Brunswick / B Lounge, Manchesterback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Went in at lunchtime, lured by their 'express lunch' as we're in a hurry. They don't have the drink we want or brown bread for the sandwiches but we're in a hurry so we ordered (one soup, two sandwiches, one side of fries) and waited. And waited.
15 minutes later we asked how long the 'express' was going to be and were told it was on its way. And we waited.
15 minutes later we said we couldn't wait any longer. Apparently it was "just on its way" but by then we had to be off. Half an hour, no-one else being served food and no sign of two meals that could have been cooked from scratch in ten minutes at home, never mind in a fully-prepared restaurant kitchen.
We paid for the drinks, although anywhere with an iota of customer service would have comped them without prompting. Seven pounds for a pint of cider and a Coke. As you can imagine, I'll not be returning.
|
Overpriced and stuffy. Not my cup of tea personally. Shall not visit again. Friendly enough though.
|
Overpowering smell of Bovril. Unsure if this is a theme...
|
Bowled in here as the first stop on a mini-crawl of Manchester as it was just up the road from my hotel. Not that impressed to be honest; If you've been to the B Lounge off Deansgate it is more of the same here; Theakston's Best and Thwaites Bomber kept but I doubt in brilliant condition; I had a San Miguel and moved on fairly swiftly. Stank of disinfectant which didn't improve matters.
|
This pub is now called the B Lounge it's a chain of only 2 pubs, both in Manchester, the other is the Bridge, hence the name. Sells Theakston Best and Old Peculiar plus Thwaites Bomber. The beer is pretty averagely kept but the wine's OK according to the other half. It's OK for one occasionally. If you apply for a free B Lounge card you get 10% off at both pubs.
|
My experience in Manchester's The Brunswick yesterday was entirely negative. I will not be returning.
I was part of a small group of people from various magical societies who get together in Manchester every month to spend a pleasant Saturday afternoon discussing secret techniques amongst ourselves.
Soon after we arrived, had bought a round of drinks and ordered food, the manager came over and told us that we couldn't perform in there because he didn't have a performance licence. One of our party (a police officer) explained that we didn't intend to perform but simply to discuss techniques over a drink before moving on.
Surprisingly, the manager's tone quickly became increasingly aggressive. I explained that our limited time together would be wasted if we stayed, so if we couldn't discuss magic and demonstrate techniques even quietly between ourselves, and as no one had consumed anything we'd bought, could we have a refund? At first, the manager refused. I quoted relevant consumer protection law and he told us that we'd have to give all our drinks back for a refund. We were of course more than willing to comply. After all, technically the law was preventing him from supplying what we believed we had bought. No one was at fault on either side and we were happy to go somewhere else.
We took our purchases back to the bar and the person who had bought the round received a full refund. However, during the process of giving me my money back for a meal I'd ordered, the manager became increasingly abusive to me, accusing me of being aggressive and very unreasonable. In point of fact, I was deliberately being no such thing. The CCTV footage will show that I was in fact being reconciliatory and trying to explain that if those are the rules then that's fine by us and that it was just a shame we couldn't stay. Incredibly, this made him more angry and abusive. I do not expect to be talked to like that by anyone.
As soon as he handed over my money, I explained that word gets around about attitudes like that, and left. Indeed, news that the Brunswick is not the place to meet is spreading via reports of our meeting and people's stunned reactions to this manager's attitude.
All the other places we visited were entirely lovely, but The Brunswick lost more than just the custom of 6 people yesterday afternoon. I hope the establishment loses that manager before he does any more damage to it's image of being "stylish, relaxing and a cut above the rest..."
|
If you want a good Guinness in this area, you aren't far from the Jolly Angler. The Brunswick does now have 1 real ale on, Theakstons Best, OK on my visit.
|
Now seems to be trying to call itself the B Lounge - a place for hip, happening people to go and be hip and happening. Unfortunately this is ruined by the fact that a) it's a pub, and b) the big sign outside still says "The Brunswick"!
I hope they stop this faffery soon and get back to being a decent pub in a good location.
|
This pub used to have proper beer when it was called The Brunswick (before it became Finnegans Wake) - sadly this has not returned since it has had it's name changed back to The Brunswick. I'm told it does decent food - but so does The Waldorf across the road, and they serve a decent drop of Landlord etc. I will call in again the next time it is renamed !!!
bob mason - 15 Aug 2004 01:47 |
What was a great food menu has now been reduced to a sheet of A5, otherwise still the same as when it opened.
Nige - 30 Dec 2003 14:55 |
Totally agree with Jimbo,always used to stop off on the way from Picadilly to the Apollo for concerts.
Tend to go in the Church, nearer to the venue now.
|
Aye.
Finnegans Wake was a lovely pub, to be sure. The best pint of Guinness in Manchester (best of a bad bunch, admittedly).
Now they have turned it into this lifeless brain dead slop hole.
The f*@kers will rue the day.
|
Strangely quiet given its location. Good beer and friendly bar staff.
Nige - 3 Jan 2003 13:02 |
|
