Pubs of Manchester

All pubs within the city centre and beyond.
A history of Manchester's hundreds of lost pubs.

Wednesday 30 June 2010

101. Cloud 23, Beetham Tower, Deansgate


Cloud 23, Beetham Tower, Deansgate. (c) cloud23.

Overrated but still impressive bar above the Hilton Hotel and below the Beetham Tower apartments. It offers views of both the delights of the Manchester suburbs (Hulme, Moss Side, Old Trafford, Salford) and the city centre. It's a place to bring the missus or out-of-towners to impress them, but not one to frequent that often. For a start it's a bastard to actually get into. If it's the weekend then unless you're willing to needily queue on the red carpet in the Hilton foyer for half an hour or so, then book ahead. Well ahead - three months is recommended to get on the weekend guest list. Midweek it's not so bad but they still make you wait a few minutes before you take the rapid lift up to the 23rd floor and are greeted with a half-empty bar. Table service tends to be slow and it's not cheap either; a couple of bottles of standard plonk and some nibbles coming to £65, and I imagine you'd not get much change out of four quid for their bottles of poncey lager. However, every proud Mancunian should come up here at least once so they can show off their tremendous knowledge of the city centre buildings, which take on a new dimension from up here. The big glass hole in the floor that looks straight down onto the street below is also a great feature.

Thursday 17 June 2010

World Cup Beer Sweepstake


World Cup Beer Sweepstake. (c) pencilandspoon.

We've drawn Nigeria in the World Cup Beer Sweepstake. If anyone's got any ideas on a decent Nigerian beer we can source and review (the obvious one is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout) before the World Cup is over let us know. Any help will of course be rewarded with a cut of any beer we might win (Nigeria? Right)!

Wednesday 16 June 2010

Half time

So, the ton-up before the halfway point of the year and well over halfway through our list. Not bad going if we do say so. The challenge is now on though, as there's some right old shyte left to do... Printworks, Deansgate Locks, Gay Village and Northern Quarter as well as plenty of odds and sods but I fear our sightings of real ale will get fewer and fewer. Time for a break though as we head off on our summer jollies. See you in July.

Threlfall's Brewery, Cook Street, Salford


Threlfall's Brewery, Cook Street. (c) breweryhistory.

John Mayor Threlfall of Liverpool purchased their Liverpool brewery from Lupton and Adamthwaite in 1861 and Threlfall's became a registered brewer in 1888. In around 1895, the Blue Lion pub on Cook Street in Salford (previously the White Lion and Apollo) was demolished and another Threlfall's brewery built in its place. In 1961 Chesters merged with Threlfall's and the Salford site became Chester's and Threlfall's brewery. Whitbread took them over in 1967 and brewing continued on the site until around 1999. The grade 2-listed, fine brick building is now the Deva Centre, an urban business village.

Threlfall's Brewery, Cook Street. (c) breweryhistory.

Threlfall's brewery, aerial view. (c) webaviation.

The Church Inn, pictured below, backed onto the Threlfall's Brewery so may have been considered its brewery tap. You can see the resemblance between the Church Inn and the recently lost Hat & Feathers in both its siting and livery.

Church Inn, Chapel Street. (c) Ven16 at flickr.

Still standing pubs in Manchester that were Threlfall's houses in the past include the Lass O'Gowrie and the Land O'Cakes, as seen below by the old glass work and signs that used to adorn the pubs, plus the Crown & Anchor (Cateaton Street), White Lion and the City. Lost Threlfall's pubs of Manchester include the just-demolished Hat & Feathers and Red Bull (both Mason Street), Sir Ralph Abercrombie (Great Ancoats Street), Mechanics Arms, Crown & Sceptre, Gunsmiths Arms, Exile of Erin (Naples Street) and Old Lancashire Hounds.

Threlfall's Brewery Co. glass. Lass O'Gowrie. (c) breweryhistory.

Threlfall's Brewery Co. sign. Land O' Cakes. (c) breweryhistory.

Monday 14 June 2010

100. Prohibition, St. Mary's Street


Prohibition, St, Mary's Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

And so as we reach pub number 100, it's ironic that this would be Prohibition, a trendy little bar tucked away behind Kendals and a world of improvement on its neighbour, Revolution.  Instead of bright lights and garishness, this bar has an altogether darker and more sombre look, smacking of a different level of class, and more than likely, customer.  Formerly Bar 10Bar Coast and H. R. Fletcher (a '90s real ale boozer), Prohibition is decorated in speak-easy style in blacks and browns, it is tasteful, and with booths around the edge, you can see why this place attracts a good weekend crowd.

H. R. Fletcher, St Mary's Street. (c) Alan Winfield with permission.

At the time of our visit it was understandably quiet (about 5pm and the World Cup match was still on) but the staff were pleasant and welcoming to our thirsty crowd.  No real ale as you would expect in this type of venue, but the ubiquitous Guinness was on with some decent foreign bottled lagers on offer.  Worth a visit if you're on a crawl or with the missus; it might get a bit busy later on though, particularly at weekends.

099. Revolution / Henry's, Parsonage Gardens


Revolution, Parsonage Gardens, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Seven pubs into the day and we come across the gem that is Revolution. As you might guess, I'm being very tongue in cheek here. Like its sister pub on Oxford Street, there is little to recommend this place to your average beer drinker, with yet again no real ale in place and a sterile environment that would put most hospitals to shame. Again, attempting to attract a certain style of customer, its target market are the bottle drinking younger crowd methinks and I suppose for them it suits.

In its former guise as Henry's Café Bar, it was one of the first proper style café bars and was also one of the first places to have Stella on draught, a fact which caught out many a youngster at the time - including a certain Roy Keane who famously was arrested for assaulting a woman here in 1999. It was also one of the places to be seen but as with most of these places, its popularity killed it as the emphasis was placed on more and more people through the door with limited spend on keeping the place spruced up and eventually became a tatty hole. In time, Revolution picked it up and whilst its improved a little it's still not great. It's out of the way for us now, I'd be surprised if we ever come back.

098. Sawyers Arms, Deansgate


Sawyers Arms, Deansgate, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

The Sawyers Arms claims to be the oldest pub in the city; a claim which is difficult to prove one way or another and depends on your definition I suppose, i.e. first licensed premises, date of construction, premises on same site.  The Crown & Cushion and English Lounge sites are older [1], however, Sawyers it is still certainly one of the oldest, if not the oldest.  These archive photos show it in 1973 and 1990.  Below are two 1960s snaps which show how the impressive old masonry which was perched on the Wilsons house was removed for some reason.

Sawyers Arms, Deansgate, early '60s. (c) northmanchester.net.

Sawyers Arms, Deansgate, 1968. (c) Alistair Mutch [2].

Another of its claims to fame is that Sawyers was one of George Best's locals in the '60s and '70s but as a modern day pub, it's fairly non-descript and is typical, I suppose, for the boozers in its immediate vicinity around this rather dull end of town.  Whilst it does food, this is fairly standard type fayre (two for £8 stuff) and would be more of a "might eat on a Friday dinner" sort of place.  In recent times, they've attempted to spruce it up and modernise it, but this has really only lead to it being even more bland unfotunately.


Sawyers Arms, Deansgate. (c) Manchester Pub Surveys [3].

Real ale was on with Copper Dragon and a couple of others being served, but regretably we have to advise that they weren't particularly well kept and weren't too clever.  Indeed the Sawyers own ale was so bad that I asked for it to be replaced, which fortunately they did without query, so an extra mark for that at least.  A pub which you might call in as part of a crawl I would suggest, but maybe not one for a session till they sort the ale out.

Sawyer's Arms, Deansgate, 1990. (c) deltrems at flickr.

2. Manchester and Liverpool Public Houses Compared: 1840-1914, Alistair Mutch.
3. The Manchester Pub Guide, Manchester & Salford City Centres, Manchester Pub Surveys (1975).

097. Walkabout, Quay Street


Walkabout, Quay Street. (c) Adam B. at flickr.

Walkabout is exactly what you would expect it to be, as an Aussie theme pub - big, brash and loud. Located just down Quay Street, across the road from the Opera House and the Old Grapes, this is a two-floored humongous great place that is amazingly popular. With little if any seating, big open sticky floors, televisions everywhere and bottles drunk throughout, it's probably an ideal place to watch the World Cup or Euro matches. Whilst we only stopped in here for a swift couple of bottles (there is no real ale obviously) during the first half of the second match of the day, we all fell foul of the ridiculous plastic pots inside rule like Dukes 92 had. Having to neck overpriced stubby bottles is bad enough but when decanted into plastic... well, they can do one. Usually, Walkaout is more of a club really, with high prices, music loud enough to cause tinnitus and a clientele of a young age that struggles to mix alcohol and going out. As we've said with similar style places in town, there is a need for this type of bar, and it must be doing something right as it's seen off its nearby neighbours in the Sports Café and Squares and continues to thrive.

096. Taps Bar, Watson Street


Taps Bar, Watson Street. (c) citylife.

Taps Bar and Epernay (a champagne bar upstairs) are an unusual addition to the drinking scene in Manchester city centre. Sat underneath the Great Northern complex and facing Bar 38 they have deliberately set out for a particular type of customer and seemingly get it. Taps is really a restaurant, but it's been included due the novelty of being able to pour your own beer at your table. Yep, you read that right - so if you've never poured a lager from the barrel before you might want to pass the glass to any ex-barmen or barmaids in your group (or put up with a glass of froth). On arrival you are shown to your table, which has two or four different types of lagers available depending on your party size.

Taps taps, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Thankfully, UK-brewed cooking lager was conspicuous by its absence and for us it was either Amstel (£3.30 a continental pint i.e. 500 ml) or Vedett Blonde (£3.70) both of which were very pleasant. An LCD screen on your table indicates how much you have used and is charged at 1/10th of a pint a time, so that should you not like one or the other, you don't have to have a full pint to find out! Not surprisingly, there is no real ale and it's not the cheapest of experiences but it's fine for a one off every now and again, with the surroundings and decor easy on the eye, and the food looked good (although we didn't sample).

Taps, inside. (c) tabletap.

095. Lava Café Bar, Castlefield Basin


Lava Café Bar, Castlefield, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

This bar was something of a surprise to us as we were expecting more of a restaurant, but turns out it's more of a real bar albeit more of the foreign café bar variety.  In view of this, unsurprisingly there is no real ale available, but the ale drinker's last resort, Guinness, was available and they had a varied selection of bottled beers and ciders.  It's situated in the Middle Warehouse in between Choice Bar & Grill (not on our list as it's primarily a restaurant) and Key 103 radio so picks up trade from both.  Lava is also sat nicely away from the throngs of Dukes 92 and Barca, which gives it a more relaxed feel as you watch the world go by and the nearby canal.  Certainly worth a call in should you be in the area, particularly on a nice sunny day, though a real ale or two might persuade us to come in a bit more often.  Does Lava attract the right kind of customer, and is it busy enough, to make real ale viable?  The independent bars like Centro and Common in the NQ certainly do to great success... 

Lava Café Bar, Castlefield, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Website: www.lavacafebar.com.

Twitter: @LavaCafeBar.

Sunday 13 June 2010

094. Barca, Catalan Square


Barca, Catalan Square, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Barca has recently been reopened by the folks behind the Northern Quarter's Crown & Anchor and Lammars. Most famous for once being owned by the simple red, Mick Hucknall, Barca was at the centre of Castlefield's thriving bar scene in the past before going downhill and closing in 2007. They've done a decent job of reviving the place and it was good to see a couple of real ales on (Taylor's Landlord was acceptable), but it has to be marked down for the ludicrous policy of plastic pots inside. So what if there's a match on in seven hours time, don't take the piss - your neighbours Dukes 92 and Lava Café were happy to serve in proper glasses.


Barca, Catalan Square, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

With several function rooms and two separate outdoor drinking areas, Barca also does decent food and drink deals - twenty quid for two pizzas and a jug of beer and £7 a bottle of plonk seems reasonable. Although by no means a classic boozer, Barca is a decent enough trendy bar and is worth popping into when on a Castlefield and Deansgate crawl, if only for the impressive illuminated urinals.

Barca, Catalan Square, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Website: www.barca-manchester.co.uk.

093. Dukes 92, Castle Street


Dukes 92, Castle Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

I suppose we should have had this as our 92nd pub but anyway, this was a pleasant start to our ton-up. Surprisingly, Dukes serves reasonably priced ale from traditional glass tankards with a decent selection of three, including the local Bazens of Salford which can be hit-and-miss, but on this occasion was OK. Careful though, it appears that no ale is on offer as their hand pumps aren't clipped and look like lager switches with their beer list printed on tiny signs on the bar - they should promote their real ale better than that. It is quite plush inside and is clearly aiming for for the more upmarket and food and wine punters that both flock to Castlefield at the weekend and live in the multitude of flats that haves sprung around here.


Dukes 92, Castle Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Dukes is named after the 92nd and last lock on the Rochdale canal (technically should have been No.1 but the tight-arsed Yorkshiremen who built the canal wouldn't let Lancashire have the honour of a No.1) and as such, its waterside location with accompanying terrace is a fine location for al fresco supping. It was originally a stable block for barge horses in the days when the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution relied on its canals to transport raw materials and goods to and from the city. In 1991 Dukes 92 opened as one of Manchester's first bar and grills and still thrives today with its private function rooms, gallery bar and adjoining restaurant, Albert's Shed. This place is the real survivor of Castlefield, with Jackson's Wharf, Box Bar and Quay Bar all closing over the years and Barca having mixed fortunes.

Dukes 92, Castle Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

Website:
www.dukes92.com.

Friday 11 June 2010

Joseph Holt Derby Brewery, Empire Street

We make no apologies for championing Joseph Holt's beer and proclaiming it the finest pint in town. It's famously cheap, plentiful, proudly Mancunian, and above all, bleedin' lovely. For many Mancunians (including us), Holt's was their first proper pint, in the days when pints were priced in pence, and there are many locals who "won't drink owt else." Whether it's a thirst quenching pint of bitter, a leisurely session on the Dark Mild, or a chilled bottle of one of Holt's many fine premium offerings, you can't go wrong with Joey's (unless you're a lager drinker, in which case it's the Diamond or Crystal). Here's the story of Manchester's finest brewer, as told in a nice piece in The Changing Face of Manchester [1].


Joseph Holt. (c) andrewsvirtualbrewery.

In the 19th Century beer production in Manchester was lucrative to both the economy and the city's social well-being. The government as a whole was able to claim nearly a quarter of its revenues, at the time, from the excise duty levied on beer. The rise in the number of public houses steadily grew and the people of Manchester enjoyed frequenting them as a place to unwind, especially after a hard day's physical labour in one of the city's many mills or factories.

Raised the son of a weaver in the small textile village of Unsworth, Joseph Holt was attracted to the business opportunity offered by the burgeoning city of Manchester and took his first job as a carter at Harrison's Strangeways Brewery. Holt married a schoolteacher with an astute mind for business, and their first brewery in 1849 was a small building behind the Butchers Arms on Oak Street, now the Wheatsheaf. By 1855 they had moved to the Ducie Bridge Brewery where Holt would lend money to publicans in return for 5% interest and the sale of his beer. In 1860 Joseph Holt had built a brand new brewery, the Derby Brewery on Empire Street in Cheetham Hill half a mile north of the city centre, where the it still stands and operates from today.

The Joseph Holt Derby Brewery, Empire Street. (c) quaffale.

Despite the deep depression of the early 1860s, due to the Lancashire Cotton Famine brought on by the American Civil War, Joseph Holt bravely changed his strategy. Instead of selling beer at wholesale prices, he decided to open his own managed public houses, selling beer at retail prices. In 1882, Holt handed control of the business to his son, Edward Holt, by which time the family company already had 20 pubs to their name. Edward Holt quickly established himself as a successful entrepreneur, and, as did many figureheads within the brewery trade, he turned his hand to local politics. Of greatest significance was his work with the Council to bring soft water to the homes of the people of Manchester from the Lake District, via the 70 miles of pipeline, a source that is still used today. This achievement saw him elected as Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1908, a decision that sparked much controversy with his links to the brewery trade. However, the Manchester public held a different view and the was re-elected for a second term.

Chief Executive Richard Kershaw in the brewery. (c) citylife.

For over 150 years, there have been few changes to the original brewing process at the Derby Brewery. The brewery itself has retained its traditional style, although all of the plant has been replaced and expanded over the years, and where necessary modern high-tech equipment is used. The company sources whole cone hops from England along with the best quality English malt, to being drinkers a choice of beers each with their own unique taste. The range of bottled and draught beers produced by Joseph Holt can be enjoyed in one of the 130+ Holt's houses in and around the Greater Manchester area, but as far afield as Southport and Blackpool. Holts houses within our boundary are: Ape & Apple, Crown & Anchor, Crown & Cushion, Derby Brewery Arms and Old Monkey, with the Eagle Inn and Bricklayers Arms just outside, in Salford (special mention to for our local, the Volunteer).

Volunteer, Cross Street, Sale. (c) garstonian at flickr.

The bottled ales have been particularly successful in winning prestigious awards within the brewery industry and with major UK retailers. A famous name on the streets of Manchester, Joseph Holt was voted one of the city's greatest ever business leaders by Manchester Evening News readers.

Holt's bottle premium bottled ales. (c) joseph-holt.

Joseph Holt has supported local charities since its early beginnings, in particular the Christie Hospital, the largest single-site cancer research and treatment centre in Europe. In 1914 Sir Edward Holt helped raise funds to purchase radium for the Manchester and District Radium Institute, later named the Holt Radium Institute in his honour, which finally amalgamated with the Christie Hospital in 1932. When Sir Edward's son, also Edward, took over the business, Holt's support of Christie's increased. When Sir Edward's wife, Lady Margaret, died in 1996, she left Christie's £7 million of her shares in the brewery. Joseph Holt has continued to support Christie's, even naming a beer in the hospital's honour. In 1999, during Holt's 150th year in business, its customers and staff raised £301,000 to upgrade the Outpatients Department at Christie's. This resulted in the outpatients entrance being named the Holt Entrance. No group or organisation has done more for Christie's cause, and this has been achieved largely through the loyalty and support of all Holt's customers. There are few family brewers left in the UK today; most have been swallowed up by the giants of the industry. Holt's is one of four that have survived in Manchester, and its enduring success can be attributed to nothing more than a well-run company serving its customers with quality product.


The Christie is proposing to build a new wing at Hope Hospital in Salford in order to make it considerably more convenient for people to receive treatment. This building work will commence in October 2009 and be completed in early 2011. Holt's are targeting to raise £250,000 to provide the reception area for this new treatment centre. It will be known as The Joseph Holt Reception Area. For every £1 raised then the Company will donate £2 through both the Edward Holt and Peter Kershaw Trusts. To donate follow this link.


1. The Changing Face of Manchester Volume 3. At Heart (2007).

Thursday 10 June 2010

092. Old Grapes, Little Quay Street


Old Grapes, Little Quay Street. (c) beerintheevening.

Sat just off Quay Street, this pub is owned by Liz Dawn aka Vera Duckworth of Coronation Street fame and is adorned throughout with pictures of current and former cast members. These can regularly be spotted having a quick drink in here, due in no small part to its proximity to Granada Studios just across the road and the ownership by their former colleague. Sadly the pub itself doesn't live up to its casting. Despite there being an untold number of pumps, there is no real ale, just the keg rubbish and usual cider and Guinness accompaniments. When cask ale is just about the only segment of the on-trade that is growing, it's baffling that well-known city centre pubs like the Old Grapes can't be arsed to offer proper beer these days.

Old Grapes, Little Quay Street. (c) markydeedrop at skyscrapercity.

The Old Grapes is housed in a grey concrete monolith which was a hotel back in the day but seems empty these days. In the '80s the frontage was less impressive as well, as shown in these three 1987 photos. Inside it's a huge pub with an impressive outdoor drinking area, but inside it's nothing more than a number of identical looking opened-out rooms with little character other than the pictures hung, which also includes snaps of many B-list celebs (think Bob Hoskins) and some Man Utd stars (think John O'Shea). With its lack of real beer, sadly this pub is not one we would be likely to frequent, with little else to drag us in I'm afraid - we'll leave it to the celebs and Corrie tourists.

091. Mark Addy, Stanley Street


Mark Addy, Stanley Street. (c) citylife.

The Mark Addy originally opened in 1981 by local entrepeneur and bookmaker Jim Ramsbottom, and was alleged to have held numerous clandestine meetings of the local Quality Street Gang. Whilst this may be just just rumour, myth and mis-truth, it has added to the general air and history of the place. Indeed this was a tale told to youngsters like myself many times in the late '80s when it was a place that wouldn't always let us young 'uns in at the time, and how it would be best for us to to just "leave quietly lads."

Mark Addy, Stanley Street. (c) Adam B. at flickr.

The pub itself is situated under the old arches in what was once a landing stage for the River Irwell ferry that used to run up and down in the 1800s. The Mark Addy is named after the famous local hero who was responsible for saving at least 50 people from their deaths in the days when the Irwell was a busy thoroughfare. In fact Addy was the only civilian to have received the Albert Medal (Victoria Cross) from Queen Victoria [1].

Mark Addy, Stanley Street. (c) Tony Hassall at flickr.

The premises were taken over by Robert Owen-Brown in 2009 with the emphasis very much on food. After Owen-Brown's well-received but ulimately failing bids to turn the Bridge Street Tavern (the Bridge) and old Beerhouse, the Angel, into gastro-pubs, he seems to have got the Mark Addy spot-on. In the short video below, Owen-Brown talks about the Mark Addy's resurgence.


The insides have had a refurb with upmarket furniture and fittings and it's set out nice and unobtrusively. The bar has now been moved nearer to the door so that casual drinkers don't have to wander through assorted diners, the only slight gripe is the lack of toilets on the floor where you are sat - instead you have to go back to the doorway and top of the staircase where you came in. This is a minor irritation only though, and this staircase itself is another of the pub's novelties, reminiscent of an old '80s nightclub entrance.


Mark Addy, Stanley Street. (c) Tony Hassall at flickr.

Whilst I've no doubt the food is excellent, it's beer we are generally after, and it didn't disappoint on this front. Four real ales on, all appearing to be well kept and at the right temperature, was pleasing find. The local-ish Prospect Oresome was a refreshing summer ale (perfect to clear the palette after a few Guinnesses and Carlsbergs at the Lowry). At £3 a pint, it's slightly on the pricey side in general, but about right for this type of restaurant and location. In the '90s it was a Boddingtons Freehouse.

Mark Addy, Stanley Street, 1990. (c) deltrems at flickr.

Quiet on the weeknight we nipped in but this place by all accounts attracts the local foodies and Manchester Confidential set, and is doing well on the back of its Owen-Brown connections. The Mark Addy is still well worth a visit despite being slightly just outside of our boundary, and I would recommend it to all, particularly in the summer when you can sit by the riverside on two separate terraces and watch the flotsam float by.

Mark Addy, Stanley Street, 2007. (c) fotofacade at flickr.


Mark Addy advert. (c) SSM CAMRA Opening Times Apr 2010.

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Wasted Youth in the Pubs of Manchester

Tommy Ducks, East Street. (c) blinddrunkal.

Check out this video, The Old Stamping Ground, featuring:

The Salisbury
Tommy Ducks
Peveril of the Peak
Grey Hound (whither?)
Eagle Inn (Holts house on Collier Street, Salford)
Chico's / Bossanova Club (nightclub near Victoria Station)
Britons Protection
City Arms
Vine



Honourable mentions for the Garratt, Salutation (outside our boundary), Lass O'Gowrie, Circus Tavern and Granby.

Chicos / Bossa Nova Club. (c) blinddrunkal.

Teasers, Deansgate


Teasers, Deansgate. (c) virtualtourist.

Teasers, or Sleazers as it was more commonly known, was one of those bars that typically pops up now and again. They seem to do very well but then disappear after a few years (see Idols). This place was inspired by the seedy clubs of Amsterdam, opening in 2000 in the Great Northern complex on Deansgate, it closed in 2008. With staff wearing little-to-no clothing, leaving even less to the imagination, and the male staff in particular given licence to wander round groping whoever they like, this wasn't the nicest of places. Couple this with extortionately priced bottled beer or cooking lager only, a crowd made up of chavs, slags and scallies and you've the recipe for a house full of undesirables, which in essence, this was. You'd expect a place like this to pop up in the Printworks sometime soon!

Teasers, Deansgate. (c) virtualtourist.

Sunday 6 June 2010

George & Dragon, Gartside Street


George & Dragon, Gartside Street, 1977. (c) Arthur Brougham with family's permission.

The George & Dragon was at No.1 Gartside Street on the corner of Bridge Street, just over the River Irwell into Manchester. The traditional frontage to this fine looking boozer is seen in this 1959 Archive photo. This, also from 1959, shows the pub looking from the bridge over the Irwell towards Deansgate, and the modern day view from pretty much this same spot shows that most Bridge Street's buildings are gone - the trees on the right hand side of Bridge Street mark the site of the George & Dragon.

Bridge Street / Gartside Street. (c) Google 2010. View Larger Map.

The bizarre looking building is the new Manchester Civil Justice Centre and to the right is the emerging Left Bank development. The Mark Addy pub is a stone's throw to the rear and right on the Salford side of the river. Back in the day the summer Manchester to Liverpool packet steamer would run from the New Bailey Bridge and passengers would get information and organise goods transport from the packet-house at the George & Dragon, then run by a Jane Weston [1].


George & Dragon, Gartside Street. (c) Arthur Brougham with family's permission.