The second stop (that I attended) of the Ancoats Run Club Birthday Pub Crawl was The Angel Pub. Knowing this is one of Manchester’s oldest freehouses (like a pub but not connected with a specific brewery), I was excited to check it out after experiencing the newness of Spinners Rest; it did not disappoint.

Details:

Walking in, the bar was tucked back in the corner. There were chairs near the fireplace and couches beside them. We mostly stayed outside on the patio, enjoying the cooling evening air after another warm summer day. The whole place felt like it’s been here for ages.

Morgan and Dom went home before the group made it to this one, so I couldn’t get an official score for Morgan, but the noise level was lower, there were some cozy corners, and anyone reading books or playing games at a table would have fit right in so I’ll assume she’d give it fun marks.

The people here seemed like a broader cross-section of the community as well. There were a few regulars sitting near the (unlit) fireplace who look like they started drinking here sometime before I was born while there were others outside in torn denim jackets that looked too young to be drinking now. I suspect after a few visits, I would know and be known here. This was the first pub that really felt like it could be what I’ve been looking for. There is at least one other spot that could challenge this one but for now, we have a clear leader.

Score:

Cask: 1 / 1 – Yes, several
Fireplace: 1 / 1 – Yes and there is evidence that it gets plenty of use in winter
Recorded Music: 0 / 1 – There was music playing, but we were outside.
Seating: 2 / 2 – Couches, chairs, outdoor patio, cozy corners
Community Energy: 0 / 1 – I was there with a large group of runners and didn’t feel much connection to others, but worth revisiting with a smaller group
Granddad: 2 / 2 – Granddad would have been sitting in his usual chair
Morgan: 2 / 2 – Cozy corners and a shelf of books and games. She’d be set
Overall: 8 / 10 — Definitely the best spot we’ve visited so far. I suspect it could score even higher on another visit to really sense the Community Energy

Also, decided to switch up the Leaderboard to only show the top five pubs, in order so hopefully after the next stop, Jimmy’s will be gone from the list.