I paid a visit to beloved Manchester institution the Carlton Club as it fights for its future
Covid and the cost of living have both taken their toll on the hospitality scene across Manchester, and so, for the independent bars and pubs that have managed to not only stay open, but thrive in such difficult circumstance, the story of the Carlton Club will be sobering to say the least.
The Carlton Club is a community hub for those who live nearby in Whalley Range. Not only does it have a great beer garden and a genuinely top-notch range of beers, but it offers all kinds of activities to keep the local community busy and engaged.
From pub quizzes, to showing football, to drink and draw sessions, martial arts and even backgammon, walking into the building feels like stepping back into a time where clubs like this could be found everywhere, and would play a huge part in the fight against youth misbehaviour and elderly loneliness.
There is something for everyone, and yet, a letter was opened at the club a few months ago that seemed to threaten it’s very existence.
The owners of the building, despite a long, long association with those who operate the club, decided to evict the current management in order to run the premises themselves. There has been a huge community backlash to say the least with a fundraiser and petition launched.
I went along to meet some of the staff and to ask about the Carlton Club in our video report above.