The Beerhouse, Manchester Victoria

[yorksrob]

Travelling through Manc today, I was pleased to find that the gently decaying Metro bar in Victoria has been much improved of late to a standard more befitting the fine Lancashire and Yorkshire decor of the space.

SSP (whom I often berate on Here) seem to have done a good job, redolent of their better outlets (such as Bonapartes in Bristol and the Iron Duke in the other Victoria).

The beer's still pricey as you'd expect. However there's now a rather pleasant house ale and cards allowing us to suggest other beers. Seems to be a hit with the public as well, going by the number of handsome young men in here.

All in all, quite an improvement.

 

[Jonfun]

Indeed. I met a friend at Victoria yesterday evening and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the station in general now looks whilst still retaining it's classic features. And it now has a Starbucks, even if it is a naff SSP one.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed. I met a friend at Victoria yesterday evening and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the station in general now looks whilst still retaining it's classic features. And it now has a Starbucks, even if it is a naff SSP one.

Ah well, I don't know so much about coffee shops

But yes, the station's coming along nicely!

Apologies to the mods - I thought I had put this thread in Infrastructure and Stations

 

[Amphora]

Was in the Salisbury on Tues, it's next to a station - think it's Oxford rd station (rail) Manchester. Some good beer in there. Hand pulled real ale. Some great IPAs, for summer.

 

[Bungle965]

I agree it has been very much upgraded from the dump that it once was, a long time comming in my opion but so was the whole refurbishment of Manchester Victoria station in which Network Rail have done a good job of I have to say.

 

[yorksrob]

Was in the Salisbury on Tues, it's next to a station - think it's Oxford rd station (rail) Manchester. Some good beer in there. Hand pulled real ale. Some great IPAs, for summer.

Ah yes, is that the rockers pub that does a good pint of Old Peculiar?

Decent pub.
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I agree it has been very much upgraded from the dump that it once was, a long time comming in my opion but so was the whole refurbishment of Manchester Victoria station in which Network Rail have done a good job of I have to say.

Indeed. I do wish they'd refurbished the old trainshed though. Still, we are where we are and they've made a bloody good job of it!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are we discussing the room that appears to have sourced its tables, benches and chairs from a clearance sale of a closed-down "greasy spoon" ?

 

[theblackwatch]

The review at https://boozyprocrastinator.wordpre...house-manchester-victoria-station-why-bother/ isn't very complimentary about this place!

The Beer House – Manchester Victoria Station – Why Bother

 

[yorksrob]

Are we discussing the room that appears to have sourced its tables, benches and chairs from a clearance sale of a closed-down "greasy spoon" ?

If they offer a proper 'greasy spoon' menu, then I 'm even more with them.

 

[BurtonM]

Ah yes, is that the rockers pub that does a good pint of Old Peculiar?

And a cracking pub it is too! The beer garden is well hidden, a wonderful little space. My friend commends the wide selection of whiskies they have on offer, too.

 

[yorksrob]

The review at https://boozyprocrastinator.wordpre...house-manchester-victoria-station-why-bother/ isn't very complimentary about this place!

Well, it's no 'Tap' but I think the author is perhaps being a bit harsh. The map on the wall seemed a pretty decent approximation of the railway in past years to my untrained eye.

However, when it comes to a station stop off, i don't require the moon on a stick. A bit of effort and a decent pint of ale is plenty good enough for me !

 

[kevconnor]

I don't think it was ever going to be Tap esk bar, they have taken disused parts of stations and given them a new lease of life, this area was already franchised to SSP and as disappointing as their environs often are Network Rail are unlikely to turf them out mid contract. Not been in there yet but from the pictures I have seen it does look like a half baked job but probably as good as you are going to get from the current proprietors.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Did I misunderstand, or at the end of the article was the author advocating ticketless travel?

 

[IanD]

£4.80 for a pint! "Greene King Seasonal" - it's IPA ffs - as seasonal as a well known furniture shop sale and second only to Doom Bar in it's blandness. £4.80 for a pint of p!ss - un-****ing-believable!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Why could not have a good quality cafeteria with a choice of cooked meals been opened in that part of the room, with comfortable furniture befitting a newly refurbished railway station, and left the other part of the room with the cupola as the bar area. The newly re-opened and refurbished cafeteria at Hoopers department store in Wilmslow is a good example of being able to eat in comfortable surroundings.

Having been to the disgrace that Starbucks have seen fit to call a place worthy to be opened in the former first class dining room with a long counter and virtually no other space to sit to eat food consumed there and no depth whatsoever in the room, if this has been passed as acceptable for its purpose, then those who made such a deplorable decision should be held to account for their actions.

 

[yorksrob]

From my brief glimpse at the menu on the wall, the food looked fairly high end. However, there's no escaping the London prices for the beer !

 

[sprinterguy]

I don't think it was ever going to be Tap esk bar...

Which is a shame, though as you say not unexpected, as the surrounding architecture and the glass domed roof in particular would lend themselves well to a York Tap style of refurbishment now that Victoria has been significantly cleaned up. With that said, however, it still looks like quite a well thought out refurbishment.

Mind you, £4.80 for a pint of GK IPA, anywhere including London, is extortionate! hock:

 

[MidlandMainlie]

£4.80 for a pint! "Greene King Seasonal" - it's IPA ffs - as seasonal as a well known furniture shop sale and second only to Doom Bar in it's blandness. £4.80 for a pint of p!ss - un-****ing-believable!

Glad I am not the only one who thought £4.80 was extortionate for a pint of Greene King rubbish, wouldn't drink their beer if they gave it away for free.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

From my brief glimpse at the menu on the wall, the food looked fairly high end. However, there's no escaping the London prices for the beer !

Would anyone really want to eat "fairly high end" food on the "transport café" style of furnishings in that room? Noting what is said about the overpriced beer, who is not to say that the food will be similarly overpriced in this establishment?

I am suddenly struck by the idea that the furniture in this room being that what might be expected to be provided in the film set of a John le Carre film that is set "somewhere in East Germany"....

 

[yorksrob]

Would anyone really want to eat "fairly high end" food on the "transport café" style of furnishings in that room? Noting what is said about the overpriced beer, who is not to say that the food will be similarly overpriced in this establishment?

I am suddenly struck by the idea that the furniture in this room being that what might be expected to be provided in the film set of a John le Carre film that is set "somewhere in East Germany"....

Well, that's trendiness for you

To be honest, my mantra for food is cheap with big portions, so I probably wouldn't partake myself.

I'd only really need it more for a pint of beer when I've got a half hour to spare between changes, and the house ale (which costs a bit less than the Greene King IPA of which I'm also not a fan) does the trick.

 

[45107]

Saw the title to thread and thought that it referred to the pub formerly known as The Beerhouse on Angel Street approx 5 mins walk from Victoria.
Now called The Angel. Much more worth a visit if you have time (then head further away to The Marble Arch)

 

[gimmea50anyday]

And a cracking pub it is too! The beer garden is well hidden, a wonderful little space. My friend commends the wide selection of whiskies they have on offer, too.

You thinking of the thirsty scholar underneath occy road station? Sure the salisbury is behind the hascienda apartments nearer to deansgate


Damn wrong quote!

 

[sprinterguy]

You thinking of the thirsty scholar underneath occy road station? Sure the salisbury is behind the hascienda apartments nearer to deansgate

No, from the description that's definitely the Salisbury at Oxford Road. Excellent pub. It's all of thirty yards (if that!) from the Thirsty Scholar.

 

[PR1Berske]

£4.80 for GK IPA is unjustifiable, IMO.

 

[Stats]

I went to a SSP The Beerhouse once in another transport location. I haven't been back ever since on ordering a pint of the local hand pulled bitter I was asked if I knew it was a bitter and not a lager. I don't know if I was more insulted at the suggestion I didn't know it was a bitter, or that I would even consider drinking lager.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

I'll stick to Microbar near Market St Metrolink stop i'm not buying overpriced Greene King Bile when i can get a Pint of Local Real cider for around £3

I won't support SSP and there lack of grasping what the market wants

 

[sprinterguy]

£4.80 for a pint! "Greene King Seasonal" - it's IPA ffs - as seasonal as a well known furniture shop sale and second only to Doom Bar in it's blandness.

It surprises me that derogatory comments so often seem to get aimed at Doom Bar in the world of real ale and beer at large: I’m quite fond of it, and there must be a good reason why it is currently the biggest selling bottled and cask (as of 2013, in the case of the latter) ale. I can take or leave Greene King IPA, but I do enjoy a pint of it when it is well kept. Ubiquity often invites derision, though unfortunately I think that is partly the fault of that same ubiquity leading to increased opportunities for the ale to be badly kept, coupled with indifferent cellarmanship at some of the less real ale focused venues where it is stocked.
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I went to a SSP The Beerhouse once in another transport location. I haven't been back ever since on ordering a pint of the local hand pulled bitter I was asked if I knew it was a bitter and not a lager. I don't know if I was more insulted at the suggestion I didn't know it was a bitter, or that I would even consider drinking lager.

Are the “Hero” suffixed bars that have begun cropping up at stations such as Newcastle and Preston in recent years also SSP outlets of some kind? It’s nice to see a bit of a revival in licensed station presmises that we are witnessing at present, but this particular chain repels me with its seeming indifference and lack of enthusiasm towards the beer that it sells.

 

[PR1Berske]

It surprises me that derogatory comments so often seem to get aimed at Doom Bar in the world of real ale and beer at large: I’m quite fond of it, and there must be a good reason why it is currently the biggest selling bottled and cask (as of 2013, in the case of the latter) ale. I can take or leave Greene King IPA, but I do enjoy a pint of it when it is well kept. Ubiquity often invites derision, though unfortunately I think that is partly the fault of that same ubiquity leading to increased opportunities for the ale to be badly kept, coupled with indifferent cellarmanship at some of the less real ale focused venues where it is stocked.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Are the “Hero” suffixed bars that have begun cropping up at stations such as Newcastle and Preston in recent years also SSP outlets of some kind? It’s nice to see a bit of a revival in licensed station presmises that we are witnessing at present, but this particular chain repels me with its seeming indifference and lack of enthusiasm towards the beer that it sells.

I have just Googled "Preston Hero", and SSP is the second result.

 

[Stats]

Are the “Hero” suffixed bars that have begun cropping up at stations such as Newcastle and Preston in recent years also SSP outlets of some kind? It’s nice to see a bit of a revival in licensed station presmises that we are witnessing at present, but this particular chain repels me with its seeming indifference and lack of enthusiasm towards the beer that it sells.

don't know, but the Newcastle Hero is now a M&S Simply Food.

 

[CdBrux]

I won't support SSP and there lack of grasping what the market wants

If enough people don't go into their establishment then their not meeting the market needs will result in them closing or adapting. If however the establishment is full, no matter how expensive, looking like a greasy spoon and with inaccurate maps, then they will be grasping what the market wants, just maybe not what you or I may want.