Moston, Hillier Street North

Moston, Hillier Street North, Moston, 1992. (c) Alan Winfield with permission.

The Moston, or Moston Hotel, pictured above in 1992 by Alan Winfield, and below in 2012 just after closure, looks like an odd but fairly modern estate boozer, mainly due to its roof which always reminds me of the Star estate pub in St George's, Hulme.  However, first appearances can be deceiving.

Moston, Hillier Street North. (c) Google 2012. View Larger Map [1].

The Moston is actually a much older building, and a survivor of the demolition that preceded the re-development of this part of western Moston on the Harpurhey border.  It pictured here at the archive in 1968 as a Threlfalls house from the lost Oak Street.  Hillier Street North was previously Hillier Street and before that, Hall Street.

Moston, Hillier, Moston. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image [2].

The cladding, roofing and realignment of Hillier Street (North) cannot disguise the old Moston if you look carefully at the window placements and corners of the building.  Hidden away behind that facade is the old brickwork and possibly some of the old signage.


Moston, Hiller Street North, 2013. (c) Pete Ainsworth with permission.

Perhaps this extract from the fascinating-sounding Electrical Review in 1973 concerns the transformation of the Moston:  "Extensions to Moston Hotel, Hillier Street, Moston, for Whitbread West Pennines Ltd. Plans by A. H. Brotherton & Partners, 20 Alderley Road, Wilmslow" [4].

Moston, Hillier Street North, Moston. (c) MEN [3].

Thanks to Pete Ainsworth who contacted us to point out the fact that the modern Moston - which is at risk if bought up by the wrong developers - is, in fact, the original Moston.  Pete remembers the pub in the early 1990s, after it has been closed for a while in the '80s due to trouble.  The modern smoking area out front used to be the pub car park.

Moston, Hillier Street North, Moston. (c) rightmove [5].

Prete emembers that the landlady, Anne Duffy, ran the pub well in the '90s and took no nonsense from the locals, and in this period, Alan Winfield recalls the decent Chesters mild that was on offer alongside its bitter.  Sadly, Anne left after an argument with the owners saw her depart for the Alliance Inn on Rochdale Road.

Moston, Hillier Street North, Moston. (c) Google 2013. View Larger Map.

Trouble returned in the 2000s and after many landlords tried to make a go of it, the police and licensing authorities closed the pub down in April 2010 after fighting, drug-taking and gang activity [3].  The freehold had been sold for £564,000 in 2008 [5] but now the Moston stands boarded up and tatty, awaiting its fate.

Moston, Hillier Street North, Moston. (c) MEN [3].

1. http://manchester-estate-pubs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/moston-hillier-street-north.html.

2. http://images.manchester.gov.uk.

3. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk.
4. The Electrical Review, 193(10-17):113.

5. www.rightmove.co.uk.