A POPULAR bar has abruptly closed its doors after 35 years of serving regulars, leaving locals devastated.
The images, in Manchester city centerhas been a hotspot for students and locals for decades.
1
Located right next to a college campus, the venue used to offer special deals on drinks that drew gamblers from all over the city.
However, the bar – managed by Crafted Social, part of the Stonegate Group – is listed on its website as 'permanently closed'.
According to the Manchester Evening News, there were no further announcements on social media about the closure.
Guests viewing their website were greeted with a pop-up message that read: “We will no longer be trading after May 25th.
“It has been a pleasure serving the community and we will miss you!”
The venue, which previously called itself 'the biggest bar in Manchester', had shared posts on social media to promote the euros – just four days before its closing.
Bettors were looking forward to seeing the three lions compete in their beloved in the upcoming tournament bar.
Post on social mediaone person said they felt the closure of The Footage was the “biggest loss for Manchester since Font”.
The Footage was steeped in history after it first opened as a cinema in 1915.
It was hailed as the largest cinema outside London at the time.
The first film shown at the venue was the silent historical film Jane Shore, starring British actress Blanche Forsythe.
It later became a bingo hall before being converted into one pubunder the name Flea and Firkin, in 1990.
The site was rebranded a few years later and was eventually acquired by new owners who renamed it The Footage.
Stonegate gave the pub a £360,000 renovation and promoted it as a craft beer and live sports venue a decade ago.
The neoclassical building was also listed by English Heritage in the 1990s.
The Stonegate chain recently announced it was struggling with £2.3 billion debt which “has cast doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern.”
It comes after punters left shocked after a popular pub with 22 locations across the UK closed a city center pub without notice.
And a family favorite The cafe chain is expected to close more than 200 locations and cut 1,500 jobs.