The Britons Protection

The Britons Protection has a historic charm, unique interior, prime location and a guaranteed warm welcome. It is a beautiful, iconic, Grade II listed example of a great Manchester public house. It is a traditional Regency pub dating back to 1806 and has a rich history, as you would expect from a pub over 200 years old. At some point in the first decade of the nineteenth century, Briton's Protection was apparently commandeered as an army recruitment centre for the Napoleonic wars. The Peterloo Massacre of 1819 happened nearby, and is depicted in a set of murals inside the pub. There are unconfirmed reports that some of the injured were brought into the pub and laid out on the bar to be treated.  

The pub's interior is largely intact from the 1930s, featuring several distinctive public rooms, a terrazzo-tiled corridor floor, moulded ceiling, original 1930s urinals, and a serving hatch through which people in the two rear rooms are served beer from the front bar. Along with many features of the pub, the bar counter, back bar and the bar's fixed seating dates from the 1930s when the pub was extensively refurbished. The moulded ceiling picked out in red and gold is another exceptional feature. A stunning tiled passageway from the left end of the public bar leads round to the rear of the servery where there are two further rooms, both equally steeped in history. These two rooms are served via the hatchway through to the bar, complete with leaded screens. Both rear rooms have original fixed seating complete with bell pushes, classic 1930s fireplaces and a raft of other historic features. 

With stunning interiors throughout it is worth savouring each of the rooms on your visit or hopefully visits, and along with these the Britons Protection also boasts a beer garden, unusual for city centre pubs, which provides a sun trap and relaxed location to while away a lazy afternoon and evening with friends and family.  

There are two further public rooms on the first floor, one is set up and equipped to hold modern meetings and the other is a more traditional function space available for use for events, clubs and societies. Please speak to the staff for further details. 

The Britons Protection is located at 50 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester M1 5LE near the bustling Castlefield and Deansgate area of town and is only a stone's throw away from Bridgewater Concert Hall. Near to all the major city centre hotels, it benefits from excellent transport links being next to the tram line and is a short 5-minute walking distance from both Deansgate and Oxford Road train stations.

As well as a warm welcome to one of Manchester’s most beautiful, iconic pubs, oozing history and character, there is always an interesting and varied range of traditional hand pulled beers and whiskies alongside premium ales, lagers and ciders. We look forward to seeing you here soon.