The life of a pub landlord can be a colourful one. But Jed Ford’s time in the booze businessis the stuff of TV drama.
The iconic Millstone owner has spent decades pulling pints, shifting barrels and balancing tills across Mancunian watering holes – and in a brand new interview the local landlord has shared some astonishing stories that sound like they’ve been lifted from the pages of an airport paperback.
Speaking to the Joe Marler Show – a podcast hosted by the eponymous England rugby international and sports journalist Tom Fordyce (co-host of That Peter Crouch Podcast) – Ford looks back on his time as a landlord, revealing how his pubs have been robbed, bombed and even haunted over the years.
Ford talks about how he was hauled out of bed at knifepoint during an armed robbery on his country pub in Stalybridge, and also discusses the time his city centre boozer was battered by the Manchester bomb.
The landlord also claims to have owned two pubs where patrons would openly chat to ghosts – The Church Inn in Prestwich and The Black Lion in Salford.
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Time to go to the pub! Or, time to listen to our latest episode about pubs… just as good we say 🍻
— Things People Do (@ThingsPeoplePod) June 9, 2021
During the episode, Ford tells the hosts: “I had a pub – a very nice pub in the country – and I got armed robbed.
“They knew exactly what they were doing. They stormed into the bedroom. Dragged me out of the bed. They had knives, they had a machete. And they wanted all the cash.
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“They picked bricks up, got ladders up to the first floor, smashed the window, and come straight in. They got the cash, of course. But fortunately they never touched me.”
He calls the 1996 bomb his other “biggest scare”, before talking about how he shared pints with police officers after being caught defying evacuation and sneaking into his pub to retrieve a worker’s handbag she’d left behind.
Ford also says patrons would visit his Salford pub “on a regular basis to talk to dead people.”
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“I promise you, there’d be a dozen people talking to [ghosts],” the landlord says.
“I never saw one. But I was mesmerised just listening to all the stories!”
You can listen to the fascinating full interview online here. It’s also available on Spotify and Apple.
Art & Culture
New stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House to arrive in Manchester this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
A brand-new stage adaptation of a bestselling horror novel and TV series is coming to Manchester this Halloween.
Following the critically acclaimed Netflix hit series that introduced a new generation to the eerie masterpiece, author Shirley Jackson’s famous The Haunting of Hill House is being turned into a brand-new stage adaptation later this year, and will be taking to one of Manchester’s most iconic stages at the spookiest season of all.
Written by Olivier and BAFTA award-winner Stef Smith, and directed by Martin Constantine, the new production is set to conjure the iconic supernatural thriller on stage.
It will be making its world premiere with a UK tour this autumn, stopping off in several major towns and cities along the way.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, The Haunting of Hill House follows a group of daring investigators who take on the mystery of Hill House, before their curiosity quickly descends into fear.
A new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House is coming to Manchester this Halloween / Credit: Supplied
“The Haunting of Hill House is one of the greatest supernatural novels of the last hundred years and to have the chance to adapt it for the stage is a true privilege,” explained writer Stef Smith, as the UK tour was announced this week.
“I find Shirley Jackson’s world intoxicating, thrilling and gut-wrenching.
“I believe there is something so deeply theatrical at the heart of Hill House. From the spooky, to the surreal, through heartache and hope. I hope that our cast of characters will take the audience along for a ride quite unlike anything else. Above all we will examine that the biggest horrors are usually human.”
The brand-new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House will arrive in Manchester and take to the stage at Manchester Palace Theatre from Tuesday 27 October right through to Halloween itself (Saturday 31 October 2026).
The full cast and creative team for the new production is set to be announced shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.
Tickets go on pre-sale tomorrow at 10am, before general sale begins on Friday (20 February), again at 10am, and you book your place here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Art & Culture
Adults-only ‘after hours’ event returns to Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum next month
Emily Sergeant
A popular adults-only ‘after hours’ event is returning to Manchester next month.
Fancy releasing your inner child? If you need an excuse to leave the little Mancs at home, then one of Manchester’s most visited museums might have just what you’re looking for, as the Science and Industry Museum has announced that its popular After Hours event especially for adults is returning for one night only next month.
You’ll get to celebrate the energy that ‘sparked a revolution’ with an evening of interactive games, live music, and unique experiences as you explore the Museum once it’s closed for the day.
It’s your chance to be among the first to explore the newly re-opened Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery after dark, and experience the sights, smells, and sounds of engine-driven ideas that started in Manchester and went on to change the world.
An adults-only ‘after hours’ event is coming to Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum next month / Credit: Science Museum Group
The Museum’s permanent galleries and displays will also be open after hours, so you can get hands-on with science in Experiment, meet mighty machines in the Textiles Gallery, and discover Manchester‘s rich legacy of industrial innovations, creativity, and world-changing ideas in Revolution Manchester.
You’ll also be embrace your inner child with free access to the brand-new world premiere exhibition Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos, which just opened last week in time for half term, and of course, indulge your playful side in Power Up – with more than 150 consoles to choose from in the ultimate gaming exhibition.
Especially for this particular evening, you can look forward to some very special one-off events, as well as the chance to take part in a whole host of high-energy interactive games.
There’ll be an ‘unforgettable’ performance from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Viola, celebrating all things power with a spectacular combination of violin and vocals, as well as a set from musician Mike Cunningham who’ll light up the evening with bold and colourful LED drumming inspired by the sounds of Manchester’s industry and creative spirit.
And of course, as this is an adults-only event, the museum’s events bar will be popping up on the night, and will be serving up a wide range of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic drinks to wet your whistle while you’re looking around, with some delicious food to accompany too.
The Manc -
11th June 2021 
