Old city centre pub to reopen under new guise thanks to The Crown & Kettle
The building that housed Northern Quarter pub Mother Mac’s is to be reborn as The Rat & Pigeon.
The announcement was made this afternoon on The Crown & Kettle’s social media pages, after the management behind the Oldham Road institution decided to give the ol’ girl a new lease of life.
With its interesting history, including a multi-murderous past, the building on Little Lever Street is to be washed of its sins and transformed into a ‘3-floor, 2-bar boozer’.
The post on their Instagram page read: "THE RUMOURS ARE TRUE…
"We are absolutely delighted to FINALLY share the news that we will be opening a new pub in Manchester city centre at the former Mother Macs site where the NQ meets Piccadilly.
"We’ve waited nine long, gruelling months filled with blood, sweat and tears (and a lot of dust) to be able to share this with you. It’s been a proper tough slog - the building was absolutely knackered and in dire need of some serious TLC.
"But alas - as we approach the final stages of breathing new life into this historic boozer now feels like the right time to finally wet the proverbial whistle in anticipation of its grand re-emergence as a beloved behemoth of the Manchester pub scene.
"After the finishing touches to the huge transformation are complete the pub will reopen as a 3-floor, 2-bar boozer under the new guise ‘The Rat & Pigeon’ (yes, really) – a unique name for a truly unique pub.
"There’s still plenty of graft to crack on with and the whole space will look VERY different just in time to kick the doors open at the end of May (date TBC!)
"We’ll be sharing progress pictures and further details on @theratandpigeonmcr over the coming weeks. Give us a follow and stay tuned for further announcements…"
The Crown & Kettle told us "It’s been a journey and a half getting to where we are at now but we are incredibly close to the finish line. The building was on its arse big time, both structurally and in terms of aesthetics. New plumbing, new fixed wiring, power upgrade, new steel beams, 16 skips worth of shite and new columns and beams to hold the old girl up- the lot. That’s before we even get to a lick of paint. Coming on nicely though and can’t wait to get open..."
"...We were always going to change the name. The boozer is in desperate need of a new lease of life - of looking forwards not back. We’re very much committed to it serving the community as a boozer for the next 150+ years and would have been devastated if a properly developer came in and turned it into a load of unaffordable, overpriced 1-bed flats. Given the extent of its makeover and offering, I think the name change helps with that. There will definitely be some old relics of previous incarnations, but we’re firmly fixed on ensuring this once great boozer has a long and exciting future ahead."
The venue is set to open early summer 2024.
The Rat & Pigeon, 33 Back Piccadilly, Manchester M1 1HP
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