The Salutation

Filled to the brim with history, The Salutation provides hearty food, fun and unique events, and an impressive range of craft beer, cider, soft drinks and spirits. Partnered with Bollington Brewing co, you’ll find a relaxing space with vintage and homely décor and even a secret beer garden.

Currently, the pub lies in the centre of the Manchester Metropolitan University campus and, as of the last ten years, has been run by their Students’ Union (although its doors are always open to everyone). The building dates back to as early as the 1820s; it has continued to serve students, locals and tourists over the years, providing a meeting place for societies and a space for friends to mingle. The Union works with the pub to host socials and events, giving the pub new life as it has become a hot spot for many students to relax and unwind.

The Sal’s vast history has seen visitors from all walks of life, from famous writers to local comedians. English writer and poet Charlotte Brontë is best known for her passionate and celebrated novel ‘Jane Eyre’, which she began writing while staying on Boundary Street in 1846. You can find a historic blue plaque detailing her visit on the exterior wall of The Sal.

In more recent years, legendary post-punk band The Fall used the pub to film a music video for their 2007 single Reformation. Featuring frontman and vocalist Mark E. Smith, the video showcases the exterior of the historic building, as well as some shots across the first floor, which now operates as a large, bookable function space.

The pub has hosted comedian and musician Chris Sievey on several occasions. Sievey is best known for his comedic persona, Frank Sidebottom. The character’s final performance at The Salutation was back in 2010, which you can track down on YouTube.

Like many places around Oxford Road, The Sal has been a champion of music. Today, the pub finds room for more niche, less expected sounds. Regular folk sessions are an opportunity to huddle around the fireplace for a hearty night of live folk music. Local musicians perform a range of traditional, warm, rhythmic and acoustic sets every Monday. There’s no divide between the performers and the audience, creating a heart-warming, intimate evening.

Curated by the Performance Research Group at Manchester School of Art, Bunker Talks are a regular event at The Salutation. Each month, the talks create space for critical encounters, presentations, provocation and dialogue by inviting guest speakers from theatre, visual art, filmmaking and more. It’s a unique opportunity to learn about local people and industries by listening to their life experiences and stories of their practice first-hand.

Other regular nights at The Sal celebrate more unique yet wonderful genres of art and individuality. The first-floor space is often used by students to host art exhibitions, film viewings, plays, choir performances and karaoke nights. Thursdays are for speed quizzing, where fun and laughter temper the friendly competition in a lively, classic pub atmosphere.

The pub is a local institution, from its historical past to its latest chapter as part of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Students Union. The Sal is one of the most beautiful examples of a traditional pub, with its period features inside and out perfectly capturing something of Manchester’s northern soul.