The Alliance Inn was a Boddingtons beerhouse on the corner of Kate Street (now Russet Road) and Rochdale Road in Blackley. The above photo is from the 1960s and there are two 1958 photos showing the Alliance Inn a few years earlier. The late Eddie and Mavis Mees ran the Alliance between 1972 and 1974, and their sons Dave and Johnny, who lived at the pub, remember the pub's tiny bar about 1.5 metres long with just two pumps, bitter and mild. Bottled Heineken sold well so the Mees installed it on draught in late '72. Ted Stockton used to drink in here and remembers ordering at the bar stating a cryptic "No.2" or "No.4", etc. This was because no one drank anything other than bitter or lager and if you ordered half pints then that would have marked you out as a person of questionable tastes.
Although the license at the Alliance Inn didn't permit the sale of spirits, they always had a couple of bottles under the bar for the locals. Regulars at the Alliance during this time were characters like 'The Beast', 'Chic Chavio', 'Mary Mary' and Brian 'The Bear' Dunn. A 1973 oil painting of the pub painted by J. Murray for the Mees still resides with the family. The original Alliance Inn was knocked down in the 1980s and a new estate-style pub built in its place, set back a little off the main road, with the plot of the old Alliance still empty.
Former location of Alliance Inn, Rochdale Road (new Alliance Inn behind). (c) Google 2012. View Larger Map.
Although the license at the Alliance Inn didn't permit the sale of spirits, they always had a couple of bottles under the bar for the locals. Regulars at the Alliance during this time were characters like 'The Beast', 'Chic Chavio', 'Mary Mary' and Brian 'The Bear' Dunn. A 1973 oil painting of the pub painted by J. Murray for the Mees still resides with the family. The original Alliance Inn was knocked down in the 1980s and a new estate-style pub built in its place, set back a little off the main road, with the plot of the old Alliance still empty.
Thk you for posting this ...
ReplyDeleteNice post Dan although I seem to remember that Brian Dunn was actually The Bear ( ex Army heavyweight boxing champ ) The Beast however was entirely different...
DeleteBrian Dunn ("the Bear" definitely!); Chic had a slightly different surname as I recall, and was highly Respected with a capital 'R'. In fact his surname was 'unspoken'. It is part of legend that Brian, Chic, and the Manchester lads met the Krays at Picadilly station. The Krays wanted to take over Manchester. The Manchester lads met them, bought them a drink and then told them in no uncertain terms to not come back. There seems to have been an element of cordiality nonetheless and a close 'colleague' of Brian and Chic's, who also drank at the Alliance, became a manager for one of the Kray's clubs in London.
DeleteThere are other stories that could be told about Brian Dunn "the Bear" and the Alliance that now part of 'folklore', but I can confirm that most of them are true!
... from another person wishing to remain anonymous!
Brian Dunn the bear was my step dad I was young at the time but was on it if a robbery went down they wud pay the bear so now they was untouch able under the bears protection
DeleteMy. Mother was lrene them who new the bear knew lrene m the kids bell my for story's 07842291727
DeleteStill going strong Im happy to report, fairly quite midweek but weekends are rockin ...always busy Fri, Sat and Sundays...occasionally DJ Frank does a set
ReplyDeleteGood interesting article and thanks for posting it. Just a bit of extra info here, Kate Street was about 25 yards to the north of Russett Road. Russett Road was formerly Russell Road. Kate Street was very narrow and was also a dead end.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Just a bit more info . The wall had iron railings on. I use to clime it to look into Ada Street. Jim and Mary ran the chippy next door to the Alliance.
ReplyDeleteHi my dad was Brian Dunn aka the bear,One story he turned may day parade turn around half a mile long coz they was scarring his pigeon ha ha I seen it with my own eyrs
DeleteMy Mother's aunty Hannah Newton (nee Pickston) was married to Arthur Newton who was the publican before WW2 and I have a sherry glass engraved Alliance Inn, Blackley- Arhur Newton. His son Robert Newton had a trial with MUFC and played for the reserves. His daughter, Frances Newton was a contralto who sang on the radio pre- war and was one of the leading ladies in the Simpson Memorial Operatic Socy over many decades (the name changed to North Manchester Op and Dram Socy later)
ReplyDeleteBrian Dunn AKA The bear iv story's you will laught at or think told u he n the boys fucked the krays off,Fact any one who wants more stories
ReplyDelete