And just like that, Manchester has yet another new pub, which was good enough reason on a blank Sunday for me to have a wander over there to check it out. Here's what I found when I called there and in one or two other places in and around the Northern Quarter.....
With very little build-up and seemingly little warning to other than those in the know, a new pub has just opened its doors in Manchester. It's been brought to you by the same people who have the excellent Crown & Kettle on the corner of Oldham Road and Great Ancoats Street, and the smaller Rat & Pigeon on Back Piccadilly to which to be honest I have never really warmed.
The Badger, which is on Dale Street, only opened a few days ago, on Friday 1st May, with no less a figure than the mayor of Greater Manchester and 'King of the North', Andy Burnham, performing the ribbon-cutting duties. He would have found, as I and the rest of those that have already been can testify, an amazing pub interior seemingly from Victorian times. But all is not what it seems. For a start, the building was previously home to a sports bar called Calcio and had previously been variously known over the years by such names as the Allotment. And I think it is safe to say given its different incarnations over the years it has been knocked around a bit. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News before the pub opened the owners said "With The Badger, we’ve set out to create the kind of place we love most; warm, welcoming, full of character; with all the charm of a great countryside pub in the heart of the city. Expect cosy corners, traditional pub food, fine ales & the warmest of welcomes.”
Originally it had been a pub called the Haunch of Venison which had been trading since the early 1800's and was still operating under that name until the 1970s. It had once been the property of Daniel Clifton & Co, a family concern who had started operating from the Royal Oak brewery in Stockport in 1894. It was later owned privately by a guy called John Henry Davies who was one of the directors of the former Walker & Homfrays Brewery in Salford and who incidentally was a benefactor of Newton Heath football club. He gave them money towards the purchase of a football ground at Old Trafford, and the club subsequently became Manchester United. Meanwhile, the Haunch of Venison was sold to local brewers Wilsons, who were based in Newton Heath, in 1951, and then became Nicklebys in the 1970's, after which it went through various owners after Wilsons, who had been owned by Watney Mann, one of the Big 6 companies that dominated the beer industry in those days, disappeared as an entity.
Dale Street, which starts where Church Street meets Oldham Street and runs until it meets Ducie Street near the Piccadilly Canal Basin and Piccadilly Station, has hardly been serious pub territory over the years with the old Victorian warehouses home these days predominantly to offices with the likes of fashion brand Boohoo occupying some building space, but now with the Badger and both the new Head of Steam and Fell NQ close by it will be possible to enjoy a mini tour here without having to venture into the neighbouring streets.
And so to the new incarnation of this historic building. There were a few chairs on the pavement outside. The sign neatly painted in gold letters on black. A fringe of green leaves separating red brick from the cream-painted lower walls. It looked welcoming. Up a couple of steps and I was in. It was pretty busy, with most tables taken. Lots of dark wood, with the clever use of partitions and screens giving the single room a number of distinct areas. The bar was directly straight ahead from the door, with the semblance of a linear queue which was soon broken up by the speed of service from the staff. It was my turn, and a smiley girl in a uniform of sorts greeted me as if I was a regular. There were three hand pumps on the bar, one which going by the shape had been from Thornbridge. The other two were Easy Rider, formerly from Kelham Island but not now brewed by Thornbridge, and Sonoma from Ardwick's Track Brewery. There were several more beers and lagers on a font on the bar, whilst a line of taps were waiting to pour from along the bar back.
I managed to find an empty table in one of the recesses to the side of the entrance from where I was able to keep an eye on what was going on. People kept on coming in, a mix of ages although probably biased towards young professionals and those who like to keep up to date with what's going on. That's not to say there weren't any oldies like me; likewise a number of families with kids in tow plus the odd dog added to the numbers. My beer was on good form, demonstrating that on its day Sonoma is one of the best session pales around with its balance of bitterness and sweet citrus flavours. (NBSS 3.5).
I returned to the bar for another pint. Once again the service was very friendly and efficient, and my pint of Sonoma was as good as the first. I enjoyed my visit to the Badger, and I have to say that based on this visit they have managed to achieve what they set out to do in that quote from the MEN. The refurbishment is a triumph and, if you close your nose to the smell of newness, is up there with such as Thornbridge's Bankers Cat in Leeds which have made somewhere with a different background look as if it has always been a traditional pub. Unfortunately, I didn't get chance to find out why they called it the Badger, clearly not an animal seen regularly shuffling along Dale Street these days, and I did wonder why they hadn't resurrected the old Haunch of Venison name given the traditional look of the place. But next time, I will come at a quieter time during the middle of the week and ask one of the friendly team the reason for the name. In the meantime, if you are in the area, go along and check out another significant addition to Manchester's city centre scene.
Such was the timing of the opening of the Badger that it was too late for consideration for the second edition of Matthew Curtis's Manchester's Best Beer Pubs and Bars, the launch of which I attended last month at one of the city's finest bars, Cafe Beermoth. The first edition was an excellent guide to the best places within both the city and neighbouring towns of Greater Manchester and prompted me to make several trips to different parts of the city and beyond such as Levenshulme, Heaton Chapel, and Burnage. This expanded version includes more places from both within the city and in areas further afield such as Stockport, Altrincham, and Wigan. Matt, who is editor-in-chief of the superb online Pellicle magazine, has a very engaging writing style, and is an excellent guide as he takes us on a tour of his personal view of Greater Manchester's finest.
Meanwhile, back to my visit to the city. I crossed the road and shortly after leaving the Badger I was at Fell NQ, which was far quieter but none the less welcoming, with a pleasant vibe. From the four hand pumps on the bar I went for one I had not seen before, Herding Cats, a 4% hazy pale ale brewed by Fell, which apparently is an occasional brew. It had plenty of flavour and was in very good condition (NBSS 3.5), and I hope to catch it again sometime. I always enjoy popping in here for a pint in what is in my opinion the best version since the space was opened as a bar. Pleasantly decorated with large windows giving a light and airy feel to the room, with plenty of plants softening the hard edges, and with a decent soundtrack playing through the speakers, it is one of the most relaxing bars in the city.
I finished my pint and moved on to nearby Port Street, which is home to the eponymous Port Street Beer House which compared to the two places I had just been is positively historic, having been in operation here since 2011 when it soon became established as one of, if not the, leading beer pubs in the city which it has remained to this day. There were plenty of people sat out on picnic tables at the front taking advantage of the brightening weather after rain earlier in the day. Inside, the bar was fairly quiet, and with two or three staff behind the bar, I had no trouble getting served. I went from one from Bootle-based Colbier from one of the 7 hand pumps that line the bar. There are also 18 kegs and a wide selection of bottled beers behind the bar, many of which are imported. I found a free high table near to the bar on which to lean and drink my beer. I'd enjoyed a couple of beers from Colbier before and this one was also very good, and probably the best of the day. It was called Flexatone - all the beer names have musical connotations and are marketed under the strapline Proper Sound Beer. This was I assumed a seasonal, being a 4.8% DDH Spring pale ale, but it was actually a collab with Port Street. It was well-balanced with the inclusion of Motueka and Azacca hops giving melon and dry citrus flavours and the use of NEIPA yeast leading to a most enjoyable smooth finish.(NBSS 3.5). Colbier are definitely a brewery to watch.
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| Port Street Beer House |
I was conscious of the time of the return train as I left. I did though have a ramble along Houldsworth Street, just around the corner from Port Street towards Oldham Street through the still raw back streets of what is now called the Northern Quarter. I love the character here, the graffiti, the red brick, the contrast to the ongoing advance of the high rise monoliths that dominate the city these days, impressive that some of them are. Here though at ground level is the Mancunian heartbeat, which fortunately is what informs its best pubs and bars.
I called in a bar as I walked through these streets. The Peer Hat is a wonderful, quirky bar on Houldsworth Street, which I have been to several times, and I love its rather bohemian atmosphere. It has a downstairs venue with a capacity of 40, whilst upstairs is a relaxed bar with several beers available on both cask and keg. With its rundown appearance from outside, blinds, and subdued lighting at all times, it has the feel of a speakeasy. Quirky decor and an eclectic mix of customers add to the feel of a special, secret place. The beer selection changes, with lots of local beers featured based on previous visits, but then a few random ones appear from all over the country. This was the case with the beer I went for, Eire Drop from Electric Bear who are based in Bath. It was described as an Irish Red Ale, with an ABV of 4.5% and a solid malt base with toffee on the finish (NBSS 3). It was quite an easy drink, which was just as well as although I'd only ordered a half, a pint was poured!
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| The Peer Hat |
I reckoned I just had time for a quick pint before the train, so I walked over to the excellent Smithfield Market Tavern on Swan Street, one of my favourite pubs in Manchester. I was hoping to get a pint of Salvation, their 4.5% session IPA, which had been in excellent form at the recent beer festival at the Grayston Unity in Halifax. Unfortunately it wasn't on, so I settled for a pint of the easy drinking 3.8% Irk Street Pale with its refreshing citrus notes (NBSS 3). As usual the vibe here was pretty chilled, and it made for an excellent spot to conclude what had been a most enjoyable afternoon in this part of Manchester city centre....
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