The Briton's Protection, Manchester

Just down the road from The Peveril of the Peak is The Britons Protection, another Manchester pub that should be on the agenda for those who appreciate unspoilt traditional historic pubs that hark back to an earlier age. Outside, a rather faded pub sign tells us that it was a former Tetleys house. We also learn that it was established in 1811. The name reflects the fact that the pub was used as a recruiting centre during the Napoleonic Wars. The main bar at the front ( denoted as Room 1 ) is narrow with the bar counter parallel to the front of the building. There’s an impressive plaster moulded ceiling and an unusual wooden bar gantry which contains three curved arches. At the far end of this bar, through an arch, is a small alcove with just the one table which was apparently the former off sales service area – the former double doors from the street outside are still in situ, but are now unused. The room has fixed padded seating, circular copper topped tables and blue velour covered bar stools. Small postcard style flyers on the bar counter invited me to The Britons Protection 200th Anniversary Party, which took place on 10/11 June 2011. From the near end of this bar, a splendid tiled corridor leads round to two further rooms directly behind the main bar, the doors of which still retain their original numbers ( rooms 3 and 4 ) – I don’t recall seeing a Room 2 incidentally. These rooms are dimly lit by gas lamps and traditionally furnished with fixed seating, old fireplaces and bell pushes. Service to both these rooms is from serving hatches in the corridor at the back of the main bar, through sturdy looking leaded glass drop down screens. The tiled corridor has some fine painted murals of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, one of which shows the skirmish in full cry with the pub in the background. The pub is listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. Rather unusually at the end of the back corridor, the toilets are accessed via double swing doors which always remind me of a saloon in a John Wayne cowboy film. There’s a shady garden at the back which is reasonably large for a City Centre pub. 2 separate banks of pumps in the front bar were offering 5 beers – Robinsons Enigma, Jennings Cumberland, Moorhouses Premier, Rossendale Pennine Ale and Britons Protection Ale, which I noted from the pump clip as being brewed by Tetley Northampton. The pub offers a large range of whiskies and is popular with local office staff for its good value ( by London standards ) business lunches. This is another pub well worth seeking out – if you’re staying in Jury’s, it’s next door. Visiting the Britons Protection and the nearby Peveril of the Peak gives you a very impressive difficult to beat double header

A fine and famous old pub in the shadow of the Gmex centre, as described by others the interior is a wonderful mix of woods and tiles with a ceiling in decorative plasterwork. The bar counter top is arched perhaps in a reflection of the Gmex roof or providing inspiration for the tramway viaduct opposite the pub. The narrow main bar runs almost the width of the building at the front and there are two more rooms at the back reached by a side corridor. These rooms are served by hatches in the drinking corridor running behind the servery. Not very busy mid afternoon on a Friday, just a couple of older regulars, a middle aged couple, and a small group of middle class, middle aged suits but out of uniform. Five pumps in two groups with a mix of better known names Jennings, Tetley, Robinsons plus a Moorhouses and a wheat beer from Hornbeam. The quality of the beer and service were pretty good, and as Roger says a big range of whiskys, they have an silver award from Whisky Bars of the World displayed on the bar counter.

Top notch multi roomed proper pub well described by the previous reviewers below. Some very nice tiling, woodwork, moulded ceiling and welcoming fireplaces in the labyrinth of rooms, and it's deservedly one of the five inner city Manchester pubs listed in CAMRA's national inventory of heritage pubs. The front bar room has an interesting carved ceiling but as the pub wasn’t that busy, we managed to get a seat in one of the smaller back rooms accessed by the splendidly tiled corridor with the depiction of the Peterloo Massacre, as mentioned by Rob below. The five handpumps were on the go and the Jennings Cumberland was an excellent pint. Would have like to have combined this with a visit to the Peveril of the Peak up the road (another on the CAMRA national inventory), but the Peveril does not open till the evening on weekends.

Unprepossessing from the outside, this lovely old pub has cosy rooms that on my visit were warm and comfortable. Jennings Cumberland, Tetleys and Robinson's Best were available, and the latter was in fine form. I can't believe its taken me so long to visit here on my multiple visits to Manchester; it is up there with The Knott as my favourite in the city.

Impressive pub with a fine exterior and an even better interior. 3 small rooms two with "real" fires (OK they're gas really but still look good) plus a drinking corridor with pictures of the infamous Peterloo massacre on the walls. Sells Robinsons Unicorn & Jennings Cumberland with a guest ale or two often from Coach House. Beer is pretty well kept with the occasional blip. Can get very busy, it doesn't take many people to get this place full. Sells the excellent Grunt, Gobble, Zoom, Coo Pie (Wild Boar, Turkey, Hare & Pigeon). A quirky place, try it you'll probably like it. I do.

Great looking pub both externally and inside with a well stocked bar. The layout isn't very practical for the area in which it now finds itself and once all the suits arrive after work it can get a bit uncomfortable. Good beer good service and definitely worth a visit.

Don't be put off by the tacky neon signage on the front, this is an absolute must visit pub for anyone who appreciates the kind of pub that are fast becoming museum pieces. The pub dates back to 1811 and the interior is largely unspoilt (the pub is part of the CAMRA Inventory) with plenty to admire, all the more impressive given that there was, I believe, a serious fire here in the 1970's. The front bar is fairly shallow and quite dimly lit with an ornate patterned ceiling. To the left, snaking around the bar to the rear is a magnificent tiled corridor containing paintings commemorating the 1819 Peterloo Massacre. Off the corridor at the back are 2 smaller rooms with several interesting features – numbered doors (as per the original licensing laws), original fireplaces, gas light fittings, calling bells etc. The lighting is kept low and somber, replicating what it would have been like in the days when it was gas lit. Service is through a small hatch in the corridor at the back of the main bar. My visit revolved around the Jennings Cumberland and Robinsons Unicorn which, from the other reports, appear to be the mainstays however the pumps are quite spread out and it was not until I was leaving that I noted 2 further pumps so I reckon I missed out on some further choices. They also claim to have over 300 whiskies. There are several interesting displays of old jugs, bottles, cigarette cards etc dotted about. I found the service first rate although it may appear to be a bit stuffy to some – the place is frequented by classical musicians from the nearby Bridgwater Hall which gives it a bit of an eltist feel although I did not feel unwelcome despite wearing a football shirt at the time. No TV's or music as far as I could see which would only spoil the ambience. A top pub all round and very nearly maximum points from me but I would need to have a couple more visits to justify it…and they should get rid of those neon signs!