111. Centro, Tib Street

Centro, Tib Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

We'd tried Centro earlier in the day but it was shut, so when we nipped in at about 5.30 we were just about the first in. Real ale has always been on offer here but two blank handpumps didn't look too encouraging. Thankfully, the barmaid rectified this and within a few minutes a fresh barrel of Wainwrights was ours. This was on good form so it would have been rude not to indulge again. Full marks to the barman who gave us a pint of lager (for the lady, of course) on the house as we had to wait for our ale. Centro is a traditional Belgian-style bar with a full array of continental beers on and a basement seating area where gigs are often hosted.

Centro, Tib Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

The bar stools above the stairs offer interesting views of Tib Street, Cord on Dorsey Street and the funny little housing estate that sits in the Northern Quarter (Brightwell Walk may or may not be named after City legend David Ian Brightwell).  Centro was previously known as the Old Fire Station, then Straight 8, which was opened by Liverpudlian  businessmen who were keen on running a pub in Manchester.  It may or may not have had connections to a nightclub or two down the other end of the East Lancs.  Centro is one of the original and certainly one of the best Northern Quarter bars and is recommended as part of a cheeky little Tib Street crawl.

Centro, Tib Street. (c) manchesterad.