Gordo and David Blake (the editor) go deep inside one of the city's oldest breweries
"We don't want any of that craft beer beardy nonsense you get in all these trendy gaffs in town," says Gordo, Confidential's publisher. "I want some session beer, best bitter, proper necking kit."
"Shouldn't be a problem," says J.W. Lees head brewer Tom Evans, "we make up to 100,000 pints a day."
"Now you're talking," says Gordo, striding across Lees Street, narrowly avoiding a milk float.
It's only 8.30am, but this lot have been up brewing for hours. Years, actually. Over 190 years, up here at Greengate Brewery on Middleton Junction, five and a half miles north of central Manchester.
Founded in 1828 by retired cotton manufacturer John Lees, the business has made its way down six generations of the family, landing in the sound hands of current managing director, William Lees-Jones - John's great, great, great, great, great grandson (or something like that).
William left a glittering ad career in London fifteen years ago to take up the mantle in Middleton, where they continue to buck the trend, growing in size and buying up pubs - they now manage 154 pubs, employing over 1000 people.
We meet William at the brewery, in the exact spot where Bet Lynch was offered the tenancy of the most famous pub in Britain. Confused? Watch the video above.
