The Corner Shop, Beswick, Manchester

The Corner Shop is found in a functional building on an estate just to the South of the Etihad. My visit coincided with the FA Cup final, so I was expecting to have trouble getting in, but it wasn’t really that busy. All of the tables in the main open plan bar area were taken, but there wasn’t a queue for the bar counter that runs up the right-hand wall and there was plenty of standing room. The vast majority of the crowd were City, but there were a few red shirts in attendance. Thankfully the banter was all good natured. Standard and premium keg were available, and at the front of the bar was a food service counter for burgers and hot dogs. Makes sense being so close to the ground, but food may not be available on non-match days. At the rear is some banquette seating and a pool table that is overlooked by a couple of televisions. There is a jukebox on the wall for when the football isn’t being shown. I didn’t feel out of place during my visit, which is sometimes the case in a community local. However, I can’t think of a reason I would every find myself in Beswick again so I think this was my first and last visit.

A typical estate pub, but with a sloping roof rather than a flat one. Pretty much a rectangular box inside with little decoration around the walls, but there is a pool table. The locals were a right "bunch of characters" on my Friday afternoon visit. You wouldn't want to live next door to any of them. One interesting feature is that the toilet cisterns are in old hi-fi speakers, but that's about it, it's awful really. No real ale of course, so I had a half of fizz. Won £3 on the quiz machine though, so everything was alright with the world. Won't be going anywhere near here again.