The North West is no exception, with last orders having been called at many fine watering holes.
Former punters have shared their happy memories of drinking at those lost pubs during their glory days.
They have recalled the brilliant landlords and landladies, and the many characters who contributed to so many brilliant nights at these ‘belting’ boozers.
One said wistfully: “I miss that place so much. What I wouldn't give to have a cheap pint by the fire on a cold evening."
Below are some of the most-missed pubs from across the North West, including one which featured in a legendary TV show, another frequented by two of the most influential philosophers of modern times, and a third described as the ‘absolutely best matchday pub’.
Several of these lost pubs have been converted into housing, one has been flattened to make way for a car park, and others have been left to fall into dereliction.
Do you remember drinking at any of these fine institutions?
17. Ducie Bridge
Manchester's Ducie Bridge pub had stood on the corner of Corporation Street and the Ring Road since the Victorian era, but it was sadly being demolished in 2020 and replaced with an office block. It is perhaps best known for the Juicy Ducie Comedy Club it hosted during the late 90s and early noughties, with stars including Peter Kay, Johnny Vegas, John Bishop and Jo Brand performing there. One person described it as a 'great pub', while another said it had been the 'perfect meeting spot for getting off the train and having a reasonable pint before heading to a gig'. | Google Photo: Google
18. Burn Naze
The Burn Naze pub in Thornton, Blackpool, was a popular community pub for many years before closing suddenly in 2019 and being demolished a couple of years later. It had been built just after 1900 and used to be a popular meeting place for workers from the nearby United Alkali Company ammonia soda works. Campaigners fought unsuccessfully to save the building on Gamble Road, even getting it listed as an ‘Asset of Community Value’. | Martin Bostock
19. Sam Platts
The Sam Platts was a landmark pub beside the Manchester Ship Canal, recognisable for the octagonal building sitting above the canal and linked to the main building by two short bridges. It was particularly popular with Manchester United fans, with one person calling it the 'absolutely best matchday pub'. | Google Photo: Google
20. Theatre Hotel
The Theatre Hotel, on Fishergate, Preston, was suddenly closed and demolished in 1987 as part of the Fishergate shopping centre development. The pub pictured here is the second incarnation, with the original having been torn down in 1960 and replaced with a new building on the same site. The Theatre Hotel was described by CAMRA as a 'great little boozer' that was 'probably the most popular Boddingtons pub in Preston'. | Archive Photo: Archive