The Shakespeare, Manchester

Used to have area meetings here when we worked for Scottish And Newcastle its a nice pub but what spoilt it was a big fella f-----g and c------g every other word wanting to fall out with every one tried to kick off with two lesbians. The young lad behind the bar got the manager he refused to serve the girls again and told them to go. We found out then he was the managers mate it looked like the manager was frightened of him he emptied the pub of about thirty customers in a couple of minuets. It will be a while before we call in again

Called in on Saturday for the first time for a while. When we got inside I remembered why. It's a great looking building on the outside and there are still a couple of interesting features on the inside, but the rest has gone away. It was full of shaven headed, steroid pumped numpties who all appeared to be friends with the bouncer, who looked just like them. They were using plastic glasses, even for the wine, which says quite a lot about the place. Surprisingly my pint of Bombardier was very good, which will add a point to the score. Won't be calling in for a couple more years though.

This is one of those places that is better from the outside than it is on the inside, its black and white beamed old looking exterior, and decent pub sign of the bard looking very inviting as one of the few traditional places left on the high street. Internally it is a bit small, and not helped by the several groups of shoppers and their copious amounts of high street store bags. But then it was Saturday evening, so what should I expect. There are some nice period features but the whole place just feels like it could do with some TLC, especially the toilets.. Three hand pumps on the bar, but nothing exciting for a southerner except for the Boddingtons on cask which was complementing the Bombadier and Spitfire, and as the former ‘Cream of Manchester’., it had to be tried. Unfortunately it’s not a lot above caramelised water nowadays and the pub can’t be blamed for that, but it didn’t add to the overall experience.

Cramped ground floor bar with food at lunch times. A couple of ales. During the day it can get over run with ladies who shop and their designer carrier bags. I can see the previous posters point. There are better and more comfortable places you can drink in.

One of those pubs where you ask yourself, "why did we come here?" Maybe its down to its location, but it really has nothing good to say about it.