The history of Salford’s iconic Black Friar pub and why it was forced to close 15 years ago

After fifteen long years, Salford’s historic Black Friar pub is officially reopening its doors.

But why has such a staple part of the city’s pub scene been out of business for so long?

Let’s start from the beginning – the specific date of the pub’s construction is a little vague, though it is widely believed that the pub at this site was originally the Old School Inn.

A stone plaque on the side of the building commemorates the fact that it was rebuilt in 1886, suggesting that the Old School Inn was modified to the Black Friar Hotel that year.

In 1975, the Black Friar Hotel was described as an attractive smoke-blackened building with ‘You may go further and fare worse’ engraved on the front wall.  It also had a bees and corn sheath coat of arms with the inscription ‘Black Friars Old School’ – a nod to its own heritage, perhaps.

manchesterhistory.net

In 1989, Trinity Way had been built and the pub, which was now sandwiched on the busy junction next to Blackfriars road, was reverted back to the Black Friar, subsequently becoming a Boddington’s House and enjoying decades of success, making it one of the more popular haunts in the city.

However, fifteen years ago, the venue succumbed to a devastating fire which completely destroyed the interior. And, thanks to vandals continuously adding to the interior’s damage, the pub was never able to get back onto its feet and reopen to the public. 

But last year, nearly two decades on from the initial closure, things started to look up for the future of Black Friar.

In January 2020, it was announced that Manchester chef Aiden Byrne was to invest £2M into the reopening of the pub – however, he pulled out a few months later in July as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

manchesterhistory.net

But now that the world’s slowly returning to a little normality, it’s time for the Black Friar to be given the new lease of life it very much deserves.

It has been announced this month that the property giants, Salboy, who erected the £80M apartment block, Local Blackfriars, on land surrounding the pub which they also acquired, have partnered with hospitality operations manager Neil Burke to turn the Black Friar into a pub restaurant.

Burke is currently putting together a team of professionals and overseeing a fit-out with a view to opening late this summer.

The newly refurbished venue will accommodate for over 100 covers across both floors and will provide space for functions and events. 

Salboy

Burke said: “The Black Friar has a lot of historical significance in Salford, everyone who used to frequent it has a story to tell! We want it to have that impact again, becoming everyone’s local but also a real destination, where you’re guaranteed really good food, a welcoming atmosphere and a place where you feel just at home nipping in for a pint as you do sitting down for a fantastic three course dinner.”

Head Chef Ben Chaplin, previously of 20 Stories, has also created two menus for customers to choose from, with the pub and courtyard offering more relaxed small plates to share and classic pub dishes with a focus on locally sourced food. There will also a breakfast menu available at weekends. 

Black Friar is expected to open at some point next month, though an official date is yet to be confirmed. 

To follow any updates, follow their official Instagram page here.