How Manchester Saved its Oldest Pubs by Picking Them Up and Moving Them

[@mchadder]

Great informative video. I remember them being in the precinct in the 70s and knew they'd moved to where they are now - but didn't realise they'd been hydraulically lifted.

[@totherarf]

I was the other way round! I remember being in school when they did the lifting but was unaware of the moving bit!

[@jeffbell2266]

I spent many an hour in both these pubs through the 80s and 90s I worked nearby even doing an installation job in Sinclairs. Happy days😀

[@CharpyTheHedgehog]

I'm glad you made a video on this- I knew they had been moved but I didn't know the details of the full story. So this was very interesting, thank you!

[@Telssa1]

I worked in Highland House from the 60s to the 90s, and saw it all happening. I walked past them thousands of times and went in them both dozens of times back then, and it's fantastic that they're still standing, despite people's reservations about them. Yours are the best pictures I've seen of how it was there in my teens and twenties, and of the changes in my time.

[@jenteale]

Showing my age. As a young girl in the early 1960's, I would walk past the cathedral to Victoria station, stopping at a little confectionary shop if time permitted. Thanks for the memories ❤

[@charlyjames9145]

Remember the original Shambles well, in the late 60's I often went in the side door on Saturday mornings. Just a schoolboy with an interest in stamp collecting, Up the stairs to the first floor where there was a small gallery and 2 or 3 shops, one I think sold fishing tackle. Continuing up the stairs was a single shop on the second floor, selling stamps, I would spend a bit of pocket money here and then wander through the back streets/alleys to Albert Square where there was a more upmarket Philatelist.

[@puddinggeek4623]

Excellent video as always. Keep up the work.

[@SuperMorgan1980]

Good work - I love stories about old pubs

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Me too!

[@heylonnie]

amazing, I always wondered about how they moved it! Thank you for taking the time to make this, great job!

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Thanks very much, it's a pleasure!

[@joeking4206]

I was at Salford Uni in the early 80s and I used to go into the Oyster Bar in its former position off Market St. before the bombing. It was was strange to walk off the modern Arndale Centre walk into the square where the pub was. I remember the door being on the apex of a triangular building. I loved it. It looks good in its new home and I’m glad Manchester loved it enough to move it brick by brick.

[@jobandknock427]

Thanks for posting. At 11:40 you say that "we like timbered buildings like this". That still didn't stop Rochdale allowing the derelict half timbered building on the corner of Richard Street and McLure Road to be pulled down and replaced by a soulless, characterless hostel for St Vincent de Paul a few years back. OK, I know it's a good cause, it's just a pity that the old building couldn't have been retained and reused in some way

[@mikeclarke3882]

Thanks for that Ollie. I remember the lifting in the early 70's, but had left my home town before they were moved. Yes, Marks & Sparks were always considered 'posh' back in the day. As always, I learnt something too, I had no idea the Shakespeare had been moved to Manchester from Chester. I often called in there for a pint when in town on a Saturday morning shopping trip. It's supposed to be haunted!!!!!

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Glad you liked it! I've heard about the Shakespeare on being haunted. Wonder if they are Chester or Manchester ghosts though...

[@adriannorthcott902]

Maybe the ghost wanted to stay in Chester with his friends Ollie. Another great video.

[@TalesOfWar]

The food is pretty good in the Wellington too. They do rather good steak and ale pies.

[@brynvjones6679]

What a splendid production.

[@Robdutton91]

Loved hearing your opinion on what cities have become. Wouldn’t the UK be such a nicer place if we had more old timber-framed and brick buildings and street layouts that made sense

[@martinjones7998]

Hi Olly. Really enjoyed this video, particularly as I love this row of buildings and its history. At least 5 generations of my family have drank in The Wellington at some point, that I know of! As far as I know, it was never known as “The Vintners Arms” or “Kenyon Vaults.” The Vintners Arms was in Smithy Door, which ran approximately where Victoria Street used to be. You have a slide of this building in your video. It’s the Tudor looking building with a sign above it saying “Deakins Entire” (this was the name of a beer it sold) The Wellington Inn did have a landlord for some years with the name of Kenyon. I believe this is where the common confusion arises with it being called Kenyon Vaults? Hope you don’t mind me sticking my oar in… Keep up the good work, you’re a pleasure to listen to. 👍🏻

[@BeeHereNowuk]

No that's very interesting. All I can say is that those names came from two books I have, and then online too. I'll have a deeper look into it

[@markwolstenholme3354]

Loved that, well done. I have shared it with an American KZbinr, Mark from the states. (Mark Masterson) I hope you give him permission to use it. Great presentation ❤.

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@patrickchoque7720]

great video, love learning about manchester’s history

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Glad you enjoyed

[@chippysteve4524]

@13:57 "It might have a timber frame,but it sits on a bed of lies." !!!!!! hahaha. Where did that come from? Great video and fair play to the people of Manchester for keeping hold of that beautiful building.

[@supertouring22]

Very interesting and insightful. Your digs at current commercialism and the associated concrete and glass, are will founded. Keep it up.

[@mrjones1696]

Shambles square was my favourite place in town as a kid, facing the pub was a toy shop that was basically an Aladins cave in the 90's. I'd get a few quid to spend in there while me mam and her fella would have a drink, great memories.

[@comedyhunter]

Fascinating and well presented, enjoyed that a lot.

[@markrobinson1458]

As a child i was taken by my dad to see the pub being hoisted up ready for the street changes, quite a sight especially in among the rain and mud, its a nice memory tho

[@NoSugarThanks]

Thanks for that!!

[@Rpboc]

This came up in my homepage!! KZbin must have been listening haha! Thank you for creating this for us to enjoy :D

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Amazing, thanks for letting me know it's working again!

[@CampestCowboy]

Great video and research! There are plenty great and truly historical illustrations and paintings of actual shambles. I'd avoid using AI in future, lets down your great script, research and footage. Excited to see more videos in future :)

[@bcegerton]

I worked in a 50p shop in Shambles Square for a short time, long before Poundland was a thing, there was a McDonalds on the corner of the entrance to the square. By the time of the bombing I worked in the Arndale Market, we were evacuated to High Street outside the old News Kiosk, I was sat on the railings looking down Cannon Street, when it went off I ended up stood up on the opposite side of the railings facing the same way and have no idea how I got there.

[@daviespaulaann8913]

Fantastic video really enjoyed it especially the old maps ....❤

[@urbankoi5250]

My late father worked as a surveyor on the 1970’s lift of the shambles, it always amazed me as a child - whenever we went to town we would go to Sinclairs (in its old spot of shambles square) and I would have to wait “patiently” with whatever Nintendo game I had just got that day while my dad had a pint. I didn’t appreciate it, but as I got older (and started frequenting the crown and anchor- prior to its modernisation) I would tell my mates about the former home of the, by now, neighbouring pubs. This brought back many happy memories- thanks 🙏

[@PhilipMurphy8]

Great presentation, thanks for the video

[@paddy1437]

brilliant video. much appreciated. thank you

[@garybrockwell2031]

Enjoyed that thanks to your hard work👏🧐🇬🇧 His-story🏆 Is HISTORY 🇬🇧💯📽️

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

aye lad 🤠 beer , some people will do anything for one. seriously ☝️ great video , very informative. me old grandad was from Manchester. ive never even been to the place. ❤ from Australia 🇦🇺

[@jeffknott1975]

I was on Bury New Rd (about half a mile away) when that bomb went off, first you felt the boom in your chest, then heard the sound, then about a minute later the mushroom cloud rising! Really was a "wtf" moment!!

[@AntWhite-jh7oo]

Was also on bury new road, though 3 miles away in prestwich..... also felt it

[@driving_all_over]

Brilliant video, enjoyed that

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Thanks 👍 😁

[@TroyTempest0]

Another great video Ollie - really enjoyed it and learned a lot as usual !

[@rjmun580]

Excellent production with just the right level of background music.

[@crankypantsmcduff]

I live in Middleton and we have the Old Boars Head, it's over 500 years and it's absolutely beautiful. Cromwell stayed there and there's a tunnel that runs to the library across the road and to Parish church, and Henry 8th stayed in regularly, in the library not the tunnel obviously

[@Saint_Dan132]

wonderful iu should visit these places again haven't been in years

[@ffrancrogowski2192]

A most excellent video Ollie. Great coverage of the movements and history of these buildings. Thank you

[@thefire4669]

as a manc i learned something from this video, interesting stuff! Thanks!

[@annetteconroy6921]

That was a fascinating story . We just don't have that history here in New Zealand

[@KippaxInThailand]

Brilliant video thanks

[@emmsue1053]

Have to agree, I personally find the new buildings soulless, all in the name of progress and profits.. The old maps are fascinating, more please. Thank you for the history of my home town, love it here.

[@carbide1]

Please check out the oldest pub that was in Manchester it was called the Rovers Return built 1306 and demolished in 1958. If that was in London it would be still standing.

[@davepoul8483]

Great vid... I love my town....... :)

[@doobiedoo157]

What a monstrosity that Marks and Spencer building was a real eyesore

[@John-d3b]

Fab! Thank you.

[@BeeHereNowuk]

You are so welcome!

[@welshmanjasonpatrick8607]

Great video keeping history live

[@MidtownSkyport]

Great video! I didn't know any of that

[@joerhorton]

In the early 90's, I went to a pub that wasn't in the centre of Manchester, but it was next to a shopping precinct. The pub was older and it had it its own brewery. For the life of me I can't remember the name, all I remember is that myself and my friend (Who has since passed away) stopped there from getting a boss outside of Piccadilly Station and it took about 20 minutes to get to.

[@markavis7232]

I half remember the Lass O'Gowrie had a microbrewery a little over 30 years ago, when that was a bit unusual. Might that have been it? Might be a bit too close to Picc Station though unless your bus was in traffic!

[@BsktImp]

Lovely video and history. Bit of a long shot: does anyone remember the name of the shop somewhere around Shudehill that sold home computer games (cassettestapes) for ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC etc late 80s? I think you had to go down to its basement level for the games. I think upstairs was for fantasy, comics, & TTRPG.

[@bcegerton]

No but remember the shop, was possibly the shop that’s now at the bottom of Newton Street

[@hamshackleton]

@@bcegerton I used to frequent all the electronics 'junk' shops around Shudehill, looking for parts to make or repair other old radio sets.

[@BsktImp]

@@bcegerton 👍

[@RighteousReverendDynamite]

Nerd-o-Rama?

[@telquad1953]

When M&S came to Canada years ago, we thought it quite posh. But they stayed only a few years and vanished.

[@wolfie854]

Enjoyed that, thanks for posting.

[@bobertrarton6266]

If any of them was haunted would the ghosts move with them 🤔

[@BeeHereNowuk]

This is my favourite question ever and I don't know the answer 😂

[@sibat67]

There's no such thing as ghosts ...

[@GregPodster133]

Thanks for sharing this video. 🙏👍.

[@happydude6713]

There was a good year or so in the late 90s when these pubs didn't exist, when they had been dismantled but not yet rebuilt. Everyone knew they were being rebuilt, but presumably, they were in storage somewhere secret while the plot was being prepared. Did make me think what if someone found them and nicked them. You could put em up in your back garden for a laugh.

[@gazzofdoom]

Brilliant video and a great watch. Quick question though. What are those 2 green space Invaders on the map at 10.20? I didn't know two of the invader mosaics were in those spots.... 😅🤣

[@johanneswerner1140]

@5:50 they really made a spectacle out of themselves. ..

[@jacobmassey3897]

I didn't see that joke coming 😂🥸

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Oh dear, clearly I'm going to have to keep an eye on this comments section for fear of it losing perspective

[@judithmorganjudyteen]

Great documentary

[@CPTM1]

I don't mind how Manchester looks currently. But if I had the choice, I would always take the old buildings. I would take Shakespearian or mediaeval over modern any day. They look better for sure. The history is what makes us.

[@howdydiddlyneighbour]

Enjoyed the video, thought the (AI?) images used to illustrate the old shambles took away from this video though.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I agree, especially with the Tim Burtonesque lamps in the fish market. Way too many of them, totally distracting.

[@johnlindsay3820]

Someone’s got to do it - so what a disgrace and tragedy was the demolition of Tommy Ducks. A landmark - vibrant pub (even when Manchester was largely dead at night) live music and the unusual decor. Hopefully things like that wouldn’t happen now - but too late to save Tommy Ducks.

[@riccapucho]

Back in the day when I worked oop in Arndale Tower many an evening (or Friday lunch) was spent getting hammered in Sinclairs. The Wellibob wasn’t as cool for whatever reason. Anyways, happy with its (maybe temporary) destination.

[@stevensmith7460]

Does anyone remember bedells chip shop on tib street, think it was run by 3 sisters back in the early 70s, best fish & chips I've tasted, first time I've seen this channel, just subscribed, brilliant video. Cheers.

[@hamshackleton]

Something similar was done in warrington, where buildings and a cenotaph were moved, to make way for an improved (ha!) Mersey crossng at Bridge-foot.

[@crumpetlips2062]

Lovely stuff

[@solidflyer286]

The irony being that half of the M&S store quickly became selfridges. The planners put a lot of thought into it and it’s not the worst I’ve seen.

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Haha exactly. Didn't last long

[@solidflyer286]

@@BeeHereNowuk no it didn’t. I worked for the architects who designed it and for the construction company that did new cathedral street etc so I’ve seen a lot of the reconstruction from the other side. Some of it was very well thought out (the view from st Anne’s to the cathedral for example) but others are terrible (the lack of escalators or lifts in the new part of the arndale)

[@invisiblegoats9380]

Please could you share the detailed map you mentioned? As a fellow manc history lover I'd love to have a proper look at it

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Yeah no problem. That one is actually available online on the National Libraries of Scotland 'Side by side' maps: Maps.nls.uk/geo/side-by-side

[@kaye9492]

Another wonderfully informative video, thank you. I was born and bred in Flixton, but since mum died, haven't had cause to go back. Through your videos I still feel connected, and boy, do I remember the IRA bombing. Thank you for all your videos. 🙏💚🙏

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Thank you for watching them. Glad you get something out of them

[@garethjones6082]

I think we do it well keep some old,redevelop some old and bring new.

[@jetsons101]

Ollie, you can be dismissive and sarcastic whenever you want, your narration and personal feelings are part of the story you are presenting. New York City also went through the same in the 60's, knock down some history and put up soulless cubes make of glass, concert and steel.

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Haha it's good to have a grumble sometimes. But I actually really like change, just not usually what town planners have in mind.

[@wrichard11]

I remember butchers shops in the York shambles. No longer 😢

[@bcegerton]

I was there last week, still a lovely street but most shops are just tacky though.

[@marjon1703]

This is the first time I've seen any footage of that IRA bomb exploding. I had moved away from Manchester the year before and was horrified that my beloved Pubs and Corn Exchange had been hit. I've visited the 'Welly' since the relocation and although the outside is perfectly preserved, the 'rickety old ship style interior' with its narrow worn-out wooden staircases have been replaced with (presumably health and safety acceptable) options. This characterless homage saddened me - the magic is gone. I miss the bohemian collection of stalls, shops and people in the Corn Exchange. I miss the cafe down stairs where I sometimes watched local jewellers exchange deals way out of my finance while enjoying the cafes excellent coffee and cheese n onion toasties. Life moves on I guess.

[@totherarf]

This is not just Expansionism ....... This is M &S Expansionism? ;o) Seriously, another cracking video! Now one thing jumps right out at me and it was not something you picked up on. What went under those buildings? More to the point there are many buildings in Manchester that are linked underground. An extensive network of tunnels exist and rarely mentioned. Any chance on a video on that subject?

[@BeeHereNowuk]

That's a great question and not one I know the answer to. A lot of shops have deep basements and loading bays underneath, but I can't say for sure on New Cathedral Street 🤔

[@totherarf]

@@BeeHereNowuk There was an old Granada Reports programme on tunnels under the City. IT started from the Irwell at Bridge St but they couldn't get too far as there were still Blast Walls in place from the war and their boat could not pass. I know there is another road under Deansgate and that the GMEX had multiple levels of access 5 if memory serves and there is a water wheel involved too. But specifics are hard to come by!

[@mikeclarke3882]

@@totherarf In the early 1970's I worked in a restaurant on Old Bank St, The Mariners, in the Royal Exchange building. We had a lift large enough to take a fully loaded lorry that came in via Half Moon St. We received all our kitchen delivers this way and even the Pig man came in and out that way to take away the food waste....(couldn't do that now!). There was a road that ran the whole length of the Exchange building to service all the other shops. At the Marks & Sparkes end, there's a door that lead into a tunnel that was said to go all the way to the Cathedral.

[@markwalsh8463]

Not just them 2 in Manchester there is also a building called ordsall hall museum

[@ninjaboy201090]

Ordsall Hall is in Salford

[@joshuanishanthchristian5217]

Even though I knew that explosion was coming, it still caught me very off guard!

[@subaruadventures]

why?

[@joshuanishanthchristian5217]

@@subaruadventures it was much larger and more intense than I expected

[@happydude6713]

​@@joshuanishanthchristian5217 was definitely the loudest noise I've ever heard.

[@joshuanishanthchristian5217]

@@happydude6713 Oh my, were you in the area at the time?

[@GMMilambar]

I actually had the misfortune to be in Manchester Shitty Center on the very day it happened, while I was over towards Picadilly Gardens, at the old bus station there, waiting for a bus to The Christie, it was still loud enough to scare the bejeezus out of me, followed by absolute bedlam.

[@duxberry1958]

i use to drink in boths pubs in 1980,s

[@lynnmorton7544]

The picture of the spectacle pub at 05:45 looks very different to the picture of the same pub at 05:50. Why is this?

[@skapunkno1]

First one is side view, second one is front view, you can see the front spectacles in the side view picture.

[@lynnmorton7544]

@@skapunkno1 Thank you!

[@johnhockenhull2819]

NOTE: This video did appear in my subscribed channels list, unlike your last one which never did and I randomly found (and commented on). So hopefully YT have resolved whatever their issue was.

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Excellent! That's great to hear! Thanks for letting me know that it worked this time.

[@Pikestnt]

It gives you some hope that the Crooked House can be rebuilt one day. (Not much tho)

[@duxberry1958]

i have never understood my Manchester as a Consulate General of the Republic of Iraq in Manchester

[@zedrahman9138]

Many other countries do also, such as Poland, Spain, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, France and the list goes on. Birmingham has many too.

[@phily8093]

It must have really confused the ghosts.

[@RighteousReverendDynamite]

Great documentary. Well done and good use of archive maps and photos. Concrete brutalism is anathema to the human spirit! No aesthetics at all. If a building requires a 74-page Ph.D. dissertation to explain WHY you should like it or be impressed by it, it is not a pretty building. I still cannot believe that the IRA bomb blast was a mere 5 years prior to 9/11. That was as big a blast that you see of the truck bombs directed towards our troops in Iraq after 2003. Glad they evacuated everyone as the flying glass would have maimed thousands.

[@CxAgar]

Pisses me so off for what we did to our Cities and Towns... If you look across the channel to France and their Cities and Towns, the main reason why people call them romantic and ours shitholes is they didn't replace their oldest and prettiest buildings with concrete dildos filled with Asbestos.. Hopefully I can make some degree of impact as I'm entering Town Planning as a career but I doubt I can..

[@edmundblackaddercoc8522]

At the very least, you'll always have money when those brown envelopes come from unscrupulous builders😂

[@zedrahman9138]

France didn't get bombed like us in ww2.

[@CxAgar]

@@zedrahman9138 Germany rebuilt their cities. We didn’t, we embraced 20year old concrete dildos instead

[@Original_Dalvik]

They were quite literally moving house

[@Enigmatic..]

My local pub is better, The olde Boars Head. Its a 401 years old timber pub just like this one, only better lol.

[@duxberry1958]

0:22 thats were the hanging ditch ran now a foot path

[@nota8386]

The Old Wellie and Sinclairs have been ruined...turned into tourist pubs, plastic pint glasses and no atmosphere. Glad they are still here but just represent the fakeness of Manchester nowadays. Anyway: Seafood Y'all!

[@markavis7232]

Hey, I remember the seafood man. And that little concrete precinct they stood in, buying tools from the cheap-shite shop on the corner, and that the Spar was about the only place to buy a loaf or milk in the whole city centre. That 35 years went quick.

[@happydude6713]

Seafooooooooood y'all! Pepperami! If you know you know 😂

[@Hyster1aMcR]

It's crazy how they had seafood. When were in the middle of the country with the sea about 1hrs drive away.

[@martinbury9223]

🫶

[@nicknewton7189]

✌️

[@karlgt9989]

Always wondered my we dont build castles anymore? i mean, if you were a billionaire, would you got for a concrete bland building or build a castle, like they used to. Architecture these days is very bland, get back to building interesting stuff again

[@Mounta1ngoat]

It's been through all that just to become a Sam Smith's pub, what a shame.

[@radiator-gb7pk]

Possibly it's finest era

[@TheAegisClaw]

Nothing wrong with an Oasis of Sam Smiths cheap beer in a city full of £7 pints.

[@SamFran]

What would you like it to be?

[@Mounta1ngoat]

@@SamFran Ideally a free house or one that's tied to a brewery that doesn't have a terrible habit of treating their landlords, staff, employees, customers and neighbourhoods poorly. The presence of a 'controversies' section on their Wikipedia is a bit of a red flag. Even better if it could be a place for beer brewed within Manchester and keep money in the local economy, as well as reducing distribution costs by doing so.

[@radiator-gb7pk]

@@Mounta1ngoat it's a quality, family owned traditional brewery which has done well to keep prices relatively low for decades. Their pubs are the last bastion for people who want a safe, old fashioned boozer atmosphere without the distractions of big screens, fruit machines, piped music etc. Also the Organic Chocolate Stout is incredible.

[@4-dman464]

And then the city of Manchester transported itself 350 miles South up the M6.

[@ShalomBrother]

🙃

[@simontay4851]

South, up? South is down. North is up.

[@4-dman464]

@@simontay4851 O well that changes everything then.

[@dnstone1127]

Manchester's new high rise developements look awful although 20century wasn't much better in destroying the wonderful Victorian architecture.

[@jasongray4517]

Really not sure the trigger warnings are necessary.

[@tatyboy1337]

not for you - but perhaps for some. 212 injured in 1996. also could remind people of the ariana grande bombing.

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Yeah exactly. Trauma is a horrible thing and it's nice to have the option to opt out

[@AfadMier]

Then they're not for you. You might find in life not everything is for you. Ignore them and continue with your day.

[@Matthew4TheWin]

Oh dear. Someone can’t afford to shop at M&S?

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Haha nah. I just never like their stuff and don't get the hype.

[@Matthew4TheWin]

@@BeeHereNowuk Hmm. Ok. Your opinion of a particular retailer isn’t really relevant to the rest of the story being described here. I think you cheapened it a bit to be honest. But it’s your channel so you do you, obvs.

[@Donermaticc]

Do you feel the need to defend your favourite chain retailer? They wont give you a discount

[@Matthew4TheWin]

@@Donermaticc I’m more Waitrose. But cheers. 🥂

[@howlieMCFC]

Beers shite

[@johnwilson3842]

Your excellent video would have been even better without your lefty snide political comments😊

[@BeeHereNowuk]

Like what???

[@doobzb5482]

Shut up whinging you mardy boomer

[@TanukiDigital]

Who the hell are these "trigger warnings" for?

[@sgl0d10n]

Did they offend you?

[@AfadMier]

Don't worry, not you. Let them be for the people they are for, accept not everyone is the same as you, and continue with your day. :)

[@reddwarfer999]

For the snowflake generation I'm afraid. Those who can't cope with the real world and have to be warned of every little thing that might upset them.