The Plymouth Grove Hotel, Plymouth Grove, a fine building with maybe a fine new future

Today I have joined that group which at one time or another has written about the Plymouth Grove Hotel.

It was built in 1874 and even now after over a decade of neglect is a striking building.

Today it stands alone and a little at odds with its surroundings but for nearly a century it was surrounded by fine looking Victorian terraced houses which were homes to those middling people who made their living from selling things and working in offices, banks and in trade.

In 1911 here could be found engineers and teachers, as well as manufacturers, travelling salesmen and the odd shop keeper.

And at the Plymouth Grove Hotel was the 32 year old Harold George, already a widower who ran the 9 roomed pub with his younger brother, two bar maids and a housemaid and cook.

Back then our pub with its tall clock tower facing on to Shakespeare Street was a landmark and anyone coming into town along the tree lined Plymouth Grove could not but be impressed.

But the clearance s in the late 60s left it isolated and it finally gave up as a pub around 2002.

That said even as it slowly began to decay it was clocked by passes by and frequently photographed with a few of the interior having recently been posted on facebook.

It may well be that these were taken when some work was being undertaken on the place.

It was subject to a planning application back in 2012, to change the building to a restaurant and three apartments with internal alterations and the erection of a three storey rear extension to form an enclosed staircase.*

The application was successful so perhaps finally this grand old listed Grade II building will again offer up a mix of drink and food to those who walk through its doors.

Pictures; courtesy of Andy Robertson, 2014

*Manchester City Council Planning, http://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do;jsessionid=C86F99750F7AB5D137DE1D6CA865699E?action=firstPage