Following a lengthy spate of closure, traditional Manchester boozer the Ancoats Lad will reopen its doors this weekend to welcome back loyal regulars in style.
With a refreshed look, new owners and a brand new name, the pub will now be known as The Mancunian – but, out of respect for its punters, pretty much everything else will stay as it was.
With a fresh lick of paint, hyper-local drinks offering, and new contributions to the decor from local artists Dave Draws and The Manc Wanderer, it’s the same pub in spirit – but with a slightly fresher feel.
We popped down this week ahead of the new opening for a sneak peek at the site and a chat with the pub’s new co-owner Perry Morrissey, who, just like landlord Phil Bell before him, has a long family history of owning nightlife businesses in the city centre.
Image: The Manc Eats
Those who’ve visited the micropub before will likely know its former landlord kept a lot of memorabilia on the walls (and ceilings) over the years, some of which he has left behind for new owners Perry and Josh.
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These historic pieces, some of which depict life on the streets of Ancoats and the Northern Quarter over 150 years ago, are still on display as part of a new feature wall that blends the old with the new.
Here full-skirted Victorians depicted in black and white sit side-by-side with color images of the city today, taken by The Manc Wanderer (aka Nathan Whittaker) – including one of Manchester favourite Boom Box Barrington.
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Image: The Manc Eats
On the other side, a new mural by artist Dave Draws has been created in the style of a fantasy map that puts current venues alongside those from the past, such as the ‘Scuttler’s Wine Bar’, as a way of celebrating its history and bringing together the old and the new.
The idea behind this, Perry tells us, was to show “how the city’s changed now”. Elsewhere in the pub, the old Ancoats Lad sign remains – now part of the decore, nailed to the wall by the pub’s bathrooms.
As for the drinks offering here, Perry tells us the pair have already spoken with Phil on what they should stock, saying: “[he] let us know which ones was the big sellers, a bit of what the Ancoats lad used to drink.”
Image: The Manc Eats
As well as continuing to stock these all-important regular favourites, they’re also bringing in some new locally-made beers and spirits from the likes of Shindigger, Manchester Union Lager, Salford Rum and Manchester Gin.
The pair also plan to introduce live music at the site, which is nicely sandwiched between pubs/music venues Gullivers and The Castle Hotel, starting with a one-man band that will play every Friday and Saturday from 4-7pm.
They also intend to make The Mancunian a good football pub, with the planned addition of big TV screens to watch the sport on ready for the start of the World Cup this September.
Image: The Manc Eats
As we’ve already mentioned, this is not Perry’s first foray into hospitality – he already has another pub in Bury, called The Treeehouse, and his family has a long history of owning nightclubs in the city centre – including the famous Ampersand and Paparrazi
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As he gears up to open The Mancunian this weekend, he tells us he now has his eyes set on taking over a few more in the city centre with the help of his business partner Josh.
With a great appreciation for the dying breed of traditional boozers, the pair hope to take back some more of Ancoats’ “lost venues” – stealing them away from the trendy cocktail bars that have run amock in this part of town for the past however-many years.
Good luck to them. Manchester has definitely neglected some of its traditional boozers in recent years, which seems silly given how they are so beloved by locals.
The Mancunian’s official reopening date is set for Saturday 16 July.
Feature image.- The Manc Eats
Manchester
Josh Baker to play exclusive set at massive World Cup watch party in Manchester
Danny Jones
JD x DJ: Yes, the well-known British and Manchester-founded sports fashion brand is teaming up with local artistJosh Baker for an exclusive pop-up set at a massive World Cup screening in the city centre tonight.
That’s right, the local label is teaming up with the Parklife star for an impromptu gig at an otherwise sold-out location where England vs Argentina will be on the big screen later this evening.
With all eyes on the semi-final, keeping nerves steady will be a tall task, but Baker will be helping play his part in getting the energy up ahead of kick-off.
No matter what happens with the scoreline, it’s set to be a proper party atmosphere beforehand.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Da0FDI3tp3I/?hl=en
Fresh off the plane from his White Isle residency over in Ibiza, the 30-year-old Manc musician will be taking to the stage from 6:15pm at none other than Castlefield Bowl, where nearly 9,000 people will be watching the big game.
In case you missed it, after wrapping up Sounds of the City ’26, the Bowl is now being taken over for Road to Victory’s outdoor fan zone.
Doors will be open from 5:30pm ahead of the 8pm kick-off, and you’ll want to get down there with plenty of time to make sure you get a good view of the action – and by that, we mean both the game and Josh’s exciting set.
A limited number of extra tickets for the RtV watchalong, which reached the top end of its maximum capacity almost immediately, and now people have even more reason to join the waiting list for a hopeful last-minute spot.
Better still, not only are those at the venue in for a night of amazing music and incredible vibes, but they’ll be cheering on Thomas Tuchel’s men straight after, in a crucial clash that could see England reach a second consecutive final in the last two major tournaments.
There’ll be plenty of entertainment before, during and after the breaks.
We will, of course, be keeping our fingers crossed for you and the boys tonight; the only thing we’re certain of is that the man himself will deliver on the night.
We had the honour of chatting with JB ahead of the BRITs back in February, and he’s only looking to bigger and better things this year.
For those looking to go along for this special one-off, once again, tickets to the event are already sold out, so your only chance is to sign up for the waiting list HERE. Fingers crossed for you and a result at full-time!
Last but not least, keep your eyes peeled on the JD Sports Instagram page and their other socials for all other updates ahead of the huge night. We can feel it: it’s coming home…
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via JD Sports)
Manchester
The unsung Manchester pub serving beloved local pints for £3.35 that’s thrived during the World Cup
Danny Jones
Finding a pint for less than £5 in Manchester in 2026 is almost unheard of; combine that with a pub that’s truly levelled up as a go-to for the World Cup this summer, and this increasingly rowdy little corner of Castlefield is well worth writing home about.
We’re talking about The White Lion on Liverpool Road and just around from the city centre’s famous Roman fort, ‘Mamucium’, which has always been among the more reasonable places for a tipple in town and is no stranger to showing the football.
However, after a significant refurb just a few years ago and after gradually growing a refreshed crowd of regulars, the Manc boozer hasn’t just steadily repatronised local punters but rather it seems to have gained a whole new lease of life this summer.
The 2026 World Cup showings, complete with a new outside screen on their sizeable and sunny outdoor terrace, have certainly helped, but when you can get a drink for as little as £3.35 for a pint of Boddies, it’s not hard to see why more and more people are flocking here amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Part of us almost thought about trying to still gatekeep this one for ourselves, but the truth is, the place has become so popular over the past few months (at least that’s as long as we’ve noticed a significant increase) that the cat is very much out of the bag and it’s no one’s ‘best-kept secret’ anymore.
Yes, with Boddingtons, a.k.a. the recently reborn ‘Cream of Manchester’, on tap for the same cost as a half-decent coffee these days, not to mention various cheap draught beers and other offers on booze – whether it be shots, the growing Buzzball craze, or just a standard spirit and mixer – it’s a godsend.
We all know how expensive it can be going out for the night at present, but the no-nonsense bar prices and setup overseen by Craft Union, who specialise in community pubs and keeping the beating “heart of high streets and neighbourhoods across the country” alive and well, are nothing short of unsung heroes.
To clarify, we’re not pretending that no one knows about this gaff, far from it, but it does feel like one of those understated and underrated places that doesn’t get anywhere near enough props as it deserves.
Credit: The Manc Group
The private limited company, which operates as a subsidiary of the wider Stonegate Group, may be one of the largest in the UK, but one of the most impressive parts about their work at The White Lion is that it still feels like a local pub made for locals.
Better yet, they’ve also coincidentally filled a whole left by the much-loved Sir Ralph Abercromby: the Manchester United fan favourite and all-round footy pub who sadly lost their bustling beer garden (complete with a hot dog/burger van) amid the major St Michael’s development.
On the upside, what those who used to frequent that venue have somewhat lost as a result of the building works can now be found at the likes of White Lion, as it’s also often filled with Reds throughout the year – they’ve even added a little food hatch of their own in the corner of the shrubbery-lined patio.
And once again, with price points as reasonable as these, they’re not just undercutting most other venues in the vicinity by some distance, but they’re at least trying to do their bit in hopefully redressing the balance when it comes to combatting inflation within the hospitality industry.
Cheap shots, bombs 2-4-£6, and a good pour of Guinness for LESS than a fiver. (Credit: The Manc)
It’s also worth noting that the current landlords are also doing their bit to help minimise spending on gig nights, too.
With Sounds of the City 2026 now wrapped up, they had extra deals on drinks right throughout the duration of the multi-date festival down the road at Castlefield Bowl.
Put simply, they may not be reinventing the wheel here, but if we can’t shout about a place doing its best to keep things affordable while still offering a good time come the weekend or even just to reward yourself after work, we don’t know what is.
Here’s to all those in the food and drink sector fighting the good fight, and let’s hope the tide turns in everyone’s favour very soon.
Georgina Pellant -
15th July 2022 
