Most of my trips to Manchester coincide with City ball retention exercises at the Etihad so it was a treat to catch the world’s greatest city in the Summer. Not that it ever actually rains in Manc, despite what you might read on some London-based blogs.
Just into the Manchester International Festival, the city new and old was looking magnificent, as some of our American readers belatedly discovered.
I got a cheap room at the Mitre, that pub in Cathedral Square that isn’t Sinclairs, the Wellington or the Crown & Anchor. Shabby Wi-Fi, great views.
Talking of Sinclairs, plastic glasses the norm in what should be a Sam Smiths flagship, but instead is their shame. If they really can’t sell enough OBB to maintain cask quality, then 99% of pubs should take it off, too.
I’d been wondering why I hadn’t noticed Bundobust before, and now I know. If you look closely you can see it tucked below Caesar. Is that hoarding permanent ?
Richard Coldwell has been raving about Bundobust since the beginning, and he knows his curry & craft combos. The queues outside the Leeds original recently were bigger than you see outside my local pub for Punk IPA.
I found a space on one of those communal trestle tables, politely distant from a loved-up couple who I felt sure would provide me with some interesting material. They didn’t.
The view up to the skylight was better than the banter.
And the beer range suited my needs for crafty keg. Why I didn’t have the Dobber, I’ll never know.
As you’ll know, it’s veggie Indian food in small portions. I loved it, and their house keg Pale was a perfect match. Not much change out of £20, mind, but you can’t pay too little for craft. The cask seemed an afterthought and was a tad warm.
Still, the best thing to travel westwards over the Pennines since Eric C the Hookworms, Leeds best band since the Wedding Present, appearing tonight in a big tent in Albert Square.
My battery had run out before the Hookies made the stage, so here’s Carla dal Forno from Berlin instead. Top music, duff beer selection.
Manchester does what Manchester does best, and I even had time for a late, late pint of Dobber in 57 Thomas Street.
It only seemed like a mistake the next morning.
I believe I also popped in Beermoth during the interval, but have no record of this. Rather like my first trip there.
retiredmartin 
Stick with cask and you won’t feel bad in the morning. Medicinal qualities and all.
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You speak from experience Dave.
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The world’s greatest city???????
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No Holts in Leeds.
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The Mitre…think I’ve thought about staying there on solo Manc trips before, but Mrs torpedoed the idea based on the price. Like, she wanted me to survive the night. My Booking.com app is set to Deutsch by default, and so German reviews come up first.
A mouse stole one lady’s chocolate off the night table. Someone else had mouse droppings under the bed, blood on someone else’s pillow, mould on the walls, brown water out of the tap…sounds a fine place even before getting down to the English reviewers. Next time.
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Sometimes I think I must go through life being very lucky, Nick ! I’ll walk miles so location not that big an issue, though you can’t beat waking up in Cathedral Square in the morning.
Mitre isn’t that bad, clean enough for me, though based on WiFi quality I’d go for Trivelles in north Stockport again next time.
Thar Trip Advisor revirew sounds likes a night in our motor home !
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No, seriously, it’d be great for me on my own, and I will look into it next time I’m up there for 4 nights of pissing it up. I can sell it to herself now that you’ve survived and enjoyed it. (29 pound!)
Not quite as central as I might like to be on such nights though, come to think of it. Being right by Piccadilly the last couple of trips was great for staggering to bed.
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Best bet for Piccadilly is the Premier Inn near the station, or the Ibis Budget a few minutes east. You have to be lucky to get those below £50, mind.
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And so this Bundobust place is *veggie*? Yish. My poor pancreas. And chemfizz? Thanks for the warning.
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You and Mudge would love it.
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Bah. He and I agree on everything.
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Quite right too. You’re both top #PubMen.
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Ticked off my 400th different Premier Inn yesterday !
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Really ? Really ! That, Sir, is an achievement and then some.
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I’m the other end of the scale. I have stayed in zero Premier Inn establishments. One day there will be a cheap one when I am somewhere that it is the sensible move. I presume that Lenny Henry will serve to my every need when I eventually visit.
Surely the world’s greatest city is Chelmsford.
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I’ve been staring at that Chelmsford statement for ten minutes and it still makes no sense. Something to do with the birth of radio ? Or the fact it’s a dump ?
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The fact that it’s a dump. A dump with a market with no sweet or cheese stall or even a bakery. A dump that is lucky to be classed as a town, let alone a city. I once accidentally spent 30 minutes there.
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