Last knockings in a wet and windy Manchester

Moving swiftly on, as there were still a further eight pubs left unticked on my list – the one where Martin was complimentary about my handwriting. We had parted company, as he hurried off to the barbers shop, where his son works, to get a haircut, whilst I still had several more Manchester pubs to visit. The one I was heading for was the Peveril of the Peak, a famous Mancunian institution, and a real classic town boozer.

Surrounded by much taller office and apartment blocks of more recent origin, this small, wedge shaped, Victorian pub is a real survivor, standing shorn of the rest of the original terrace at the apex of a junction between two converging roads. The Peveril’s ornate tiled exterior hides an even more splendid interior, full of polished wood, stained glass, and traditional bench seating along the walls. According to What Pub, this unspoilt gem is still run by the city’s longest serving landlady, although she wasn’t evident when I squeezed inside, taking shelter from the increasingly wet weather that was doing its best to dampen spirits on an already damp, Friday afternoon.

I entered what I assumed was originally the public bar, from a door to the left of the building, and despite finding the place packed full of drinkers, not only managed to get served, but also found a bit of space along the bench seating, to rest my legs. With a final step total for the day of over 26,000, I must have reached at least 20k by that stage, so somewhere to park my behind was much appreciated. There was a good, mixed crowd of drinkers in the Peveril, that afternoon, but the service from the youngsters behind the bar was quick and efficient.

The cask beers were from Millstone (Tiger Rut), Titanic (Plum Porter – of course), and Brightside Brewing (Mancunian Hoppy Blonde). I went for the latter, and it proved a good choice, as according to my entry on Untappd, I rated it as the "best beer of the trip," so far! Despite the excellence of the beer, I’d reached that mid-afternoon lull, where you just want to slow things down, chill out and sit there, taking everything in. I’m reasonably certain I’d been to the Peveril before, but as I said before, one’s memory plays tricks after half a century. One thing I do remember is the pub sold Wilson’s ales back then, and despite the brewery and its brands being owned by Watney’s, Wilson’s Original Bitter was available in cask form, and wasn’t a bad drop.

Time was marching on, so I decided to head back towards Piccadilly. The intensity of the rain had increased by now, so I was glad of the pack-a-mack I’d brought with me. My route took me passed Manchester Central Station, once one of the city’s main railway terminals, but closed to trains in 1969, when it was deemed surplus to requirements. I remember the station from my time in Manchester. It had only been closed for a few years, but it had that uncared for and unkempt look about it, and was used, at the time as a car-park.

The Greater Manchester Council bought the building in 1982, and work began on converting it into an exhibition centre. This opened in 1986 as the Greater Manchester Exhibition and Conference Centre or G-Mex, although it was subsequently renamed Manchester Central, in honour of its railway history. The venue hosts the annual Manchester Beer Festival, held each January by the Manchester branches of CAMRA.

I was using my Smartphone to help me navigate my way back into the city centre, when I received a WhatsApp message from Martin, informing me of the time of his train home, and asking if I was about for a final half? After a further exchange of messages, we settled on the City Arms, close to the Central Library, so I made my way there, and found him waiting for me inside. The pub was packed, and with no chance of a seat we made our way to the bar, where the choice of beer was Odin, from Brightside Brewing, plus three offerings from Neptune. The latter are a micro-brewery from Merseyside.

I opted for Neptune's Wooden Ships, because it reminded me of the classic, laid-back track of the same name, recorded by both Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills & Nash (I like both versions,
btw). This American style, pale ale was, according to my Untappd notes, slightly hazy, but perfectly drinkable. Untappd also records that I ticked this beer at the Vine Inn, which is next door, and the Oakham Citra that I enjoyed later at the Vine, was supped in the City Arms.- talk about the perils of retrospective entries, whilst under the influence of slightly too much beer! Returning briefly to the City Arms, we did manage to find a space to at least stand in peace, even though it was in the corridor, leading back out to the street. Sited behind the serving area, and with its own hatch for those desperate for a drink, it was a little cramped, but it was Friday afternoon in a city that knows how to have a good time.

Martin and I parted company after this. His train departed 45 minutes before mine, which meant I still had time for one last beer and one final pub from my list. As mentioned above, the Vine Inn is next door to the City Arms, and if you want an even longer pub stagger, without the “crawl” then the Waterhouse, which is the other side of the City Arms, is the pub for you. This JDW outlet also extends right through to the street behind, but there wasn’t time for a visit, it wasn't a pub back in 1975 and, more importantly, it wasn’t on the list.

I thanked Martin for his company, and for taking time out from his busy schedule as he set off, through the rain, to catch his train. I stepped straight into the Vine Inn and was surprised to find it a lot quieter than its immediate neighbour. I didn’t take any photos of the interior, but there was a room, at the left which extended to the rear of the pub. The bar counter was on the right, but there was also a separate drinking area, up some steps to the right of this. The lack of photographic evidence means the only beer I can report on is the Oakham Citra, which was in fine form.

It was my turn now to depart, so I took a leisurely stroll back to the station, stopping on the way to pick up a “meal deal” from the Greggs, opposite Piccadilly Gardens. The roast chicken sub-roll, with mayo and watercress, combined with the bag of crisps and bottle of water, formed the perfect “train picnic” – as my Irish work colleague would describe it, especially when combined with a coffee, purchased at the station. Retrospective apologies though, to the girl I sat next to, and the one opposite as well, although I’d like to think I consumed my feast as politely and delicately as possible.  

I only sat there, as I had a reserved seat, but with only a handful of additional passengers boarding at Stockport, I could perhaps have moved to an empty one. That also, might have seemed rude, but as I didn’t nod off, and start snoring, I stayed put. It was my immediate fellow travellers who dozed off, but the magazine I had with me, plus the ever-changing views from the window, as the train sped south, were sufficient to keep me awake. The train was around 20 minutes late into Euston, not that it mattered, as there was plenty of time for my connection back to Tonbridge. It was the Northern Line again, but this time to Charing Cross, which meant slightly less walking, than at London Bridge.

I really enjoyed my long overdue return to Manchester and the only puzzling thing is, why did I leave it so long? The only answer I can put forward is that life got in the way. Working 9-5, raising a family, changing jobs, and having to deal with the everyday stuff that life throws at us. There was also the six-year period when Eileen and I had our off-license, a task where we were virtually tied to the business, with very little free time for holidays or even the odd day out.

Don’t make the same mistake, make time for those trips, go and visit those friends and relatives you’ve been promising to see for ages, book that special holiday you’ve been promising yourself and set out on that long-distance trail you’ve wanted to do, since way back when. I’d like to think that with the new found freedom that comes from being semi-retired that I’ve at least been doing some of these things, but there’s still plenty more to do. The only question now, is what comes next?