It's been eight years since a Manchester pub that helped launch the careers of top comedians and bands closed its doors forever.
Comedian Mike Wilkinson later told the MEN about how he started his stand up career at the Ducie Bridge comedy night in the late '90s: "I went down to The Worst Comedy Night In Manchester and decided to have ago after watching all the sad freaks there." "So we said we could play them on the radio station and they could play at the Ducie. They'd get some beer tokens so they could have a good night and they could showcase their music.
However, in 2015, Manchester's music fans were gutted to hear the news that the historic venue was to close down. The pub's owner, Co-op, announced it would close as part of the £800m NOMA development. In 2016, shortly after it closed, squatters took over the Ducie Bridge and its grounds in a campaign against homelessness in the city. For several weeks, negotiations to get them to vacate the building failed and eventually a court order was served ordering them to leave or face eviction.