The Sun in September

The Sun in September, Burnage, Manchester M19 1NA

The newest entry on this blog in terms of when it opened as a pub, the Sun in September was originally a detached Victorian villa in extensive grounds that was converted to pub use by Samuel Smith’s in the 1980s. The décor originally had something of an Indian Raj theme, which is where the name came from, but successive refurbishments have largely removed this.

It is situated in a mixed residential area just off Kingsway and close to a busy local shopping parade. Although there is no lack of nearby housing, it is now the only established pub left standing for at least half a mile in any direction, although there a couple of newer micros. The derelict Albion is a few hundred yards away along Burnage Lane.

In front of the pub is an attractive beer garden featuring several mature trees from the original grounds, which shows up well on the StreetView image. The remainder of the plot is given over to an unnecessarily large car park which presumably was dictated by 1980s planning policies.

The main door leads you through into the extensive lounge, which has an L-shaped bar on the left, and four distinct seating areas centred around an impressive feature fireplace. One section has tramcar-style seating. There is also a plainer public bar with its own entrance around the back of the pub.

It offers cask Old Brewery Bitter together with the usual range of keg beers. Obviously the restrictive Sam’s house rules apply, in particular the mobile phone ban, but there can be a good buzz of conversation. The pub clearly has a strong band of regulars, but also attracts customers from further afield, particularly for the popular Sunday lunches.

Several bus services run nearby and it is only a short walk from Burnage Station on the Piccadilly-Manchester Airport line.

The Circus Tavern

The Circus Tavern, Manchester M1 4GX

A tiny single-fronted pub in a row of Victorian buildings that is a surprising survivor amongst the modern chrome and glass that surrounds it. It still carries Tetley’s livery, and the blue plaque on the front records it being recognised as a Tetley Heritage Inn. Not surprisingly, it also qualifies for a full entry on CAMRA’s National Inventory.

It claims to have the “smallest bar in Europe” and, while it certainly isn’t the smallest pub, that is probably true. The servery is a small quadrant halfway down the corridor leading from the front door, serving Tetley Bitter and a second beer that in recent years has been a paler offering such as Wainwright or Robinson’s Dizzy Blonde.

On the right-hand side of the corridor are two small cosy rooms separated from the corridor by a wooden screen, both with extensive bench seating. The one at the front features entertainment-related photos and tends to be more favoured by the regulars, while that at the rear has a TV screen and football photos and is more popular with casual visitors. The pub as a whole has a good balance between loyal customers and those attracted to it as something of a curiosity in the city centre. No food is served.

Despite its small size, it still provides separate gents’ and ladies’ toilets that would put most micropubs to shame. Hydes’ Grey Horse three doors to the right is almost equally tiny and, while somewhat more modernised, is also well worth a visit.

The Hare & Hounds

The Hare & Hounds, Manchester M4 4AA

A small pub on Shudehill on the north side of the city centre, that was once part of a terraced row but is now isolated amidst modern development. The interior was remodelled in the 1920s and remains largely unspoilt, with a front vault, drinking corridor alongside the bar and rear lounge, earning it a full entry on CAMRA’s National Inventory.

Once a Tetley’s pub, the beer range is now Holt’s Bitter, Doom Bar and Robinson’s Dizzy Blonde, with the Holt’s, sold at a bargain price for the city centre, very much being the staple beer. No food is served, but the pub attracts a strong following of older regulars.

The Peveril of the Peak

The Peveril of the Peak, Manchester M1 5JQ

An early Victorian pub with an impressive tiled exterior, situated in the angle of two streets and now overshadowed by more modern office buildings. The name comes from a stage coach rather than directly from the Walter Scott novel. The landlady is the longest serving in Manchester.

It has a largely unchanged interior meriting a full entry on CAMRA’s National Inventory. There are three rooms around the central bar, including a public bar with an antique table football game, a comfortable lounge (originally smoke room) and a further rear room with a pool table. The cask beer range is sensibly limited to four, including on recent visits Taylor’s Landlord, Millstone Tiger Rut and a couple of guests.