The Star and Garter

Housed on Fairfield Street, behind Piccadilly Station, the Star & Garter is a red brick pub that looks like a crime scene from a Hitchcock thriller. It was featured in the 50s film noir Hell is A City and since then, seems to have gone from chic to shabby with little investment or TLC. The carpets are frayed, the seats are grubby and the walls upstairs are painted chocolate.

Endearingly, none of this seems to bother the students and regulars who flock there for the monthly Smiths nights and occasional rock and punk gigs. The gigs are housed upstairs on the first floor - where there's a small stage and bar - whilst the club nights straddle the ground and first floor. Drinks are cheap and cheerful and there's a long-running indie night every Saturday called Smile. You might hear the odd Brian Wilson song but you're more likely to hear everything from Pulp and Placebo to Belle and Sebastian.

In short, the Star & Garter is a venue that's more about the music and the people than the ambience or the interior. Which takes us right back to Pulp and..... A Little Soul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XMDfMaKDa0

I'll never forget the first time I went to the Star & Garter. I was really dubious about what my friends had planned for me, considering we were heading in a direction that seemed to be slighty outside the city and more than slightly IN to Manchester's Red Light district. 'Guys...' I found myself saying ominously in the way the first dingbat of a bimbo to get killed in a horror movie always does.

Then when we arrived, I was confused. 'Why are we at what looks like one of those run down burnt out old hotels on Chapel Street?' my brain was asking me. But I pressed on. I was accompanied by indie expert Mr Bateman, his lovely girlfriend and the Bambi-eyed Jess X, all of whom seemed to have the lowdown on what's cool these days.

And upon entering all my woes disappeared. For here is a pub-cum-club almost as famous in the city as Night and Day, with something to offer every poetic soul with a floppy haircut and a love for Morrissey. (That includes myself, and you'll hear more Smiths songs in here than you can shake a stick at.) The Star and Garter is a great venue, with a pub downstairs and seats comfy enough to think you're in the Crescent, and a club upstairs where you can dance your socks off to the best of Manchester's music scene.

The Smile clubnight, held every Saturday, is always filled to capacity and something of a phenomenon. Live bands often appear on Thursdays and Fridays, but one Friday each month is reserved for the worship of the miserablist with the quiff, the legendary Morrissey, and The Smiths. Yes, it's an actual Smiths disco. Where else would you find a disco dedicated to one man/band? Not only does this speak volumes about how important Morrissey is to Mancunians, it says a lot about Star & Garter's knack for pleasing their public.

I've never had a bad night here. Brave it through the brothels and find your way to this gem of a place - you won't be disappointed.

The Star and Garter is something of an alternative music institution in Manchester. It's located in the centre but far enough away from the main drag to not attract too many tourists and rowdy students. Downstairs this place still maintains its pub status and is relaxed and always busy. Upstairs the pub becomes a club, with the DJs playing great music on the weekends (including the cult 'Smile' night on Saturdays and the monthly Morissey/Smiths extravaganza on Fridays) and up and coming acts being showcased during the week.

The drinks are reasonably priced compared to the other late night clubs in town but if you want to take advantage of this then I'd get there early - either you won't get in once it's full or you'll be waiting at the bar all evening for your first drink! One thing to note is this place is only open in the evenings.

The Star and Garter is well kept in a quite secluded, perhaps dodgier end of town near Piccadilly station. There's nothing wrong with that though, as The Star and Garter proves. People still come flocking despite it's dubious location.

A grade two listed building, it's quite a beauty on the outside and one on the inside. Pub downstairs, club upstairs, Smiths disco once a month, Smile every Saturday, the Star and Garter amazes. What's more, it's welll cheap. Indie disco heaven. Love the Star and Garter, need to frequent soon.

Every city needs its own scummy danceteria - and the young people of Manchester have been having fantastic nights out at The Star and Garter for too many years to count now.


Yes, the dancefloor may be so grimy that only a fool would wear a new pair of shoes on a night out there, and the toilets are indeed a sight to behold (mainly because there's always one sink in there that someone has vomited in), but if you're looking for fun (and more importantly) cheap entertainment of a weekend, I could think of no better place.


The stand out night is definitely the legendary "Smile" which has been held every Saturday night for the past twenty years or so now. Whilst the clientele may have changed over the years, the playlist certainly hasn't - and there's been many a night when I've turned up there to find a Morrissey lookalike humping one of the speaker stacks in the corner.


And if that wasn't enough to wet your appetite for the place - they also serve mind bendingly large measures of spirits for the low low price of £2.50 - meaning that you can often get pissed there for the price of a tenner. Recession friendly entertainment, who could ask for anything more?

I've only ever been here once and i found it to be a really nice and friendly place. I wa there to see The Construct support Ufomammut last year and im hoping a few more bands i like play there 'cause i really wanna go back....maybe i will just for a piss up : )

The Star and Garter is a traditional northern pub located very close to the centre of Manchester near Ardwick Park, but still far removed from the shopping and clubbing centres of town.

From the exterior it looks a quite unwelcoming place, with very little indication that the pub is still running and vending alcohol, excepting a tiny blackboard sometimes placed outside.

Once you enter though, you will discover that you can never judge a pub by its cover, as everything about the place is perfectly welcoming. Its got traditional pub décor with a predominantly wooden finish and old-style tables and chairs. Pints are not cheap but neither are they expensive, and they even serve food. This is a limited menu but its very decent pub grub from around four quid, so no complaints whatsoever.

It makes a good place to stop for a beer after playing football at the nearby 5-a-side Power League centre.

Upon approaching the Star and Garter you will be absolutely confused as to why you are going in this direction. There is literally nothing anywhere near this pub apart from scary train bridges and dodgy corners of Manchester's red light district

Downstairs is a pub that has nothing to do with the pomp and ponce of the Northern Quarter. Nope, this one is down to earth and a bit more of a traditional Manchester pub.

Upstairs is the venue. It's a good sized room with a nice and high stage so you can see the bands. Venues like Night and Day and the Deaf Institute are leading the way in terms of booking the best up-and-coming NME-hyped bands coming through Manchester, but the Star and Garter is carving a little niche of its own that allows it to get along just fine.

Excellent venue away from the usual touristy haunts and popular with students and arty crowd. The friday night 'Smiths' disco and Saturday long-timer 'Smile' are always packed and a great place to dance away the evening with a great mix of indie and alternative tunes.
Drinks are a lot better priced than most of the clubs in town and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.

The Star and Garter is a superb no-frills venue. It's a large converted house that just plays great music, serves reasonably priced drinks and has a fantastic atmosphere. Everyone that attends seems to be content with dancing the night away and enjoying themselves.


Situated a little out of town near Piccadilly Station it's about a £3 taxi ride from the Northern Quarter. There are two main floors. Downstairs is more of a place to relax, with a circular bar and a pool table. The DJ's play upstairs in the larger room where there is a smaller bar.


Fridays tend to alternate between club nights such as The Morrissey Smiths Disco, Keys Money Lipstick and Shake it, Shake it. Every Saturday is a club night called Smile that seems to be a popular choice as it is always packed and can often be difficult to get in round about Midnight.


Although each night has a different name/theme, the crowd and music is generally the same genres consisting of indie/electro/pop/alternative.


Every time I've been to the Star and Garter, whether it was a Friday or Saturday, I've always had a great night. All the staff that work there are friendly and all the people that attend just want to have a good time! With great music and cheap-ish booze, it is an excellent night out!