CityLife

Paul Ogden's pubs of the year

1 / 1 imagesSHINING LIGHT: The Northern

SOAPS are supposed to be the nation’s cultural barometer. We can chart the many social phenomena through the storylines of the writers of the likes of Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale.

But the contagion that is spreading through the nation’s pubs seems to have passed them by.

The Rovers still turns out a pint of Newton And Ridley, the Queen Vic is, as ever, the place ‘dodgy geezers’ stop off for a lager and The Woolpack remains the focal point of Emmerdale life – and, increasingly, death.

But in reality, traditional pubs have been through their worst ever year, and things may get worse in 2009.

The real-life Rovers is probably boarded up, awaiting conversion to flats when the market picks up, the Queen Vic is now a balti house and the Woolpack converted into a rest home.

But while cold economic winds blew through the industry, there were some welcome signs. Real ale sales are holding up better than other types of beverage and the popularity and availability of cask in bottles is also on the rise.

And there are some wonderful, individual pubs in our area, trying harder than ever to provide great food and, more importantly, well-kept drinks.

Some fine examples you should make a point of visiting were my favourites in 2008.

The city centre has recently been the preserve of the bar but the last 12 months saw The Northern come into its own.

One of the first new pubs to open here in years The Northern, in the Northern Quarter, has the hip, cool feel of a city bar combined with the earthiness of a pub.

The couple of real ales it serves could do with being fleshed out with brews from local micros, but the food is a great example of well-cooked pub fayre given a modern lift.

And the food is the main reason why you should also venture to The Angel, off Rochdale Road.

Just down from the always fantastic Marble Arch, chef-proprietor Robert Owen Brown is having fun with his off-the-wall northern food – his six-course game evenings are a real hoot – and a variety of great beers, including its own Angel beer, brewed especially for the pub by Facers.

Another pub which has re-invented itself over the past few years is The Lass O’Gowrie. The Charles Street boozer now serves good, honest tucker and has an ever-changing variety of ales.

It also has its beer-soaked fingers in many pies to help encourage the punters through the doors – music and comedy nights, a book club, computer games evenings and one of the coolest smoking areas in the city.

Outside the city centre there are still many great pubs doing good things, but two stood out for me.

To the north, The Crown at Worthington, near Wigan, got everything right.

It is an example of a free house where the landlord Daniel Prince’s passion for beer (hand pumps galore and a menu of European lagers) and eagerness to spread the gospel (themed beer weekends and an annual beer festival) is mirrored by some great food in a traditional, non-gastro environment.

To the south, The Roebuck, at Mobberley, near Knutsford, is a fine country pub in touching distance of restaurant-standard food in family-friendly surroundings and with a quirky terraced beer garden.

The Roebuck’s culinary ambitions are clear, hence its involvement in the Northwest Food Lovers’ Festival, but it does not forget its wet sales, with some well-kept real ales, though more micros would not go amiss here, too.

The traditional pub is still the hub of Britain’s eating and drinking culture. Go and visit one soon and keep it alive. Cheers.

The Northern, 56 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LW (0161 835 2548). The Angel, 6 Angel Street, Manchester, M4 4BQ (0161 866 4786). The Lass O’ Gowrie, 36 Charles Street, Manchester, M1 7DB (0161 273 6932). The Crown At Worthington, Platt Lane, Worthington, Wigan, WN1 2XF (08000 686678).
The Roebuck, Mill Lane, Mobberley, Knutsford, WA16 7HX (01565 873322).
 

Published: Fri, 02 January, 2009

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tax payer wrote:

I prefered it when it was The Kings Arms - a proper pub, theres not many of them left

dorothy sydenham wrote:

ps that was the angel pub off rochdale rd

dorothy sydenham wrote:

my friend and i went specially on your reccomendation for sunday lunchlast sunday th5th of july.well being an ex born machester lady thought we would give it ago .never again the beef was good but the yorkshire pudding was as hard as board not mch atmosphere either .tell the chef i am a 70 yr old granny if he needs a lesson in yorkshire pudding let me know ill will gladly show him .i will stick too my own in future one disssatisfied granny ,dorothysydenham cheshire woman now