Three years ago, I completed the renowned Otley Run bar crawl, which is considered a rite of passage for all students of Leeds’ five universities. I didn’t go to Leeds, I went to Salford, and I was a little jealous that they had a bar crawl and we didn’t. So I thought about inventing one.
Now, a bit of background. I studied a media course at the University of Salford, which meant I was based at the MediaCityUK campus on Salford Quays. With all student halls based at the main campus in the middle of Salford, all media students had to get the 50 bus to Salford Quays, which was free courtesy of our student cards. Every morning you’d meet most of your classmates crammed into the double-decker.
Many years ago, our course leader Annabelle joined a bunch of students on the top deck of the bus, absolutely steaming. The video went around the halls and an idea was born – why not have a pub crawl starting with the bars at MediaCity, use the bus to get to the main campus, hit the pubs around there and then head on into Manchester?
Fast-forward nearly 10 years and finally, FINALLY, I got around to sorting a 50 Bus Bar Crawl, one that all University of Salford students can enjoy.
The route would follow the bus route from Salford Quays, through Salford and over Blackfriars Bridge into Manchester:
#1: The Dockyard
MediaCityUK’s OG pub – the first real local for Salford Uni media students.
#2: The Alchemist
Usually busy. Perfect place for a flamboyant cocktail.
#3: Lime
Never seen it busy. A pint of lager suits this sports bar.
#4: Atmosphere, University of Salford Student Union
A place to make yourself feel old. During half-term times, it’s empty.
#5: The Old Pint Pot
Great beer garden overlooking the Irwell
#6: The New Oxford
Fairly small so often busy. A proper pub.
#7: The King’s Arms
Another “pub pub”.
#8: The Liar’s Club
Small and opens at 4pm. The place I bought first ever drink that was on fire.
#9: The Moon Under Water
A massive Wetherpoons on Deansgate. It can still get packed in here.
#10: Sinclair’s Oyster Bar
Probably the pub in Manchester? Often busy.
#11: Bierkeller
In the basement of the Printworks, it’s always busy here, especially when the football is on.
SO. This was our very strict running order for the day that I was incredibly insistent we stuck to. The crawl would begin at 1pm at The Dockyard, and finish in the Bierkeller at 8pm. Eight hours to hit 11 pubs. Doable.
Of course, this being us, we failed in our attempt to do it right…
Ahhh it’s always nice to come back here.
I arrived into Manchester early (cos I’m that guy) and got the 50 bus over to MediaCity. Since I was last here, The Dockyard have erected some sheds outside.
I bought myself a Dockyard Lager and sat myself in a shed, waiting for the first wave of crawlers.
On this day, the trams to Salford Quays weren’t running from Manchester, so these guys were delayed in arriving. That, coupled with a standard catch-up (especially with James who I hadn’t seen in over two years) meant we spent 75 minutes at The Dockyard.
Andy, Rob, James and the newly-arrived Jack joined me in heading to Bar #2: The Alchemist.
On the Otley Run, I had paced myself with drinks so as to not end up a shaking wreck in a city I didn’t know. It was just a run of beer and Smirnoff Ice. But I’m in my second home now! I felt less inclined to go easy on my liver.
A Dead Red Zombie. Photographing myself with it made me feel like a teenage girl.
We sat outside to catch some of the first warm sunlight of the year, and to look out at the beauty of MediaCity.
The catching-up continued and it was already 3pm by the time we arrived at Bar #3: Lime.
I don’t know if the drains were playing up here, but there was an odd smell which maybe suggested why the place was a bit empty. We quickly drank our beers and headed to the bus stop.
If you’re not a Salford Uni student with free access, a day rider costs £5. We jumped aboard and took a trip down memory lane to the main campus.
Bar #4: Atmosphere. As it wasn’t term time, and a Sunday, the SU was absolutely empty.
I suppose it took away that potential awkward feeling of walking into a bar full of teenagers/early-20-somethings as a near-30-year-old man.
Also, I noticed the pool tables that were here when this place was called Bar Yours, which was sad cos I fancied a game. My local back in Winsford has also thrown out it’s pool table – is pool becoming an unfashionable sport??!?!
Before leaving, we visited Shock Radio, the student radio station where we all at one point had a show. Memorieeeeees…
Bar #6: The Old Pint Pot is just one stop away on the 50 bus route, so if you’re not feeling lazy, you can walk there. Or you can use one of these.
Walking is so pre-millennial.
Andy and I had a little go to evoke memories of our moped tours in Thailand. So of course, I had flashbacks to falling off and breaking my shoulder – especially when I nearly fell off again. Honestly, why can I not ride a two-wheeled vehicle without nearly dying?
I avoided injury and made it to The Old Pint Pot.
Where we found Chris, Gareth, Josh and Tom…
…and I realised I’d dropped my debit card. It was somewhere between Atmosphere and The Old Pint Pot and I could not be arsed to go and find it. So I quickly cancelled it and resorted to using my savings card. Well done, fuckwit.
Side note: The Old Pint Pot has also disposed of their pool tables. What is the world coming to??
Now, many years ago, a few members of this group peer pressured Jack into doing a tequila slammer. Back then, it took the “I-don’t-like-drinking” Crewie a full HOUR to lift it to his lips and spill half of it down his jumper. I paid homage to that day by buying Jack another tequila slammer.
At first, he looked sheepish, but he soon vanquished his demons and slammed the thing. Jack is a changed man.
It was now 6:45pm and we had just 75 minutes to hit 6 pubs, but the alcohol in my system was starting to reduce my commitment to the schedule. Rob decided to call it a night and head home, so the remaining 7 walked down the road to our next stop, bar #7: The New Oxford.
This was my first visit to a pub a few of my Uni friends used to often visit. It was busy inside but we were lucky to grab ourselves a couple of tables.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot my half-Guinness. No apologies – I was feeling it.
We had a group discussion about the elephant in the room: time. Sadly, we decided to skip The King’s Arms and the Liar’s Bar and head straight for Manchester city centre.
There will be no flaming zombies tonight. This pub crawl had turned into a proper The Walking And Talking Society outing, with a classic deviation from an ambitious plan.
Bar #7 was now The Moon Under Water AKA Deansgate Spoons. A great place to load up on greasy food to ease your intoxication. Alas, the place was absolutely rammed.
That one little table was the only empty one in the building, so we squeezed 8 lads around it and James and I ordered Guinness.
We were peer pressured into downing our drinks – a sin when it comes to Guinness as it’s like downing soup. Nevertheless, we did it and headed to the final bar on the list: Bierkeller, the bar we used to all visit on a Wednesday afternoon to play pool in second year.
Andy decided to order a two-pint stein to make up for the pubs we had missed.
Again, the place was packed and we had just a tiny table to crowd around. But it doesn’t matter when you’ve got good company!
After Chris ordered himself a meal that we all picked from like vultures, we decided to visit a bonus bar in the hopes there would be more seats. We crossed the Printworks to Walkabout.
And after eight and a half hours of drinking, I was ready to shoot. The plan was to head on out to a club, but I’m old now and I just wanted my bed.
Still, I’m glad I ticked off the 50 Bus Bar Crawl. Better late than never!
#VidOnTour 