The Bishop Blaize (JD Wetherspoon), Manchester

The Bishop Blaize must be the closet proper pub to Old Trafford, which is why this Spoons has televisions that were airing muted Sky Sports news during a recent midweek late evening visit. There is some seating to the left of the entrance and then the bar runs along the left wall to the rear. The bar faces raised seating that runs down the right and there is more seating at the rear. Unsurprisingly there is a host of Man U stuff up on the walls. The bar supports two banks of five hand pumps that were drawing six or seven different ales, two of which were not mainstream. There is also a standard and premium keg selection. I found the staff to be polite and although this pub is nothing special I was able to get comfortable whilst I drank my beer. No doubt this wouldn’t be the story on match day.

Official site of The Bishop Blaize (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of The Bishop Blaize (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Apart from the rather unusual raised frontage and the inevitable Man U-themed decor (featuring some unusual slightly 3D pictures of former stars), this is otherwise a rather dull 'spoons with some of the seating on a raised level up a few steps. The usual trio of Ruddles, Doom Bar and Abbot were supplemented by Elgood's Mamma Meercat!, Mauldon Silver Adder (£1.99), Vale Gravitas and Kelham Island Pale Rider on the two banks of five handpumps.

This is a small modern Spoons overshadowed by a huge footbore stadium which happily was having no effect on the place on my Thursday midday visit. It's a roughly square room with a front patio, a raised area to the right and a drop down screen on the left. The furnishings are fairly typical. The bar has two sets of five hand pumps which had five beers doubled up. These were Titanic Iceberg, White Star & Cherry Dark, Oakham JHB and the recently watered down Robinsons Trooper which was also 30p dearer than the standard guest price of £2.29. i went for the White Star (£2.29) which was in good nick. I thought this one was OK but fear it would attract the Score Of Shame if I came here on a Saturday.