Wetherspoons Piccadilly (aka The Manchester & County), Manchester

A small Spoons in the worst part of the city centre, you can’t expect much and indeed it delivers little. Raucous atmosphere with some questionable characters, and this on a Tuesday lunchtime. Avoid at all costs at the weekend. On the plus side, the drink selection isn’t bad and my half of Plum Porter was a good start to the day.

Mega-mad Spoons by the station which is surprisingly small, so everything's very squashed in. Thought I’d be safe visiting on a Sunday morning but there was some sort of event scheduled for the town centre which, combined with enough hungover teenage topers from the previous night getting breakfast/hairy dogs, meant there was a jumping-into-a-warm-grave scenario for tables; luckily my finely-honed instincts meant my wait was short compared to the amateur hoards zombie-ing their way round. Classic 90’s Spoons interior - dim, sodium-lit and some dark wood. Supply problems, half the menu was off as were some of the guest ales though to be fair the staff member who got lumbered with my app order got me sorted with a replacement with a smile. My Summerskills Devon Dew was in decent form (NBSS 3) and breakfast wasn’t too long a wait given the crowds. A Wethers that serves a specific function; not going to be at the top of any lists but it is what it is – handy. 5.5

A Wetherspoons with a long bar along the left wall that supports 2x six banks of hand pumps in amongst a standard and premium keg range. The bar faces seating up the right and there is more seating at the rear. The staff were polite, but this is a mediocre Spoons in a crap area of Manchester.

One of two spoons I visited while in Manchester, this one was typically open-plan and heaving, not enjoyable at all, Oakham Infero aside.

Apparently this was a former 1830s clothing warehouse, later converted to a bank (1930s, I think). Interesting bit over, as it is a bland a Spoons as you will get. Single room, multicoloured walls, some wood panel, info boards, usual food. There are games machines here and i didn't spot a TV. The two most interesting things were the photos and commissioned art work of Manchester scenes and the fact you have to ask for tea-bags for refills as no doubt they are robbed when left out. Usual clientele, while the service was very friendly. Beer is the usual with a few guests - admittedly the Cameron's Strongarm was fine. Dull, except for the tea-bags.

Heaving on my Saturday evening visit a couple of weeks ago. Hard to work out whether people are trying to form a queue along the bar or just going for the normal "stand at the bar and hope for the best" approach. Just managed to get a small table which I can only assume had been very recently vacated. Bodies everywhere, making it difficult to make your way back out again in the narrow gap between punters at the bar and punters standing at the edge of the seating area drinking. Also, as has been noted, at the expensive side of average for a Spoons - though consistent with most of the other Spoons in the city centre. Still cheap for a city centre pub though and no issues with the real ale I had on my visit.

Official site of Wetherspoons Piccadilly (aka The Manchester & County) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of Wetherspoons Piccadilly (aka The Manchester & County) - www.jdwetherspoon.com