Manchester to Leeds

Not quite what you asked for, but you could do worse than the George Hotel, Huddersfield. It's right outside the railway station, which offers a good selection of real ales at both the Station Tavern and the Head of Steam. The HoS has a 2 a.m. license Friday and Saturday nights. I was last in there on St. Patricks Day, drinking Messrs Maguires wonderful stout, from the cask, when everyone else in town was elsewhere drinking the other muck, made with Liffey Water and advertised as the only black beer produced in Ireland (or so you might think).

Thanks for the suggestion - a bit too pricey for us but looked a good idea otherwise

In the absence of any other suggestions we have gone for cheap (five of us) and an Express/Holiday Inn with a real ale pub next door, at £39.50 per room!

Visited - Marble summat or other in Manchester - hard to find when Rochdale rd isn't on your map! But worth the miles driving around trying to work out which bit of the ring road was going that way! What a superb building - and great beers - brewed on the spot.

The two in Wakefield - O'Donohue's because I knew they had Ossett beers, and Fernandes - another brewing pub, which despite several previous visits, we had never been able to find, but is also a great place.

I like weekends!

Now where shall I go next weekend....?

I almost wish i was a ticker.

Snip

Hi Chris, If you like proper Asian home food you missed out by not visiting any of the large number of indian cafes in the Northern quarter, (Which is where you were.) The prices are the lowest & the quality is the best. A few years ago the beer house a 100 yds away from the Marble was superb but has slipped a little. The other 2 excelent ale pubs in that area are the Bar Fringe & the Smithfield in Swan Street. PS Sunday afternoons the Cafes tend to do traditional asian foods for their Asian customers. I will shut up now as I am making myself hungry. 8^)

-- Dave Croft Warrington England

It's getting better again. The beers were definately on form the last time I was in there a few weeks ago.

Shh. Don't tell everyone. :)

Alan.

definitely going back - I noticed there was a B&B next door to the Marble - know anything about it?

Can you recommend any of these cafes by name? I'm always up for trying new places.

Gavin

Dave Croft

Hi Gavin, There a good number of these Cafes. They are in the Shood hill area of Manchester & are used by the Asian workers in the Rag trade area for lunch. I think the food is cooked by the wives the day before and warmed up but it tastes better than the cafe Indian food in Rushholm & costs a lot less. They tend to shut about tea time & the ones I recommend are the "This & That " & "The NewYagdar" in Thames Street. (It makes me hungry talking about it)

-- Dave Croft Warrington England

Not in my experience, they don't. You go to Harry's Bar for those. O' Donohues is an outlet for Red Lion Brewery (Ossett) though. Perhaps you were confusing the two?

Allegedly changing hands and stopping brewing, but no sign of either change when I was there last Thursday evening.

It seems you missed the Red Shed, too - that's a real shame.

I got taken there, but I know what you mean - unless you know the brewery is there the only obvious thing is the home brew shop.

(For those who don't know the brewery is basement/ground, the brew shop is ground(ish),[1] and finally the bar is upstairs from the rest)

NB. Not suitable for wheelchair users, some people may require O2 and pitons.

well - in my experience, then.

They had two Ossett beers and Red Lion White Lion.

Where is Harry's bar? (Going back to Wakefield next month.)

Missed Red Shed - only through lack of time and capacity - but we have gone there every other visit to Wakefield!

Just don't tell Environmental Health.... hope you have a cast-iron stomach!

OK - fine. I've had all sorts of beer in there, but the only constant ones I've noticed have been the Red Lion ones (the brewer drinks there, too).

If you're a real fan of Ossett beers, you should visit their 3 tied houses, if you haven't already. These are: Black Bull, Liversedge; Rat & Ratchet, Huddersfield; and Three Pigeons, Halifax.

Just off Westgate, close to the railway station, roughly behind the Elephant & Castle, up an alleyway, next door to an Indian restaurant, by a car park. There are usually 2 Ossett beers on, plus several others. Quality can vary.

Let me know next time you're coming over - I'll buy you a pint there (if I'm around).

area of Manchester

it tastes better than

That " & "The NewYagdar" in

Thanks for the recommendations, Dave - I'll certainly give them a try!

Gavin

You mean you didn't see the clapboard on the pavement outside, saying "Fernandes - this way>>"?