The City, Manchester

The City is a Grade II listed former public house on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter area of Manchester, England. The building originated as two dwellings constructed before 1782 and was combined into a pub by 1800, first known as the Prince of Orange and later as the King's Arms in the mid‑19th century. It acquired its current name at a later date. The pub closed in 2022 and is recorded by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) as long‑term closed .

History According to Manchester City Council, the premises originated as two private dwellings built before 1782 and combined by 1800 to form a public house known as the Prince of Orange. Early Ordnance Survey mapping of central Manchester in 1849 and Slater's trade directories indicate that by the mid‑19th century the establishment was operating under a different name, appearing as the King's Arms and remaining so into the 1890s. Alterations to the pub took place around 1870.

The date at which the pub adopted the name The City is not documented in published sources. Nevertheless, when the building was designated a Grade II listed structure on 3 October 1974, the official listing recorded it under that name.

The City closed in September 2022, while the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) records The City as "closed long term" as of June 2024.

Architecture

The building is constructed in brick with a covering of stucco. It has three storeys and its roofline is concealed behind a parapet. The ground floor has an emphasised entrance and window openings framed by decorative detailing. The upper storeys each feature a central relief panel flanked by plain sash windows: the first‑floor panel shows a scene associated with the arrival of William and Mary, featuring allegorical and religious figures including Britannia, two helmeted women, a clergyman, and an angel; and the upper one showing a heraldic design. A large name panel spans the middle of the façade.

The City, Manchester

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