The Old Wellington, Manchester

There were a lot of people sitting outside on our visit, as it was warm and sunny. As Rob mentions below, if you go outside you get given a plastic glass, so we decided as it was lunchtime, we would have a bite to eat upstairs and get a real glass. The lunch menu prices were ok, but the beer was expensive. The 1st floor and 2nd floors were impressive, lots of oak beams, leaded windows and tapestries. This was a Tuesday afternoon visit, so the place wasn't mad busy and service was good. I went for the Triple FFF Moondance.

This looks every bit the tourist trap pub of which I’ve seen so many in London. It’s right on The Triangle, which one of my companions told me was the Leicester Square of Manchester. The pub itself looks the bees knees with an impressive looking Tudor facade, and an interior with the sort of beamed low ceilings (and flagstone flooring) that you tend to see in the truly ancient pubs. But I gather that this one has been relocated more than once. Most people were sitting in the extensive outside seating area, which was fairly crowded, despite it being fairly cold and wet. Must be a hardy lot up here, or perhaps they were all smokers. This is a Nicholson’s house, and thus there was good ale selection on. I had a pint of the Thwaite’s Wainwright which was a decent enough drink. The drink prices here were more akin to what I am used to paying in London – i.e. well in excess of £3 a pint. I think it’s worth visiting this attractive pub just to have a good look at it, but I don’t think that it’s the sort of place in which I would choose to spend an evening.

A large pub but with limited indoor seating for drinkers, the upper levels being a restaurant these days. Skillfully relocated (twice), the stone flagged floor, leaded windows and timber frame with exposed indoor beams all being well preserved. There is a large outdoor drinking area to the frontage where it is plastic glasses only, so if you do manage to bag a table inside as we did it is worth making sure the staff know so you get a proper glass (choice of straight or a jug). Run by Nicholson's now so their usual menu applies which is reasonable value. I didn't record all the beers but I recall Jennings Cumberland Ale, Wm Youngers 1749, Ringwood Boondoggle and Thwaites Lancaster Bomber. The staff are happy to remove the sparklers if that's your preference.

Actually so did I. This and the next door Oyster bar look like ancient monuments and in reality they are. The Old Wellington is a 17th Century family home and John Byrom, the English poet, was born here in 1692. As mentioned by previous reviewers, these pubs have been moved twice in their history, the first time in the 70’s to be actually inside the old Arndale shopping centre, and it’s fitting to think of a building this old being saved by the concrete walls of that 70’s architectural monstrosity when the IRA bomb exploded and the two pubs got away with superficial damage. They were then moved again in 1998 to their present location when the Millennium area of the City centre was redeveloped. I believe it was a former M&B chain pub, but is now part of the Nicholsons group and, looking at the previous reviews I would say the beer quality and quantity has now improved. The downstairs bar now supports 8 hand pumps and seven were going at the time of our visit. These included Twaites Nutty Black, Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Jennings Cumberland and Lancaster Red all of which were good. The two upstairs rooms are reserved for dining, so a disadvantage is that only the small downstairs bar is for drinking only and there is very limited seating and standing room in here. But it does benefit from the large outside benched drinking area, which wasn’t that much in use as it was freezing outside, and another disadvantage is that you have to drink out of plastic if you are going outside. As Danny says, it’s a bit twee and certainly a tourist trap, but I really liked it here, and you are drinking in a bit of history.

Ok it could be twee or corny, but I rather like this pub, and its neighbour the Oyster House. On the negative side its all rather busy & touristy, especially outside in fine weather. But its an historic interior, rather small with flag stones and beams and little lead windows. Beer quality wasn't brilliant, despite being in Good Beer Guide 2010, but its 8 out of ten for me for this pub. Worth visiting the Cathedral over the street if timing is right.

Official pages of the Wellington, containing menus, ale and wine lists - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk

Official pages of the Wellington, containing menus, ale and wine lists - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk