So, the Whalley Hotel is closed and up for sale.
I passed the place earlier in the week and saw the sign.
Now I had spotted the story on facebook but was mindful of the April Fools prank that posted pictures of the place with boarded up windows, but this time it seems to be true.
And as if to confirm the fact Andy Robertson sent me three pictures of the closed pub yesterday.
I wonder at the future of the place. The Southern on Mauldeth Road West stayed closed for a long time before becoming a restaurant and this fine building is in a prime location.
That said it stands on a large piece of land which no doubt could be redeveloped for flats.
I have looked and there is no planning application in as yet for the site at 2 Withington Road, Manchester M16 8AA but it is early days.
I can’t say I have fond memories of the place, I went in only once on a Sunday in the summer of 1976 and the visit was set against the slow and pretty painful unravelling of a long term relationship, so no happy hour at the Whalley that day.
But I know lots of people who enjoyed the place and it was still advertising itself as part of the Irish Festival in March, so to an outsider like me all a bit of a surprise and it has provided me with some good stories over the last year and bit and been a subject of a painting by local artist Peter Topping.*
So I hope it does reopen even given that seemingly unstoppable trend for pubs to close, the victims of a recession and changing life styles.
The old Seymour at the other end of Upper Chorlton Road went a long time ago leaving Whalley Range with just those small cafe/bars which may be the future but lack the grandeur and the history of places like the Whalley.
Pictures; the Whalley Hotel, 2014, from the collection of Andy Robertson,
*The Whalley Hotel, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Whalley%20Hotel
Now I had spotted the story on facebook but was mindful of the April Fools prank that posted pictures of the place with boarded up windows, but this time it seems to be true.
And as if to confirm the fact Andy Robertson sent me three pictures of the closed pub yesterday.
I wonder at the future of the place. The Southern on Mauldeth Road West stayed closed for a long time before becoming a restaurant and this fine building is in a prime location.
I have looked and there is no planning application in as yet for the site at 2 Withington Road, Manchester M16 8AA but it is early days.
I can’t say I have fond memories of the place, I went in only once on a Sunday in the summer of 1976 and the visit was set against the slow and pretty painful unravelling of a long term relationship, so no happy hour at the Whalley that day.
So I hope it does reopen even given that seemingly unstoppable trend for pubs to close, the victims of a recession and changing life styles.
The old Seymour at the other end of Upper Chorlton Road went a long time ago leaving Whalley Range with just those small cafe/bars which may be the future but lack the grandeur and the history of places like the Whalley.
Pictures; the Whalley Hotel, 2014, from the collection of Andy Robertson,
*The Whalley Hotel, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Whalley%20Hotel
Worked there briefly in the 1970's. Nearly all the pubs of that era are gone now. Sad,
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