Stretford Canteen is found on the currently hard-to-love edge of Stretford Mall, or the Stretford Arndale as it’s known to locals. The gradually emptying shopping centre’s preeminent claim to fame is that Muhammad Ali turned up there to promote Ovaltine on October 12, 1971, almost causing a riot in Tesco in the process.
He'd not long faced Joe Frazier in the ring, but admitted to being 'scared' as he was besieged by frenzied Mancs with bad hair trampling each other to get a glimpse of him. Much has happened since then. Not all good. The mall lost its market hall, a good old fashioned greasy spoon and a classic flat roof pub, not to mention a very handy TJ Hughes. Even the Tesco has gone.
But the entire place, much like the development of Sale’s town centre down the road, is now on the cusp of a huge, multi-million pound investment from the council and led by developers Bruntwood, with the Canteen among the early vanguard of new businesses being brought in, alongside a General Store and food hall a few doors down.
