The sign above the bar in Shorts Ltd. on Brown Street read "Shorts Ltd., 1672" - unlikely to be its Est. year! Another themed pub which seemed to be all the rage in the 1970s, though what that theme was is unclear, as Shorts had riding gear, horses brasses and a stag's head, as well as bars named after Micawber and Dickens himself. It was a John Smiths house, offering bitter, mild plus keg Courage Tavern and Harp to accompany the fruitie, TV table tennis, pool table and jukebox [1]. The exact location of Shorts Ltd. on Brown Street is unknown at present. Here's a 1973 photo looking down Brown Street towards King Street from King Street for now (just seen the Post Office on the right). Could this 1973 'Rowntrees' (not the Hanging Ditch Rowntrees) in the Westminster Buildings have later become Shorts Ltd.? Note the sign which says "Rowntrees is now closed... Tramps" (Tramps was a club over on Princess Street).
1. The Manchester Pub Guide, Manchester & Salford City Centres (1975).
There were two Rowntrees clubs, one known as Rowntrees Spring Gardens ( which may have had an entrance on Brown Street ) and another in the Corn Exchange ( about where Zinc is now on Cross Street ) Both were part of the Takis Group of places/discos
ReplyDeleteLooking at the 1973 photo taken from King Street as I remember Shorts would have been on the left and out of sight from that vantage point. I seem to remember that there was a big square bar in the middle of the room and that it was quite short lived.
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