Stables Tavern: Manchester's Historic Pub Reborn

Tucked behind Manchester's Piccadilly, the Stables Tavern has been pouring pints for over 150 years. After a careful restoration that preserved its Victorian bones while giving it a new lease of life, it's once again one of the best places in the city to drink cask ale.

A Pub With Roots

The Stables dates back to the 1860s, originally serving workers from the nearby railway warehouses. Its tiled entrance, etched glass, and narrow snug are reminders of an era when pubs were built to last — and built with character. Unlike many of its neighbours, the Stables survived the post-war demolitions and 1990s redevelopments that reshaped this part of the city.

By the early 2020s, though, the pub had seen better days. The building was structurally sound but tired, and footfall had dwindled. A change of hands in 2023 set the restoration in motion.

The Restoration

The new operators took a conservation-first approach. Original tilework was cleaned and repaired. The Victorian bar back — a mahogany beauty with bevelled mirrors — was stripped, restored, and re-sealed. The snug was reopened, and a small courtyard was added for overflow seating without touching the main structure.

"We didn't want to create a museum. We wanted a working pub that happens to have a story worth telling."

The result feels authentic without being precious. It's a pub, not a heritage exhibit.

What's on the Bar

Six cask lines, rotating regularly, with a strong lean towards northern independents: Marble, Blackjack, Pomona Island, and occasional guests from further afield. Two ciders on gravity. A short but well-chosen keg list. No macro lager in sight.

The food is simple — pies, cheese boards, and toasties — done well and priced fairly.

Why It Matters

Manchester has lost hundreds of pubs over the past two decades. Many were demolished; others were converted to flats or left to decay. Every restoration like the Stables is a small but meaningful act of cultural preservation.

It's also a reminder that heritage pubs can be commercially viable. You don't need to gut a Victorian interior and replace it with brushed concrete to make a pub work in 2025. Sometimes the story is the draw.

Visit

The Stables Tavern is open Tuesday to Sunday. Real ale, real history, real Manchester. Go.