Pub’s last orders after 200 years
LANDLORD SAYS HE’S LOST FIGHT TO BUY HISTORIC BOOZER AND KEEP IT OPEN
TIME is being called – for good – at an historic Irish pub after more than 200 years.
The Shamrock on Bengal Street, Ancoats, dates back to 1808 and now stands surrounded by cranes and the drone of development.
Landlord Gerry Ellis accused the brewery owners of going back on a deal for him to buy the much-loved boozer as he lamented the loss of ‘the last traditional pub in Ancoats.’ His lease will not be renewed and the last pint of Guinness will be poured tomorrow, he revealed.
Mr Ellis, 53, has run the pub with his daughter Rebecca, 24, for seven years. It’s also their home.
The closure almost certainly marks the fatal blow to Ancoats’ once plentiful pub trade – and another lost chapter in the area’s history. The Smith’s Arms, reputedly the oldest pub in Ancoats dating back to 1775 and known as ‘The Hammer,’ was torn down for apartments in 2016.
Mr Ellis said he believes ‘100 per cent’ that the building would be sold off and become accommodation at the hands of developers. “I would have kept this as a pub until the day I die,” he said. “It is a family pub and the locals are absolutely devastated, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s a crying shame as it’s the last pub of its kind in Ancoats.
“It was a local boozer, a local family pub. This building was always a pub and it was always called The Shamrock from the very first day it opened. It was here before the dwellings across the road, which came in 1857. I’m surprised it’s not listed. It must be up there as one of Manchester’s oldest pubs.”
The Shamrock was a focal point for Irish and Italian communities in the area. It was also a popular pre-match pint stop for football fans and hosted Irish dancing and music.
Mr Ellis said he fought ‘long and hard’ to keep the pub open, but had ‘lost the battle.’ He added: “It’s already surrounded by flats. People these days have the power and the money to just do what they want. I wanted to buy it and had it bought. The brewery said they were willing to sell it to me. I offered the money to buy it when I was then told that they were not selling it. They went back on what they said.”
He added: “It’s also gone ballistic with apartments around here, which I think are not being built here for local people. These flats are pushing local people out, along with this pub. It’s a crying shame, but there’s not much more we can do.”
The closure is set to lead to the loss of 10 jobs. A spokesman for brewery Marston’s said: “We can confirm that the pub is due to close on Friday. Mr Ellis was given formal notice by Marston’s in line with the agreements of his contract and has had direct communication surrounding the process.”