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Detail Pages
The Briton's Protection, Manchester
Castlefield
Manchester
M1 5LE
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
paulof horsham left this review about The Briton's Protection
Terrific old-school boozer close to the G-Mex (I understand it has a new name since my last visit to the city). I entered from the back, so came through several rooms to get to the front bar, which mostly featured cask ales from Mancunian brewers Beartown & Squawk. Unbelievably, Star/Heineken are threatening to remove the leaseholder and presumably close or "upgrade" it to something less interesting, so I'm glad I was able to get there and enjoy the pub in its current incarnation. Hopefully a future visit will find it little changed.
On 20th March 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Briton's Protection
The Briton’s Protection has a thin front bar that runs across the front of the pub. The counter supports eight handpumps, five of which were on during a visit last Wednesday evening. There is also a standard and premium keg range. This pub proudly boasts of having the UK’s biggest collection of Jack Daniels and the North West’s biggest whisky collection. A tiled corridor leads to the rear where there are another two rooms. Out the back is a good sized beer yard with lots of seating. I found the service to be very friendly and I will make sure I visit here again.
On 15th February 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Briton's Protection
Visited yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. 8 hand pulls with 5 of those being on. Theakston Old Peculiar and four Beartown beers were available. The Beartown beers were 201 Pale, Peterloo 1819, Peterloo, and 201 Best. There were two further pumps with the clips turned round and these looked like they were probably Beartown beers too as the clip style looked the same. Hand sanitiser is available, no contact details requested, you can sit where you like, inside or out. A bit of a shame that all the Beartown beers were bitters and pale ales; my Peterloo 1819 best bitter was OK but nothing to get excited about.
On 19th August 2020
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Briton's Protection
Visited mid week. This pub has a traditional layout with a fairly small narrow front room, with a corridor to the side of the servery with a rather grand looking red and gold ceiling, then taking you behind the servery (where there is a serving hatch) and two separate rooms. The toilets are then further to the back of the building and the entrance to the beer garden.
At the bar I noted eight hand pulls for real ale, all of which were on, offering a range of beers from different breweries. Further down the bar were a further two hand pulls which seemed to be dedicated to real cider, with one of these being off. I remember years ago the beer selection was rather mundane, but not so these days. My Saltaire Stout No.5 was pretty decent and slipped down very nicely indeed.
Decent beer selection, decent traditional interior - what's not to like here?
On 31st January 2020
- rating: 9
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Briton's Protection
A multi roomed traditional pub, set on a rather busy road, to be honest at this point on the PuG tour my attention to fine detail was not with me anymore, but deciphering the scrawl that was my notes I had Brightside Odin and they said good next to it ,so that's good enough for me.
On 24th October 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Briton's Protection
Another iconic pub interior,the glazed tiling throughout is noteworthy and the mutiple rooms are all worthy of inspection,there are two comfy rear snugs.This was the last stop on an extensive Pubsgalore crawl around Manchester and so I focussed on the front bar where all the handpumps are easily accessed.The choice was Moorhouse Premier,St Peters Honey Porter,Brightside Odin and B Side(well kept) and Beartown Ursa Minor with some of the 8 handpumps unused.
The Peterloo Massacre mural is another good reason to visit,this is a fine pub worth inspecting closely.
On 14th October 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Briton's Protection
a brilliant pub that I was sadly unable to thoroughly appreciate on my visit as I was in a rush for my train from Deansgate. it's a two sided boozer which is as traditional as you expect with (I think) eight handpumps dispensing well kept ale. I had a pint of something citra hopped and beautiful. one to return to again and again i think....
On 10th July 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Briton's Protection
Beautiful pub that always makes me think its the headquarters for the English Defence League. I took my time today and explored the rooms around the back of the narrow bar. I looked at the Peterloo Massacre mural but really wished I had read Quinno review to spot the football players. I'll have to come back. Or use Google.
Beerwise, it was a well kept Robinson Unicorn.
But its the traditional and heritage that makes this a must visit pub.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2yhtVxR
On 31st October 2017
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Briton's Protection
Another lovely multi-roomed boozer, preserved from the 1930’s. There’s a long front-facing main bar (note the impressive plasterwork ceiling) with two rooms behind via a beautiful tiled corridor with Peterloo Massacre murals (spot the two former footballers in the picture!) and a large function room upstairs. Gas fire was on in the green, white and gold coloured rear room so we settled there with another group of locals. Noted the bell pushes on the rear of the banquettes. Fairly pedestrian beer choices - Robinsons Unicorn (fine), Bass, a Thwaites house beer, Jennings Cumberland and a house beer ‘Britons Protection’ plus Old Rosie cider. A great heritage double-header with the nearby Peveril – the Pev had the best beer range, though I preferred the imbibing more in here. Either way, put this on the ‘must-do’ list of central Manc. 8.5
On 1st February 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Briton's Protection Hotel
Dating back to 1811 but sporting a well preserved 1930's interior, this pub was famously initially used as a recruitment centre during the Napoleonic wars, hence the unique name. The pub has a classic multiple room layout based around an L shaped corridor that runs behind the centrally positioned servery. An entrance lobby leads you right into a wide front bar with the servery along the rear wall and limited seating space opposite. A few old pictures dot the walls and there are nice heavy drapes on the front windows. There is a small snug style space at the far end with a nice fireplace and a single table inside, which looks like it was probably the former bottle and jug area. The bar has a fine arched gantry and a windowed bar back that looks out into the terrazzo floored corridor behind. This space has a single table where the corridor turns ninety degrees and the walls boast some grand murals depicting scenes from the Peterloo Massacre. A serving hatch allows customers to order without having to make their way all the way round to the front bar and from here there is access to a couple more rooms. One of these had comfortable looking red velvet banquette seating with bell pushes still mounted on the walls behind, whilst the other one, which was signed as the 'Parlour' was unfortunately hosting some sort of private event, so I was only able to catch a brief glimpse.
On the bar, the handpulls were dispensing Moorhouse Black Cat, Robinsons Unicorn, Jennings Cumberland Ale and Cottage Scrum Up - perhaps not the most exciting ale range you'll find in the city, but a decent selection nonetheless and I enjoyed a good pint of the Unicorn, served by one of the prompt and friendly bar staff.
This is a great example of a well preserved pub and has plenty within to keep you interested, offering a comfortable, traditional environment within which to spend some time. There are some good pubs in this part of town, in amongst all the student bars, and this is up there with the best.
On 27th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]