Piccadilly Tavern, Manchester

Adjacent to the entrance of the Piccadilly Tavern is a long bar that runs up the left wall. During a recent midweek visit I counted ten handpumps, but only two of them were in operation. Standard and premium keg was also available. This place has the feel of a crap Wetherspoons from the 90s, except that televisions are located throughout. There was a Champions League game in progress so the pub was reasonably busy. I decided to have a burger, that was freezing cold and cost £8.00. The service was friendly, but I can’t see myself rushing back here again.

Was meeting someone in town yesterday and it was pissing down with rain, first ducked into the Wetherspoons but it was predictably rammed so made the short walk up here to find it also very busy at Saturday lunch time but bearable. I was pleasantly surprised to discover 10 hand pulls at the bar and while some of these were nationals there were a few unusual ones too. My Moonstone IPA by Hadley Brewing Co was fine, though I have no idea how much it cost me as I wasn't told and the chap serving just stuck his hand out for my money. Would probably be best appreciated when it's not quite so busy but it's one I would be happy to go back to.

Occupies the ground frontage of a building dominated by Romanesque arches. As eluded to by the great Aqualung and other esteemed reviewers, this really did feel like I was walking into another Spoons. Large, open plan, on a couple of levels, foody and generic decor although a few nice old photos were on the walls. TVs had the aftermath of the World Cup final and music was a decent level. Spoons type clientele and service was functional. I only saw 4 real ales: Pedigree, GK IPA, Abbot and a visit saving Titanic Plum Porter - which was decent enough. Generic place, but I would give it another go.

Official site of Piccadilly Tavern - www.thepiccadillytavernmanchester.co.uk

Official site of Piccadilly Tavern - www.thepiccadillytavernmanchester.co.uk

This had scaffolding on the outside when I visited and at first until I looked at my map I thought it was a Spoons! Inside it's a single room with a raised area at the back and the bar on the left. It is rather like a Spoons but the furnishings are a bit better than most. The bar has ten hand pumps where one was unused and one had a cider then there was Hop Back Summer Lightning, Backyard Dandelion & Burdock Porter, Moorhouse Pendle Witches Brew doubled up, Pedigree, Purity UBU, Black Sheep Bitter and Bombardier. I went for the Backyard Porter (£2.90) which was excellent. This place was a lot better than I expected and turned out to be the best of the pubs visited in Manchester on the day. It is rightly GBG 2015 listed.

Very busy you could think it was a spoon,s but that,s next door but this is a bit better will call back IT used to be the Goose on Piccadilly. But think M and B have tried to make it look like there next door spoons god knows why