Former location of Caught on the Hop, Withington Road, Whalley Range. (c) Google 2013. View Larger Map.
The Caught on the Hop stood on Withington Road near the junction with Yarburgh Street and Range Road in Whalley Range. These days the new-build Range Medical Centre sits here and the pub was a similarly-bland looking 1970s estate-style boozer, though a picture has proved elusive. The Caught on the Hop was closed in the early 1990s with problems related to drug dealing being one reason for its boarding up. The Manchester CAMRA December 1991 issue of What's Doing mentions the Caught on the Hop closing (though as a Hulme pub), along with the Spinners, Crown, Bulls Head (pictured below; recently demolished), and further out, the Greyhound in Partington [1]. None of these pubs survived.
Caught on the Hop, Withington Road (Bulls Head, Chester Road). (c) What's Doing [1].
1. What's Doing, CAMRA (December 1991).
When the Greyhound in Partington closed because of the drug problem, the problem moved across the road to the very excellent King William IV (the 'King Billy'). Marston's acted quickly to deal with the problem: they closed the pub.
ReplyDeleteThis was a real tragedy, the King Billy was a proper pub frequented by decent people. And it's ale was well kept.
JJ
Yes, the King Billy was the best pub in Partington and the landlord was very strict in dealing with the problem. Sadly Marstons had no choice but to the close it as there were threats and an arson attempt. The Greyhound reopened again later.
ReplyDeleteBiff..Go I used to frequent this pub way back in 1978 1981 on the edge of "Moss Side" The place was full of drug dealers and us 2 being from down south used to attract alot of attention with our accents Shit us up a few times until the land lord got to know us and told them all to leave us alone or else
ReplyDeleteI used to go in the Caught on the hop as a sixth former at nearby St Bedes College, had forgotten what it was called so glad to finally hear of it all these years later, we weren’t aware of any drug dealers but then we were a bit naive and innocent I guess, we were just glad to get served! We used to drink pints of snake bite, happy days
ReplyDeleteI used to go in the Caught on the hop as a sixth former at nearby St Bedes College, had forgotten what it was called so glad to finally hear of it all these years later, we weren’t aware of any drug dealers but then we were a bit naive and innocent I guess, we were just glad to get served! We used to drink pints of snake bite, happy days
ReplyDeleteI once lived in the caught on the hop, my mum & dad were the landlord& landlady. Margaret & Terry cordner,& my brother David. We moved in when I was 12 & moved to the Sherwood ardwick moscott walk when I was 16. Great memories & lovely customer, I am 56 now.where has the time gone.😭😭😭
ReplyDeleteWasn't it south not north of Yarburgh Street? Set back from the main road? Kinda opposite Madina Hall which was a hotel back then. Run for a time by Phil Lynott's mum Philomena. Caught on the Hop was clised down after one too many incidents with discharged firearms. Went there about 40 years ago and it was an onteresting kind of a pub.
ReplyDeleteIt was in-between yarburgh street and range road on withington road in the 70s lardlord was Terry and wife Margaret cordner
DeleteCaught on the Hop pub whalley range was a good pub I was a regular in there in the very late 80s kept myself to myself but also knew all the drug deals in there they just said hello and went about there business
ReplyDeleteLived round the corner on Mayfield rd used to go in after work in 1981 and play pool never got any mither of any of the lads in there.I believe this is where a lot of the future gooch and Dodington gangs met.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Whaley range late 70 s early 80s it was my local good pub I had a mate called welsh Tony and billy mack
Delete