Cycling back from Town, zig zagging between the A6 and Birchfields Road, I headed down Beresford Road and bumped into a behemoth.
A huge inter-war Whitbread boozer long since closed, now a retail food outlet and badged as the Buhran Centre, also trading as Burooj.
This change of use is far from uncommon, the demographics, socio-economic conditions and drinking habits which shape this and countless other pubs, have since shifted away from the lost world of this immense, roadhouse-style palace of fun.
No more outdoor or orders here – the supermarket now supplies the supplies for the self satisfied home drinker.
The sheer scale of the building guaranteed its demise, a three storey house with no more stories to tell.
Searching online for some clues as to its history there is but one mention, on the Pubs of Manchester:
This is my attempt, in some small way, to redress the balance, snapping what remains of this once top pub.
Safe home I searched the Manchester Local Image Collection, hoping to find some clues and/or images elucidating Beresford Road and the Anson in times gone by.
I found a typical inner Manchester suburban thoroughfare, a healthy mix of homes socially and privately owned, industry, independents shops, schools and such. Kids at play, passers-by passing by, captured in 1971 by the Council’s housing department photographers.
This was not a Golden Age – wasn’t the past much better, brighter, cheerier and cleaner reminiscence – simply a series of observations.
Things change.
Including the Anson Hotel.
modernmooch.com 
I lived round the corner from here in the early 90s, but only went in once, when an irresponsible young lady suggested we all pop in there for a drink on the way in to town. The bar had enough metal grilles to withstand a riot and someone started on me within about 30 seconds of running the doorway gauntlet. I consider myself lucky to have got out alive.
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Found your blog via tweet from Pubs of Mcr. My dad used to live on Beresford Rd and loved seeing these pics. Apparently he loved Joytown – the toy shop.
Bizarre trivia – the phonebox on Beresford Rd was/is 0161 224 1966 (God only knows why he’s remembered that !
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Happy to share the pictures thanks for your comments – I’ll give the box a ring see who’s about!
Joytown is the nicest of names bound to evoke such fond memories.
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My Aunt used to own the hairdressers on the corner probably in the 80s.
I used to love visiting from down South .
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Had my 1st pint in the Anson pub with my dad god rest him ❤️ back in the day when we had a good community around the estate.
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Lived on Campbell Road in 1986, drank here fairly regularly. Was cavernous, a bit intimidating but just around the corner!
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