Just on to the pub thing again, forget the 'orrible Airport Hotel and head down the road towards Heald Green/Styal if you're waiting for a flight to arrive and try the Tatton Arms, wonderful pint of Robbies and only 2 mins away. A lot of ground staff go in regularly and the atmosphere's always pleasant.
On a nice day you can sit out back and it's right under the flightpath, 400yds from the threshold. Ok, so you only get to see the undersides of the a/c
but hey, better than a crap pint and unfriendly locals in the AH.