Blog Tracker
29-06-2023, 09:23
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/return-to-manchester-after-half.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH04tQZtF9urI5i8NTMXZrBe17iBqgYjeHsN4_JOZ-UrfZZM8uP49vRWVi6ib8Pn3G1DV6LuqOOBuqOSUIUvh_GfDWqO Vl5uCwKsU6o_lxoVcGZUXDrnv5XXG746PNRGPK-1CV9zs5tY0ZI2jRKvNum7RYQFzJNDxhYp6HEUKVFAR1qhtli7b OglhaFQ/w380-h400/Scan10051.BMP (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH04tQZtF9urI5i8NTMXZrBe17iBqgYjeHsN4_JOZ-UrfZZM8uP49vRWVi6ib8Pn3G1DV6LuqOOBuqOSUIUvh_GfDWqO Vl5uCwKsU6o_lxoVcGZUXDrnv5XXG746PNRGPK-1CV9zs5tY0ZI2jRKvNum7RYQFzJNDxhYp6HEUKVFAR1qhtli7b OglhaFQ/s3395/Scan10051.BMP)In March 1978, I packed my worldly belongings into a hiredFord Transit van, said goodbye to the flat in the village of Romiley, that Ihad shared with the previous Mrs Bailey, and headed off south in the directionof London. After graduating, my then wife had secured a permanent, and well-paidjob in the capital, and after a couple of months of living on my own I was headingtowards London as well, in order to join her. More importantly, I wasn't justleaving Romiley, I was saying farewell, after four years, to the conurbationthat is Greater Manchester, in order to start a new life back down south.
In late September 1973, I had left my parents comfortable middle-classhome in Kent, to take up a place at the University of Salford. I was arather shy and self-conscious young man with an interest in rock music, and in particularwhat came to be known as “prog rock.” Somewhat ironically, my stay in theManchester area began in the town of Romiley, when my aunt and uncle kindlyoffered me room in their spacious and modern, detached house, on the edge ofthis large, Cheshire village. They made this gesture because there was ashortage of student accommodation at the university, and unlike other hardier"freshers," I really didn't fancy kipping down on the floor of the sports hall!
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaMhnVHdoVWhcwYUN_DC6kUzFqvGuo4CGOTKC6eolYu kSvf8L9HSxM9XcDpsdrHEkci6r3QhXeyfbnrry3NbLNhIZBTo4 2FrrjmzRVZegr2j3-1Pe8BqBcZ_SiA7Dm7c4fXRAai6Omlk_LMcwQsqzItVEvDIF5dM 5L2aEMy9KpakoIRz3IwpFKiPcT6U/w400-h266/Scan10026.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaMhnVHdoVWhcwYUN_DC6kUzFqvGuo4CGOTKC6eolYu kSvf8L9HSxM9XcDpsdrHEkci6r3QhXeyfbnrry3NbLNhIZBTo4 2FrrjmzRVZegr2j3-1Pe8BqBcZ_SiA7Dm7c4fXRAai6Omlk_LMcwQsqzItVEvDIF5dM 5L2aEMy9KpakoIRz3IwpFKiPcT6U/s1806/Scan10026.JPG)
I left Manchester a wiser and more confident individual, havingacquired a wife, an honours degree in biology, a taste for good beer, and anappreciation of unspoiled pubs. I'd also engaged in a lot of different studentactivities, been on several field trips and, during the summer of 75 (isn’tthat a Bruce Springsteen song?), had gone off Inter-railing, spending a month travellingby train, all over Western Europe with a friend who I'd made during my firstweek at university.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvsludJCQLMqUwhbgc7PEhF8OQrZ4G8ZasZEKogfnCu lw3hmKMLToSugfeUDFGzH1Y1OvOSO7g_ApXsIEEvj5GZrp9sbR ycfFsiAKSfNGXWu51uRn0iiuHeak5ouNMIyBp0Rxdrara_syfv xlXqQfHZKQQTat5gUhVGvRSxmJsDi-KX6zCKNdqY6CMQk/w400-h346/Me%20-%20New%20Flying%20Horse.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvsludJCQLMqUwhbgc7PEhF8OQrZ4G8ZasZEKogfnCu lw3hmKMLToSugfeUDFGzH1Y1OvOSO7g_ApXsIEEvj5GZrp9sbR ycfFsiAKSfNGXWu51uRn0iiuHeak5ouNMIyBp0Rxdrara_syfv xlXqQfHZKQQTat5gUhVGvRSxmJsDi-KX6zCKNdqY6CMQk/s815/Me%20-%20New%20Flying%20Horse.jpg)
I missed Manchester, particularly when I arrived in London andthe harsh reality of finding a job hit home. My wife and I also had to findsomewhere to live, because whilst her parents kindly allowed us to stay intheir Wandsworth home, it was rather cramped, and at times, rather strained. Isoon picked up work as an office temp, working stints at the British MedicalAssociation and also at the BBC. I hasten to add, as I was employed in the PurchasingDepartment of the Beeb, located in a converted Georgian house in Cavendish Square,there wasn’t the glamour of Television Centre or Broadcasting House.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD87HUOsexqn2FU7tx2moqPJh-Xu5V8cv_JLrSMQxfnLtP_MZQTo9Gk19u-GlFx1ZOrNZJeLnEPxxlXwfTLaf201_ce06f-Rt9M8x7w76K4HG97ui7_N-J92y7ENbfF4IaHbOykloPfmxX2nABA8GDM9kIEYfldmeXiOuui 4vr9py5oZibp1c03coaBX0/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_081005.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD87HUOsexqn2FU7tx2moqPJh-Xu5V8cv_JLrSMQxfnLtP_MZQTo9Gk19u-GlFx1ZOrNZJeLnEPxxlXwfTLaf201_ce06f-Rt9M8x7w76K4HG97ui7_N-J92y7ENbfF4IaHbOykloPfmxX2nABA8GDM9kIEYfldmeXiOuui 4vr9py5oZibp1c03coaBX0/s4000/IMG_20211008_081005.jpg)
So, whilst work was quite easy to find in the capital, accommodationwas much less so. Eventually we struck it lucky and found a two-bed flat, occupyingthe first floor of a large 1930s semi, in Norbury. For those who don’t know thecapital well, Norbury is situated between Streatham and Croydon. During ourtime there, we made a few return trips to Manchester, staying with my Inter-railingfriend, who had remained in the city, after securing a post as an EnvironmentalHealth Officer, with Manchester City Council. Eventually the lure of thecapital, where his parents still lived, was sufficient for my friend to find asimilar position back in London, and those long weekend visits to Manchester came to an end.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzotxdctZK_GXFj-awy5YfBbe_W0AI_CC5xAH_inj-NDP2aexpwpud4XdvnQdpFBsnsXvujMCdAGPEJek0ozkp3-4Tja50LUgT5GzpXgxxGCQRhUm1mkV6zukrGZy8zE7s2HkEgt-RcP2Bpsy3Mj2v5mNSZvUYT66Z8vvqkLsSUzpMLFdFiMLkVzTHl 9A/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_083312.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzotxdctZK_GXFj-awy5YfBbe_W0AI_CC5xAH_inj-NDP2aexpwpud4XdvnQdpFBsnsXvujMCdAGPEJek0ozkp3-4Tja50LUgT5GzpXgxxGCQRhUm1mkV6zukrGZy8zE7s2HkEgt-RcP2Bpsy3Mj2v5mNSZvUYT66Z8vvqkLsSUzpMLFdFiMLkVzTHl 9A/s4000/IMG_20211008_083312.jpg)
A decade or so later, having changed houses and employers afew times, and with a new wife as well, I found myself back in Manchester for aflying visit in order to attend a course. I can't remember what the course wasabout, but at the time I worked for a company that manufactured and sold foodsupplements - vitamin and mineral pills to you and me. This was a lucrative marketto be in, and it provided me with gainful employment for the best part of adecade. I'm estimating this visit would have been in the early 1990s, in effect30 years ago, but it didn’t allow much time for exploration or sight-seeing.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCEO_lY4Ega7SS2uI3ekMF2JdM5uC9vA5dG1q1OJsHi X_VjF-xvoMcVRlIGxr8vH51gGoBFF8Q9jOW9hPE4JZUl-lUeY2xK2cHHxhql8O2pPrY9CWft5XJBped5xXKboGURD6AKv48 TlluWas-t_pgFwygvPub8Lyq7z-o1XHHFsV-OG9XV9KwQCTa80/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_103746.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCEO_lY4Ega7SS2uI3ekMF2JdM5uC9vA5dG1q1OJsHi X_VjF-xvoMcVRlIGxr8vH51gGoBFF8Q9jOW9hPE4JZUl-lUeY2xK2cHHxhql8O2pPrY9CWft5XJBped5xXKboGURD6AKv48 TlluWas-t_pgFwygvPub8Lyq7z-o1XHHFsV-OG9XV9KwQCTa80/s4000/IMG_20211008_103746.jpg)
It is with much excitement then, that I announce shall bemaking a return visit to Manchester this coming Friday (tomorrow). It's only a day trip, but it's one I've been wanting to make for a long time. I came quiteclose on a couple of occasions, the first being January 2018, when I'd madeplans to attend the Manchester Beer Festival. Unfortunately, those plans werescuppered when Mrs PBT's ended up in intensive care, following a bout ofpneumonia, which then developed into sepsis. Fortunately, she made a fullrecovery, but it was touch and go to start with.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHD9Ri5zV51SKygXhhS-F8M0QIumNEnGbirRa8V0B0M5FTD5WN9fe48M6-NyI1nwixI_e5hikvvbjtKzgdWUG9hB2aBz4vUOBAMTbfwgYkvF-pRVUjY6EmB0oR36CjqpisyigCuIVc9prHAPN6IjrJjk9VYSpjs YGw__agJyTBof6iLew6HEPR5KinYaM/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_101236.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHD9Ri5zV51SKygXhhS-F8M0QIumNEnGbirRa8V0B0M5FTD5WN9fe48M6-NyI1nwixI_e5hikvvbjtKzgdWUG9hB2aBz4vUOBAMTbfwgYkvF-pRVUjY6EmB0oR36CjqpisyigCuIVc9prHAPN6IjrJjk9VYSpjs YGw__agJyTBof6iLew6HEPR5KinYaM/s4000/IMG_20211008_101236.jpg)
The second occasion wasn't actually a trip to Manchester,but rather was a “Proper Day Out” exploring the pubs of nearby Stockport, inthe company of some of a handful of members of the Tapa-Talk, Beer & Pub’s Forum.With Manchester just 7 miles away from Stockport, it was a case of so near, yetso far, so what was it that prompted me to make that long overdue visit? https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbn6GtyCxNmBSUXMiXJUqAfN2Z-1FGo5lun4puOVhAFdLcApDMzkIHqNi7A_XRlsuAo3wnUPNlQNS _Ah3m_LrAH8urr6VBLbaofArov5ZpcIHC_q1Q7nbhdDqTH54Bs Xb8dVqFAOmdHj2SdL24GMHtg4txcfbUsPRVTmmWav8cl7jG4Yr I2VKUBOidsw/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_164539.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbn6GtyCxNmBSUXMiXJUqAfN2Z-1FGo5lun4puOVhAFdLcApDMzkIHqNi7A_XRlsuAo3wnUPNlQNS _Ah3m_LrAH8urr6VBLbaofArov5ZpcIHC_q1Q7nbhdDqTH54Bs Xb8dVqFAOmdHj2SdL24GMHtg4txcfbUsPRVTmmWav8cl7jG4Yr I2VKUBOidsw/s4000/IMG_20211008_164539.jpg)Well, I had some unspent birthday money from Eileen and Matthew, andwhilst it wasn’t exactly burning a hole in my pocket, using it for a day outexploring a location I had last enjoyed properly, half a century ago, seemed agood idea. My return train journey wasn’t exactly a bargain, as whilst AdvancedReturn rail tickets were available, they were nowhere near as cheap as thetickets purchased, over the past couple of months, to cities such as Norwich orBirmingham. For example, my return ticket to Brum was in the region of £22, whereasmy ticket to Manchester cost me £75. Still cheap, but pro-rata significantly moreexpensive than my visit to Birmingham.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUDh6Z9NGKUF1skSOZnbFiEu7J0ZmIWDzemF3J2vesv Tum5QlOoXpdAoNbQ9VebXfgrPwZMbcz0k8RGUp7BJUBdaiKges tc7OWX247ksWXWvCelTVSkAOmunGg-4MJbIVlTSATYJD9PWkwCqfd4S6QW3mAIZZ_NzGGDju2udtXcPA UVXxflV3nOownLc/w400-h279/The%20Wellington%20Inn%20and%20Sinclair%E2%80%99s% 20Oyster%20Bar%20today,%20with%20Manchester%20Cath edral%20in%20the%20background..jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUDh6Z9NGKUF1skSOZnbFiEu7J0ZmIWDzemF3J2vesv Tum5QlOoXpdAoNbQ9VebXfgrPwZMbcz0k8RGUp7BJUBdaiKges tc7OWX247ksWXWvCelTVSkAOmunGg-4MJbIVlTSATYJD9PWkwCqfd4S6QW3mAIZZ_NzGGDju2udtXcPA UVXxflV3nOownLc/s4320/The%20Wellington%20Inn%20and%20Sinclair%E2%80%99s% 20Oyster%20Bar%20today,%20with%20Manchester%20Cath edral%20in%20the%20background..jpg)
I've an early start, as my train gets into Manchester Piccadilly at 9.19 am, and I shall thenbe heading off, by train from Victoria stationto my old stomping ground ofSalford University. After a look around the campus, to see how much it’s grownover the past half a century, I shall be bussing back into central Manchester fora tour around some of my favourite pubs, which include a couple of National Inventoryentries. I’ve got quite a list, but all are proper pubs, which excludes trendycraft-ale bars, full of hipsters, and serving over-priced murk.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq-LyZ5BTZmeMggn3QcSWYKbYYJfxUJQrrJ9CanlVxSd1-POAD1p6ONg6hiR4ninq4f3QpCe7K5Eqt4--6DjrQTwR3-INHnr3TzXujOo1GE2I25LPgfRKTOG9OX8de__OyEksH13gg2U_ KfJ3stissg_lACi0KnOmOnsWmaFfG0DxJ61k9sZDbQ_a6Zo/w386-h400/The%20Peveril%20of%20the%20Peak..jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq-LyZ5BTZmeMggn3QcSWYKbYYJfxUJQrrJ9CanlVxSd1-POAD1p6ONg6hiR4ninq4f3QpCe7K5Eqt4--6DjrQTwR3-INHnr3TzXujOo1GE2I25LPgfRKTOG9OX8de__OyEksH13gg2U_ KfJ3stissg_lACi0KnOmOnsWmaFfG0DxJ61k9sZDbQ_a6Zo/s3441/The%20Peveril%20of%20the%20Peak..jpg)
In no particular order, the pubs I’ve marked for a visit are, the Hare &Hound, the Unicorn (for the Draught Bass), the OldWellington + Sinclairs, (both pubs were under wraps, andseveral feet in the air whilst the Arndale Centre was being constructed around them, when Iwas last in Manchester), the Marble Arch, the Peveril of the Peak,which will allow a chance for a look at the G-Mex Exhibition Centre. The latter was formerly Manchester Central station, but it wasused as a car park when I was last in the city. There are several other pubstoo, including the two next door to each other in Kennedy St, if time allows,but my return train is the 17.35 from Piccadilly. Quite a day then, and therewill no doubt be a few reports, when I return. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFNNSUs2RfQmYd9HOuzlQ59Rls5-8ba3p4Y8TRYS-l0NvDYYmjgvq9u750VjOqNSYT8J7vjH8jWASyq3LPm38CURDaR b0XLrMiMr1ondT5AfTg22IaGSBNrBKD4gv-j8yIzlm25O904oTkPcWJP8vKQSt-vvmbdKPL1biW6yc3kstftUG85R1tcRI1Ls/w283-h400/Central%20Manchester%20Pubs.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFNNSUs2RfQmYd9HOuzlQ59Rls5-8ba3p4Y8TRYS-l0NvDYYmjgvq9u750VjOqNSYT8J7vjH8jWASyq3LPm38CURDaR b0XLrMiMr1ondT5AfTg22IaGSBNrBKD4gv-j8yIzlm25O904oTkPcWJP8vKQSt-vvmbdKPL1biW6yc3kstftUG85R1tcRI1Ls/s2764/Central%20Manchester%20Pubs.jpg)The final thing is I don’t have that many relevant photos to illustrate thispost; certainly, none taken during the 1970’s. There probably are some, stuffedaway in a box at home, but none of them are digital. Also, with the hassle associatedwith old-fashioned 35mm film (getting it developed, and then printed), peoplejust didn’t take photos with the frequency and in the number they do today.
I have included instead, a couple of the photos that Amberley Publishing (https://www.amberley-books.com/), allowed me to use, when I reviewedtheir well-researched and well-illustrated book, CentralManchester Pubs, (https://www.amberley-books.com/central-manchester-pubs.html)written by Deborah Woodman. You canread the review again here (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/central-manchester-pubs.html), and seeing as I am giving their publication anotherplug, I trust I am not abusing the permission they gave me, or infringing anycopyright.
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH04tQZtF9urI5i8NTMXZrBe17iBqgYjeHsN4_JOZ-UrfZZM8uP49vRWVi6ib8Pn3G1DV6LuqOOBuqOSUIUvh_GfDWqO Vl5uCwKsU6o_lxoVcGZUXDrnv5XXG746PNRGPK-1CV9zs5tY0ZI2jRKvNum7RYQFzJNDxhYp6HEUKVFAR1qhtli7b OglhaFQ/w380-h400/Scan10051.BMP (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH04tQZtF9urI5i8NTMXZrBe17iBqgYjeHsN4_JOZ-UrfZZM8uP49vRWVi6ib8Pn3G1DV6LuqOOBuqOSUIUvh_GfDWqO Vl5uCwKsU6o_lxoVcGZUXDrnv5XXG746PNRGPK-1CV9zs5tY0ZI2jRKvNum7RYQFzJNDxhYp6HEUKVFAR1qhtli7b OglhaFQ/s3395/Scan10051.BMP)In March 1978, I packed my worldly belongings into a hiredFord Transit van, said goodbye to the flat in the village of Romiley, that Ihad shared with the previous Mrs Bailey, and headed off south in the directionof London. After graduating, my then wife had secured a permanent, and well-paidjob in the capital, and after a couple of months of living on my own I was headingtowards London as well, in order to join her. More importantly, I wasn't justleaving Romiley, I was saying farewell, after four years, to the conurbationthat is Greater Manchester, in order to start a new life back down south.
In late September 1973, I had left my parents comfortable middle-classhome in Kent, to take up a place at the University of Salford. I was arather shy and self-conscious young man with an interest in rock music, and in particularwhat came to be known as “prog rock.” Somewhat ironically, my stay in theManchester area began in the town of Romiley, when my aunt and uncle kindlyoffered me room in their spacious and modern, detached house, on the edge ofthis large, Cheshire village. They made this gesture because there was ashortage of student accommodation at the university, and unlike other hardier"freshers," I really didn't fancy kipping down on the floor of the sports hall!
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaMhnVHdoVWhcwYUN_DC6kUzFqvGuo4CGOTKC6eolYu kSvf8L9HSxM9XcDpsdrHEkci6r3QhXeyfbnrry3NbLNhIZBTo4 2FrrjmzRVZegr2j3-1Pe8BqBcZ_SiA7Dm7c4fXRAai6Omlk_LMcwQsqzItVEvDIF5dM 5L2aEMy9KpakoIRz3IwpFKiPcT6U/w400-h266/Scan10026.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaMhnVHdoVWhcwYUN_DC6kUzFqvGuo4CGOTKC6eolYu kSvf8L9HSxM9XcDpsdrHEkci6r3QhXeyfbnrry3NbLNhIZBTo4 2FrrjmzRVZegr2j3-1Pe8BqBcZ_SiA7Dm7c4fXRAai6Omlk_LMcwQsqzItVEvDIF5dM 5L2aEMy9KpakoIRz3IwpFKiPcT6U/s1806/Scan10026.JPG)
I left Manchester a wiser and more confident individual, havingacquired a wife, an honours degree in biology, a taste for good beer, and anappreciation of unspoiled pubs. I'd also engaged in a lot of different studentactivities, been on several field trips and, during the summer of 75 (isn’tthat a Bruce Springsteen song?), had gone off Inter-railing, spending a month travellingby train, all over Western Europe with a friend who I'd made during my firstweek at university.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvsludJCQLMqUwhbgc7PEhF8OQrZ4G8ZasZEKogfnCu lw3hmKMLToSugfeUDFGzH1Y1OvOSO7g_ApXsIEEvj5GZrp9sbR ycfFsiAKSfNGXWu51uRn0iiuHeak5ouNMIyBp0Rxdrara_syfv xlXqQfHZKQQTat5gUhVGvRSxmJsDi-KX6zCKNdqY6CMQk/w400-h346/Me%20-%20New%20Flying%20Horse.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvsludJCQLMqUwhbgc7PEhF8OQrZ4G8ZasZEKogfnCu lw3hmKMLToSugfeUDFGzH1Y1OvOSO7g_ApXsIEEvj5GZrp9sbR ycfFsiAKSfNGXWu51uRn0iiuHeak5ouNMIyBp0Rxdrara_syfv xlXqQfHZKQQTat5gUhVGvRSxmJsDi-KX6zCKNdqY6CMQk/s815/Me%20-%20New%20Flying%20Horse.jpg)
I missed Manchester, particularly when I arrived in London andthe harsh reality of finding a job hit home. My wife and I also had to findsomewhere to live, because whilst her parents kindly allowed us to stay intheir Wandsworth home, it was rather cramped, and at times, rather strained. Isoon picked up work as an office temp, working stints at the British MedicalAssociation and also at the BBC. I hasten to add, as I was employed in the PurchasingDepartment of the Beeb, located in a converted Georgian house in Cavendish Square,there wasn’t the glamour of Television Centre or Broadcasting House.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD87HUOsexqn2FU7tx2moqPJh-Xu5V8cv_JLrSMQxfnLtP_MZQTo9Gk19u-GlFx1ZOrNZJeLnEPxxlXwfTLaf201_ce06f-Rt9M8x7w76K4HG97ui7_N-J92y7ENbfF4IaHbOykloPfmxX2nABA8GDM9kIEYfldmeXiOuui 4vr9py5oZibp1c03coaBX0/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_081005.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD87HUOsexqn2FU7tx2moqPJh-Xu5V8cv_JLrSMQxfnLtP_MZQTo9Gk19u-GlFx1ZOrNZJeLnEPxxlXwfTLaf201_ce06f-Rt9M8x7w76K4HG97ui7_N-J92y7ENbfF4IaHbOykloPfmxX2nABA8GDM9kIEYfldmeXiOuui 4vr9py5oZibp1c03coaBX0/s4000/IMG_20211008_081005.jpg)
So, whilst work was quite easy to find in the capital, accommodationwas much less so. Eventually we struck it lucky and found a two-bed flat, occupyingthe first floor of a large 1930s semi, in Norbury. For those who don’t know thecapital well, Norbury is situated between Streatham and Croydon. During ourtime there, we made a few return trips to Manchester, staying with my Inter-railingfriend, who had remained in the city, after securing a post as an EnvironmentalHealth Officer, with Manchester City Council. Eventually the lure of thecapital, where his parents still lived, was sufficient for my friend to find asimilar position back in London, and those long weekend visits to Manchester came to an end.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzotxdctZK_GXFj-awy5YfBbe_W0AI_CC5xAH_inj-NDP2aexpwpud4XdvnQdpFBsnsXvujMCdAGPEJek0ozkp3-4Tja50LUgT5GzpXgxxGCQRhUm1mkV6zukrGZy8zE7s2HkEgt-RcP2Bpsy3Mj2v5mNSZvUYT66Z8vvqkLsSUzpMLFdFiMLkVzTHl 9A/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_083312.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzotxdctZK_GXFj-awy5YfBbe_W0AI_CC5xAH_inj-NDP2aexpwpud4XdvnQdpFBsnsXvujMCdAGPEJek0ozkp3-4Tja50LUgT5GzpXgxxGCQRhUm1mkV6zukrGZy8zE7s2HkEgt-RcP2Bpsy3Mj2v5mNSZvUYT66Z8vvqkLsSUzpMLFdFiMLkVzTHl 9A/s4000/IMG_20211008_083312.jpg)
A decade or so later, having changed houses and employers afew times, and with a new wife as well, I found myself back in Manchester for aflying visit in order to attend a course. I can't remember what the course wasabout, but at the time I worked for a company that manufactured and sold foodsupplements - vitamin and mineral pills to you and me. This was a lucrative marketto be in, and it provided me with gainful employment for the best part of adecade. I'm estimating this visit would have been in the early 1990s, in effect30 years ago, but it didn’t allow much time for exploration or sight-seeing.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCEO_lY4Ega7SS2uI3ekMF2JdM5uC9vA5dG1q1OJsHi X_VjF-xvoMcVRlIGxr8vH51gGoBFF8Q9jOW9hPE4JZUl-lUeY2xK2cHHxhql8O2pPrY9CWft5XJBped5xXKboGURD6AKv48 TlluWas-t_pgFwygvPub8Lyq7z-o1XHHFsV-OG9XV9KwQCTa80/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_103746.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCEO_lY4Ega7SS2uI3ekMF2JdM5uC9vA5dG1q1OJsHi X_VjF-xvoMcVRlIGxr8vH51gGoBFF8Q9jOW9hPE4JZUl-lUeY2xK2cHHxhql8O2pPrY9CWft5XJBped5xXKboGURD6AKv48 TlluWas-t_pgFwygvPub8Lyq7z-o1XHHFsV-OG9XV9KwQCTa80/s4000/IMG_20211008_103746.jpg)
It is with much excitement then, that I announce shall bemaking a return visit to Manchester this coming Friday (tomorrow). It's only a day trip, but it's one I've been wanting to make for a long time. I came quiteclose on a couple of occasions, the first being January 2018, when I'd madeplans to attend the Manchester Beer Festival. Unfortunately, those plans werescuppered when Mrs PBT's ended up in intensive care, following a bout ofpneumonia, which then developed into sepsis. Fortunately, she made a fullrecovery, but it was touch and go to start with.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHD9Ri5zV51SKygXhhS-F8M0QIumNEnGbirRa8V0B0M5FTD5WN9fe48M6-NyI1nwixI_e5hikvvbjtKzgdWUG9hB2aBz4vUOBAMTbfwgYkvF-pRVUjY6EmB0oR36CjqpisyigCuIVc9prHAPN6IjrJjk9VYSpjs YGw__agJyTBof6iLew6HEPR5KinYaM/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_101236.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHD9Ri5zV51SKygXhhS-F8M0QIumNEnGbirRa8V0B0M5FTD5WN9fe48M6-NyI1nwixI_e5hikvvbjtKzgdWUG9hB2aBz4vUOBAMTbfwgYkvF-pRVUjY6EmB0oR36CjqpisyigCuIVc9prHAPN6IjrJjk9VYSpjs YGw__agJyTBof6iLew6HEPR5KinYaM/s4000/IMG_20211008_101236.jpg)
The second occasion wasn't actually a trip to Manchester,but rather was a “Proper Day Out” exploring the pubs of nearby Stockport, inthe company of some of a handful of members of the Tapa-Talk, Beer & Pub’s Forum.With Manchester just 7 miles away from Stockport, it was a case of so near, yetso far, so what was it that prompted me to make that long overdue visit? https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbn6GtyCxNmBSUXMiXJUqAfN2Z-1FGo5lun4puOVhAFdLcApDMzkIHqNi7A_XRlsuAo3wnUPNlQNS _Ah3m_LrAH8urr6VBLbaofArov5ZpcIHC_q1Q7nbhdDqTH54Bs Xb8dVqFAOmdHj2SdL24GMHtg4txcfbUsPRVTmmWav8cl7jG4Yr I2VKUBOidsw/w400-h225/IMG_20211008_164539.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbn6GtyCxNmBSUXMiXJUqAfN2Z-1FGo5lun4puOVhAFdLcApDMzkIHqNi7A_XRlsuAo3wnUPNlQNS _Ah3m_LrAH8urr6VBLbaofArov5ZpcIHC_q1Q7nbhdDqTH54Bs Xb8dVqFAOmdHj2SdL24GMHtg4txcfbUsPRVTmmWav8cl7jG4Yr I2VKUBOidsw/s4000/IMG_20211008_164539.jpg)Well, I had some unspent birthday money from Eileen and Matthew, andwhilst it wasn’t exactly burning a hole in my pocket, using it for a day outexploring a location I had last enjoyed properly, half a century ago, seemed agood idea. My return train journey wasn’t exactly a bargain, as whilst AdvancedReturn rail tickets were available, they were nowhere near as cheap as thetickets purchased, over the past couple of months, to cities such as Norwich orBirmingham. For example, my return ticket to Brum was in the region of £22, whereasmy ticket to Manchester cost me £75. Still cheap, but pro-rata significantly moreexpensive than my visit to Birmingham.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUDh6Z9NGKUF1skSOZnbFiEu7J0ZmIWDzemF3J2vesv Tum5QlOoXpdAoNbQ9VebXfgrPwZMbcz0k8RGUp7BJUBdaiKges tc7OWX247ksWXWvCelTVSkAOmunGg-4MJbIVlTSATYJD9PWkwCqfd4S6QW3mAIZZ_NzGGDju2udtXcPA UVXxflV3nOownLc/w400-h279/The%20Wellington%20Inn%20and%20Sinclair%E2%80%99s% 20Oyster%20Bar%20today,%20with%20Manchester%20Cath edral%20in%20the%20background..jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUDh6Z9NGKUF1skSOZnbFiEu7J0ZmIWDzemF3J2vesv Tum5QlOoXpdAoNbQ9VebXfgrPwZMbcz0k8RGUp7BJUBdaiKges tc7OWX247ksWXWvCelTVSkAOmunGg-4MJbIVlTSATYJD9PWkwCqfd4S6QW3mAIZZ_NzGGDju2udtXcPA UVXxflV3nOownLc/s4320/The%20Wellington%20Inn%20and%20Sinclair%E2%80%99s% 20Oyster%20Bar%20today,%20with%20Manchester%20Cath edral%20in%20the%20background..jpg)
I've an early start, as my train gets into Manchester Piccadilly at 9.19 am, and I shall thenbe heading off, by train from Victoria stationto my old stomping ground ofSalford University. After a look around the campus, to see how much it’s grownover the past half a century, I shall be bussing back into central Manchester fora tour around some of my favourite pubs, which include a couple of National Inventoryentries. I’ve got quite a list, but all are proper pubs, which excludes trendycraft-ale bars, full of hipsters, and serving over-priced murk.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq-LyZ5BTZmeMggn3QcSWYKbYYJfxUJQrrJ9CanlVxSd1-POAD1p6ONg6hiR4ninq4f3QpCe7K5Eqt4--6DjrQTwR3-INHnr3TzXujOo1GE2I25LPgfRKTOG9OX8de__OyEksH13gg2U_ KfJ3stissg_lACi0KnOmOnsWmaFfG0DxJ61k9sZDbQ_a6Zo/w386-h400/The%20Peveril%20of%20the%20Peak..jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq-LyZ5BTZmeMggn3QcSWYKbYYJfxUJQrrJ9CanlVxSd1-POAD1p6ONg6hiR4ninq4f3QpCe7K5Eqt4--6DjrQTwR3-INHnr3TzXujOo1GE2I25LPgfRKTOG9OX8de__OyEksH13gg2U_ KfJ3stissg_lACi0KnOmOnsWmaFfG0DxJ61k9sZDbQ_a6Zo/s3441/The%20Peveril%20of%20the%20Peak..jpg)
In no particular order, the pubs I’ve marked for a visit are, the Hare &Hound, the Unicorn (for the Draught Bass), the OldWellington + Sinclairs, (both pubs were under wraps, andseveral feet in the air whilst the Arndale Centre was being constructed around them, when Iwas last in Manchester), the Marble Arch, the Peveril of the Peak,which will allow a chance for a look at the G-Mex Exhibition Centre. The latter was formerly Manchester Central station, but it wasused as a car park when I was last in the city. There are several other pubstoo, including the two next door to each other in Kennedy St, if time allows,but my return train is the 17.35 from Piccadilly. Quite a day then, and therewill no doubt be a few reports, when I return. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFNNSUs2RfQmYd9HOuzlQ59Rls5-8ba3p4Y8TRYS-l0NvDYYmjgvq9u750VjOqNSYT8J7vjH8jWASyq3LPm38CURDaR b0XLrMiMr1ondT5AfTg22IaGSBNrBKD4gv-j8yIzlm25O904oTkPcWJP8vKQSt-vvmbdKPL1biW6yc3kstftUG85R1tcRI1Ls/w283-h400/Central%20Manchester%20Pubs.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFNNSUs2RfQmYd9HOuzlQ59Rls5-8ba3p4Y8TRYS-l0NvDYYmjgvq9u750VjOqNSYT8J7vjH8jWASyq3LPm38CURDaR b0XLrMiMr1ondT5AfTg22IaGSBNrBKD4gv-j8yIzlm25O904oTkPcWJP8vKQSt-vvmbdKPL1biW6yc3kstftUG85R1tcRI1Ls/s2764/Central%20Manchester%20Pubs.jpg)The final thing is I don’t have that many relevant photos to illustrate thispost; certainly, none taken during the 1970’s. There probably are some, stuffedaway in a box at home, but none of them are digital. Also, with the hassle associatedwith old-fashioned 35mm film (getting it developed, and then printed), peoplejust didn’t take photos with the frequency and in the number they do today.
I have included instead, a couple of the photos that Amberley Publishing (https://www.amberley-books.com/), allowed me to use, when I reviewedtheir well-researched and well-illustrated book, CentralManchester Pubs, (https://www.amberley-books.com/central-manchester-pubs.html)written by Deborah Woodman. You canread the review again here (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/central-manchester-pubs.html), and seeing as I am giving their publication anotherplug, I trust I am not abusing the permission they gave me, or infringing anycopyright.
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