In The Crescent

My walk to and from college takes me past The Crescent, the Salford pub where it's said that Marx and Engles met to discuss their political theories and ambitions over a few beers. Sadly, it closed three years ago and it's slowly falling into disrepair.

I'm always intrigued by buildings as they descend into ruin over a long period of time although my innate risk aversion means I never actually explore them. Which is not to say that I'm not tempted; when I walked past a couple of weeks ago, the trap door down into the Crescent's beer cellar was open and I briefly fantasised about clambering down.

As the Minx and I walked past today, I saw a section had been knocked out of the front door (see Extra). I peeped in, of course, but I couldn't see a thing; it was pitch black and the torch on my phone made no discernible difference.

Thank heavens then for the iPhone's low-light camera! I very much doubt that table dates back to Marx and Engles but perhaps on a busy Friday night they stood in this hallway resting their beers on that ledge.

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Reading: 'The Vanishing Half' by Brit Bennett