One of Salford’s most iconic pubs is facing an uncertain future after falling into disrepair.
It is thought that Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels may have once drank at the Crescent pub, based on the A6.
Historic England says there is a ‘purported, if unproven, historic association’ at the pub with the authors of The Communist Manifesto.
Now, the grade-II listed boozer, which dates back to the 19th century, is in a sorry state. but closed its doors eight years ago, and now looks a mess.
Inspectors from Salford council visited earlier this year and found the pub, which has now been closed for eight years, ‘has been falling into a state of disrepair for some time now and is in a deteriorated, neglected and very poor state of repair.’
According to representatives for the land owners, part of the pub’s basement is collapsing because of a culvert below it, and asbestos has been found in the building.
Plans were shared in 2023 to bring the pub back to life in a £2m restoration project which would see it return to its original name, The Red Dragon, led by Kevin Liu, the Chinese businessman who owns it.
This included plans to bring down a two-storey building at the back of the pub to build apartments, as a way of financing the cost of the pub’s restoration.
But the plans were thrown into doubt when the application was withdrawn this year in light of concerns from Historic England about the work.
“We do have concerns over the removal of the two-storey [back] extensions,” the heritage body stated in its report.
“The submitted Historic Buildings Appraisal has assessed these extensions to contain material of medium to high significance, with original features obscured by modern wall coverings.
“We consider that the removal of these extensions will cause harm to the significance of the listed structures.”
A spokesperson for the owner of the pub said talks are now ongoing with Salford council to find a way forward, and they hope to make progress soon.
This includes taking ‘immediate repair works’ to protect the pub building, with contractors going into the building this week to have a look at what needs doing.
“We’re on good terms with the council, we’re meeting them probably on a weekly basis and we’re hoping to come to an agreed solution,” the spokesperson said.
“We’ve agreed the scale of works that are required for immediate restoration of the building, we’ve agreed that we won’t demolish the buildings at the back until we’ve got a full design, and we’ll discuss that with the council.
“I think we’re nearly there in terms of making progress.”
Another issue needed to be tackled is finding funding for the ‘complicated’ work needed to restore a listed site.
Salford council said protecting heritage sites in the city is a priority of the mayor, Paul Dennett.
Next week, a meeting taking place behind closed doors at Salford Civic Centre will outline plans for ‘urgent enforcement’ at the Crescent pub.
The details have been kept secret, with the council saying the plan contains ‘confidential or exempt information’ and will not be made public.
A spokesperson for Salford council said: “The protection of Salford’s heritage is a mayoral priority. We’re working hard to ensure our historic environment is protected where we can across this great city. This is something that local people have told us they want us to do.
“The Crescent pub is a grade-II listed building and is of cultural importance to the city. It is located within the Crescent Conservation Area and due to its condition is designated as an asset at risk. Therefore its condition is a cause for concern and it is important that we take decisive action.
“The building is in private ownership and not owned by the council. Councillors and officers at the meeting will discuss this and potential future action to protect this aspect of the city’s heritage.”
