They've just been told their home from home is not safe. But regulars at the Queens Hotel, Monsall just don't understand why.
If a baby's head needs wetting, if there's a whip-round to be done, a wedding to be celebrated, a wake to be had - this is where they come.
But not anymore. The landlords of the Sedgeford Road pub have lost their alcohol and entertainment licence after police said they ‘could not guarantee the safety of the staff and customers of the pub’.
The April 6 decision followed a temporary suspension - triggered by an incident outside another north Manchester pub involving ‘a machete and a gun' on March 12 - which Greater Manchester Police believe was connected to organised crime groups.
Locals feel like they are paying the price and being 'labelled' for problems in the area which have nothing to do with them.
“I was flabbergasted when I found out (about the licensing decision),” Rick Whitby said. “I’ve been coming in here for 53 years, since I was 10.
“Most evenings we come in here. I feel relaxed when I come, it’s nice getting company and seeing your friends.
“Nothing really bad happens in the actual pub, it happens on the estate itself outside.”
“I’ve been DJing here for 22 years,” Trevor Jones said, sitting next to his friends Rick, John Flynn and Kenneth Dunbar. “There is a lot of ill feeling between the residents and the council and police here.
“It is us against them again. There are a lot of single people here and if you give this place away there is nowhere for them to meet up.”
Just over a week on from when Manchester City Council’s Licencing Sub Committee made their decision, the question on pubgoers' minds is why the Queen’s will be forced to close, while the Vine - the pub which the violence happened outside - will be allowed to keep its licence.
The Vine also had its licence temporarily suspended following the violence. But the pub was allowed to begin serving again after it took steps to improve safety at the venue, a Manchester Town Hall hearing was told on April 6.
Manchester Town Hall also heard that the designated premises supervisor (DPS) in charge at the Vine on the day of the incident had been sacked by Mr Mitchell.
Despite the authorities being reassured about the Vine, police investigating the incident are, it's understood, concerned that the fallout from the brawl could put at risk patrons and staff at the Queens, which is half a mile from the Vine, on the west side of Rochdale Road.
But Queens' regulars Greg Breen and Tony Kelly, both 58, don’t accept that they are not safe in the pub.
“Everyone knows it’s a rough area but we’re labelled because of it,” Greg said. “Nothing happened at this pub that day.
“My elderly relatives in their 80’s walk past here no problem. Those young ones sit outside and no one is intimidated by them.”
Regulars Susan Trayers, Elisha Flynn and Wendy Ross described feelings of “disgust, injustice and despair” at the decision by the council not to give the Queens its licence back.
“Why should I have to suffer as a result of what others have done,” Wendy said, referring to the violent incident. “I was fuming when I found out what had happened.
Elisha added: “A minority have ruined it for the rest of us. The people that live here are really down to earth, genuine people.
“If you go around collecting they always have something for you, if someone has passed away they will do anything for them. That all comes through the pub.
“It just amazes me that people, who don’t have much themselves, but they all give.”
The group added that family events for Easter, Halloween, Christmas and summer take place as the pub tries to cater for everyone - adding that there were plans for a children’s play area which have been cut short by recent events.
“It is like a family here,” Susan explained. “We have our christenings, weddings, birthdays and funerals here.
“We might be rough here, but we’re a family. We do not feel in danger in this pub.”
The memory wall testifies to the community spirit. Retained from the old wallpaper, it's a permanent feature in the main bar area and bears names of all the old regulars, keeping their spirit alive.
Ann Kirby’s husband died a number of years ago and now, every time the 72-year-old comes into the pub, she is reminded of him - seeing his name on the wall.
Stephen Dale, who has owned the pub for 40 years, has said he will be appealing to the decision to stop them serving, and is actively trying to work with the police to resolve the situation, to hopefully get the licence back.
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