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Picture source: Hania Franek

The Royal Standard was situated at 22 Manningham Lane. Originally a hotel, it later became a pub and music venue. It was de-listed in 1997, demolished and is now the extension car park of Sovereign Health Care, at Royal Standard House (built 1994).  It was built by John Thompson (1867) [proprietor] as a public slipper baths and had an alcohol licence.

Source: John Yeadon

The bar is now in The London Pub, a hotel bar in the Angara Hotel, Irkutsk, Russia. They have a small plaque and picture showing the origin. It was removed from the burnt building and restored by Andy Thornton Architectural Antiques.

Robin Hartley (August 2016)

The Royal Standard was indeed a key music venue in Bradford in the 1970s and 1980s. It was particularly known as the place that a lot of punk bands played their first gigs in town. I know Siouxsie and the Banshees were there, I think Adam and the Ants were and below on the site there is a Drones poster. The thing I remember most about it in the late 70s was that it had every sub-culture in different rooms. The punks were pogo-ing in the function room, the Teds were loafing in the back room and the Satan’s Slaves (our local Hells-Angel-type chapter) were around the pool table in the middle room. And never any trouble. Well hardly any. It was great and had one of the best pints of Tetleys in town. Happy days.

Patrick Gilliard (January 2022)

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Other Photos

Picture source: Hania Franek

Picture source: Ian