Star pub & carvery, Manchester Road

[Vintage Claret]

Just been reading that it's set to close next month.

Guess it was inevitable after the cinema closure but shame to see another hospitality venue shutting down in Burnley.

[GetIntoEm]

needed closing years ago, grubby little hovel.

[Jamesy]

needed closing years ago, grubby little hovel.

Is that the one that used to be a Brewers Fayre? TBH if it was I have never noticed the change of name when I walk down to the Turf from Manchester Road station.

[GetIntoEm]

Is that the one that used to be a Brewers Fayre? TBH if it was I have never noticed the change of name when I walk down to the Turf from Manchester Road station.

its the one opposite manchester road station yes, used to be The Hollywood Star, but downgraded to The Star a few years back

[ClaretTony]

Is that the one that used to be a Brewers Fayre? TBH if it was I have never noticed the change of name when I walk down to the Turf from Manchester Road station.

I don’t think it was a Brewers Fayre but it is the one across from the station. The cinema building next to it has been demolished in the last couple of days to make way for a Lidl supermarket.

[GetIntoEm]

it was once "Wacky Warehouse" branded if i remember correctly

[ClaretTony]

it was once "Wacky Warehouse" branded if i remember correctly

It was

[claretonthecoast1882]

Luckily the Inn on the Wharf being open meant we could go there instead of this odd place whenever the train home was cancelled at short notice

[Clovius Boofus]

Only been in once and that was years ago. The food was shite. The beer wasn't much better and the toilets resembed Glastonbury on a bad day.

[GetIntoEm]

yeah its been a dive for years, dreadful beer, always running out of food, and dirty and untidy inside. no surprise its closed

[Fretters]

Luckily the Inn on the Wharf being open meant we could go there instead of this odd place whenever the train home was cancelled at short notice

What was the small real ale place called directly opposite the station on Trafalgar Street? It was great, but I only discovered it just before it shut down. Might have been the Ministry of Ale.

[Vintage Claret]

What was the small real ale place called directly opposite the station on Trafalgar Street? It was great, but I only discovered it just before it shut down. Might have been the Ministry of Ale.

Yes it was The Ministry of Ale Fretters, been closed down a while now unfortunately

[GetIntoEm]

What was the small real ale place called directly opposite the station on Trafalgar Street? It was great, but I only discovered it just before it shut down. Might have been the Ministry of Ale.

yeah thats the one, was a good boozer that.

[pushpinpussy]

poor food, poorer beer and expensive. If it wasn't for the cinema it would have closed years ago.

[Vintage Claret]

Used to go in now and again for a Sunday carvery with Mrs VC and that was normally ok to be fair.

Usually driving so only ever had a beer once when I wasn't (Mayday bank holiday) and yeah the beer wasn't great then

[claretonthecoast1882]

What was the small real ale place called directly opposite the station on Trafalgar Street? It was great, but I only discovered it just before it shut down. Might have been the Ministry of Ale.

Yeah Ministry an hour in there before the train back was never a good idea but still often happened

[Leisure]

It was the designated away fans pub, in addition to the cricket club. Presumably for those coming by train.

[The Project]

Not before time!

Last time i went was over 5 years ago.

I ordered a mix grill. It came with some instant mash, about a tablespoon worth, that they had squashed to smithereens to try and fill up the plate.

Never been back!

[burnmark]

Only went in a few times either pre or post away game. Always smelled of boiled chicken!

[firstclaret]

They should think of putting a new pedestrian crossing outside!

[NottsClaret]

I only went once, after being to the cinema. Shaun Ryder was in, completely off his tits. Said hello on the way to the bogs. It's not a great celebrity story, but it ties into the thread.

[helmclaret]

Must have been a while ago - he’s been sober for over 15 years!

[karatekid]

It’s ok saying it should have shut years ago etc but think of the staff. They are the real losers here. Mostly young people who will struggle now.

[distortiondave]

What?! There's no Cinema there anymore? When did that happen? It still seems 'new' to me!

[Clovius Boofus]

New? It was open for over a quarter of a century.

[wilks_bfc]

What?! There's no Cinema there anymore? When did that happen? It still seems 'new' to me!

Cinama now moved to “Pioneer Place” which was pioneer car park behind Millennium car park/Primark

[TheFamilyCat]

Must have been a while ago - he’s been sober for over 15 years!

He lived in Burnley between Black Grape splitting and the Mondays reforming for the first time, so late '90's.

If I remember rightly he moved in with the local lad who was in Black Grape who helped him to get clean but had to leave when they had a baby and he ended up in a bedsit living off crack.

[NewClaret]

What’s happening with the whole cinema site anyway? I did know but have forgotten.

[morninbob]

What’s happening with the whole cinema site anyway? I did know but have forgotten.

Another Lidl.

[NewClaret]

Another Lidl.

That is just an absolute joke. The last thing Burnley needs!

[Loyalclaret]

Lidl possibly?

[jrgbfc]

He lived in Burnley between Black Grape splitting and the Mondays reforming for the first time, so late '90's.

If I remember rightly he moved in with the local lad who was in Black Grape who helped him to get clean but had to leave when they had a baby and he ended up in a bedsit living off crack.

Sure he said in his autobiography living in Burnley was his lowest ebb, or words to that effect

[nil_desperandum]

That is just an absolute joke. The last thing Burnley needs!

What's your problem with Lidl?
The only other Lidl in Burnley is at the opposite end of town.
I would imagine that it will do well.

[NewClaret]

What's your problem with Lidl?
The only other Lidl in Burnley is at the opposite end of town.
I would imagine that it will do well.

I don’t have a specific problem with Lidl, but you ha e to wonder how many supermarkets one town needs? Theres a massive Tesco around the corner, the other Lidl is 2 miles down the road, B&M, Aldi and Sainsbury’s all in walking distance?

What would I prefer it to be?

Something that creates jobs, ideally - perhaps a good quality business park just by the station, or failing that some good quality housing on the basis that town centres need people living in and near them to really thrive.

I just think the last thing we need is another supermarket.

[Goliath]

2 Aldi's. Burnley Wood and one across from Standish street.
Also an Asda basically 30 seconds walk from one of the Aldi's.

[claretburns]

Glad a Lidl is appearing, for the location I live we need a cheaper alternative to Tesco.

[Clovius Boofus]

Rather see a Lidl there than a derelict site.

[Loyalclaret]

I'm not happy with Lidl, their brownies are very tasty and exceptional value for money - was happy when the Colne Road location wasn't handy

[Clovius Boofus]

The Colne Rd one is skanky. Every time I've been in it looks like the place hasn't had a good clean in ages, especially their handbaskets. Also, when I've used it, there always seems to be an aggressive beggar sat in the trolly shed.

[ŽižkovClaret]

That is just an absolute joke. The last thing Burnley needs!

They are close together over here at times, its like they are taking over, Lidl by Lidl

[ŽižkovClaret]

I don’t have a specific problem with Lidl, but you ha e to wonder how many supermarkets one town needs? Theres a massive Tesco around the corner, the other Lidl is 2 miles down the road, B&M, Aldi and Sainsbury’s all in walking distance?

What would I prefer it to be?

Something that creates jobs, ideally - perhaps a good quality business park just by the station, or failing that some good quality housing on the basis that town centres need people living in and near them to really thrive.

I just think the last thing we need is another supermarket.

Pre Covid you might have had a chance of an office park there, but now...... i'm not sure there is a need for new offices in the town

[bumba]

Would have made an ideal massive indoor food hall type place with micro breweries or small bars and lots of local small food outlets.
Bands on at the weekends, right next to the train station could have been a great entertainment venue

[ŽižkovClaret]

Would have made an ideal massive indoor food hall type place with micro breweries or small bars and lots of local small food outlets.
Bands on at the weekends, right next to the train station could have been a great entertainment venue

Sure, but its a lot of $$$ to get something like that going. Moorhouses would be the natural anchor for that but i doubt they have the brass. Also would potentially attract clashing fans being the first place away fans come across.

[helmclaret]

Would have made an ideal massive indoor food hall type place with micro breweries or small bars and lots of local small food outlets.
Bands on at the weekends, right next to the train station could have been a great entertainment venue

Something like Magic Rock brewery that they have in Huddersfield would have been great right next to the station. They get home and away fans in on match day and never have any trouble.

[bumba]

Something like Magic Rock brewery that they have in Huddersfield would have been great right next to the station. They get home and away fans in on match day and never have any trouble.

Any trouble up there would be by away fans, idiots stay under the culvert

[NewClaret]

Sure, but its a lot of $$$ to get something like that going. Moorhouses would be the natural anchor for that but i doubt they have the brass. Also would potentially attract clashing fans being the first place away fans come across.

Possibly, although the existing building could have been used and refit. Maybe with some of the cinema’s repurposed as mini-theatres for the arts.

Markets and food halls are making a huge comeback and I’m sure Burnley council would be looking at that and thinking of locations to introduce them.

Rawtenstall market is buzzing all the time and getting £4m of levelling up funding to refurbish it all. Burnley have £20m over 10 years so you’d expect they could direct some of that at it.

There should also be private funding interest in something like this, especially with 2000 away fans turning up in the town 23 weekends a year.

[NewClaret]

As an aside, how good would it for our beer at the turf to be local craft beer. I wouldn’t mind paying a bit more if it were supporting local jobs.

[NewClaret]

Pre Covid you might have had a chance of an office park there, but now...... i'm not sure there is a need for new offices in the town

I’m not sure I agree, although by presenting an alternative use in housing I obviously had doubts myself.

Take a look at this though:

https://onecitypark.com/

New grade A office space built in central Bradford. Partially funded by levelling up money, the council built it not for profit but to attract jobs and people to the city centre (appreciate Bradford is a City and much larger population, etc). So they let it at cost now with no intent to profit, just wash its face to attract employers and pull people in to help other businesses prosper.

It’s as good as any office in any city in the world and PWC have taken the top 2 floors to build out their tech centre of excellence. A lot of companies have levelling up as part of their ESG strategy but the main the reason they do it is because you can hire people a lot more cheaply in say Bradford than you can Leeds 10 miles down the road.

I doubt Burnley could attract such prestigious firms, but you could also have some serviced space for SME’s and co-working space for teams/small companies that just want to get together once a week or whatever.

Overall, I wasn’t pushing the commercial office point too hard, rather saying that for town centres to thrive you need people living and working in them so housing wouldn’t be awful either and add far more value than another supermarket when there are large and discount supermarkets a stones throw away that only create a handful of very low paying and low skilled jobs.

[Roger1960]

Lidl were needed by the council to pay enough for the cinema site to persuade them to move to anchor the council funded town centre leisure Scheme , other uses including residential in that location would just not have paid enough for the site to make that work. I imagine losing the cinema was final nail in the stars coffin. The town unfortunately already has a lot of empty office space in brun house and the old gus on kingsway, most town vacant centre office space such as the old endsleigh building and council office thereabouts have gone to resi proving a lack of demand for office use. New build resi in the town centre is hard to make stack up without subsidies as the finished properties don’t attract the high prices of those being built in Cliviger , worsthorne etc
Having said that there will be a staggering amount of food store space in the town when this Lidl is finished and Aldi relocate to a bigger store on westgate .inc padiham there will be 3 lidls,2 Tesco ,Sainsbury’s ,Asda, 2 aldis 3 icelands ,lots of food in H&M and home bargains !

[blatherwickstattoos]

Would have made an ideal massive indoor food hall type place with micro breweries or small bars and lots of local small food outlets.
Bands on at the weekends, right next to the train station could have been a great entertainment venue

Bank Parade, shame the loom has stopped doing
Food though