The Briton’s Protection

The Briton’s Protection
50 Great Bridgewater St
Manchester
M1 5LE
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01612365895

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Photo: Ben Williams

The Briton’s Protection is a genuinely historic pub, it has occupied the same spot since 1795, going under the equally patriotic name The Ancient Britain. At some point in the first decade of the nineteenth century, the Grade II listed Briton’s Protection was apparently commandeered as an army recruitment centre for the Napoleonic wars. Much of the interior has been unchanged since the 1930s, including its six public rooms, terrazzo floor, and urinals. There’s also a service hatch and moulded ceiling, plus a series of murals commemorate the Peterloo massacre.

Of course, it’s not a museum piece. This is a living pub popular with people who work near Deansgate and with sophisticates dropping in for a pint after a concert at The Bridgewater Hall.

Punters will find plenty of real ale and Guinness on tap, but the pub is also famous as a whiskey specialist with over 200 whiskeys available, from Scotch to Irish and from peaty to smokey. Round the back, a spacious beer garden with strategic anti-rain equipment makes for a delightful place to spend an evening. You’re very close to Deansgate and Oxford Road Metrolink and rail stations, so the logistics are a doddle. The atmosphere is mature and well-behaved, so if you’re looking for a classic pub full of history and character, look no further than Briton’s Protection.

One of Manchester’s truly iconic pubs and with a fantastic sun-trap of a beer garden.

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