ONE of Confidential’ best columnists is Tony Schumacker. His first piece started thus: ‘My father died, not wanting to make too much of a fuss.’
The result is that now Albert Square Chop House is leading the way in catering for funerals in the city
Gordo’s father died last year, and, as always, would have wanted to make plenty of fuss.
The big question on both occasion was what to do about the wake after the ceremony.
Shady, as my father used to be known to his best pals and the taxman, liked a drink, loved a celebration and could never understand when his pals were passing that the close family, whilst rightly in mourning, would not leave the sad part at the church and then celebrate wonderful lives properly.
Albert Square Chop House
And by properly, he meant a ‘do’, or wake, either in the pub or a private room in the pub. But definitely in the pub.
If it were in a private room he expected at some point the wake to spill out across the building with Auntie Mildred fighting a couple of ‘stiff’ Glenmorangie’s and Uncle Frank wrestling with a fifth Guinness.
The point is, whilst my family are fairly liberal in their thoughts about death and wakes, it struck me that when my brother and I were looking for a suitable venue they were few and far between.
The hunt became a bit difficult.
Well, it need not have been.
A chance discussion with Roger Ward, owner of Albert Square Chop House, revealed a similar mindset to mine.
The result is that now Albert Square Chop House is leading the way in catering for funerals in the city: either low key, with great food priced at all levels, or with a Dixie Jazz Band and a Frank Sinatra look-alike singing ‘I did it my way’.
I wish I had spotted the Chop House for my father’s send off. It turned into a right grey and gloomy affair, with really poor food.
If you don’t want that for your beloved, I can honestly recommend Roger’s team at The Albert.
Quiet or loud.
The Albert Square Chop House, The Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Manchester, M2 5PF | 0161 834 1866
Albert Square Chop House
