The Salisbury

I haven’t been to the Salisbury for years, but I’ve got some really fond memories of the place! Back when I was at college, we always met up here for a few vodka jelly shots before heading on to Rockworld across the road. Loads of other alternative kids did, too. So it’ll be interesting to see how the club’s closure affects this pub.

This is an alternative pub, so it’s a little scuzzy around the edges. But the bar staff are really friendly and there’s a great jukebox that’s packed with Goth, metal and alternative tunes. Like the vodka jellies I’ve mentioned, you can normally find some weird and wonderful shots at the bar, all at good prices. There's some nice real ales, too. However, most of the crowd here would be happier with a pint of cider and black. And who can blame them?!

Completing the trifecta of rock pubs around Oxford Road station is The Salisbury. I come here less often than Grand Central and the Thirsty Scholar, mainly because its always quite busy and can get uncomfortably crowded.

However, I always enjoy myself when I come here. The music is great and the atmosphere is quite friendly. There’s a great selection of beers and ales on offer and its not too pricey either. Very popular with local bikers

A rock pub with a decent pint of ale and a great jukebox (It’s got Slayer on it).

What’s not to like??

Never been a fan. Often not clean and the beer is often variable.

7 and a bit years ago, I was 17 and I had just met a bloke for the second ever time, he took me to the cinema to see Hannibal, and then we went to the Salisbury for a drink. I didn’t drink at the time to I had an orange juice and he had a Coke, I was so nervous that when I was messing about with the juice bottle I slipped and it shot off the end of the table and spilled orange juice all over the floor. He wiped it up for me and we both laughed lots. He drew me a picture on a playing card which i still have now - because we’re still together!
I know its not the most romantic of places but it will always hold a special little place inside me because of that.
I seem to remember the staff were friendly and helpful…very good at wiping up orange juice! And very tolerant of 17 year old with loads of piercings!

This is a great pub, with a really good juke box. It as a very interesting mix of people, I spoke to a guy at the bar who said he had been going since 1972 when it was a true biker pub. I have marked it down because it was particularly cold and I had to wear my coat for the whole night. The bar staff were really friendly as was the atmosphere. My friend says that this is his favourite pub in Manchester (“more guns n roses than you can shake a stick at.”) So give it a go.

I haven’t been in good few years but the Salisbury always has and always will hold a special place in my heart. it’s the type of place where anything goes and anyone is welcome. It’s handy for city centre workers, students, the pre-jilly’s crowd and handy to pop in before you get on your train at Oxford road train station next door. It’s flanked by the grand central and the thirsty scholar so has a prominent position facing outwards, surrounded by the arches with that familiar cobbled road taking you there.

The interior used to be a lot more rustic and old-school but it was revamped somewhat in about 2002? 2003?.

However the staff remain quirky and approachable, the juke-box still rocks and they still have the trusty pool table.

It has the feeling of your cosy 'local’ yet is in the city centre.

Fantastic.

I see this as the darker sister/brother to the Grand Central which overlooks this on the Victorian Film Set - the most over rock pub out of the ones in this area. The fact that this lies at the bottom and is dominated by the huge archway and surround by cobbles only adds to the effect. No surprise then that the goths and bikers have taken this pub as their own. Saying that, you’re unlikely to get any funny looks if you’re not part of those cliques. Quite the opposite, this is one of those places (and they’re usually situated in large cities rather than suburbs or inner city) where everyone is welcome. Not perhaps the place you’d take someone for a first date, or at the start of a nice evening (especially if it’s raining…those slippery cobbles are tricky to navigate even in biker boots) but an interesting pub nonetheless. Good pool table, but with my 'skills’ I try to avoid it when the place is full.

The Salisbury is the biker pub in Manchester, It’s got a really great atmosphere and a great jukebox too! Pool table and reasonably priced drinks, located next to Oxford rd train station. Friendly bar staff too! Clean toilets. One of the 3 pubs in my rock pub golden triangle (salisbury/scholar/gc)