The Horse and Jockey, Chorlton cum Hardy

Visited the place on a Saturday night, so maybe it wasn't showing it's greatest side. Music a bit loud, TVs cycling round irrelevant Sky Sports news features, tables uncleared etc. It just seemed to be missing a little of the polish I think it is striving to achieve.

My major complaint is about the real ale. One of the things they are selling the refurb on is their real ale. Eight hand pumps and a brewery in the offing. They do, however, have the attitude that it is fine to run out of real ale. Only four beers on when we came in, none left within an hour of being there. Why do so many pubs seem to think it is fine to run out of real ale. Saturday night, 10pm, there would be riots if the lager ran out, but it's fine to not have a single real ale on. I have been in the Horse and Jockey before and never seen more than 4 or 5 real ales on at a time. While these are generally good beers and kept well, I think they should try harder to live up to their own real ale hype and take it seriously.

20 Dec 2009 14:00