The Carlton Club

The Carlton Club is Whalley Range. We’ve listed it as a pub, but it’s so much more than that. Originally a private gentleman’s club, The Carlton Club is now one of the most welcoming and diverse spaces in South Manchester. It’s a pub, a bar, a gig venue, a club, a community centre. It’s run as a community interest company and it’s a true social hub.

If you don’t get just how important The Carlton Club is to the local area, even The Guardian weighed in on its possible closure. With a legal challenge underway to fight the eviction notice, it’s currently business as usual but with merch available for fundraising.

It would be devastating if the Carlton Club had to leave Rowan Lodge. The huge beer garden is a big part of the place’s appeal, as well as the location of its midweek community gardening club. It’s where you can find happy children running semi-feral through the trees whilst the adults enjoy a pint in the sun. Otherwise known as the unofficial after-school club in the summer.

There are activities for anyone and everyone at The Carlton Club from backgammon, pilates and life-drawing classes to club nights, DJs and live music. There’s an alternative vibe but it is a genuinely welcoming place for all ages and the drinks are cheap considering what it offers. Food is available at the weekend from an ever-changing line-up of street food traders.