Landlord surrenders in battle to save ‘Peterloo pub’

THE landlord of the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub in central Manchester has admitted defeat in the battle to save it from the wrecking ball.

Mike Christodoulou has told TheBusinessDesk he is resigned to losing the pub which dates back to the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 and which was also the inspiration behind the hit TV time-slip series Life On Mars.

More than 1,500 people recently signed an online petition to try to block the partnership involving former Manchester United stars Neville and Giggs and their £200m St Michael’s development.

The petition has claimed the plan, including a five-star hotel, apartments, offices and restaurants would be “grossly inappropriate”.

But a planning application for the area currently known as Jacksons Row is due to be submitted to Manchester City Council soon.

Under the plans hatched by the St Michael’s Partnership, which the former Manchester United stars are part of, the Reform Synagogue would be rebuilt, and the former Bootle Street police station and the Abercromby would both be demolished.

Christodoulou said he had kept quiet because he did not see how the campaign to save the Abercromby could win against the combined might of Neville and Giggs’ consortium, and Manchester City Council.

“I don’t see how we can save the pub in the face of St Michael’s, Manchester City Council and (current chief executive) Sir Howard Bernstein,” said Christodoulou, who has run the pub for the last five years.

“To be fair, I have spoken to Gary and he’s guaranteed parts of the pub would be preserved in a unit in the new development, but, but of course I would prefer the pub to remain just like all those people who signed the petition.

“There has been talk of it being rebuilt brick-by-brick elsewhere, but we would still prefer the pub to remain where it is.”

Christodoulou runs the pub but it is owned by Enterprise Inns who were unavailable for comment.

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