Manchester football stadiums sell the Premier League’s cheapest pints, study finds
Meanwhile, a beer will set you back over a fiver (£5.10) at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium whilst London Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium charge a steep £5.
Aside from the end result, there are many things that can make or break a match day. From the cost of a pint to quench your thirst to the mood of other fans around you, there are simply some stadiums that do it better than others – and apparently, Manchester is up there with the very best.
As much as Manchester United fans hate their owners, it’s possible the Glazers may have done one thing right: namely, selling the cheapest beers in the Premier League.
According to a new study by Betting.com, Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium offers the cheapest pints of beer in the whole of the Premier League with thirst-quenching pints costing football fans just £3 a pop.
But whilst reds fans might be feeling smug at the news, it’s good news for blues supporters too as Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium comes in a close second-cheapest with pints for home and away fans only costing an extra 40p more.
Third on the list is Leeds United’s Elland Road, where fans typically pay £3.60 for a pint, followed by Newcastle United’s St James’ Park and Nottingham Forest’s The City Ground.
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The most expensive pint in the Premier League, meanwhile, can be found at King Power Stadium, home to Leicester City, where a pint will set fans back a steep £5.10 a go.
As well as conducting research on the cheapest pints, Betting.com has also revealed the best and worst football stadiums in the UK based on online reviews, the cost of a match day pint, as well as food and atmosphere ratings.
On top of this, they’ve also revealed the stadiums home to the most and least expensive tours for fans looking to walk in the footsteps of their heroes.
With an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5, matched only by Anfield (Liverpool F.C), and The City Ground, (Nottingham Forest), Tottenham Hotspur Stadium comes out on top as the best football stadium home to a Premier League club.
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Spurs’ ground boasts 82% of its reviews being 5 star, tied with Craven Cottage (Fulham), and a 4 star rating by fans for its food, matched only by Amex Stadium, home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
In second place overall comes St. James’ Park, followed by Anfield in third, The City Ground in fourth and Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium in fifth.
On the opposite end of the scale, London Stadium is revealed to be the worst stadium home to a Premier League club. The home of West Ham United, the stadium scores a measly 2.5 out of 5 for its atmosphere and charges fans a high price (£5) for a match day beer.
Fans love to get a sneak peak behind the scenes of their team’s ground, but how much can a tour set you back? Stamford Bridge, home to Chelsea, is by far the most expensive stadium to see through the eyes of your heroes, costing £40 a head, followed by Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (£27) and Emirates Stadium (£27) in joint second place whilst Anfield (£25) comes in third.
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Meanwhile, King Power Stadium (Leicester City), Amex Stadium (Brighton & Hove Albion), Elland Road (Leeds United) and The City Ground (Nottingham Forest) have the cheapest tours on offer at £15 a head.
The Didsbury Dozen loses one of its best as The Dockyard confirms closure
Danny Jones
The Didsbury Dozen has lost one of its strongest stops as the much-loved Dockyard sadly closed for good this past weekend.
A favourite among those taking on the popular Greater Manchester pub crawl and a busy bar in its own right along the main Didsbury Village strip, The Dockyard has been a staple of South Manchester boozing for some time.
However, it’s time as part of the Dozen and in the heart of the community has come to an end, with the staff having completed their final service on Sunday, 19 January.
Sharing a short but heartfelt goodbye on social media, they welcomed customers to join them one last time “to raise a glass and say cheers!”.
The post begins: “Right Didsbury… Thank you so much for your welcome and custom when we arrived here in the village, but the time has now come to say goodbye. We have had a blast over the last four years and we hope you have too!”
Although many relatively new to the area or at least its drinking scene will only know it as The Dockyard, the venue has actually been under a lot of names over the years.
Originally known as Times Square, it was then refurbished into a branch of O’Neills in 1996 before going on to re-open as The Stokers Arms in 2014.
Nevertheless, it maintained a regular and loyal following as The Dockyard and many will be “sorry to see it go”; one person commented: “Oh no! We had a fab time in here over Christmas and [were] hoping to return soon. Sorry to see you go and I will be visiting your other sites.
Thankfully, they did go on to confirm that the remaining pubs in Salford Quays and Northwich will remain open – as is the Left Bank location in Spinningfields overlooking the River Irwell. Better still, the building itself will still remain a pub and we already know what’s taking its place:
Although there is still no news on when we can expect to see The Salmon’s second venture launch, if it’s anything like the success the Northern Quarter one has seen then we’re in for a treat.
So don’t worry, The Didsbury Dozen may have taken a hit but it’s still intact and there are plenty of other pubs you can work into the crawl in the meantime.
For now, though, all we can say is rest in peace to The Dockyard Didsbury, you were a real one – we’ll always have the memories.
Michelin guide Prestwich restaurant Osma announces heartbreaking closure
Daisy Jackson
Osma, a beautiful, Michelin-recommended restaurant in Prestwich, has announced its closure next month.
The Scandi-esque restaurant has been a front-runner of Prestwich’s ever-growing food and drink scene since it opened in 2020.
Fronted by Manchester born Danielle Heron, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals 2024, alongside Sofie Stoermann-Naess.
Osma has been a favourite among Prestwich locals over the last five years, famed for its inventive small plates and delicious Sunday roasts – but now its time in the suburb has come to an end.
In a statement shared online, Osma said that they have ‘struggled to find experience staff, leaving us with little to no personal life’.
The restaurant has teased a move into the city centre, where it’s hoped the business will be more sustainable and ready to grow.
“This is by no means the end of Osma,” they wrote.
Their kitchen at Exhibition in the city centre will remain open even after Osma in Prestwich closes on Sunday 9 February.
Osma in Prestwich has announced its closure. Credit: Instagram, @osmakitchenbar
Other food and drink businesses in the village have all been sharing farewell messages, with The Pearl commenting: “Prestwich’s foodie foundations will be very wobbly without the OG cornerstone that welcomed the ‘foodie neighbourhood’ accolades. Good luck in town both, we’ll definitely come and visit the new place.”
Whole Bunch Wines, formerly known as Grape to Grain, said: “Absolutely devastating news for Prestwich. A HUGE loss but a sign of their quality that they’re forced to move.”
Osma’s full statement reads: “Neighbours & Friends. We’ve spoken with some of you already, but it’s time to make it official. It’s with a heavy heart, but excitement for the future, that we have decided to close our Prestwich restaurant ahead of a move to the city centre.
“Being fully transparent – we’ve struggled to find experienced staff, leaving us with little to no personal life. We have made the decision to move on to what we hope will be a more sustainable business that can grow, and allow us more time to follow our dreams. This is by no means the end of OSMA.
“We’re optimistic, but it’s bittersweet. After (almost!) five years we have met so many amazing and incredible people, who we’re proud to call our friends and OSMA family. So many of you have kept coming back week after week – we feel honoured and so grateful for your company. There have been hard days over the years and your kindness, patience and good moods have made such an impact on us to keep pushing forward. Thank you! 🙏🏼
“Of course, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our one-of-a-kind staff. Your efforts make OSMA what it is. Even when so understaffed, you all keep moving and help each other get through the day as a team. There’s not many of you, but what you guys can achieve is incredible!
“Lastly, we want to thank our landlord, Tony Freeman, for taking a risk on two 26-year-old girls wanting to open a restaurant. OSMA wouldn’t be here today without him believing in us. You will live on in our memory forever.
“Our last day of service will be Sunday, 9th February. Bookings are open now and we’d love to see as many of you as possible before we go. Stay tuned on our socials as we’ll be throwing a leaving party, too.
“A little housekeeping… gift cards bought after the 9th of Feb 2024 may be refunded to the original payment method, or extended to use at our new site (to be valid for one year after the opening date). Our Kitchen at Exhibition on Peter Street will also remain open as usual, so please don’t be a stranger.
“We appreciate every single one of you… and we’ll be back before you know it! Love Dani & Fie x”