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.
Time to go to the pub! Or, time to listen to our latest episode about pubs… just as good we say 🍻
— The Joe Marler Show (@JoeMarlerShow) 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.
“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.”
“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
Rochdale will be hosting its FIRST EVER comedy festival later this year
Thomas Melia
There’s a comedy festival making its way to Rochdale for the first time ever, and it’s taking place over 10 days this autumn.
Rochdale is preparing for barrels of laughter, as the borough is about to host a comedy festival as part of its events programme for being crowned Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025-26.
The line-up features some well-renowned names in thecomedy world, many of whom have received awards and recognition along the way.
You can expect appearances from Lou Conran, who features as a regular support act for Sarah Millican, Tez Ilyas, from ‘Man Like Mobeen’, and TV comedy legend Mick Miller. There’s even some Britain’s Got Talent alumni in the form of last year’s finalist Alex Mitchell and 2017 semi-finalist Jonny Awsum.
Tez Ilyaz, Lou Conran and Brennan Reece are just some of the acts listed for Rochdale Comedy Festival / Credit: Supplied
Edinburgh Festival favourite Patrick Monahan will be performing along with English comedian of the year Rob Mullholland, Aaron Wood – named by Rolling Stone UK as one of the 12 rising comedy stars to see at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, and comedy musician Alex Camp.
The lineup also includes Robin Ince, co-host and creator of Sony Gold Award winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage, and a whole host of other stand-up acts who are all gearing up ready to make Rochdale giggle.
“Us northerners are famous for our sense of humour and there’s a big appetite for comedy,” commented Councillor Sue Smith, who is the cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council.
Rochdale Comedy Festival has an array of comedians taking part including Jonny Awsum and Daisy Earl / Credit: Supplied
“I’m happy to see Rochdale Comedy Festival launching during our year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture.
“It will bring together communities and give new comedians a chance to shine.”
So whether you’re in need of a cheer up, or you’re a comedy aficionado, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to crack a smile at Rochdale Comedy Festival, as it’s happening across 10 days from 26 September to 5 October in various venues across the Greater Manchester borough.
Featured Images – Supplied (via Publicity Pictures)
Art & Culture
Iconic musical Annie is returning to the stage in Manchester next summer
Emily Sergeant
One of the most iconic musical productions of the 21st century will be heading out on a tour of the UK and Ireland next year.
And of course, an iconic musical will be taking to an iconic Manchester stage.
Renowned theatre producers Michael Harrison and David Ian are ‘delighted’ to announce that their smash-hit production of the musical Annie is being revived for 2026 and 2027, and will be embarking on a huge UK-wide tour, stopping off at some major cities in the process.
Unfamiliar with the musical Annie? Yet to see it on stage? Or haven’t been able to watch the beloved 1982 film of the same name? Let us fill you in.
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage – but her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks.
Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family.
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The smash hit West End production of ANNIE, the world’s favourite family musical, returns to Manchester for 2 weeks only.
Groups presale 👉 Today 12pm General sale 👉 Friday 12 Sep 10am
Based on the 1924 comic strip, Little Orphan Annie by Harold Grey – which, in turn, was inspired from the poem, Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley – Annie the musical originally debuted on Broadway in 1977 where it ran for nearly six years, before eventually spawning numerous productions in countless other countries, as well as national tours.
Over the last four decades, Annie the musical has won seven Tony Awards, including for Best Musical, and a wide variety of other accolades.
The songs ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’ are among its most popular and well-known musical numbers.
Annie the musical will be taking to the Manchester Palace Theatre stage from Tuesday 9 – Saturday 20 June 2026, with the tour continuing right through to mid-March 2027, and even more locations yet to be announced.
Tickets for the show are officially now on sale, and you can get your hands on them here.
The Manc -
11th June 2021 
