The Bank Holiday weekend’s here at last, and we’d like to think we’ve earned the right to a few in a nice beer garden.
Handy for us, then, a new list of the UK’s favourite beer gardens has just been released.
Revealed via an interactive map created by UK company Roché Awnings, Google maps footfall data has been used to show off the most popular pubs across the country.
Even better, six of them are in Greater Manchester. Read on to find the one closest to you.
The Briton’s Protection
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Great Bridgewater St, Manchester
It’s no surprise to see this iconic Manchester pub on the list. Famous for holding the biggest collection of Jack Daniels in the city, The Briton’s Protection has over 350 whiskies and bourbons on its back bar. One of Manchester’s most beloved watering holes, the pub dates back to 1811. Popular with ale fans alike, it has one regular staple – Beartown’s The Britons Protection Bitter – and seven changing guest beers. It’s deceptively small inside but boasts a large beer garden to the rear.
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Terrace NQ
Thomas Street, Manchester
Thomas Street has changed a lot in recent years, but one thing that’s stayed (pretty much) constant is Terrace NQ. Like every other bar down there, it’s got a good number of tables out front – but venture inside and up the stairs and you’ll find not one, not two but three beer terrace gardens on its roof. Amazingly, it’s still considered by some in the city to be a bit of a hidden gem – perhaps due to the fact that, despite being right there in the name, the terraces weren’t actually open for the first three years of trading.
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The Courtyard
Chester Street, Manchester
Popular undergrad haunt The Courtyard has one of the biggest beer gardens in central Manchester. Set in the quadrangle underneath a big block of student halls, it’s partially covered and heated – making it an ideal choice for early spring drinks. It also prides itself on being cheaper than Wetherspoons, with some of the cheapest pints, ciders and spirit mixers in Manchester.
The King’s Arms
Bloom Street, Salford
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Originally housed across the road in the old gasworks office, today this Grade-II listed pub is housed in an impressive Victorian building. Dating back to 1879, it’s worth a visit for many reasons: including its famous house cat, Charlie, top beer selection and cracking little beer garden.
The Old Pint Pot
Adelphi Street, Salford
Also known as Adelphi, The Old Pint Pot in Salford is a popular stomping ground with Salford’s students and locals alike. Tucked a little off the beaten path, its outside terrace has some decent views over the River Irwell sitting as it does on the river’s horseshoe bend. You’ll find a good range of real ales here, plus lagers, ciders and spirit mixers – all reasonably priced.
The Palantine Public House
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Lower Broughton, Salford
A popular pub in Lower Broughton, Salford, The Palantine is a bit out of the way but well worth the trip if you want to make a day of it. Boasting a great beer garden out the back, it serves up a good mix of beers, spirit mixers and fun cocktails. The pub also shows live sport fixtures on big screens, worth a taking note of if you’re looking for somewhere to watch the Euro’s this summer.
Feature image – Terrace NQ
News
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Featured Images — Emma Farrer (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
News
All Greater Manchester boroughs to have 24-7 night buses from next month as new services launch
Emily Sergeant
Extra night buses, new routes, and more frequent bus services are being rolled out across the Bee Network at the end of this month.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy, and now plans to introduce these from September onwards have been confirmed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford will all get a 24-hour bus service by next month, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that once the new services have launched, it will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
Some of the other changes set to be introduced from next month include a selection of brand-new bus services, and more frequent buses during the day and at the weekends.
All Greater Manchester boroughs will have 24-7 night buses from next month / Credit: TfGM
There will also be better connections overall to key employment and leisure destinations like Manchester Airport, Trafford Centre, MediaCity, Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton, Kingsway Business Park, and Logistics North.
“The Bee Network belongs to the people of Greater Manchester and it needs to work for every community,” explained Mayor Bev Craig.
“As we build it, we’re listening and responding to what residents want with the biggest set of improvements we’ve ever made in one go.
🚌 More improvements are on the way across the #BeeNetwork.
36 service changes will benefit around 740,000 people across Greater Manchester, helping more communities access reliable, convenient public transport.
“We’re bringing night buses to every borough, launching new routes and ensuring buses run more often in the mornings, evenings and weekends. In doing so, we’re making it easier than ever for people to get around the city region by bus, but we’re also supporting our businesses, whose staff and customers need a reliable and safe way to reach them.
“Almost three quarters of a million people live within walking distance of a bus route we’re improving over the next few months, and we’ll continue improving connections for even more communities based on the feedback we get.”
Georgina Pellant -
30th April 2021 
