Salford Lads Club

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Front shot of: "Salford Lads Club"

Salford Lads Club is a boys and girls recreational club located in the suburb of Ordsall, part of the City of Salford, located in Greater Manchester. The club was established in 1903 as a boys-only club, but today both boys and girls are welcome. The club organizes recreational activities for local youth, including football, snooker, table-tennis, computer games, boxing training, dance, community meetings, exhibitions, kickboxing, excursions and Ju-Jitsu.

It was opened on January 30, 1904, by General Baden-Powell, later the founder of the scout movement. Among former members are actor Albert Finney and Alan Clarke, the lead singer of 60s pop group The Hollies.

[edit] The Smiths

The club gained fame in 1986 when the pop band The Smiths posed in front of it for the inside cover of their album The Queen Is Dead (the photograph was taken by pop photographer Stephen Wright). The club is on the corner of St Ignatius Way and Coronation Street in Salford and is a place of pilgrimage for many Smiths fans.

[edit] Community Role and Fundraising

The club is gradually (as of February 2007) falling into disrepair however, and is seeking £1m funding for repairs.

In January 2007, the M.E.N. reported that the club was third in a nationwide hunt to find the most iconic buildings in the country. Source: Manchester Evening News, Jan 2007

Activities such as boxing, football and computer skills are taught in the club - Membership has fallen to 90 compared to 2,000 in its heyday. The club gained listed status in 2003, and its tiled interior is virtually unchanged, with original fittings including a boxing ring, snooker rooms, and a gym with a viewing balcony.

A report by English Heritage said: "The building is thought to be the most complete example of this rare form of social provision to survive in England."Source: Manchester Evening News, Feb 2007