The Shakespeare, Manchester

I'd read about this in a newspaper article - oldest pubs in Manchester kind of thing - and couldn't place it. Vowed to track it down for the architecture - although I had a feeling the pub itself would be a disappointment. The building started life in the C17th in Chester and was moved to this location in 1928. Ghosts followed with it. I entered and was met by the smell of a thousand fried dinners. Looked at the offering and two cask on. I should have gone keg, but convinced myself to try a half of Scrum Down. It was vinegar. I checked it into untapped. Greene King customer care tweeted for more information. I tweeted back I wouldn't even put it on the huge pile of chips, nachos and wings being consumed at my neighbours table. What made it worse was 5 mins after being served, the pump clip was turned around. They obviously knew it was on the turn and a decent landlord would have tracked me down to offer a replacement.

The central bar counter at the Shakespeare faces seating across the leaded front windows and there is seating either side of the bar to create an L-shaped interior. During a recent early evening visit there was background music playing whilst the televisions on both side walls aired muted Pointless. Live football is shown when being played. More seating is found upstairs in a long room that runs the width of the pub. Another television was up here playing Pointless to the empties on most tables, at least it must have been busy at lunch. The food is very reasonably priced with the burgers and chips starting at £8. The bar supports premium keg alongside Carling and the two hand pumps were drawing Joshua Tetley Shakespear Cask Ale and Butcombe’s Chris Moose. It wasn’t as busy in here as its peers, which I could understand because I couldn’t get comfortable. I don’t plan on returning.