A short break from football and Dad nostalgia now to bring you actual pubs. Calm down, down, they’re still shut. Will they re-open on 4 July, just in time for the Southworths to celebrate ?
Until the 4th, or later, I’m still collecting takeaways every Friday from the counter at the side of my Waterbeach local.
Who on earth could prefer their own living room to the Public in The Sun,
If I’m honest, I only join the 5pm queue for the banter outside. But the Turpin’s Stout this week was, again, a 4.5. Will I ever want to drink in a pub again when beer is this good decanted into an Augustiner or Bass glass ?
I’m missing Manchester, of course.
The view of Shambles Square from the steps is hard to beat anywhere.
My Kentish father-in-law reminded me of this Manchester marvel this week, when he showed me the picture of the Old Wellington (1552) he’d uncovered in a batch of frames he’d bought for his own illustrations. If it’s worth £1m please contact me, not the police.
My top photo (discovered in a box on 27/4/20) shows the crowds outside Sinclairs on 8 April 1996, the week before the bombing.
I spent a lovely afternoon drinking OBB at £1.22 a pint watching England stutter to a 1-1 draw against the Swiss as Euro 96 started.
The Wellington and Sinclairs have been moved round more than Fernandinho in City’s formation over the years, but seem at home now; home to tourists, Tottenham fans and topers.
I rarely go in these days, excellent as they both are. Not when there’s Holts next door in the Crown & Anchor with its weird pumps.
and Holts in the Hare & Hounds just up the road.
Though the company HAS been a bit dodgy of late.
retiredmartin 
And you just know that guy stacked the glasses not long after that photo was taken.
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Cannot wait to get back to stacking.
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Stacking is the next ticking.
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Yes the banter, it’s just not the same on whatsApp, get those pubs open.
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When I first arrived in the Manchester area, in the autumn of ’73, the Old Wellington, and what was then Sinclair’s Oyster House, were under wraps. They formed part of a construction site for the open plan shopping centre – the one just down from the hideous, yellow, tile-clad Arndale Centre.
I’m not sure which of the two shopping centres the IRA blew up, as I’d left the area by then, but it all looks very different in your photo, Martin.
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This explains the moves, Paul.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shambles_Square,_Manchester
We were in Manchester the week before the bomb; I watched the first match of Euro 96 in Sinclairs.
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Thanks for the clarification, Martin. I must say the whole area looks much better than it did when the shopping centre first opened (mid-70’s?). The Wellington and Sinclair’s looked rather out of place back then.
Their new location, close to the cathedral is much more in keeping with the character of these fine old buildings. I really must arrange a return visit to Manchester, once travel restrictions are lifted and hotels reopen.
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