Taste of Manchester’s publisher Phil Jones looks back on one of Manchester’s unique and historic pubs. The popular public house celebrated its bicentenary in 2011 and has been central to many iconic Manchester moments and movements over the years. According to its Wikipedia entry, 'The brick building, with a slate roof, was granted Grade II listed status, offering protection from unauthorised alteration or demolition, in 1990.'
Now it is under threat. Can we do anything about it?
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Manchester's most iconic boozer, The Briton’s Protection (BP) is being attacked by corporates on two fronts. Developers want to build another obscenely tall and ugly skyscraper, literally overhanging the pub, dwarfing it as a building and creating a shadow it'll never recover from.
To beat that, the building owners Star Pubs & Bars (Heineken’s pub chain) want to take the pub back from its ten-year lease-holder Mark West and landlord Alan Hudd and serve only their own limited, generally poor stock.
A campaign has been launched to highlight and prevent these unwelcome changes. To many the BP is an institution. Its 200-year history is steeped in tradition and its clientele like it that way.
It is unchanged since I first visited in November 1973, just before watching the famous Neil Young and The Eagles gig at The Palace. As a student it was the meeting place in the City Centre. It tolerated students as much as suits and little old ladies enjoying a scotch or two.
A fantastic mixture of society was to be found in those tiny, panelled rooms. Most importantly, it was welcoming and homely and the drinks were superb. That tradition of quality has never gone away. It has been a meeting place forever because of that. People want to go there.
In its prime The Haçienda was virtually run from the hidden BP garden. All staff meetings took place at The BP. In the evenings, the Haç punters massed there before entering the club just around the corner, bringing a lively new vibe to the place, which is still to be found.
The first Manchester Food and Drink Festival sponsorship with Virgin Trains was signed in the back room.
When I promoted Crosby Stills and Nash back in ‘92 at the Apollo, expat Mancunian Graham Nash had only one place in mind for lunch the day after the show. He sat with his entourage (including The Doors’ manager Bill Siddons) over a pub lunch and a pint of ‘real English beer’.
The Hallé Orchestra uses it as their Green Room. When they performed outdoor shows they always put up a sign saying ‘Britons Protection’ outside the backstage bar.
My own cricket team, the famous MOB X1, was founded in the upstairs room over 30 years ago and is still going strong.
Every year The BP is nominated for Manchester’s Food and Drink Festival Pub of the Year. It has won more than once making a fine addition to its packed trophy shelf of both local and national awards. Everything from National Pub of the Year to first place in the UK to serve Beaujolais Nouveau.
The reason Taste of Manchester is getting behind this campaign is that these moves in the name of ‘progress’ must somehow be stopped. Who has the right to erect ugly new buildings for profit, change the landscape and destroy an old corner of Manchester city centre? It's not what anyone wants.
Why do Heineken assume that they know best? Do they value anything about the tastes of the BP clientele who go there because it serves 150 whiskies, always four or five great real beers, superb lagers, fine wines and great examples of other spirits?
They certainly don’t go to drink bland styles of Heineken-owned brands. It has no screens and no piped music, just chatter and laughs. Cosy couples or bigger groups can always find space and often never leave.
It's a welcoming place and shouldn't have to change just because shareholders and developers want to trouser more cash. We have seen enough of that in this great city.
Help keep the BP skyscraper free. Let’s support the fact that it serves the drinks you want to buy, not just what Heineken Plc profits from.
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Sign the petition HERE
Landlord Alan Hudd has also launched a campaign to raise £5,000 to help towards the legal costs of going to court and challenging Star Pubs & Bars to keep the Britons Protection Pub.
Please click HERE to donate.