CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo
Pubs & Clubs
Events
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Events
Beers & Breweries
CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo
Join Us
CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo

Rain Bar, Manchester

You have visited this venue
View all visits
Directions
You want to visit - You have this in
Cask Ale
Opens at Noon
80 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester, M1 5JG (View on Google Map)
(0161) 235 6500
Email
Website
X (Twitter)
  • Outstanding pub conversion

One of the largest pubs in the JW Lees Brewery estate, this pub occupies a prime location on the Rochdale canal, close to the Bridgewater Hall, home of the Halle Orchestra. Formerly an umbrella factory, it was converted into JW Lees' flagship pub in the 90s and underwent a refurbishment in 2023. The full range of JW Lees cask ales are served.

The ground floor area curves round three sides of the large bar, with a variety of raised and sunken areas helping to break up the room. Dominated by dark wood & leather, can seem cosy or gloomy, depending on time of year. The large patio area alongside the Rochdale Canal is the pub's best feature. One of the largest outdoor drinking areas in Manchester city centre, it can predictably can get very busy during summer.

Pub food including daily specials is served until 8 on weekdays and until 6 at weekends.

Upstairs is a large function room with room for up to 120 while the third floor houses 'The Boardroom' - a second function room suitable for dining functions and meetings with a difference.

Information for this venue is provided by the Central Manchester Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Manchester District (B)
Last updated
Last surveyed
21/05/2011
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
J. W. LEES & CO. (BREWERS) LIMITED
Pub ID
TRA/3629
Asset of Community Value

Conversion

This large pub is in a prime spot on the Rochdale canal, close to Bridgewater Hall. It was formerly an umbrella factory, converted by JW Lees into a pub in the 90s and recently refurbished. The ground floor area curves round three sides of the large bar, with a variety of raised and sunken areas helping to break up the room. A lot of thought and effort has gone into making a good drinking experience, skilfully combining traditional and contemporary elements. The decor uses dark wood and leather to good effect alongside open fires to create a cosy feel. There is a patio alongside the canal, one of the largest beer gardens in the city centre, busy in the summer. Upstairs are two floors of function rooms. Real ales and meals are served.

General information about outstanding conversions and restorations
Monday
Noon - 11:00pm
Tuesday
Noon - 11:00pm
Wednesday
Noon - 11:00pm
Thursday
Noon - 11:00pm
Friday
Noon - Midnight
Saturday
Noon - Midnight
Sunday
Noon - 8:00pm
Monday
Noon - 8:30pm
Tuesday
Noon - 8:30pm
Wednesday
Noon - 8:30pm
Thursday
Noon - 8:30pm
Friday
Noon - 8:30pm
Saturday
Noon - 8:30pm
Sunday
Noon - 7:00pm
TasteMatch

Unlock TasteMatch and all of CAMRA’s online tools from just 99p/month with our Explorer Pass, or join as a member to get the best of pubs, beer and breweries plus discounts at the bar.

Current beers

This Pub serves no changing beers and 3 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

JW Lees - Bitter TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
JW Lees - Bitter
JW Lees - Bitter Session Bitter • 4% Spotted once
JW Lees - Bitter
JW Lees - Bitter

This beer is served regularly and Spotted once. at Rain Bar, Manchester.

ABV 4%
Style Session Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

JW Lees - Founder's TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
JW Lees - Founder's
JW Lees - Founder's Premium Bitter • 4.5%
JW Lees - Founder's
JW Lees - Founder's

This beer is served regularly at Rain Bar, Manchester.

ABV 4.5%
Style Premium Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

JW Lees - Manchester Pale Ale TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
JW Lees - Manchester Pale Ale
JW Lees - Manchester Pale Ale Session Pale Ale • 3.7% Spotted twice
JW Lees - Manchester Pale Ale
JW Lees - Manchester Pale Ale

This beer is served regularly and Spotted twice. at Rain Bar, Manchester.

ABV 3.7%
Style Session Pale Ale
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Your scores

Join CAMRA to access beer scoring and view scores for other pubs. Become a member.
Retrieving scores
You have no beer scores submitted.
Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Garden Garden
Canalside Patio
Mobility Access Statement Mobility Access Statement
Via the back entrance
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Outside only
Function Room Function Room
Capacity 120
Real Fire Real Fire
Smoking Smoking
Canalside Patio
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
OCR Pub OCR Pub
Cask Marque Cask Marque
Cask Marque Beer and Cellar Hygiene rating
Cask Marque: Beer and Cellar Hygiene rating 5 out of 5
Transport
Close to bus routes
33, 63, 84, 105, 255, 256, X50
Close to metro
Deansgate-Castlefield
Adjacent station
Manchester Oxford Road
Directions
Behind the Bridgewater Hall

Help keep our information accurate!

Notice an error or missing details? Help us keep our pub & club information accurate by sharing any corrections or updates you spot.

Suggest an edit

Explore the local area

Curated guides are specially put together for your enjoyment! These trips are crafted by specialists along with dedicated volunteers with local knowledge.

Premium Guide
Manchester Heritage Tour
Heritage Pubs

Manchester Heritage Tour

40 Minutes 7 curated stops

Selection of our most historically and architecturally interesting pubs serving cask ales.

Premium Guide
Manchester Bars & Beer Cafes
Trendy

Manchester Bars & Beer Cafes

50 Minutes 8 curated stops

Selection of more modern beer venues including great cask AND keg options.

Total Walking 3 miles

Premium Guide
Manchester - Piccadilly Area Tour
Famous Breweries

Manchester - Piccadilly Area Tour

45 Minutes 9 curated stops

Selection of pubs from the Piccadilly Area of the city. A few of a famous breweries are based at the back of Piccadilly and this tour makes the most of these.

Total Walking 2.5 miles

Nearby

(External, Garden). Published on 21-02-2023
Closed • Opens at Noon
Peveril of the Peak
Pub, in Manchester
3 Regular Beers
  • Historic Interior
(External). Published on 23-05-2021
Closed • Opens at Noon
Vocation & Co
Independent Pub, in Manchester
2 Regular, 2 Changing Beers
Ritz
Ritz Club, in Manchester

Cask Ale not available

Britons Protection Hotel - Manchester. (Pub). Published on 16-12-2014
Closed • Opens at Noon
Britons Protection
Pub, in Manchester
8 Changing Beers
  • Historic Interior
Gorilla
Pub, in Manchester

Cask Ale not available

(External). Published on 01-12-2015
Closed • Opens at 10:00am
Home
Pub, in Manchester
1 Regular, 1 Changing Beers
Closed • Opens at 11:00am
Stalls Cafe Bar
Pub, in Manchester

Cask Ale not available

Temple Of Convenience - Manchester. (Pub). Published on 11-10-2012
Temple
Independent Pub, in Manchester

Cask Ale not available

Blackdog Ballroom
Pub, in Manchester

Cask Ale not available

City Road Inn_Man_Sep 2008. (Pub). Published on 12-06-2013
Closed • Opens at Noon
City Road Inn
Pub, in Manchester
2 Regular, 2 Changing Beers

Recently Viewed

Rosehill Tavern
Pub, in Howdon

Cask Ale not available

(Pub, External, Key). Published on 19-06-2015
Closed • Opens at Noon
Noah's Ark
Pub, in Sheffield

Cask Ale not available

(Pub, External, Key). Published on 17-07-2022
Closed • Opens at Noon
Crown & Liver
Pub, in Ewloe

Cask Ale not available

(Pub, External). Published on 11-07-2015
Closed • Opens at Noon
Six Bells
Pub, in Thame
2 Regular, 3 Changing Beers
The Devonshire (Wetherspoon), Skipton. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 23-01-2015
Closed • Opens at 8:00am
Devonshire
Wetherspoon Pub, in Skipton
3 Regular, 5 Changing Beers
  • CAMRA voucher scheme
The Crown - Jan 2019. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 24-01-2019
Closed • Opens at 11:00am
Crown
Harcourt Inns Pub, in Chiswick

Cask Ale not available

(External, Key). Published on 21-07-2020
Closed • Opens at 9:00am
Cosy Club
Loungers Pub, in Basingstoke

Cask Ale not available

Three Sisters London E5 taken April 2015. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 02-05-2015
Closed • Opens at 3:00pm
Star By Hackney Downs
Electric Star Pub, in Clapton
2 Changing Beers
Greyhound London E15 taken in 1987.. (Pub, External). Published on 25-11-2018
Closed • Opens at Noon
Greyhound
Redhouse Pubs Pub, in Stratford

Cask Ale not available

Pub Walk Shoes Icon

Love Cask Beer?

Join CAMRA to support the campaign to access more features plus access to a range of different benefits.

Become a member
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2026 (inst-a1d1538e-a59e-4815-8cb3-fe2f3fa53282-3374504-app-54457q4zp)
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
Home

Privacy Overview

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website and to show you personalised content. You can allow all or manage them individually.

Necessary

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. More information

Non-Necessary (Analytics)

These cookies help us to improve your web experience. They allow us to gather feedback on your behaviour and to show adverts relevant to you. You can turn this off here.

Cookies

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website and to show you personalised content. You can allow all or manage them individually.