O’Briens to be demolished at Stretford Mall
As demolition work at Stretford Mall gets under way, proposals have been put forward to knock down O’Briens at the site’s southern end, despite claims earlier this year the pub would be retained.
Demolition contractor Connell Brothers has already started work on the project, which focusses on improving access, a new entrance, updated facades, and green spaces fronting Chester Road. These initial plans, given approval in December last year, proposed to cut the size of the mall by around 49,000 sq ft.
It was initially suggested that O’Briens would be retained as part of the plans, but now documents lodged with Trafford Council show the pub will be demolished, with only a substation being kept in place. The pub had raised three objections to the original planning application for the demolition before it was approved in 2017.
With the addition of the demolition of O’Briens, the works are expected to remove around 61,000 sq ft from the development, and the demolition programme is expected to complete in December 2019.
Designed by architect Pozzoni, the retained elements of the buildings will be re-clad and improved with a mixed brick and metal façade, with the main entrance providing direct access to the main square at the centre of the Mall and designed to give a more active frontage to Chester Road.
The mall’s owner, M&M Asset Management, said there would be no changes to current access arrangements within the retained mall building, while access to these units will not be impacted while works are ongoing.
As of last year, the mall had a vacancy rate of 48%, while footfall fell from 6.1m in 2008 to 3.7m in 2016. However, Stretford Mall has seen a handful of openings in the past three years, with JD Sports and PureGym both taking space.
About time too. It was a hive of scum and villainy… now hopefully Stretford can look forward.
By Sorted
Had my 60th bash in here last year…it was quite good actually. At least it had a bit of life in it and not like thiose souless chain pubs.
By Karen Attergood
I quite enjoyed the place.
By Scummy Villain
On Dear ,such a tragedy…….not
By Stretford Lass
Had some good times in there back in the day but its never seem,d to move on .Traff center killed it off.
By Back in the late 70s
Stretford was a great shopping area till these clowns took it over and started putting up rents/car parking all will be sorry when empty
By Anonymous
Don’t see the point in updating mall half shops are already empty no nite life cafes restaurants ask anyone they all say there’s nothing there to get people shopping there urmston place now
By Dave
– wont be sorry to see it go, full of druggies and benefit scroungers, sorry, “working class” people.
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for the mall too…why dont the council buy it back like they did in Altrincham??
@Dave they arn’t updating the mall…they are demolishing a third of it…
By Stretty
Go regularly to the mall the ladies toilets needsorting out they are disgusting
By Norma craddock
Not been in since Joe and Joyce left
Am told its a cess pit and ise out of date beers
Great it’s going
Management never there
So no wonder it not a nice place to go
Full of rubbish clientele Bad people
By George Davies
Terry is a nice fella but if they pull it down time to retire mate
By Surfingbob