It’s nearly Saint Patrick’s Day so I went on the hunt for the best pint of Guinness in Salford – and I think I’ve found it.
The New Oxford on Church Street is a classic Irish boozer; it hosts a great range of European ales and boasts a very decent pint of the black stuff.
Walking in through the door the pub is surprisingly full for a Tuesday afternoon, a square shaped bar sits in the middle of the room allowing revelers to grab a pint from anywhere in the pub.
The pub’s interior is stylish but traditional with lots of ornate decorations and booths along the front bar, a long afternoon could definitely be spent wisely here.
With a firm handshake and a brief introduction I chatted with landlord Tim Flynn about their celebrations and to see what events they’re putting on (and to try a pint) .
Tim confirmed the pub will have live music on between 4-9pm on Saint Patrick’s Day, Sunday, 17 March.
Tim added: “We’ve got the rugby, the build up to it and Cheltenham all week, we have a mixture of easy listening, Celtic and English music on. It won’t be distinctly Irish but it will have an Irish feel!”
On the pub’s recent renovations Tim said: “It’s much more comfortable, it’s much more homely it gives the pub a Victorian feel.”
The all important question was how good is the Guinness? Tim replied: “We are known for our Guinness, we are known for a really, really good pint”
Perfectly poured and smooth, although I failed the all important “splitting the G test”, it was a great afternoon pour.
Tim also told me that the tap they use to poor the Guinness is very special indeed. He added: “I bought the tap from a very famous pub in The Temple Bar. It’s a retro Guinness tap.”
With The Temple Bar being a legendary area in Dublin for a pint, it’s a surprise to find it tucked away in a Salford pub.
“Our Guinness sales are very high,” confirmed Tim.
“We also do a huge amount of Belgian beers, cask ales and beers from all over Europe. I run a complete free-house.”
Tim implored me to try his whiskey selection from Teeling Distillery and a great dram it was, Tim said: “It’s the only deliberately-built distillery in the last century.
The New Oxford is running deals where you can get a pint of Guinness and a shot of Teeling whiskey for £10, to get you into the Irish spirit.
I asked about the importance of the Irish population in Salford, Tim said: “There’s a huge history between Salford and Ireland with people emigrating, Irish people made their home here.
“You certainly get a large number of Irish people in, but you get more so of Irish descent.
“It’s a British pub that is for everyone”
My chat with Tim can be found here –
Recent Comments