By Ruth Allan
Whispers have been circulating around Manchester about a new place in the Northern Quarter. Somewhere you can get a table, and a glass of really good wine or cask ale any night of the week.
Located on the strip of Shudehill that runs opposite the tram station, The Lower Turks Head has been open for five weeks to date. But that's far from where the story starts with the pub dating back all the way to 1745 - making The Turks one of the oldest drinking dens in town. Or, at least, one with one of the longest histories.
In spite of its age, few original features remain, so the new owners have sought to put a bit of character back into the place with a new frontage, gleaming bar and Georgian windows. With a team headed up by landlord Phil Ainsworth (formerly of the infamous Millstone on Thomas Street), they've taken over the space next door as well. If anything, it's an even more sympathetic Georgian-style bar, complete with original tile flooring and lashings of oiled oak and brass.
New era
You can walk straight through from The Turk to the extension of the other side, which is called "Scuttlers" Wine Bar. The name is a homage to the mid-1800s youth cult, members of whom can be seen on the walls in old drawings and photos. I liked this attention to detail - and to the Northern Quarters past. In fact, many of these young precursors to the Teddy Boys (they had excellent hair - see Cillian Murphy in BBC2's Peaky Blinders as a rough example) worked in the nearby Smithfield Market.
And there's more local history in the upper lounge, where tattoo paraphernalia and imagery are proudly displayed in glass cabinets. This is a home, of sorts, for local tattoo artist Rambo's collection of prints and vintage designs. Not as odd as it sounds, Rambo is another of the Turks' new owners.
Drinks include six cask ales, three of which are rotating, regional favourites. Spirits, mixers and such like are all in order, and there's an affordable wine list with Malbecs, Pinotages and Pinots coming in at around £16-£19 for a bottle. The wine bar is, perhaps, even more charming than the main room - and that's before you even climb the just-hoovered stairs to a top deck, smoking terrace and nook. It reminded me, with it's many corners, of Trof in the Northern Quarter, only built for folk who prefer familiarity (and tattoos) to junk shop chic.
The Lower Turks Head and Scuttlers Wine Bar, 36 Shudehill, Northern Quarter, M4 1EZ.