The City Arms, Manchester

A corridor runs from the entrance past a serving hatch on the right to a room at the rear. This room has banquette seating around the walls with tables and stools. Up on the wall is a chalkboard that lists seven cask ales and two craft keg. These are available from the bar located up a couple of steps towards the front of the pub. An eighth hand pump was unused and there were some premium keg products available. I went for the Jaipur that was on good form. There is a small TV in each of the rooms, but these were off in favour of some background music from the likes of The Doors and The Beatles. There were only two other customers, which I found surprising as this pub is vastly better than the busier Spoons next door.

Good Beer Guide, side-street pub that I have somehow happened to miss previously... Anyway, nothing fancy has been done to the compact, slightly split-level, two-room layout so this retains plenty of straightforward character. The real ale offer is very good too, ranging from some light real ales - through things like the RedWillow Feckless (£4.30) - to Titanic Plum Porter and Thornbridge Jaipur.

First visit since the world went mad. I figured there was little point in trying to visit somewhere so small when restrictions were in place as it would just be too full unless you got there for opening! The City Arms offered the biggest feeling of normality of the evening - no one way system, no masks, no table service - just go to the bar, order your drink and go plonk yourself down somewhere. Six of the eight hand pulls were available. I shall look forward to paying a return visit.