On the corner of Todd Street & Long Millgate, now a hole in the ground but with a fascinating story

Long Millgate and Todd Street in 2014

Today the corner of Long Millgate and Todd Street is just a hole in the ground.

Only the ghost outline of its shape beside the gable end of City Buildings remains of the building that once occupied the site..

Back in 1996 when Andy snapped the same spot the building was already in a sorry and sad state.

It had lost its upper floor and even though it was still open for business its fate seemed uncertain.

Long Millgate and Todd Street in 1996

All of which was contrasted by the Post Office which stood next door.

But I remember it as something much more and while I never ate at the Chinese restaurant or bought flowers at Nellie’s I was tempted when I ever I passed on my way to Victoria Station.

And I bet there will be plenty of people who did both and some who  may even have fond memories of the CLUB EL BOSSA NOVA  with its promise of COCKTAIL BAR • DINNER and DANCING NIGHTLY to the Victor Bullock Broadcasting Quartet.

Long Millgate and Todd Street in 1965

Nor was that all for according to the sign on the side of the wall there was the added attraction of SPANISH ROULETTE and BLACK JACK.

All of which is what you could have expected back in the 1960s close to two of our major railway stations.

Victoria and Exchange were big and busy places serving both commuter and main line services.

And of course a big train terminus will attract its fair share of economy hotels, pubs, restaurants and night clubs catering for that transitory trade and perhaps a lot more.

Long Millgate and Todd Street in 1961

And judging from the picture in 1961 there was lots going on.

Long before even the railway station was built this corner of Todd Lane and Long Millgate was a busy thoroughfare which because it was much narrower than today was known as “Dangerous Corner.”

It was widened between the mid 1820s and early 1830s and at this point gained its name of Todd Lane.*

And back then our building was the Collegiate Church School, which opens up a rich area for research.

Long Millgate and Todd Street in 1835

I am not sure when the school vacated the site but by 1876 it was home to the Manchester Economic Permanent Building & Investment Society and in 1911 to Gotto Cafe Co. Ltd, dining rooms.

So its place as somewhere to eat goes back a long time and makes me wonder when it became a Chinese restaurant.

As a student the many city centre Chinese restaurants offered their midday businessman’s meal which consisted of three courses for just 30p.

The corner today

The menu changed daily although I guess there was a strict rota where by Monday was always sweet and sour pork preceded by crab meat soup and concluding with apple pie and custard with banana fritters on Tuesday and lychee's on Wednesday.

I still have a soft spot for the custard which was incredibly, yellow thick and sweet.

Even the superior places offered up the deal all of which makes wonder when the Chinese on Todd Street first opened for trade.

It is another little bit of discovery which I shall set myself, but in the meantime I am content to look at “City Buildings, Corporation Street/Todd Street Manchester” which was published in 2011 and laid out plans for the redevelopment of the area.*

What was once the Post Office

At the heart of the plan for “the Northern Gateway area of the city centre of Manchester The Co-operative Group [have] purchased the currently derelict Grade II Listed City Buildings and adjacent land with the intention of renovating the building and regenerating the site.”*

It makes interesting reading not least because there is a lot of history in the document with pictures and maps as well as the arguments for redevelopment.

All of which now may be a tad academic but well be worth following up.
Not that anything seems to be happening at present.  Even the Post Office which in 1996 seemed to be thriving has gone.

Pictures; the Todd Street corner today and in 1996 from the collection of Andy Robertson, and in 1965, W Higham m02842, in 1961 H E Huddy m 07565, and the Cathedral School in 1835, m 65801, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

*City Buildings, Corporation Street/Todd Street Manchester  http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/Default1.aspx?097570-dsx-0001.pdf