A couple of weeks ago, I found myself with a bit of time to kill before catching a train at Piccadilly Station, and wound up ordering a pint and packet of crisps that cost me nearly a tenner.
I’m well aware of the current economic situation, with rising inflation forcing businesses to up their prices, while the cost of living crisis sees customers pulling purse strings even tighter. But we should all be able to enjoy a swift one in the pub at an affordable price every now and again.
After we shared our review of The Mill Bar and Kitchen, many readers took to the comments to suggest I could get a drink much cheaper elsewhere on the Piccadilly Approach.
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Louise Barber said: “You can easily wander outside to the Piccadilly Tap or other establishments to find better prices.” While Cath Andrews added: “Wander down the slope to Piccadilly Tap, more craft beers than you can shake a stick at.”
In fact, there was a lot of praise for Piccadilly Tap in the comments, with more customers adding: “Piccadilly Tap outside one the best bars about.” Another added: “Walk down to Piccadilly Tap, far better.” And a third wrote: “Just go to the Piccadilly Tap like a normal person.”
So I’ve set off on another mission - one to find the absolute cheapest pint on Piccadilly so you can have a tipple without breaking the bank. I’m pleased to report that all of them were under a fiver, though what I can’t promise that all of them would be any good, since I didn’t think it too wise to sample all five before heading home for the day. I’ll let you all make your own minds up.
From my initial review, we learned that The Mill was one of the most expensive spots to enjoy a cold one, where my Beavertown craft beer cost £6.99, but they do also do pints of Fosters for £4.90, which is the cheapest on their menu overall.
It’s actually cheaper than Piccadilly Tap just down the road, who have a Lost and Grounded Kellerpils as their most affordable option, weighing in at £4.95. However, the atmosphere in this venue is great, and out of all the pubs I visited, it’s the one I’d have chosen to go to. The bartender also told me that, even with inflation rising, they want to make sure they always keep at least one beer on the board that’s under a fiver.
A little further down the road - a four minute walk from the station - in The Brunswick, you can enjoy a cold Carling for 15p cheaper, costing £4.80. They also do a pretty decent cocktail deal of two for £12, instead of £8 each, saving shoppers £4 overall.
If Carling doesn’t take your fancy, how about a Bud Light in the Piccadilly Tavern? This bustling boozer offers pints for £3.85, which is the second cheapest of the whole list. Sunday to Thursday, they also have two for £10 cocktails and £3.75 G&T’s all day on Thursdays.
Unsurprisingly, it was Wetherspoons Piccadilly, overlooking the Gardens, which offered the cheapest pint, which was almost half the price of those at The Mill and Piccadilly Tap. Those really looking to scrimp on their pint can find the Worthington’s Creamflow Ale for £2.49 in Wetherspoons, where a half pint is just £1.25.
I can’t tell you if it’d be particularly nice, but I’d imagine that if you find yourself in Wetherspoons on the way back to the train station on a wet autumn evening, then you probably won’t care a great deal about quality. But that's just my view.
And so that answers the question on where to get the cheapest pint on Piccadilly. Just remember to drink responsibly if you are out and about in Manchester’s boozers.
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