Gas Tavern, Regent Road, Salford. (c) Salford Pubs of the 70s at flickr [1].
The Gas Tavern (named for obvious reasons, see the gasometer behind it, above) opened in 1861 in a row of houses on Regent Road on the corner of West Egerton Street and eventually became a Groves & Whitnall house, like many Salford beerhouses. The brewery added distinctive brown tiling to the front of the boozer and in the 1960s the Gas Tavern was granted a full licence.
A hundred years previous, then landlord John Evans had applied for the licence, stating that he needed a spirits licence to cater for the farmers and cattle dealers that passed by on the way to Cross Lane market. Despite having a coach shed and room to stable 8 horses, the application was turned down in 1865. Some of the last licensees at the Gas Tavern were Marjorie Winstanley in the 1950s and '60s, and the O'Coileain family.
A hundred years previous, then landlord John Evans had applied for the licence, stating that he needed a spirits licence to cater for the farmers and cattle dealers that passed by on the way to Cross Lane market. Despite having a coach shed and room to stable 8 horses, the application was turned down in 1865. Some of the last licensees at the Gas Tavern were Marjorie Winstanley in the 1950s and '60s, and the O'Coileain family.
Daithi O'Coileain grew up in the Gas Tavern which was run by his mother for Red Rose Brewery, whilst his father worked as a merchant seaman for Manchester Liners out of Salford Docks. The brewery was at the Manchester end of Regent Road opposite Water Street and smelt of hops day and night. 'The Gas' was a docker's pub mainly, but plenty of Irish and Maltese lads drank in there. The pub lobby was also tiled, with the vault to the left and toilets out the back. Due to the bus stop outside the pub, dray-men would get into rows with bus drivers when they'd lower beer barrels into the cellar onto sandbags, while Daithi would feed their horses apples and carrots.
After passing to Greenall Whitley, probably in the '70s, sadly the Gas Tavern closed in 1981 and stood derelict for a few years before being demolished The exact spot where the old Gas Tavern stood is today taken by a Sports Direct car park.
With reference to your statement, that the old Gas Tavern pub site was a car park for Sports Direct is quite wrong there is nothing on that side of Regent Road between Windsor Street and West Edgerton Street. check your Google maps for clarity of location.
ReplyDeleteWas there a landlord called Harry?
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