LOCKDOWN MANCHESTER BREACHED

Matt has completed his first year in Manchester. I was going to say he’d acquired a barbering qualification, a penchant for the Paramount (JDW) and a girlfriend, but Emma would rightly have called out my casual sexism.

Emma joined us at BrewDog (I), a place I’ve never warmed to in the way I have the Cambridge or Glasgow branches.

I would have tried to get them in a Proper Pub on Portland Street, but the youth of today, they got lots to say, mostly “Shut it Dad“.

But for Dave, here’s the other main Holt pub in central Manchester, part of one of two main pub trilogies in town. I can see why you’d ignore the Old Monkey in favour of the Circus or Grey Horse, to be fair.

It’s hard to ignore the delights of central Manchester, and with near empty streets it’s now legal to stand in the centre of the road and admire the architecture. Try it.

We stayed there for £60 in 1996

There was plenty of half-price diners in Albert’s Schloss and Rudy’s pizzeria, but BrewDog had loads of free tables.

Unfortunately, I had to admit our group comprised two households, so fell foul of the Lancastrian Lockdown and had to sit outside.

Luckily, the sun shines on the righteous and it NEVER rains when I’m in Manchester, and we survived.

Our IT literate group (HA !) had more problems with the App, and BrewDog’s version only gave you individual Rishi discount,so all four of us had to order and pay ourselves.

We’d lost our hunger by the time our Patriot burgers turned up. But then we found it again.

I had the Lost Lager AF, after realising it was half price. Matt could tell it apart from the normal Lost Lager, though that was a few degrees colder.

In other news, Matt has finally learned to take his own jumper off. Emma has a real catch there*.

*What a joy to have a blog where you can ridicule your teenage children without any comeback.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

20 thoughts on “LOCKDOWN MANCHESTER BREACHED”

  4. The other pub trilogy presumably being Waterhouse, City Arms and Vine. I’d prefer the first one, although I don’t much care for the Old Monkey. If you want to drink Holts in the city centre, the Hare & Hounds is the only game in town.

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      1. The City Arms now has too many beers I’ve never heard of, though. It was better when it had Draught Burton Ale.

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    3. T’other Mudgie,
      But you never did like Joey’s town centre tied houses.
      I remember how you described Winters when I was first in Stockport with you.

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  6. “but the youth of today, they got lots to say, mostly “Shut it Dad“.”

    That’s pretty common down through the ages innit?

    “I can see why you’d ignore the Old Monkey in favour of the Circus or Grey Horse, to be fair.”

    Well, Google Maps rates both the Circus and Grey Horse as 4.4 stars while the Old Monkey is only 4.2 stars. 😉

    “but BrewDog had loads of free tables.”

    I see the ‘Wait to be Seated’ indicates reduced capacity. They’re finally admitting BrewDog is a bit slow?

    “Unfortunately, I had to admit our group comprised two households, so fell foul of the Lancastrian Lockdown and had to sit outside.”

    Blimey. Down GH’s way you can have up to four people from TWO ‘different’ households at one table. It’s like Covid has a ‘thing’ for built up areas. 🙂

    “so all four of us had to order and pay ourselves.”

    A bargain that! You just pay yourself and walk out. Brilliant!

    “We’d lost our hunger by the time our Patriot burgers turned up. But then we found it again.”

    Proving that patriotism is never truly lost. 😉

    “I had the Lost Lager AF,”

    Lager? (faints)

    “Matt has finally learned to take his own jumper off.”

    You sure that isn’t some sort of magic trick?

    “*What a joy to have a blog where you can ridicule your teenage children without any comeback.”

    They do it on Facebook, Twitter or that Ticky thingy without you being the wiser. 🙂

    Cheers

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