Golden Lion, Wilmslow Road, Withington. (c) Jules Selbas at Closed Pubs [1].
The Golden Lion stood at 579 Wilmslow Road, the poor relation of the other two Lions in the area, the still-serving Red Lion and the sadly closed White Lion. The Golden Lion was once a Hardy's Crown Ales then Tetley's house, as seen in a number of great archive photos from 1959, as a Hardy's house, then under Tetley's in 1970, 1972, and one from the rear, also in 1959. The Golden Lion turned into one of the ubiquitous Mr Q's pubs in the early 2000s before closing in 2006, but I recall it having a brief spell as the Manor House.
Remains of the Golden Lion, Wilmslow Road. (c) Didsbury Action File.
The reaction of locals to the plan to build 48 apartments to replace the Golden Lion was "The People of Manchester Say Thank You For Yuppie Flats". The pub was finally demolished in April 2009 and the sign still poking over the hoardings is all that remains of the Golden Lion. Predictably, the company - Clarke-Lyons of Didsbury - who, in 2005, successfully lobbied the hapless Manchester City Council for permission to demolish the pub, did absolutely nothing with the land, bar fence it off in the ugliest way possible.
Former Golden Lion, Wilmslow Road. (c) Google 2014. View Larger Map.
In the mid-to-late 1980s it offered a specialist Quiche menu. Really.
ReplyDeleteYou were right about it being called the Manor House,i went in the pub on the 4th of April 1993 it was called the manor house then,it was tied to Tetley's and sold real ales/
DeleteI used to work at the Manor house from 1986 to 1987. It was quite a popular pub in those days. It went down hill after that.
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DeleteI spent many a Saturday night in this pub in the late 70's and early 80's but sadly I never had a pint. That's because I was only a kid and my best friend John lived there with his parents. On a recent trip back to Manchester I wanted to go in for my first legal pint, but was amazed to see it is now a carpark for the hospital.
DeleteOdd how the two 1970s pictures show it with the central door bricked up, but it was definitely back in use when I first came across it in 1985. It was the Manor House then, and I think it kept that name for many years until eventually becoming Mr Q's.
ReplyDeleteThe site is now a staff car park for The Christie Hospital
ReplyDeleteNow a possible site for a ventilation shaft for the HS2 tunnel:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hs2-high-speed-rail-manchester-14787261
I remember it as the Manor House in the late 1980's. Eric Nixon the Man City goalkeeper used to drink in there.
ReplyDeleteAll the Nixons drank there, i was Assistant Manger from 1998 till 1991
DeleteI worked at the Manor House from 1986 to 1989 with my sister. Was a great place, and excited as a 19 year old who just came off the boat from Ireland. I met some great people. My sister worked in the kitchen making those delicious lasagne.
DeleteI used to drink in there 1979-81 while my washing was in the launderete a few doors down 2 pints of Tetleys bitter during the wash and 2 more whike drying
ReplyDeleteGolden Lion was my local back in the 1960's, a great pub with great atmosphere right lads! Mike Hollingworth.
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