Ducie Bridge pub to be demolished
The Ducie Bridge pub in Manchester’s NOMA development area is to be demolished after being found to be “highly unsafe”.
Demolition contractor Northbank is set to move in next month to knock down the building on the corner of Corporation Street, which was built in the late 1800s. The pub closed in 2015.
Three adjoining buildings – two three-storey shops and a four-storey warehouse, all of which are vacant – will also be demolished.
It is understood there are no definite plans for the plot after the demolition of the pub and its adjoining buildings, which is being carried out for health and safety reasons. Planning documents suggest the site will be used as a commercial car park following the demolition.
A spokesperson for NOMA said: “An extensive assessment revealed this building to be highly unsafe leaving us with no choice but to demolish it.”
The pub, which is not listed as an asset of community value, closed in 2015. A group of 30 squatters were ordered to leave the site by a judge in September last year after court proceedings were brought by NOMA.
The wider NOMA masterplan includes £800m of development over a 20-acre site.
How convenient.
By David
Does look a bit suspicious, I’ve seen buildings that look in a much worst state than this one refurbished or renovated to be as good as new. However those buildings weren’t in the vicinity of a new £800M development.
By coolmanc
Its a disgrace. The NOMA ‘masterplan’ consists of bulldozing anything that gets in the way of their rush for profit
By Bob
This is absolute nonsense. There are buildings bordering on dilapidated which have been successfully reused in the city. This is all about maximum profit without two hoots as to the significance of these buildings. The ‘blandification’ of Manchester is a tragic as it is wrong.
By Y Landey
Yeah right ! It has stood there since the late 1800s.People were squatting in it last year. Pound to a penny it won’t be a building site long.
By Elephant
This is a joke. The fact that this is a prime development site next to Victoria Station seems to have been omitted from the developers statement.
Why do Noma have no choice? When did it become their perogative? Probably when they realised refurbishing a row of shops and a pub will produce less yield than a potential 20 story office block?
By RochBury8
Get it demolished. The neighbouring buildings to the pub have no redeeming qualities. Inside the pub, it lacked any character / features (unlike the Marble Arch say) and looked to have not been touched since the 80s. While the brick frontage of the pub is nice, it is hardly outstanding enough to be saved.
That said, how long will the plot be surface parking? NOMA seems to be dragging on. The Co-op HQ is complete, some existing Co-op buildings are being renovated and some flats and a hotel are being built (with more flats around Angel Meadows starting 2018). There are still a number of empty plots to go and yet the years have been ticking by.
By LG
why not just demolish that ugly new building behind the pub
By Joseph Casey.
This is where the first ever Factory Records Exhibition was held in 2011 by Colin Gibbins
By Fac Col Manc
The first time I ever went in this public house was to go view the first ever factory records exhibition by Colin Gibbons in 2011, what a fab collection! The pub was in a typical quaint old English building, shame it’s going the same way as all our other historic buildings which should be saved.
By Jacqui