please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Robinsons pub with 7 of their beers on - Elbow, Dark Hatters, Old Tom, Hartleys Cumbria Way, Dizzy Blonde, Unicorn & Black Beauty. Cider was Westons Traditional Scrumpy. Old Tom Ginger & Old Tom Chocolate were also available in bottles. The interior is traditional, but a bit too gloomy for my liking. May be back one day.
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The Castle used to be a traditional town centre boozer - a bit rough, but cheap and friendly. It's been done up a bit since then, and is a tad more gentrified, although not without some of its former charm. But the prices! £3 a pint for Robinsons is just having a laugh! Go to any of the Holts pubs in Manchester to see what a local brewer should be charging for their beer.
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Situated at the top end of Oldham Street, this is one of Manchester's little gems. OK, it's a Robinsons house, so if you're not a fan (like me) it's easy to give it a miss, but it's worth a try.
This long narrow 3 room boozer centre's on its front room bar, immediately behind that is a small snug type room and further down the corridor behind that is a bigger function room (with small stage) The décor is a little esoteric but tasteful & given it's former look is much improved.
As already mentioned, the beers are all Robinsons and I'm not a big fan, even less so @£3 a pint. That said, the Old Tom, Dizzy Blonde & Double Hop were all in good condition.
The young girl serving was pleasant enough but was pre-occupied talking to friends at first. She also spilt my drinks and didn't offer to fill them up, but she did apologise, so I guess that's OK??
I haven't been in since last year so I was somewhat surprised & disappointed to see how tatty it was beginning to look? Flaking paintwork, grubby tables & a general lack of cleanliness throughout.
The latter was further compounded by the toilets. These on my last visit were immaculate, but on this visit (25/6/11) I found the toilet roll holder smashed off, graffiti all over the door & a leaking urinal (with a full mop bucket underneath) OK, it's not the end of the world & I do appreciate this is difficult area for management to control, but it's hardly a good advert & surely some kind of inspection & maintenance regime needs to be implemented.
The clientèle? This appears to have changed from those early pre-refurbishment days, on my visit (Sat PM) it was largely young student types with no sign of the old stalwarts that used to occupy the front room?
To summarise, if you're touring the Northern Quarter, this is worth a visit, even just for the Old Tom. I just hope the drop in standards I noticed is just a blip and not a trend of things to come.
Les Walker
Pub/Beer Critic
(BeerNorthWestUK) - Twitter
Overal
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Enjoyed the Old Tom and the friendly atmosphere after recent City match - a real gem.
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Great for the range (entire?) of Robinson's beers. Interesting rooms at the rear including one with a stage. The copper topped tables that were here last time I came, are now gone - probably lost the battle with verdigris!
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Visited last week for the first time. I like Robinson's beers so no complaints there, both I had were in good condition. The barmaid was a good laugh, as was another bloke at the bar to whom we had a chat. I see this as a good starting point for a crawl taking in some of the excellent pubs in the north of the city.
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Good range of beer but I have always found the quality variable, to put it politely. The back room is horribly scruffy - and I am quite a fun of 'penny plain' pubs.
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Old Tom has returned.
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Great that the pub is open again, although its obviously not quite the same place. Prices have increased and Old Tom no longer seems to be available. However, it now opens late each night (1am, I think) without any entry charge.
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Unchanging - a good thing. Would have been good to round off a Manchester visit with some Old Tom..
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A fairly small pub about two minutes walk from the Crown & Kettle. Main bar at the front, with a smaller room with a piano behind. The clientele were mainly young on my visit and the pub has a slightly 'alternative' atmosphere. The music was good - obscure sixties stuff. The pub was packed but I eventually managed to get a seat.
Six pumps serving Robinson's Unicorn, Hatters, Old Stockport, Dizzy Blonde and Old Tom and Hartley's Cumbria Way. I had a pint of the Cumbria Way and was not impressed. I also had a half of Old Tom which had the diacytol taste and the Dizzy Blonde, which wasn't too bad.
I'll give the pub another go sometime.
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Called in one Saturday afternoon, the barman was friendly and we tried a non-Robinsons real ale as these taste bland to us. We didn't greatly enjoy what we did have, the place felt quiet despite its location on busy Oldham Street, but looked populated by a few loyal regulars. The front room felt rather drab, and with the uninspiring beer priced at a daft £3 a pint, we headed off for one of the other excellent Northern Quarter boozers.
Roy22 - 17 Aug 2009 19:31 |
Popped in for first time today to see effect of overhaul, pleasantly surprised to find it still a basic, multi-room, Victorian pub.
As ToxtethOGrady says, the prices are a bit steep, especially compared to Robbies' Stockport pubs, but they do have their full range, including Old Tom, on draught. That and the Unicorn Bitter both well kept.
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Popped in recently while I was in Manchester. Good to see that the pub still seems to be the same old wonderful drinking establishment. No visible changes other than the back bar remains closed while a new floor (or was it roof ?) is being fitted. The ale I tried (Unicorn and Old Tom) were both in excellent condition. My only gripe was that there was an incredibly loud and foul mouthed individual stood at the bar shouting (and I mean shouting) with another customer not 20 feet away discussing the merits of Manchester City over Manchester United. I cannot understand why bar staff permit such behaviour. It simply drives away custom as it did me.
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Great traditional looking pub with all it's original features, the only Robinsons brewed pub left in Manchester, it's good to see it re-opened but the prices have shot up stupidly with it's new trendy overhaul.
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Great traditional looking pub with all it's original features, the only Robinsons brewed pub left in Manchester, it's good to see it re-opened but the prices have shot up stupidly with it's new trendy overhaul.
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Called in yesterday and it's great to see the pub open again. Ale was tip-top. Well worth a visit.
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I was expecting a quiet 'old mans' pub, what I got on a Friday night was a small, vibrant, though pleasingly scruffy city centre boozer. The clientèle were a mix of trendy young things and locals. The beer was ok, a decent range of Robinsons and Cumbria way as a guest. Great to see the new owners rescue a good pub, that's not a chain and not too sanitized. The room with the piano is still there (smells of damp) the other back room is being worked on I believe.
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Been done up since my last visit and Rupert Hill aka Jamie in corrie is new landlord i believe, he was certainly behind the bar. Not what it was in scruffyness but ignore that and still an excellent pub with the same good range of Robbies beers, worth a visit
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Popped in last week for a bottle of old tom choc beer the overall beer selection was ok but thats all it had going for it, place needs a make over inside and out
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Well, popped into the new Castle and I'm pleased to report that the important stuff is generally the same- same beer range, all Robbie's range and Hartley's Cumbria Way- I tried the latter and it was excellent. The layout has not been meddled with- small front bar, and cosy traditional parlour room behind it with dimpled copper tables. Same etched glass on the doors and tiled frontage- all good. The games room at the end of the corridor at the back is still shut but a sign promises that it will reopen.
There is a different feeling though, a definite attempt to 'gentrify'- although to be fair this has generally been done unobtrusively-candles and flowers on the tables, slightly loud piped music- but not bad music mind. The staff and clientele- well, the 2 other punters in when I was- were young and it didn't feel like a regulars haunt anymore. Then again this is a weekday afternoon, so that could change.
Generally still an excellent pub and it's great that its reopened, but I would advise caution with the creeping modernisation- it just isn't 'Castle'!
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Cant rate yet - wasnt open at 12.30 on a saturday afternoon - poor show there boys , as you had 4 thirsty blokes waiting to spend some cash
will try again in a couple of weeks
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Sorry...re-opened 2/4/9! Not even had a drink today!
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Re-opened 3/4/9. Going Saturday night to check it out, already had a spy in Thurs who said beer was excellent.
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Apparently re-opening early April... not too much will have changed hopefully (apart from the bogs!)
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Looked inside, looks adandoned, come on Robbies lets get this pub open
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Still closed.
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Yes, the previous comment is correct - pub is "closed until further notice". It is hoped that Robinsons will endeavour to re-open it ( after giving the toilets a good clean, preferably !)
It was their only Manchester city centre pub - I would hope they would therefore want to retain a presence in the city
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Passed today and there is a sign in the window saying 'closed until further notice'. There are half full glasses still on the tables. Hope this works out.
f1_mw - 28 Jul 2008 16:12 |
Superb little pub, very friendly and as said below a bit tatty but not without charm - sums it up well.
Back room is like an old Aunties cluttered living room, but that's not such a bad thing perhaps? this place could be anywhere which is good.
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Always a friendly welcome in the traditional boozer, and a great range of well-kept Robbies ales.
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Good, old fashioned city centre boozer with many original features and plenty of character in the cosy front bar. Good range of ales, nicely kept (to be honest I didn't have one bad pint on my Manchester crawl!!). A must visit pub on a crawl of the Northern quarter.
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A bit tatty, although not without charm...
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Traditional Robinsons pub not far from Piccadilly Gardens in the City Centre. Note the fine tiled exterior and the old mosaic floor. The full range of Robinsons ( and Hartleys ) bers are served - remember to treat the Old Tom with respect.
There is a large games room to the rear.
There are a good number of pubs within short walking distance of Piccadilly Gardens that are well worth visiting - see my other postings if you want some help in finding them !
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Go for the beer, I counted 11 pumps housing a comprehensive range of Robinsons' beers. But for God's sake don't wander further than the front bar. The rear of the pub is just filthy & the toilets should be condemned.
Exclusively male clientele were rough & ready. The Old Tom was lovely though...
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Looks nothing from the outside, and on first glance you might think the same inside (until you see the 9 handpumps serving the full range of the Robinson's ales from nearby Stockport). An increasingly rare example of an old fashioned city boozer, but any real ale drinker will find the five-minute walk from Piccadilly Gardens worthwhile.
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"i have twice watched older chaps widdling themselves and falling over here"
OK, I can understand you seeing it happen once prestwichman, but twice? Don't make it a spectator sport fellah, or else you might get yourself arrested or, even more embarrassing, beaten up in between strokes.
Not a bad old Manchester pub.
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Try drinking here,when theres a retro punk combo playing on a sunday afternoon...kiss goodbye to all this pubs many good points!
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If you like trendy stand up bars and alcopops STAY AWAY from this place!
If, however, you prefer old fashioned pubs with people who will have a conversation with you on any topic as you savour any one of nine real ales, then this is the place to go!
anonymous - 2 Jun 2007 13:50 |
Unchanged Robinson's pub with the whole range of their beers on offer. The snug is really cosy and good for a winter's day session, and the beer quality is very good indeed.
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great little pub, especially the back room near the pool table....i can be found in there before man city's home games
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a great little pub ,the landlady is a real diamond.
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Gem of a pub. Been going for years on my frequent trips to Manchester and always the same faces in. The landlord looks like the actor Stratford Johns. Beer really good, everyone friendly, you always get into a conversation if you stand at the bar. It's a great traditional pub without TRYING to be, which makes all the difference.
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I love this pub. Yes, it's a bit dated inside and slightly grotty, but the atmosphere is top notch, bar staff are very friendly, good variety of drinks and a smashing landlady too. A nice, cosy place to have a few drinks with friends in the winter.
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decent beer
friendly staff
small and dingy but I'd prefer to describe it as "cosy and traditional"
Loved the fact we had to ring the doorbell for them to let us in!
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OK it’s a bit shabby but the fact that nothing seems to have changed in this pub for a number of years adds something to the charm. Run by an old style landlady with a rod of iron, so don’t ask for a pint of Old Tom or you are likely to be thrown out. There’s a full range of Robinsons beers and the bar is packed with knick knacks, souvenirs and brewerania. Despite the failings of the toilets it is a breath of fresh air in these days of Wetherspoons, Yates’s and the like. If you like good beer and have fond memories of what pubs used to be like, pay a visit to the Castle.
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Very grotty, but with a friendly charm and a good range of beers. (Full Robinsons range)
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Dirty and smelly with truly horrible toilets, i have twice watched older chaps widdling themselves and falling over here. Looks dodgy from the outside. Also stocks the entire range of Robinsons beers in tip top condition. Friendly, as well.I quite like it.
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