Torquay – The Manor Inn
This is the Manor Inn, not listed on Untappd or Whatpub and so we weren’t quite sure what to expect. Since the visit I’ve found that it’s listed on Whatpub under its previous incarnation when it was Old Skools Cafe Bar, although I’m not sure CAMRA thought much of it then as they haven’t burdened themselves writing anything about it. It reopened in its current name in late 2024, so the situation where some of the signage has already fallen off is perhaps a little sub-optimal. The current name is actually the traditional name for the venue, it was known as the Manor Inn until it closed in 2009.
In terms of the venue’s history, the Manor Inn was trading before the Second World War, but I can’t find when it first opened as a pub. An article in the Torbay Express in July 1985 noted that the pub had opened a new beer garden “into an oasis away from the hub-bub just a few feet away”, mentioning that it was a Courage pub that had been managed by Steve Menzies for several years.
The staff member was friendly and tried to engage Ross in conversation at the bar (she wasn’t to know that Ross doesn’t like that type of engagement as he gets scared) about all the events that were taking place at the pub and commented we had really come on the wrong night as they didn’t have anything happening on a Monday. She also came to the table we were sitting at to tell us about the jukebox, although I’m not sure if we were meant to choose the music or something. I decided against that, as although we’re not far from Wurzels territory, I can say with some confidence that it would have sounded out of place.
As for the drink, the Guinness tasted as expected and was at the appropriate temperature, so all was well there. Ross had some complaint about his lager, but then again, I often have some complaint about his lager but as mentioned in my last post, I don’t judge….
The food menu and I’ve seen from their Facebook page that they serve Sunday roasts for £10 every week that look decent value. The prices for the food and drinks are moderate and the surroundings were in a reasonable state of repair. It’s got more of a cafe feel to it, but that does fit in with their concept.
I think that the staff member was perhaps just a little over-enthusiastic in telling us about the pub, but that’s hardly a fault, it’s marvellous how someone is proud of what they’re building. This pub isn’t trying to be a craft beer bar, but it’s trying to be a pub for the community and it’s inevitably operating in a difficult environment making that work financially. Above is the pub’s Facebook post about what’s happening this month and there’s some considerable effort gone into arranging this. The atmosphere looks quite vibrant, but it’s positive to have the old pub name back and that there’s someone making a real effort to restore its fortunes. I got the impression a couple of customers were intrigued as to who we were, but solely because they hadn’t seen us before rather than out of any unfriendliness. For anyone moving into the area and looking for a place to go for live music, this I suspect would be a place where they would feel welcome.
