Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Gann
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Old Wellington, Manchester
Manchester
M3 1SW
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Old Wellington
Fine looking building - Manchester's last Tudor building, according to what I was reading - with a well noted history of moving 300 yards during the redevelopment after the IRA bomb.
Small downstairs (more room out on the front patio), with a 1st floor for dining and then another floor in the rafters for drinking.
Decent choice of ales but I was disappointed with my service - half a dozen kids behind the bar, talking amongst themselves. Eventually coaxed one into serving me - with no interaction, he served a decent Tiny Rebel Cwtch into a London Pride glass, slammed it down in front of me - then looked, to top it up to not quite a pint.
Over £6 for the privilidge.
Carried upstairs for a peaceful drink in the rafters. 10/10 for history, 8/10 for the drinks, 4/10 for Value and 1/10 for service. I'll call it a 5.
On 19th February 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Old Wellington
The Old Wellington is a Nicholson's establishment, set back slightly from the main road and sitting just in front of the cathedral. Its black and white timber frame makes it look quite attractive and being set back, there is plenty of space for outdoor drinking in the courtyard, making it particularly popular in warmer months.
The ground floor interior is much smaller than you'd initially expect, with stairs leading to upper levels primarily used for dining. Although the ground floor had a few people eating whilst I was there too. I've found the beer selection in Nicholson's pubs to be pretty mundane of late. But they seem to be gradually improving again now, since the pandemic was declared over. The house beer was St Austell Nicholson's Pale Ale. Also on were St Austell Tribute, Sharp's Doom Bar, Salopian Shropshire Gold & Black Sheep Best Bitter & Fresh Start. My Fresh Start was a pleasant winter ale that went down quite nicely.
Still one of the better pubs in this part of Manchester.
On 8th January 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Old Wellington
Nice Nicholson's pub with a good choice of beers on including A pale ale called Bibble which I enjoyed. Can't recall the others but I tried at least 3 different and they were all fine. Worth a visit.
On 4th June 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Old Wellington
The Old Wellington is a historic pub that dates back to the 16th century, although it has been moved twice, once in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. A sign in the pub gives more detail on the events surrounding these moves. Outside there is lots of seating in the square, or Crumbles as known locally, that is faced by the Tudor style exterior. Inside the pub there is a narrow bar to the left that supports eight hand pumps as well as a standard and premium keg selection. To the right is some seating and a staircase behind the bar leads up to more seating, mainly for diners. I quick scan of the menu revealed that the burger is priced at £15.
During my recent weekday evening visit there was some background music playing whilst the televisions aired muted Sky News. No live football here, but the Six Nations was advertised as it is on terrestrial TV. I’ve been to some cracking Nicholson’s pubs over the years, but this one didn’t do it for me. Worth a look for the story, but I’ll not be rushing back.
On 18th March 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Old Wellington
now has 8 ales on and a good selection it was too. plastic glasses outside and typical Nicholsons prices but it's a nice old pub that's well worth a visit. pint of Peach Melba went down well on a hot day
On 10th July 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Old Wellington
A decent faux Tudor style pub. A few real ales on with an outside drinking area that shared with the pub next door. Its one of 4 next to each other and probably the 2nd best one.
On 12th August 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Old Wellington
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.
On 6th June 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Old Wellington
A total tourist trap these days. The very nice opstairs bar is completely out of bounds now unless you are eating. Owned by Nicolsons it's very typical of the chain. Due to the upstairs ban there's hardly anywhere left for the drinker inside. If you go outside you have to have a plastic glass. 8 handpumps on the bar with Caledonian Flying Scotsman & Leeds Hellfire doubled up along with Thwaites Bitter & Wainwright, Nicholsons Pale Ale & Moorhouse's Pendle Witch. All these are an eye watering £3.30 a pint which is expensive even for city centre Manchester. My pint of Leeds Hellfire was very average. Not a place we'll be coming back to anytime soon with so many better pubs nearby.
On 31st October 2012
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3223 recommendations about 3134 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Old Wellington
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.
On 23rd September 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Old Wellington
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.
On 20th August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]