Manchester : Bradford, Clayton, Beswick, Ardwick plus one in City Centre 8th February 1993

It was my usual Trans peak bus from Nottingham to Manchester and then a walk out to Bradford and then doing pubs in Clayton, Beswick and Ardwick.
This was a Monday dinner and afternoon crawl,done at a time when you knew pubs would open on a Monday and more than likely open on or before 12 noon.

Bradford

1: The Mosley

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

My first pub was a very large corner pub with no other buildings around it,situated on the corner of Ashton New Road and Rowsley Street in a grim looking area of Bradford.
Once inside the pub was fairly basic with a few different rooms,i had a drink in the bar.
The pub was a Whitbread tied house and it still sported its old Chesters signage,there were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Chesters Bitter,which was a decent drink.

It was a short walk up Rowsley Street to get to my next pub.

2: Britannia Inn

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A nice looking white painted pub that was situated in an industrial area.
Once inside the pub was fairly small with two rooms,i had a drink in the bar which was basic but comfortable enough.
The pub was a Lees tied house,there were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Lees Bitter which cost 99p for a pint,this was a very poor drink.
Manchester City opened their new lego ground close to where this pub used to be.

I walked back onto Ashton New Road and it was not long before i found my next pub to do.

3: The Crossroads

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

These are the sort of pubs i really like going in,a typical looking 70s built estate type pub that was situated on the corner of Ashton New Road and Grey Mare Lane.
Once inside there was a smart lounge and a decent bar,i had a drink in the bar which was very busy with a good mix of locals,the pub had Bass signage outside,but there was just keg Stones Bitter on the bar,this was drinkable.
I was well pleased to get this pub done.

I continued walking along Ashton New Road until i reached Clayton,where there were a few pubs to do.

Clayton

4: Derby Arms

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

Situated on a busy stretch of the Ashton New Road.
I liked the look of the Derby Arms from the outside, probably because it still had its Chesters signage still in place.
Once inside it was a typical two roomed local, i had a drink in the bar which was basic, but decent enough.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Chesters Bitter, which was a very nice drink, it was £1.18 a pint.

My next pub was a very short walk and on the other side of the road.

5: Sir Humphrey Chetham

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A smart looking pub from the outside situated on the busy Ashton New Road.
Once inside the pub was very smart and had been opened out into a single room which was carpeted, there was comfy bench seating and normal tables and chairs.
The pub was a Whitbread tied house, there were two real ales on the bar, i had a drink of Chesters Mild, which was a very nice drink.

6: The Victoria

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

Situated on Croft Street just off Ashton New Road.
The Victoria was a basic back street pub with no brewery signage outside.
Once inside i had a drink in a very basic bar room,there was one real ale on, which was Tetley Bitter which nice drink.

It was a short walk along Croft Street and onto Clayton Lane to get to my next pub.

7: Bridge Inn

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub situated close to a canal and next to a chemical works.
Once inside the pub had two separate rooms, had a drink in the bar which was pretty basic.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Chesters Mild which was a very nice drink.

I walked back up Clayton Lane and onto Ashton New Road and walked back the way i had come to pick up a pub while on my way to Beswick.

Bradford

8: Little Bradford

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
This looked a decent enough pub from the outside,it had a Tetley free house signage and also a Boddingtons sign.
Once inside the pub seemed very dowdy with worn carpets and seating.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Tetley's Bitter, which was a decent drink,there was also Boddingtons Bitter.

It was a shortish walk along Ashton New Road and then down Mill Lane to get to the next pub.

Beswick

9: The Bradford

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A very large pub that was a Whitbread tied house.
Once inside the pub had a few different rooms,i had a drink in the bar, which was pretty basic.
There was one real ale on, which was Chesters Bitter, this was a decent drink.

I did a short walk from The Bradford onto the Beswick estate, which looked pretty grim, it was not long before i found a pub to do.

10: The Honeycomb

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

An estate pub on a grim estate, what more could i ask for.
The pub had John Smith's signage outside.
There was a smart lounge and a more basic bar room, i had a drink in the lounge because this room was more busy.
There were no real ales on the bar, i had a drink of keg John Smiths Bitter, which was fizzy.
I was well pleased doing this pub.

Another short walk through the estate and i found an even grimmer looking estate pub.

11: Clock Face

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
I liked the look of this pub so could not wait to get inside.
Once inside there was a lounge and a bar room, i had a drink in the bar room which some would think was a bit on the rough side.
The pub was a Whitbread tied house and there were two real ales on the bar, i had a drink of  Whitbread  Trophy Bitter, which was a decent drink, there was also Boddingtons Bitter.
another pub i was well pleased with.

I walked off the Beswick estate and onto Ashton Old Road.

12: Old House at Home

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
I had seen this pub loads of times when passing on train while on the Nottingham to Glasgow train which stopped at Manchester Victoria train station.
The pub was originally a Wilsons tied house, but by the time i got round to doing it Belhaven were running it.
Once inside the pub was quite small and basic, i had a drink in the bar which was pretty run down.
There was one real ale on, which was Tetley Bitter, this was a decent drink.

I carried on walking along Ashton Old Road heading towards Manchester City Centre, but i would stop off at Ardwick to pick up some more pubs.

Ardwick

13: Kings Head

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

  
Situated on Chancellor Lane and close to the train lines going into Piccadilly train station.
Once inside the pub was quite smart and bare boarded, there were three real ales on the bar, i had a drink of Wilsons Mild which was a really nice drink, the other real ales were John Smiths Bitter on hand pump and Theakstons Bitter.

The next pub was a short walk down Chancellor Lane and onto Higher Ardwick.

14: The Union

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
This looked decent enough from the outside and was set in a fairly quiet area of Ardwick.
Once inside the pub had a couple of decent rooms that were comfortable.
The pub was a Burtonwood tied house, so i was well pleased as i like Burtonwood beers, there were two real ales on the bar, i had a drink of Burtonwood Bitter £1.10 a pint, which was a very nice drink.
This was a very pleasant pub to have a drink in.

It was a short walk to get to Ardwick Green where there were two more pubs close together.

15: The Church

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A Wilsons tied house that was operating under the Chef & Brewer banner.
Once inside the pub had a single room that was very plush and also very busy with posh looking people who were dining.
There were three real ales on the bar, i had a drink of Wilsons Bitter £1.34 a pint, which was a decent drink, the other real ales were Websters Yorkshire Bitter and Courage Directors.
I was very surprised to find a posh upmarket pub like this in an inner city area.

16: The Park

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
Situated on Cotter Street and also close to Ardwick Green.
This looked like a decent well kept pub from the outside and it was also a Burtonwood tied house.
Once inside the pub had a couple of rooms, i had a drink in the bar which was a pleasant room to have a drink in.
There were two real ales on, i had a drink of Burtonwood Bitter which went down very well, the other real ale was Burtonwood Mild.

It was a short walk from Ardwick Green to get to my next pub which was at the side of the Apollo Theatre.

17: Aspley Cottage

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
Situated on Aspley Grove just off the busy A6
The pub looked quite nice from the outside.
Once inside there were two rooms, i went in the room to the left which was a complete dump and also freezing cold as there was no heating on.
The pub was a Wilsons tied house, there were no real ales on, i had a drink of keg Wilsons Bitter which was a pretty poor drink.
When i did this pub it was very sad, i do hope it has improved over the years.

I walked into Manchester city centre to do one last pub before getting my bus back to Nottingham.

Manchester City Centre

18: Lass O' Gowrie

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A decent looking pub situated on a side street.
Once inside the pub was quite smart and comfortable.
The pub was a Whitbread home brew pub when i did it, there were a few real ales on the bar, i had a drink of Lass Bitter which was brewed in the pub, this was a decent drink to end my pub crawl on.