CityLife

Horse & Jockey

Horse and Jockey - fabulous pub space

THE pub with the loveliest location in suburban south Manchester has finally got the interior it deserves, courtesy of one of the original pioneers of city centre bar culture, Peter Dalton, and his business partner, former Croma restaurant manager Simon Davis.
 

The Horse and Jockey on Chorlton Green, which has long underwhelmed bar-goers with its tired interior (counterbalanced by the pretty green outside, which ensured ongoing popularity), reopened as a gastro pub last week.

Its new owners are capitalising on the history of the building (which dates back to the 1500s) to create a traditional pub with a modern twist.
 

First a set of cottages, then a school, then an inn and coach house, the original features of the building are concealed within a mock Tudor façade which was erected in 1907 as part of a Victorian redevelopment of the site that saw the introduction of a brewery on the premises.

Beers are no longer brewed on site (though the re-establishment of a microbrewery is on the cards) but in the new Horse and Jockey you can order from a selection of cask ales, which are stored at perfect temperature in the newly converted beer cellar.

Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Theakstons are resident, with guest ales like Wherry, Alton’s Pride, Morrissey Fox Blonde, Most Wanted and many more on rotation over coming months.
 

But there’s more to this redeveloped pub than its beer. Gone is the tatty aesthetic.

Instead find exposed brick walls, flat screen plasma TVs, copper top tables, exposed beams, tankards hanging over the bar, malt whiskies and wood surfaces, with black pudding on the menu, fresh (and traditional) artwork on the walls and a new sense of space.
 

In addition, Peter and Simon have created a dedicated restaurant for those who want a more formal eating experience than the pub food will allow.
 

Overlooking the green, the 40-cover space will provide table service as an alternative to the hustle and bustle of the main room.

Horse and Jockey, 9 The Green, Chorlton M21 9HS (0161 860 7794).