Fred’s Ale House

It’s really early days for Fred’s Ale House in Levenshulme, so I feel like I shouldn’t judge too harshly, but it’s been nearly a year I’ve been waiting since this place billed as a real ale bar, coffee house and gallery all rolled into one was announced on Stockport Road.
As a lover of good beer, good coffee and good (and bad) art Fred’s should be my dream venue right on my doorstep, alas the concept is far better than the reality.
Originally supposed to open spring/​summer 2014, an extensive refit of a former bookies was in order. You can tell that a lot of work has gone into the pub, with loads of freshly plastered walls devoid of blemishes and sharp lines everywhere.
Sadly it all feels really soulless, especially upstairs where no music is played (no speakers, but 2 TVs facing each other on opposite walls), the friends we were drinking with said it was like a waiting room, they were spot on. The room echoes from the lack of any soft furnishings and the spotlights are too bright to make it cosy.
On the ground floor the bar takes up by far the most space, leaving very little seating room, save for a couple of low tables near the entrance, the lighting is too bright here too making you feel exposed, with the huge window facing Albert Road giving me the impression a double decker bus could kill the both of us.
Downstairs in the narrow ‘gallery’ the furniture is of the metal garden variety on big stone flags, it’s darker down here, with no natural light and dimmed spotlights. The additional TVs here take up nearly as much wall space as the art on show. It’s all just a bit weird.
They’re actively asking for art submissions which can only be a good thing with quite a burgeoning little artsy scene in Levy, it’s nice to see local people’s work on show.
Thankfully, the one good thing Fred’s has got going for it from the start is the beer on offer, certainly in comparison to most places in Levenshulme. They’ve got Manchester brewery Blackjack on cask, plus Mad Hatter and a few more usual suspects which is great to see, all at reasonable prices.
It’s not clear whether the cask options will change, or how often, I’d really like it to, as there’s so much variety around it would be a shame for somewhere named an ale house to stick to just a few.
It would be brilliant if they could add a few ales to the bottle selection too, with Brooklyn the only half decent one in the fridge, throw a few Red Willow or something like that in and I’ll be chuffed to bits.
I’ve not tried the coffee yet, it’s sourced from local roasters Ancoats Coffee, so will update when I have.
I’ve been harsh on Fred’s, but it’s only because I want it to be the place it promises to be, and maybe in time, with a woman’s touch in the décor (get rid of the TVs showing a slideshow of the bar on repeat for a start!) and a beer lovers touch behind the bar, it could be.