Malt, Bury

Called in while visiting the 2011 Good Beer Guide entries for Bury, and found it a clean pleasant bar area. Went through the restaurant to the Malt and asked if we were ok just to have a drink, and it was no problem, even though all the tables were set for diners. Had a look at the menu though, and decided to try the food as it was not a bog standard food menu. Food was small portions well served and very tasty. The beer was fine. We had Rossendale Penine Glen Top Bitter and Outstanding Silver Fox. Toilets were very scruffy though and looked in the middle of a refurb. No driers in the gents I was told, and loo roll had to be used.

Automatic is primarily a restaurant. They will serve just drinks but they have a sign up that says "At busy times all tables may be reserved for diners". There is nowhere to sit at the bar. Attached to Automatic is a bar called Malt. You can enter the bar through Automatic or through the main door to The Met which they’re both part of. The stillage behind Malt. which is glass fronted and visible to the customers also serves both bars. Malt. has 5 handpumps with a changing selection of beer except for Silver Fox which is the permanent house beer brewed for them by the local Outstanding brewery. It’s a pleasant little bar with only 7 tables, so it could get pretty full. They were just lighting candelabra’s in the windows as we were leaving on Saturday. It’s a nice little place.