Manchester pubs under threat
Is another piece of Victorian Manchester about to vanish?
Meanwhile the once grand but now derelict Plymouth Grove Hotel (1874), the magnificent Victorian pub with distinctive clock tower, featured in the book ‘Victorian Manchester and Salford’, could, I’m informed, be about to be disappear. As more pieces of the mosaic of Manchester are chipped away, many people wonder if the current development of Manchester is a case ‘One step forward, two steps back’?.
Final link about to disappear?
The Plymouth Grove Hotel is close to Mrs Gaskell’s house, itself a building at risk. At the moment the surrounding area is undergoing renewal, but the pub, a final link with the Victorian era, could be about to disappear. At the moment the pub has a ‘Sold’ sign on it. I will try to find out exactly what is happening, and report back in an upcoming edition of the Eye On Manchester Blog.
Posted on May 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I have been trying to find out form the planning department at the council as to whether the pub is to be demolished, for 2 weeks, they have still got no information back to me.
I hope in the next civic society newsletter to print an article about its historical value and get some support to keep the building…..
Posted on July 28th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I have been dismayed at the lack of knowledge and information at the resources of Manchester City Council regarding buildings at risk. Certainly not an efficient organisation.
The last time I checked with regards the Plymouth Grove Hotel Public House, I was told it could not be demolised due to listed status. This however as never stopped both Manchester City Council and property developers in the past and judging by the yet more poorly designed housing, so called redevelopment, I can sadly see this pub going the way of demolition as many historical buildings have already gone in Manchester.
Neither do those in charge at Manchester City Council have the skill, intelligence and creativity to save, reuse and sustain buildings of social historical importance and neither do they understand that since Thatchers destruction of the this country, we are a service industry and thus destination for tourists. Surely tourists want to see a little more than a Supermarket or MacDonalds!
Posted on July 28th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I too am dismayed at the level of destruction of older buildings in Manchester. The latest I saw today was Ducie House on Denmark Road, a building with many associations for people going back decades. I feel we do not value our legacy buildings, which account for most of what Manchester is today. They often look scruffy, badly maintained and unloved. The area on Dickenson Rd next to Birchfields Rd is a good example. At this rate I will be spending more and more time in the Central Library looking at the local image collection! Thanks for your comments.