The Dockyard, Salford

One of many modern bar / restaurants in the Media City UK development, but this looks more inviting than most because the front patio seating area catches the sun for most of the day. The interior also benefits from having a tall ceiling and full-height windows on two sides, but done in a way that avoids it looking or sounding cavernous. I found six different cask beers available from a total of eight handpumps, including their 'house' ale, the green-hopped Green Eyed Monster from Cross Bay (£4.00) and examples from Sonnet 43, Gasworks, Bootleg and Titanic. Also has seven craft keg taps on the bar-back. Overall, much better than I expected.

I must agree with Mr Hunter that this is by far the best place in the Media City area for real ale. A fairly comfortable place and much better designed than some of the other trendy nonsense in the area. 8 handpulls and the selection of beers didn't stray much from the previous review, though this time there was Leeds Midnight Bell and a different Marble beer, which I've forgot. 7 taps behind the wall for crafty beers.

Very busy on a Friday lunchtime, probably because of its proximity to the studios nearby. Eight hand pulls in total but two banks of two are duplicated offering Doom Bar and Dockyard Ale. A central bank of four pumps offered, at the time of my visit, This Time To Me (Sonnet 43), A Beer Called Clive (Mobberley), Pint (Marble) and Citra (Lancaster). There are also seven taps on the back wall behind the bar which I assume are for craft keg, and there looked to be an interesting and varied selection up there. Plenty of people in having food; burgers, pies and sandwiches all seemed popular. Definitely has the best choice in the area for the real ale lover.