The Kippax, Grimshaw Lane, Newton Heath. (c) David Dixon at geograph under Creative Commons.
The Gibraltar is seen in these two 1964 photos as a Wilsons house on the corner of Bower Street and Grimshaw Lane, just off Oldham Road in Newton Heath. Pictured more recently below in 1985 thanks to the ManMates Facebook page [1], it was still known as the Gibraltar until Manchester City moved from Moss Side to Bradford in 2003. The landlord did what a number of pubs around the City of Manchester Stadium did, and changed its name to commemorate the development (or more likely, try to attract match day custom), to the Kippax (after the huge old terrace at Maine Road).
Gibraltar, Grimshaw Lane. (c) D.N. at ManMates Facebook [1].
Like the Church (Blue Moon), Birch Arms (Out of the Blue), Cricketers (The Stadium), Bradford (Guvnors) and Britannia (Summerbee's / Maine Road), the newly renamed Kippax did attract match day customers. But now, also in common with these pubs, it's now closed down - having done so just before the most recent Manchester derby - City won 4-1 but the Kippax match day regulars will have had to toast the victory elsewhere. Of the list above, only the old Cricketers/Stadium has survived, and that's as a curry house, though the Crossroads (The Manchester) and the Victoria (Eastlands Bar) are a couple of renamed survivors.
The Kippax, Grimshaw Lane. (c) Google 2013. View Larger Map.
Just went in on Match days (City), always a good atmosphere & banter, some good lads in there.
ReplyDeleteBest memories of Kippax Pub was celebrating our 1st League Title (2012) in decades, with family (Gary, Dennis, dad Tom, and many more), friends & fellow True Blues.
Happy Days : COME ON CITY !
....Martin Bebbington (ctid, Salford Born & Raised, emigrated to Miles Platting to move in with the Mrs around 2000). SeasonCard Lifer.
Cool one. Greetz from Switzerland
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