You can't use your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop, no music and if you swearing audibly you'll be asked to leave. It sounds like school in a throwback to pre-digital communication age.
But it's a Sam Smith's pub where the decrees of what you can't do - including paying by debit or credit card (it's cash only) - are displayed clearly on the bar and on the walls. I picked a warm spring day to visit the highly popular Sinclair's Oyster Bar in the shadow of Manchester Cathedral to see how rules were being applied and adhered to.
As it happened, I rocked up pretty early with just a handful of people populating the beer garden soaking up the Spring sunshine. All of them were using mobile phones.
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Ah, but here's the thing. You're allowed to use your mobile and digital toys outside. It's actually INSIDE the pub where the chain owner Humphrey Smith's strict rules apply. For those of us used to consulting our mobile phones for texts, tweets, WhatsApp messages or just to keep up with the news, being told you can't actually do that while having a pint comes as something of a culture shock.
But Jim and Jean McCready, both 73-years-young think it's fabulous. They get on the tram from their home in Chadderton, Oldham several days a week to come down to the city centre to enjoy a libation at the pub they proudly call their 'local'.
"We agree with all the rules," said Jim, a retired construction worker. "There was a bloke in the pub the other day who put the racing from Cheltenham on his phone the other day, because he wanted to listen to it. It made a dreadful row.
"We couldn't wait for him to switch it off. What's fantastic is that because of the rules, people actually talk to each other. They don't just come in, sit down and start scrolling through their phone in silence."
The couple, who have been married 57 years and have six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, are well known to the managers of the pub and security staff.
Jean said: "The young ones who want to pay with cards and use their phones, don't get it, but we do. Humphrey Smith has been in here quite a few times, checking up on what's happening. He's been known to close pub down if there's swearing and bad behaviour, and we applaud him for that."
Three young women, who did wish to be named, who each had children disagreed and fortunately they were sitting outside in the sun. One said: "I wasn't aware of the rule, but if anyone told me I couldn't use my phone, I'd leave and go somewhere else.
"We all have children and it's important we keep track of them using our phones. I think it's a very silly rule."
But Manchester-based music producer Andy Murray, 32, said he agreed with the rule '100 per cent'. "The first thing many people do when they walk in a pub is sit down with a drink and look at their phones.
"I know that inside the pub there are people watching the cameras making sure the rules are being adhered to. I have opened my phone inside once, but only because I forgot I was in a Sam Smith's pub.
But 60-year-old Bob Perry said he felt sorry for landlords and landladies having to enforce the rules. He said: "There are many times you are in a pub and sometimes someone will need to get in touch.
"It seems really harsh to prevent this from happening. I can see a situation where someone gets a text message and they get thrown out for looking at it."
I'm concluding my conversations with the drinkers when the worried-looking manager comes over to ask what we're doing. I explain that we're just canvassing opinion and not passing judgement. It must be quite difficult treading the line between enforcing Humphrey's rules and pleasing customers.
