Fforde Greene pub.

Old, disused, forgotten and converted pubs
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raveydavey
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by raveydavey »

Has anyone noticed that they've started to refer to the junction as the "Fforde junction" (or perhaps they think it is just the "Ford junction"?) on the BBC Radio Leeds Travel News, rather than the Fforde Green Junction?

Possibly a sign of the times, but it always strikes me as odd and incomplete.

Mind you, they often refer to the "Ingram Distributor at the Elland Roundabout", when I suspect they mean Elland Road, (or Jct 2 of the M621)....
Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act – George Orwell

Johnny39
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by Johnny39 »

When I lived there we always referred to it as "Harehills Corner".
Daft I call it - What's for tea Ma?

j.c.d.
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by j.c.d. »

In the 60s when the Fordy was booming they had a resident Saturday night singer Johnny Joyce on in the music room. he was very popular and one week when he was on holiday the landlord, Henry, asked me and my two mates to fill in. as he insisted he was paying for a trio he wanted three instruments. so I went along to Scheerers music shop in North St. and hired a double bass and we turned up Sat evening. Johnny used to sing sort of country and western and we did Sinatra style which only went down mediocre. there was a couple of fights which did seem popular. when we collected our six quid at the end of the night the Landlord muttered something about "It will be a cold night before I have you here again" which I took to probably mean he wanted us back around Xmas.
The upshot was the following day at home I forgot the golden rule concerning string bass's and that is to Always lay them down when not playing. so broke it but that's another story.

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Leodian
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by Leodian »

Johnny39 wrote:When I lived there we always referred to it as "Harehills Corner".
Slightly off-topic but I still refer to the York Road/Foundry Lane/Cross Gates Road as the Melbourne roundabout despite the pub having been demolished many years ago!

PS. I gave Cross Gates Road as that is how it is given on the Google map when I just checked, but I still give that area's name as Crossgates not Cross Gates. :)
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

angkorman
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by angkorman »

I used to live on Harehills Avenue in the 70's and used to go to the Fforde Grene, the Strega, theAstoria, the Hayfield and the International Club regularly as well as the West Indian afterhours blues clubs. In those days it was a great place to live, a real multi racial mix and Potternewton Park and the trees on both sides of the avenue added to the atmosphere.
There were regular bands at the Fforde,I remember seeing Bo Diddley and Girls School there amongst many others.
The Astoria was different in that it was a real dancehall (ballroom), as I remember the Astoria continued with bands after the Fforde had ceased. Dr Feelgood and Wilco's band played along with Fairport Convention and diverse other bands.
I was told that The Astoria was closed because of local complaints. If that was the case, why were they living next to a dancehall.
I subsequently lived in Armley, Headingley and Otley, none of these areas had the same magic as Chapletown/Harehills .
The last time that I was there, what a difference, the Fforde a continental supermarket, the Astoria was a white good store, the Strega, Hayfield and International club are long gone,
Harehills Avenue still has some of the old charm, but as for Rounday Road in Harehills, say no more.
Even the Gipton on Roundhay road is now called the Roundhay. It's nowhere near Roundhay other than in the minds of the pub owners.
I now live about a mile from the Bridge on the River Kwai, so I doubt that I'll be going back any time soon, but I still have thr great memories

volvojack
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by volvojack »

Had many happy, boozy Friday nights in the Fordy even though I was not really a Melbourne beer drinker . earlier days as a kid it was a treat to go opposite to the Clock cinema ( had nearly 2000 seats ) Last week coming down Easterly Road I see it is now an electrical store and as you say the Fforde Grene is now an Asian Supermarket.

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buffaloskinner
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by buffaloskinner »

volvojack wrote:Had many happy, boozy Friday nights in the Fordy even though I was not really a Melbourne beer drinker . earlier days as a kid it was a treat to go opposite to the Clock cinema ( had nearly 2000 seats ) Last week coming down Easterly Road I see it is now an electrical store and as you say the Fforde Grene is now an Asian Supermarket.
Never really like the Fforde Greene, always thought of it has a bit of a flea pit
Clock Cinema has been closed for quite a few years now :o
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

Bruno
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by Bruno »

angkorman wrote: I was told that The Astoria was closed because of local complaints. If that was the case, why were they living next to a dancehall.
Hi Angkorman,
I don't think it was the fact that it was a dancehall that people were complaining about, if you get my drift.
The older I get, the better I was.

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blackprince
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by blackprince »

angkorman wrote:................................I now live about a mile from the Bridge on the River Kwai, so I doubt that I'll be going back any time soon, but I still have thr great memories
Hi Angkorman,
I stopped within sight of the bridge last month. We could have had a drink or 2 and a chat about
bye-gone days in Harehills!
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

dfraser
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Re: Fforde Greene pub.

Post by dfraser »

i worked in the downstairs bar between 85 to 88 off and on remember dave the cellar man who was very proud of the beer he kept. downstairs was split into an irish bit for the construction guys then the dominoes corner the rest of downstairs was the pool tables and mixed . there was the occassional fight but it wasnt that bad considering the size and mix of the place.
Terry and Ida managed the place and i think a lid was kept on the worst excessess of the area but potentially it did not have far to fall to become unpleasant I have many great memories of working in there and it was as such a mix of folk that it was never dull. stayed nearby in harehills while training at jimmys good times

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