I took the usual Trans Peak bus from Nottingham to Manchester and then a walk from Chorlton Street bus station and into Ancoats for the start of my crawl which was done on a Tuesday as it was Factory shutdown week for Christmas.
My main aim was looking for some grim estate pubs and older pubs that looked in threat of closure,but to be honest i would do any pub i came across.
Ancoats
1: Crown Inn
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a pretty grim looking estate pub that was situated on Old Mill Street which was a pretty busy road which ran through the middle of Ancoats.
The pub had the usual two room layout with a basic bar and a lounge which was out of use.
This was a Wilsons tied house and had no real ales on,i had a drink of keg Wilsons bitter which was a poor drink,but went down well after the long journey up here.
The pub seemed pretty uninviting.
The Crown Inn as now been pulled down.
I took a short walk down a side street to get to my next pub.
2: Bank of England
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
What a great name for a run down corner pub in deepest Ancoats.
The pub still sported its Chesters signage which i always liked to see.
I had a drink in the bar which was quite basic,there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Chesters Mild which was a nice drink,there was also Whitbread Trophey on.
I was well pleased in doing this pub,but better was to come.
A short walk along pollard street and i found my next pub.
3: Auld Lang Syne
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A small stand alone pub that was in an industrial area.
There was a corner entrance which took me into a smallish room which was carpeted and seemed quite comfortable,there was one real ale on which was Tetley bitter,this was a decent drink,the pub was empty probably due to it being just after Christmas and all the factories around were closed.
Sadly another Ancoats pub to have been pulled down.
I now walked back over Great Ancoats Street to do my next pub.
4: Moulders Arms
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A small back street pub that had some nice brown tiling outside,the pub was basic inside but still seemed quite nice.
The pub was a Burtonwood tied house when i did it,there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Burtonwood Bitter which was a very nice drink,there was also Burtonwood Mild on.
Yet another Ancoats pub to be pulled down.
It was now back across Great Ancoats street and to the South of the Ancoats area.
5: The Falcon
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A stand alone pub and the only pub on the busy Merrill Street.
It seemed pretty down at heel when i visited it,the room was carpeted and had bench seating,the outside signage said Free House,but there were no real ales on,there were three keg bitters so it was a Free House,i had a drink of keg Bass which was a poor drink,the other keg bitters in this drinking emporium were Websters Green Label and John Smiths bitter before it had been smoothed.
Another pub to bite the dust.
After a short walk along Merrill Street i found my next pub just off it.
6: Mitchell Arms
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A decent looking stand alone pub that was a Banks's tied house,the pub had a couple of rooms inside,i had a drink in the bar which was fairly basic,but decent enough and warm.
There were two real ales on,i had a drink of Banks's Bitter which was a decent drink,there was also Banks's Mild on.
Sadly now closed down.
The fog was starting to get a bit thicker and it was getting colder.
It was a short walk to my next pub which was situated on Oswald Street which was off Every street.
7: Cheshire Cheese
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A nice looking white painted stand alone pub which still had Chesters signage outside.
This was a proper old pub inside with a couple of rooms,i had a drink in the bar which was a nice room to be in.
There were two real ales on,i had a drink of Chesters Mild which was a very nice drink,there was also Coachmans Bitter on.
I thought this was a very pleasant pub to have a drink in,sadly now pulled down.
I wonder what this area looks like now 24 years later.
It was another shortish walk down to the bottom end of Ancoats to get to my next pub.
8: The River
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a smallish two roomed pub that was close to the River Medlock,i had a drink in a very comfortable lounge which was nice and warm on a very cold day.
The River was a Burtonwood tied house when i did it,there was one real ale on which was Burtonwood Bitter,this was a very nice drink.
Now closed and not sure of its fate.
It was a good walk heading North though Ancoats to get to my next pub,ime not really sure why i did these in this order,but i was asking about where pubs were while doing my Pub Crawl.
9: Brown Cow
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A very grim looking estate pub in an equally grim area of Ancoats,the pub had the usual two room layout with a basic bar and a lounge,i had a drink in the bar which had a boisterous atmosphere.
This was a Wilsons tied house with one real ale on,this was Wilsons Bitter which was a decent drink.
Sadly now pulled down.
A shortish walk back into the middle of the Ancoats estate and i found my next pub.
10: Cob 'O' Coal
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a large looking stand alone pub that looked in a right mess with lots of its windows boarded up,so i was surprised to see a door open.
The Cob O' Coal was a Whitbread tied house that still had its Chesters signage outside,the inside seemed pretty run down and in need of repair,to my surprise there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Chesters Bitter which was a decent drink,there was also Chesters Mild on.
Yet another Ancoats pub close down.
It was a fairly short walk down to Bradford Road to get to my next pub.
11: The Magpie
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a typical looking 70s built estate pub that i love going in,the pub still had its Chesters signage outside,the pub had two rooms with a smart looking lounge and a more basic bar where i had a drink,there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Chesters Mild which was a decent drink,the other beer was Whitbread Trophy.
Sadly this is another Ancoats pub to bite the dust.
I carried on walking up Bradford road and into the Miles Platting area of Manchester.
Miles Platting
12: Bradford Inn
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A typical looking 70s built estate pub with two massive gas towers behind it.
This was a Joseph Holt tied house so i was well pleased,as my aim was to do all of their tied estate.
There were the usual two rooms with a decent lounge and a more basic bar,i had a drink in the bar,there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Holts Bitter which went down a treat,there was also Holts Mild on.
13: Cricketers Arms
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a Marstons tied house that was an estate type pub situated at the top end of Bradford Road.
I had a drink in the bar which was a decent enough room,there was one real ale on which was Marstons Bitter which was not to my taste.
I think The Cricketers Arms is now closed,but not sure of its fate.
I was now off the Bradford Road and heading up Varley street and up to Oldham Road,picking up any pubs along the way.
14: Grey Mare
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a grim looking pub that had some large tower blocks near it.
Once inside the pub was just as grim and in need of some attention.
This was a Burtonwood tied house when i did it,there was one real ale on which was Burtonwood Bitter,this was a nice drink.
A very rough pub that i was not made welcome in.
Sadly now pulled down.
15: Apollo Hotel
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
An estate pub that had a large block of flats next to it.
The pub had two rooms,i had a drink in the bar which had a very rough edge to it.
The Apollo was a Boddingtons tied house so i was pleased,there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Boddingtons Mild which was a nice drink,there was also Boddingtons Bitter on.
Sadly now closed down.
I was now on the Oldham road and heading back towards the City Centre,but i would do more pubs in Ancoats on the way back.
16: Bird in Hand
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
An old and basic pub that looked to be on its last legs,so i was well pleased to see it still open.
It was quite basic inside with a couple rooms.
The Bird in the Hand was a Wilsons tied house,there were no real ales on,i had a drink of keg Wilsons Bitter which was decent enough.
I was well pleased in doing this pub.
I am not sure of its fate.
Ancoats
17: The Admiral
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(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
An estate pub that was not far off Oldham Road and had tower blocks close by.
The pub had two rooms,i had a drink in the bar which was very busy and had a rough edge to it.
The Admiral was a Wilsons tied house,there was one real ale on which was Wilsons Bitter,this was a very nice drink.
I am pretty sure this was my second visit to this pub along with the Brown Cow as i had taken a photo of this pub when the weather was warmer,but i was pretty drunk as it was at the end of a large pub crawl so i did not note that visit.
Sadly now pulled down.
18: Jersey Lily
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a fairly large estate pub that just round the corner from the Admiral.
The pub had the usual two roomed layout with a large bar and comfortable lounge.
I think this was a Free House but the real ales were from Whitbread,i had a drink of Boddingtons Bitter which was a decent drink,the other real ale was Whitbread Flowers Bitter.
A very pleasant estate pub that was very busy on my Tuesday afternoon visit.
Sadly yet another Ancoats pub to be pulled down.
After a walk though some back streets i found my next pub.
19: Cross Keys
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
An old pub that had a corner entrance,the pub was fairly basic inside and was a Vaux tied house,there were no real ales on,i had a drink of keg Vaux Samson Bitter which was a pretty poor drink.
Now closed down.
20: Edinburgh Castle
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
Another small back street pub that was situated not far from Great Ancoats Street.
This was quite a small pub once inside,but it was quite nice.
The Edinburgh Castle was a Whitbread tied house,there were two real ales on,i had a drink of Boddingtons Bitter which was a decent drink,the other beer was Whitbread Trophy Bitter.
Sadly now closed down.
The photo for this pub was taken on 8th February 1993.
City Centre
21: Land O Cakes
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
A fairly long fronted pub that was on Great Ancoats Street.
This was a fairly smart pub inside and was a Whitbread tied house.
There were two real ales on,i had a drink of Boddingtons Bitter which was a decent drink,the other beer was Whitbread Trophy.
I am not sure what has happened to this pub since my visit.
22:Seftons
(c) photo taken by Alan Winfield
This was a smart Chef & Brewer pub that was set under the Arndale centre.
The pub was quite smart inside and did food.
There were two real ales on,i had a drink of Wilsons Bitter which was a decent drink.
I think this pub may have been blown up by the IRA when they blew up the Arndale centre and areas around it.
This was a great pub crawl done on a very cold late December midweek day.
Next up a newer crawl.
