Manning’s Embassy Club on the market

THE late Bernard Manning’s Embassy Club in Manchester has been put on the market by his son.

The club in Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, was established by the comedian and his father in 1958 and held regular cabaret nights until Mr Manning’s retirement in 1999.

Since then it has operated a pub at the front of the building with the former club being used for private functions.

Bernard Manning Jnr has appointed Manchester agent Roger Hannah & Co to market the building for rent or sale and a brochure says it could be “considered suitable for retail or leisure uses”.

Mr Manning told TheBusinessDesk.com: “The original idea was to let someone else take over the function room but I’m now open to all types of options. It could be a restaurant or a family pub, it’s a question of throwing it out there and seeing what happens.

“We’ve been in the Embassy Club for 56 years but my children don’t have any interest in the place. I have a few properties and I’d like to add it to my portfolio and maybe someone else could take advantage of 56 years of goodwill. It is an iconic building and is very interesting with lots of history.”

Bernard Manning, who died in 2007, was apparently pragmatic about the long-term future of club which hosted stars such as Cilla Black and Tom Jones in its hey day.

“Before my dad died he said ‘business is business, don’t worry about’,” said Mr Manning. “We did discuss this and he said, ‘if KFC want to take over one day and it works for you and the family then make the decision’. That was good of him because there is an emotional attachment.

“It would be great for me to keep the club and invest in it but I’ve got to that stage where energy’s running low and you’ve got to think laterally. Why not think of it as a place to rent out or sell if that’s the best thing for me and my family?”

Roger Hannah director Stuart Cooper said: “We are putting it to the market to gauge interest and have received a decent level of interest already despite it only being placed on the market last week. Our client would prefer to lease the function room at the rear but will look at all options, both lease and sale, for part of the building or whole.”