Restoration of 'Smiths club' set back
The Smiths posed for a photograph in front of the venue
Thursday, 05, Jul 2007 04:08
The restoration of the Salford Lads Club, famous for its connection to 80s rock band the Smiths, has been set back after thieves stole parts of the building's roof.
Famed for an iconic photo of the Smiths posing in front of it, the club has become enshrined in British music history.
When contractors arrived to continue work on the building, they found a leaky roof after lead and guttering was stolen from the structure.
Leslie Holmes, the project manager for the restoration, told the Manchester Evening News that the theft had added thousands of pounds to the cost of the project.
"We were about to start work on the roof and all the scaffolding had just been put up," he told the paper.
"When the roofers arrived on site on Tuesday they thought they could hear a tap running inside, but it was rain water pouring through the roof.
"We've spent days mopping up. It's not necessarily the value of the materials stolen that's the problem, but the cost of repairing the damage and hiring security. It'll be a real drain on the funds."
Music fans often congregate outside of the club to have their photo taken in a similar fashion to the Smiths, who still have a devoted fan base.
One of the rooms in the venue is named after the band and regular exhibitions take place there.