The Matchstick Man, Salford

Official site of The Matchstick Man - www.hungryhorse.co.uk

Official site of The Matchstick Man - www.hungryhorse.co.uk

The Matchstick Man is a large Hungry Horse pub with an island bar that serves the separate seating areas that surround it, including an over 18s area for those who wish to escape the dining young families taking advantage of the cheap meal deals. As did I when I plumped for the mixed grill, lots of overcooked low quality meat – you get what you pay for! The bar supports a standard and premium keg range and the two hand pumps were drawing Greene King IPA and Old Speckled Hen. Televisions are located throughout and there was a match airing via Sky Sports during my Tuesday evening visit back in September last year. Outside is a large car park and decked seating runs along the walls of the pub. I found the staff to be polite, but I didn’t rate the food, which would be the only reason I would go to a pub like this so I do not plan to return.

This is a Hungry Horse, so mainly dedicated to "ping" cuisine. A typical "designed" box, but with several areas on different levels. Pretty generic decoration and prints of the local area around the walls. Loads of handpumps around the island bar, but all doubled or trebled up with GK IPA, Speckled Hen or Abbot Ale. My half of the Hen was just about OK. There's a quiz machine in one corner, so I put a £1 in and got £3 back out which just about paid for the half which was £1.75. It's pretty poor really, but was also pretty busy on my Friday late afternoon visit.