127 Great Bridgewater Street
City Centre
Manchester
M1 5JQ
0161 236 6364
The remarkable green and gold tiling is the first thing you notice approaching the ‘Pev’, even more distinctive now that it sits on a road island surrounded by both old and new office buildings (photos 1 & 3).
It’s been a favourite of mine on visits to Manchester for as long as I can remember, partly because of its traditional interior and good beers, but mainly because of its reliable friendly welcome helped by one of Manchester’s longest serving landladies. At least 4 cask beers are served, with Taylor’s Landlord and Titanic Plum Porter the regulars.
The interior is almost as impressive as the exterior with three original rooms, tiled walls in the entrance hall and wood and stained glass screens throughout the pub, nearly all dating from 1900 (photos 4, 5 & 6). I say “nearly all” because the wooden and stained glass pot shelf on the curved bar counter bar only dates from the 1980s, though it’s hard to tell (photo 2). If you’re indifferent to the fine interior and it’s a nice day, there are seats outside under a tree on the patio.
Three episodes of Cracker, the 1990s TV series about a crime psychologist played by Robbie Coltrane (better known now as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films) were filmed here.
The signs outside the Peveril show that it was once owned by Wilson’s Brewery and the company’s distinctive green and white chequerboard logo is still displayed on the tiling in the Gents (photo 7).
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