The Imperial Hotel was a fantastically styled old building sadly demolished in 1997 for the new Hotel Malmaison development. A original Wilsons house popular with train passengers both arriving and departing and occasionally football fans returning from away matches. It had a time as the New Mancunian in the '70s as seen here, and later the Young Pretender, then back to the Imperial. It was once next to the once famed and freaky Manchester Dolls Hospital which went the same way at the same time due the rebuilding work. You can just about see the Waldorf behind the Imperial which these days is a popular match day boozer for both City and United fans.
New Mancunian, Piccadilly. (c) Manchester Pub Surveys [1].
Blues and reds supping the same boozer? Well in 1907 City legend Billy Meredith and United's Charlie Roberts convened the first meeting of the Association of Football Players' and Trainer's Union (the Player's Union) in the Imperial Hotel. This group was formed in response to the maximum wage of the day which the Football League had set at a miserly £4 a week in 1901. Today it still campaigns for its members as the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), and fittingly two of its current Executives are former blue Richard Jobson and ex-red Martin Buchan.
1. The Manchester Pub Guide, Manchester & Salford City Centres, Manchester Pub Surveys (1975).
next door to dolls hospital(with doll like owner)was the legendary Stanleys army stores,where a bunch of wayward manc teenagers were left mostly unsupervised to deal with navvys tramps proffessors students and camping types calling in for gaz,russion overcoats,sailor pants,boots and campers wandering round the magnificent basement display of cotton tents,inflatable boats and stoves.It was manchesters own "frontier supply store"like something out of a clint eastwood film!Worth a thousand of the meaningless bland hotel that has replaced it and its other shops along piccadilly.
ReplyDeletei used to work int he New Mancunian in the 70's behind the bar...Bitter was 17p & Mild was 15p ...also sold Watneys Red Barrel. After work at weekends down to Placemate on Whitworth St ..Happy Days
ReplyDeleteMy grandad was the landlord when it was the Imperial in the late 50’s until he retired in 1965
DeleteIt was a meeting of great historical importance which tried to address the issue of a maximum wage of £4 per week in the Football League and led to formation of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). Today, former blue Richard Jobson and ex-red Martin Buchan hold executive roles at the PFA, continuing its advocacy for its members.
ReplyDeleteWhile looking back on this shared history between Manchester’s iconic structures and football’s founding fathers, check out AWOL Vision Coupon for incredible eyewear deals. Like the long-established Imperial Hotel, AWOL Vision has a vast range of products that blend stylishness with eyesight, therefore suiting different eyewear enthusiasts.