The Witchwood

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Coordinates: 53°29′12″N 2°5′55″W / 53.48667, -2.09861

The Witchwood is a public house and live venue situated in Ashton-under-Lyne, a town in Greater Manchester, England. The venue is well known locally and its fame even stretches both nationally and internationally.

The building is divided in two, with the 'front bar', which is a typical public house, and the live venue at the rear, where entry is usually subject to a fee.^{[citation needed]} As well as being a live venue, the rear also plays host to weekly and occasional clubnights.^{[citation needed]} The live venue has a capacity of 200.^{[citation needed]}

Bands that have played at the venue include Lostprophets, Muse, The Coral,^[1] Oceansize, JJ72, Cooper Temple Clause and Amplifier.

The pub prides itself on serving real ale, with many guest ales appearing regularly.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council served a compulsory purchase order on The Witchwood as plans for the regeneration of the surrounding area required the building to be removed.^[2] After a campaign to save The Witchwood, supported by regular customers, local amateur musicians, businesses and live venues, live music fans from across the country, Ask Developments – the company regenerating the surrounding area – agreed that The Witchwood would not be demolished on condition that "the exterior would be re-rendered and new windows put in".^[2] The campaign to save The Witchwood was lead by Tom Hingley and was supported by musicians such as Bert Jansch, The Fall, and The Chameleons.^[3]

In August 2007 the future of the Witchwood was finally secured when it was bought by Manchester entrepreneur Mike Royce, the owner of FAB CAFE the famous cult television and movie theme bar, and the Satans Hollow rock venue.