisited a few old favourite haunts followed by a gig in a new venue on a typically wet Manchester evening. I had a good evening overall, although unfortunately one of the places turned out to be an unexpected let down....
The spots of rain started to appear on the window as soon as my train slipped through the Pennines, somewhere between Walsden and Littleborough. By the time we arrived in Rochdale, little streams were flowing down the glass, meeting each other, coalescing, and changing course as the train rocked and railed along the track. We arrived in Victoria, and I decided to stay dry, at least for now, at least on the outside, by heading to the Victoria Tap for a Welcome to Manchester pint.
The small bar was quite busy with a mid-afternoon crowd but I got served pretty quickly. I went for a pint of a beer from a new brewery to me, Coleys, who are based nearby in the Weaste area of Salford, just off Eccles New Road. Their website describes them as producers of modern cask beer, and in their own words: We love everything about cask; the sparkler debates, the messy pour, the tidy pour. The action of the pump followed by the sound of beer hitting glass. The moment the sunlight shines through a bright pale ale after a moment of a frothy cascade rising through the glass. The first moment after a sip of rich, intense stout. Evocative stuff! I went for a pint of their 3.9% Pub Ale, which was a rich and well-balanced, golden brown beer which was very drinkable and an excellent start to the day (NBSS 3.5). Based on this pint I look forward to trying some more of their beers soon.
It had stopped raining as I emerged from the Victoria Tap and left the station, but its recent presence was there to be seen in the damp pavements, puddles, and the tiny rivers flowing between the rails on the tram tracks. I crossed over Corporation Street passing the huge old Co-op buildings as I walked up Hanover Street where I came to the Sadler's Cat. Not been here for a while, I thought, so lets go in!
I walked in to the modern bar which was built quite a few years ago now by members of the local community using local, reclaimed, and natural materials. It was originally known as the Pilcrow and carried on happily as an independent for a few years, but after a period of uncertainty over its future, it was taken over by Cloudwater, and renamed to reflect its location in Sadler's Yard. There was a quiet buzz about the place where several tables were occupied by a mixed crowd enjoying a chilled, ambient soundtrack to go with their drinks. There are plenty of beers to go for here on both cask and keg, and from the three beers on cask, all from Cloudwater, I ordered a half of a pleasant 4.2% pale called Quizas (NBSS 3), found an unoccupied table, and enjoyed myself for 20 minutes or so in what was, at least for now, a very relaxing place for a drink before the Friday evening crowd landed.
From there, I made my way to the Travelodge in Ancoats where I was having my first stopover in the city in ages, got checked in, dropped my bag off, and after a quick phone charge, I was back out on the streets. I had decided to revisit another old haunt which I had not been to for a while. Bar Fringe, on Swan Street, is a quirky Belgian-style bar which has been carrying on in its own independent way for years, surviving the odd threat to its existence, and emerging all the stronger for it. There is nowhere quite like it that I can think of, certainly in the city and probably nowhere else. From the twin Delirium pink elephants adorning the exterior to its extensive range of beers and assorted signage and artefacts - alongside plenty of other stuff from closer to home like the motorbike on the ledge near the door - it certainly pays homage to the Belgian bar scene. But it is much more than that. Assuredly Manc, a range of beers from independent brewers you wouldn't see anywhere else in the city, and a killer jukebox whose only serious rival is at the nearby Castle, although the fact this is a proper full-size job just about shades it for me.
From the beers on offer, I went for one I had not had for ages. Enville White is a wheat beer which has been around for years from the Stourbridge-based brewery, and was a pleasant and different beer to what I normally drink (NBSS 3), making for an enjoyable companion as the juke box played some classic indie and retro tunes.
My initial plan for this blog had been to focus on the next pub I visited as I hadn't been there for a while even though it has always been one of my favourite pubs not just in Manchester, but anywhere. I have been going on and off for years and have always enjoyed myself, and written about it in glowing terms many times, and so I felt it would be worth an up-to-date appraisal. However things didn't quite work out that way....
The Marble Arch (opening image) is situated on Rochdale Road, around 10 minutes walk from Victoria, in the latest area of the city to be colonised by the high rises. Indeed, a recent plan would have encroached on the pub's territory, although it seems to have been batted off, for now at least. I walked in through that striking granite-framed entrance in to a familiar scene, the famous sloping floor leading you down to the bar. The spectacular tiled walls and ceiling were looking down on the room where most of the tables were taken, or had reserved signs on them for later. I was thinking of getting some food here if I could find a table, although I hadn't checked the back room, where off to the side the Marble Brewery had first been located behind a glass screen when it started back in 1997. So far so good. I ordered a pint of Manchester Bitter, always a reliable go-to.
I stood at the bar once I'd ordered my beer as seating on this occasion was in short supply. I took a sip of my beer. It had a bit of a grainy feel and was more astringent than usual, with decidedly less flavour. It was also hazier than it normally is, and and I felt it was getting towards the end of the barrel (NBSS 2). I pointed this out politely to the guy who'd served me. "It's exactly the same as it should be" I was told, in a pretty dismissive way, with not even a glance towards my glass. No "Sorry, I'll check the barrel" and certainly not a "Nobody else has said anything, but would you like something else instead?" Basic customer service which should be automatic, and even more so when you're paying well over £5 a pint! I was flabbergasted, I have not had any similar response for decades. The guy at the side of me said he'd thought it was rather thin and not right, although he'd not said anything. Interestingly, I had also complained about another Marble beer, Pint, a few weeks ago in a pub in Halifax, and with several others doing so, the barrel was duly sent back to the brewery (and replaced, with no issues I must add), but it does set off alarm bells concerning a brewery with such a proud record of excellent beers going back over 30 years, and hopefully it's not an indication of a wider malaise. But the response to my comments is a big black mark and showed an arrogant attitude you can't display behind the bar!
In the interests of balance I ordered half of Lagonda, Marble's 5% premium pale ale which was more like it (NBSS 3). But I'm afraid the damage was already done; I didn't eat here, and this blog is therefore not the fondly-remembered journey through the history of the pub and brewery and my memories of visiting here regularly over nearly 30 years that I'd planned on writing.
I sought Salvation, so headed to the always-dependable Smithfield Market Tavern where I ordered a pint of the beer of that name. I'd had a pint of this 4.5% Session IPA here the other week which was excellent, and whilst this wasn't quite to that high standard it was in very good condition and did something to put the evening back on an even keel (NBSS 3.5). The pub was quite busy but even so it was pretty chilled out as always.
I was pretty hungry by now and so I decided to go next door to Mackie Mayor to get some food. First though I went to the Jack in the Box, the concession run by Blackjack which is about a minute's walk from the Smithfield. The bar and surrounding area was pretty busy, but once I'd got served - with another pint of Salvation - I managed to find an empty stool opposite the bar over which I draped my coat, took a large sip out of my beer, and placed my glasses case next to it to claim the territory. I went in search of food in the busy food hall. I fancied something Thai, so I ordered a pad kaprow with minced chicken and brown rice, which after a short while was delivered to me as I enjoyed another very good pint (NBSS 3.5). The food likewise hit the spot and suddenly all was good in the world.
I was staying over in Manchester because I was going to a gig at the New Century Hall, featuring indie/punk/soul/dance duo Big Special, supported by fellow Brummie indie duo Gans. This was a new venue to me, situated in former Co-op offices at the opposite end of Sadler's Yard to the Sadler's Cat which I'd visited earlier in the afternoon. The gig was a sell-out of the 1,300 capacity venue but it didn't feel too uncomfortable and I managed to see reasonably well. As had happened when I saw Gans last year at Oporto in Leeds, the band had already started when I arrived which was a shame, and they went down well with an appreciative crowd. Big Special duly followed and were in excellent form, like Gans making a lot of noise considering they are just a duo. They played tracks from their superb debut album Post Industrial Hometown Blues with the set punctuated by much humour, a bit of politics, and some good-natured second-city banter with the crowd. It was an excellent evening's entertainment and with an early finish to match the early start. I liked the venue, the sound was top-notch, the sightlines were great, and unlike many venues I've been to over the years in Manchester, the security staff were polite and friendly. The beer prices weren't too bad either; there's been many times that I've paid more than £6.90 for a pint of Steady Rolling Man.
With the early finish I was able to have a steady stroll along the still busy and wet streets back towards the hotel, stopping first though for a nightcap pint at the Castle, which was very full as is usually the case at weekends. I got myself a pint of Robinsons Unicorn Bitter which was another very good beer in great condition (NBSS 3.5), which had been the pattern over much of the evening. With just one notable exception....
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