Gary Neville to restore historic Manchester pub after locals fought to save it
Initial plans intended to demolish the pub, but after a hard-fought campaign the backstreet Georgian boozer is now set to be restored to its former glory
Gary Neville’s team will restore the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub as part of its new £400m St Michael’s development, it has been confirmed, after locals fought to stop the centuries-old boozer from being demolished.
The historic pub, located between Jackson’s Row and Bootle Street, in Manchester, dates back to the 1800s and was considered at risk in the early planning stages of the St Michael’s development.
Back in 2016, a group of locals fought hard against Manchester City Council’s Regeneration Team and developers to keep the pub – launching a Change.org petition to save it that amassed over 5,000 signatures.
At the time, they argued: “Developers have indicated their intention to demolish the pub with a new building proposed for this site.
“Rather than lose a piece of Manchester history, they could easily accommodate the existing building into the plans. We’ve lost enough historic buildings to be replaced by steel & glass boxes. It’s time we fought to keep our history.”
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Now, their wish is finally about to be granted as the former Man United star has confirmed not only will his team retain the pub – but will actively work to restore it to its former glory.
Image: The Abercromby
Named after a British soldier, politician, and colonialist, the Sir Ralph Abercromby is one of the city’s last remaining structures from the Peterloo era.
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It is one of Manchester’s rare remaining Georgian buildings, and, along with the Friends Meeting House, is one of the last witnesses of the 1819 massacre considered a vital stepping stone towards the British democracy we value today.
It was in this very boozer that protesters would have discussed the rising cost of living and the state of falling workers’ pay, as starvation ran riot amongst hard-working but politically unrepresented local weavers and spinners.
And it was also here, on that fateful day in 1819, that the injured were carried back and nursed after an estimated 700+ were hurt by cavalry charging into a protest simply asking for the reform of parliamentary representation.
The tiny pub, one of the few original structures remaining in the area, will likely be dwarfed by the new tower but encompassed in the overall St Michael’s vision.
Image: The Abercromby
Also included in the plans for St Michael’s – 15 years in the making – are a 41-storey skyscraper, a rooftop restaurant, and a 162-bed 5 Star international hotel.
That’s not to mention the 217 luxury residences, which go on sale after summer as part of a joint venture between Relentless Developments and property developer, Salboy.
The tiny pub, one of the few structures remaining in the area from the time of the Peterloo Massacre, will be dwarfed by the new tower but encompassed in the overall St Michael’s vision – sitting by itself in a new public square.
A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
Murder investigation launched and five people arrested after man dies in Salford
Emily Sergeant
A murder investigation has been launched after the death of a man in Salford this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers were called out to an address on Great Clowes Street in Salford at around 7:50pm on Tuesday evening (6 October), and when they arrived on the scene, a man in his 40s was found ‘unresponsive’.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services and all the medical professionals involved, the man sadly died a short time later.
The identity of the man has not been revealed as of yet.
Police have confirmed that five men, all aged between 24 and 35-years-old, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
A public appeal for information has now been issued as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding this man’s death continues.
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Partington explained: “Our priority is to establish exactly what happened and we are keeping an open mind as we work to build a full picture of the events leading up to his death. A post-mortem is taking place to establish the cause of death, which will be an important part of our investigation.
“We understand that an incident of this nature will understandably cause concern within the local community but at this stage, we are confident that there isn’t any wider threat to the public.
“Officers will remain in the area while enquiries continue, and I would encourage anyone who has information, or who may have witnessed anything that could assist our investigation, to speak to officers or contact us.”
Can you help? Anyone with information should contact police on 101, use the LiveChat function on the GMP website, or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
28th July 2023 
