18/11/18 - More Pub Ticking in Manchester's Northern Quarter

One of the great things about using the Good Beer Guide to plan city visits is that your work is never done.

It's only 8 months since we were last in Manchester's Northern Quarter.  In that time, Pie and Ale has closed down permanently.  A new Good Beer Guide has been released.   The 2019 edition adds 2 new pubs a stones throw from the Smithfield Market Tavern.

The Angel, 6 Angel Street, Mount Hood by Mallinson

In a area that's undergoing major redevelopment, the Angel stands proudly as a reminder to the City's lost architecture.  Although it is looking a little down at heel.

The wife and boy only half heartedly ask if we are really going in there, although deep down, they know that anywhere is safer than Piccadilly Gardens at dusk. 

Needs some TLC but it's all going to be flats soon, anyway.

As you'd expect from the outside, this is as traditional a pub as you could hope to find.   All it needs is punters.   Just three other people at 5pm on a Sunday evening.  One of those is the bar man, who's come front of house.

I can only guess that those people brave enough to leave the City and cross the ring road have headed a little further to the Marble Arch.

I counted 10 real ales on.  Yep, that's more hand pulls than people, even after we've doubled the number of people present.   None of the beers are recognised but samples of likely suspects are provided and a first Mount Hood is selected.

Perfectly acceptable.

Crown and Kettle, 2 Oldham Road, Marquis, Brewster's Brewery

The family are delighted its not a route march to tick #2.

From the outside, you wouldn't necessarily realise that this corner pub is Grade II listed.   All the beauty is high up inside and the guide recommends that "the high ornate ceiling in the main bar is well worth seeing".

I think that's because its falling down.   It does have a certain Venetian decaying beauty to it that my crappy smartphone cannot really capture.

Note the missing buttress.  You can't see the nettings that's catching the crumbling plaster

I'm a week too early for Beardless Beer Week, so once again, I take advantage of Northern Hospitality to take samples of likely English Bitters. 

This time next week.

So, there's a lovely looking Snug on the way to the toilets or some very brutalist wooden chairs to sit on in the main bar.   Unfortunately, the snug is reserved from 7.   We've got the ceiling, they've got sofas.

We spend our time wondering what the people are up to in there.  Several smug snuggers turn up with suitcases and head for comfort.   Unfortunately we have other plans before their luggage contents are ever revealed.

Mrs M and the boy are ubering to the Apollo to see Johnny Marr. 

I'm off to Stockport for more ticks.