mcr4 magazine

MANCHESTER CITY REGION

Manchester Magazine 09

Music and

nightlife special

MCR4

1visitmanchester.com

2-3News & Developments

4-5Brand ManchesterSeen these before? Some ofthe city’s biggest exports

6-11What’s OnMusic, festivals, exhibitions, sportsevents, LGBT and Christmas

12-17Curtains UpManchester’s theatre worlduncovered

18-19Ingi-Thor JonssonThe city’s newest festival director

20-21Manchester by numbersSome random facts and figures

22-27Buildings through the agesAn architectural timeline

28-29James RamsbottomAll things Castlefield

30-33Manchester’s menu

36-37Shopping spree

40-43Pop goes ManchesterDave Haslam on Manchester’s popular music culture

44-49Walls of soundThe city’s very best music venues

50-52Ones to watchCultural research from the comfort of your armchair

53-57Manchester after darkNightlife for all

58-59Irene KhanThe University of Salford’s newchancellor talks student life

60-63Streets ahead50 years of Coronation Street

64-67Digital RevolutionBrendan Dawes tells us about his wife’s Nintendo DS

73RochdaleA day out of town

75-77Manchester: The perfect pitchCould the 2018 World Cup be the next milestone in the city’s football heritage?

78-79Professor Brian CoxThe former D:Ream man talksscience

80-85King CottonAlice Ferguson on the region’sindustrial heritage

87-101Where to stayYour accommodation options

102-103Serviced apartmentsA home away from home

104-105Manchester AirportFlight listings and more

111Getting around GreaterManchesterPublic transport information

112The last wordNick Johnson uncut

Inside back coverManchester city centre map

FIRST WORDS

Welcome to the fourth edition of MCR, the destination magazine for Manchester.

As the agency responsible for promoting the city-region it’salways nice to have something new to focus on - be it thesporting developments in areas like New East Manchester, or the reinvention of one of the more established quarters of thecity, such as Cathedral Gardens, as it looks to better reflect itsmodern day identity.

And so with MCR we aim to give you, not just lists of places togo and things to see, but a snapshot of Manchester as it standson the day we go to press. From there, we leave it in your handsto discover the side of Manchester that most appeals to you -whatever your passion.

In this issue we take a closer look at the make-up of GreaterManchester’s theatre world, get the lowdown on the city’spopular music culture from DJ and industry commentator DaveHaslam, find out about Manchester’s part in the England 2018FIFA World Cup bid and highlight the industrial heritageattractions that can be found across the Northwest region.

Irene Khan, the new chancellor of The University of Salford, alsotalks to us about how studying in Manchester ignited a passionfor human rights that led her all the way to the top of AmnestyInternational and The University of Manchester’s Professor BrianCox tells us why his latest project isn’t going to cause the worldto end - despite what you might read on the internet.

Enjoy!

Andrew Stokes, Chief Executive, Marketing ManchesterNovember 2009

2 visitmanchester.com

NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS

Award winning patisserie opens in Bamford

She was made the first ever female head chef

at Harvey Nichols in 2006 and has cooked for

high-profile clients including Her Majesty The

Queen and Victoria Beckham and now Alison

Seagreave has opened her very own

patisserie. In the short time that Macaroon

patisserie in Bamford has been open, it has

already been nominated for a prestigious

award. Macaroon has made the shortlist of

just six eateries competing for the Best

Newcomer award at this year’s Manchester

Food and Drink Festival. The patisserie is

open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am.

Legoland

The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre (LDC)

is a new visitor attraction set to open at

Manchester’s Trafford Centre in time for

Easter 2010. LEGOLAND Discovery

Centres are a new concept offering a fun,

interactive and educational experience for

children aged between three and twelve

years old. This attraction will present a host

of LEGO-themed attractions, including a

4D cinema, an immersive LEGO ride, and

a ‘Miniland’ featuring key landmarks from

Manchester and the Northwest, with

models of Salford Quays, Blackpool Tower

and the Lake District.

Flights

Manchester Airport continues to attract

additional European routes making the city

even more accessible for leisure and business

visitors. Germanwings launched four flights a

week from Cologne/Bonn for their winter

schedule and easyJet increased the number

of destinations to include flights from

Copenhagen, Munich and Marrakech. In

September, Icelandair increased the

frequency of their Reykjavik flights to four

times a week and Jet2.com is now operating

a year round service on their Rome route.

LA Twin City

Manchester and Los Angeles have signed a

‘new friendship agreement’ which will see

educational, cultural, business, digital/new

media and sporting links promoted between

the two great cities. The agreement states that

‘Manchester and Los Angeles are cities of

culture and sport, sharing a significant leisure

offer for both residents and visitors. There are

a number of opportunities to use the city

partnership to develop international cultural

and sporting links and promote visitor

movement between the two cities.

©Geoff Lloyd


NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS

The People’s History Museum

The People’s History Museum is coming to

the end of its multi-million pound

redevelopment project that will see The Pump

House, a former hydraulic power pumping

station, renovated to its former glory. The

four-storey extension adjacent is now being

constructed and the buildings will be joined

together by a spectacular walkway.

Re-opening in early 2010, the new People’s

History Museum will be bigger and better

than before displaying almost 1500 objects.

www.phm.org.uk

Proposals for £24 million

BMX Centre announced

Proposals for a £24 million national indoor

BMX centre at Sportcity in East Manchester

have been announced. Designed by Ellis

Williams Architects, the 110,000 sq foot

building will, with the existing Manchester

Velodrome, form the National Cycling

Centre, the British home of cycling. It will

include a 2,000 seat capacity BMX area and

offices for the headquarters of the British

Cycling Federation. Subject to funding and

planning approval, work on the scheme will

start on site by January 2010 with

completion by March 2011.

Green Badge Guides

In March, Manchester’s new tour guides met

with the Lord Mayor, Mavis Smitheman, to

celebrate the successful completion of a six

month training course with the Institute of

Tourist Guiding. The part time Green badge

course was subsidised by Visit Manchester,

with funding from the Northwest Regional

Development Agency (NWDA). Twenty-four

new guides have been added to Manchester’s

tourism offer following the training between

September 2008 and March 2009. The Green

Badge authorises guides to carry out public

walks and coach tours within the Greater

Manchester area.

Manchester Trails

Manchester Urban Culture Trails has

recently launched with four themed,

self-guided cultural city tours that are

available to download for free on

www.visitmanchester.com/trails

The trails offer an interesting introduction

to Manchester's art, music and culture

scene. They each tell the Manchester Story,

linking the city’s historical past with

modern Manchester. It’s a great way to

take in the city’s rich cultural heritage and

discover Manchester's unique places and

the stories behind them.

Richard Goodall Gallery


BRAND MANCHESTERWe’re surrounded by familiarity in the brands that we consume on a daily basis. There are plenty of well known products and logos that originated right here in Manchester.

Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls

The famous sweets have been produced in Wigan since 1919. They were originallycreated by Ellen Seddon, a skilledconfectioner whose unique toffees inspiredher partner William Santus, to abandon hisfruit and vegetable stall and become abudding sweet entrepreneur. Uncle Joe wasfirst introduced as the face of the companybrand in 1932. The fictional character helpedto take the famous sweet to every corner ofthe globe whilst in 1975, songwriter MikeHarding dedicated a humorous song to thebrand. The song has been chanted inchildren’s playgrounds across the Northwestever since... “Un-cle Joe’s Mint Balls, keepyou all a-glow”. They do indeed.

Bugged Out!

In 1994, ‘Madchester’ had become old newsand the city’s relationship with acid houseand rave had either declined, or matured andmoved on, dependent on how you look at it.A new movement was needed to push things forward and it came in the form ofBugged Out, a regular night of undergrounddance music held in the former Sankeys Soap factory (now ‘Sankeys’ nightclub). Over the years Bugged Out has hostedsuperstar DJs including Daft Punk, theChemical Brothers, Miss Kittin, LaurentGarnier, Erol Alkan, Felix Da Housecat, andTiga. The night branched out into Liverpoolwhere it worked particularly well in contrastto the superclub brand ‘Cream’. It has alsopresented itself successfully in London,Milan, Rome and Barcelona.

The Guardian

The UK’s popular liberal newspaper wasformed in Manchester in 1821. Its beginningscan be traced back a couple of years earlier tothe 1819 Peterloo massace, a turbulent eventin Manchester’s history and in British politics,which ultimately changed public opinion andwas a major factor in gaining ordinary peoplethe right to vote. The Manchester Guardian,as it was originally known, gained areputation for its outspoken views and radical opinions. In 1959 the paper became‘the Guardian’ and production moved toLondon in 1964. The newspaper has a presentcirculation of over 336,000 copies per day.

Soreen

The uniquely soft & sticky fruity malt loaf was created by a family whose surname wasSorenson - hence the brand name Soreen.This year Soreen celebrates 50 years of maltloaf making in Trafford Park, just outside thecity centre. Soreen has evolved to meetchanging consumer eating patterns with the addition of pre-buttered snack packs foreating on the go and for lunch boxes.www.soreen.com


Warburton’s

Warburton’s family bakery started life in 1870 as a small grocery shop in Bolton. It was EllenWarburton who suggested to her husband that they should bake their own bread to sell on thepremises. Today, Warburton’s produces over one million bakery products per day from fourteennational outlets including their flagship bakery which is still based in Bolton. It is the UK's thirdbiggest bread manufacturer and the fifth generation of the Warburton family continue to this day with their tradition of baking bread.

Vimto

The inventor of Vimto was (John) NoelNichols. Vim Tonic, as it was first known,began life on 49 Granby Row in 1908 whenNoel was just 24. His secret recipe included amixture of herbs and spices along with grape,blackcurrant and raspberry juice. It wasregistered as a health tonic and later re-registered as a cordial. Vimto is also availableas a fizzy drink, as lollipops, chewy sweetsand an Ice Lolly. The brand was revitalised in the 1990’s by using the popular animatedcharacter, Purple Ronnie, as its mascot. In 1992, a sculpture called ‘A Monument toVimto’ was carved out of an oak tree from a sustainable forest by Kerry Morrison. This can be found at Vimto’s original GranbyRow birthplace, opposite the University ofManchester’s Sackville Street building.

Gio-Goi

Gio-Goi was born in Manchester in the1980s and has proudly served threegenerations of high-profile UK musicians,as well as becoming a well recognisedstreetwear brand. Via the Haçiendanightclub, brothers Anthony andChristopher Donnelly supplied clothes toband members in the Happy Mondays,Primal Scream and New Order. The brandwas later sported by members of Blurand Oasis in the mid-nineties ‘Britpop’era, and has since been worn by the likes of Calvin Harris, Mike Skinner (the Streets), Amy Winehouse and The Arctic Monkeys.

Umbro

For over a century Umbro has established a reputation as one of Manchester’s mosticonic brands. The company was founded in1910 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, as HumphreysBrothers Clothing. The name Umbro wascreated from a contraction of this title;Humphrey Brothers. In summer 2009, Umbroand Manchester City Football Club announceda 10-year brand partnership. The news waswelcomed by Manchester City’s fans - Umbrohave a long history with the club dating backto the Humphrey brothers themselves, whowere both keen supporters. Umbro firstmanufactured kits for Manchester City in1934 and in the same year the team went onto win the FA cup. Umbro’s headquarters aretoday in Manchester, at Cheadle in Stockport.As well as supplying kits to Manchester City,Umbro are also official suppliers of sportsapparel to England’s national football team,the FA (Football Association) and the FA Cup.


WHAT’S ON MUSIC

Manchester has long beenrenowned for an inspiring andexciting music scene second to none in the UK.

The references to The Haçienda, Stone

Roses and Happy Mondays are obvious

and - quite rightly - still close to the hearts

of many discerning Mancs. But we should

never allow this to overshadow the fact

that Manchester’s music scene today is as

vibrant, exciting and diverse as ever.

As a concert promoter who has been

putting on events in Manchester for eight

years, I have seen the music scene grow,

change and diversify in a lot of ways. Now

more than ever, the city is bursting with

excellent gig and club nights from

independent promoters with the music at

their hearts – Sideways Saloon, Green

Bohemia, Blowout, Friends of Mine,

Contort Yourself and Hit & Run to name but

a few. The explosion of independent

promoters in the city a few years back

really shook things up for the better -

suddenly it wasn’t just venues putting on

gigs... anyone with enough energy, drive

and vision could bring their own offering

to the city.

As well as a whole host of great new

venues - Moho, The Deaf Institute, Ruby

Lounge, Band on the Wall and now Sound

Control - Manchester is very pro-active

when it comes to themed events and

festivals. One of our proudest moments

of 2009 was Hungry Pigeon – The Northern

Quarter Festival, one of our biggest

undertakings yet, which saw a massive

four day event take over the entire

Northern Quarter with an outdoor stage

in the middle of Piccadilly Gardens. The

event boasted some great headliners -

Kid British, Nine Black Alps, The Travelling

Band, Mistys Big Adventure - at a rock

bottom ticket price, and Manchester City

Council’s backing meant the outdoor stage

event could be free to all, which was

important to us, as it meant everyone and

anyone could enjoy the centre piece of the

festival. But for me, the greatest

achievement of Hungry Pigeon was the

sheer diversity we managed to achieve by

drawing on a wealth of musical and artistic

talent from the city. In one weekend you

could catch some big headliners on the

outdoor stage, walk a treasure trail

through the Northern Quarter, catch some

poetry or live art exhibitions, head out to

a late night electro club, or end your night

moshing to some heavy metal courtesy

of the Rock Kitchen DJs depending on your

preference! And that is a real testament to

what this amazing city has to offer!

by Stuart Avery, MD of SA Promotions, Manchester


Of course there are many other great

festival events in Manchester over the

course of the year. Future Everything is

great for anyone who is serious about

their electronic music, and manages to

put together some pretty impressive bills,

(one of my highlights was definitely

seeing Venetian Snares at Paradise Factory

last year), while Eurocultured succeeds in

bringing a genuine flavour of music from

further afield to Manchester. Our newest

venture on the festival theme was the

Spinningfields Summer Festival, a great

free event every Friday throughout the

summer which saw the likes of Badly

Drawn Boy, Liam Frost and Puressence

taking to the stage in Manchester’s newest

redevelopment district. It was great to be

able to host an event with the focus firmly

on intimate acoustic sets rather than full

bands as this is a group that the city’s

music scene can sometimes struggle to

provide for.

2010Future Everything 12 - 15 Maywww.futureeverything.org

Eurocultured May www.myspace.com/eurocultured

Hungry Pigeon Maywww.myspace.com/hungrypigeon

Manchester Jazz Festival Julywww.manchesterjazz.com

In The City Octoberwww.inthecity.co.uk

For dates check website closer to the time.

In the past few years we have worked with

some truly exceptional acts.... and the real

reward of being a promoter is seeing acts

like Kid British and Karima Francis grow

from playing a tiny mid-week gig or open

mic show into the latest best thing that

everyone is talking about - and deservedly

so! Other personal favourites of ours are

the fabulous Beggar Joe - featuring the

incredible talent of Jon Kenzie, Rook & The

Ravens, Nomad Jones, Eskimo Cowboy

and Faker Junior.... although in a city so

bursting with talent it is fruitless to even

try to compile a wish-list as there aren’t

enough pages in this magazine, let alone

space on this page!

So Manchester, it seems, is still doing us

proud, and as long as all the promoters,

venues and artists in this wonderful city

keep each other on their toes with plenty

of healthy competition and diversity, it’s all

there for the taking, loving and enjoying,

for anyone serious about their music!

Stuart Avery, SA Promotions

(Indigo, Hungry Pigeon,

Manchester Pride, Green Bohemia,

Manchester Academy venues)

www.myspace.com/sapromotions

Images: above Hungry Pigeon Festival left Badly Drawn Boyfacing page The Travelling Band


WHAT’S ONFESTIVALS, EXHIBITIONS & SPORT

FESTIVALS

Manchester Irish Festival5 - 21 March 2010

Celebrating its 15th year, the ManchesterIrish Festival 2010 promises to be a two weekextravaganza featuring hundreds of eventsacross a number of venues throughout thecity. Having become one of Europe’s biggestIrish festivals, it will feature art, comedy,dance, music, sport and theatre. www.manchesteririshfestival.com

Chinese New Year 201014 February 2010

Manchester has one of the largest Chinesecommunities in the UK, and each yearcelebrates Chinese New Year with a colourfulfamily-friendly parade in the city centre. The year of the Tiger will be welcomed with a glittering array of festivities includingtraditional dragon dances, a fireworks display,martial arts exhibitions and plenty of stallsand workshops in the city’s Chinatown area. www.fcam.org.uk

24:7 Theatre Festival26 July - 1 August 2010

Now in its sixth year, Manchester’s annual24:7 Theatre Festival has been a springboardfor new writing and acting talent in theNorthwest.www.247theatrefestival.co.uk

Literature Festival14 - 24 October (provisional)

The Manchester Literature Festival providesunique and imaginative opportunities foraudiences to experience high quality liveliterature through this annual event. Thefestival celebrates the power of writingacross all creative and technological media.www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk

Food & Drink FestivalOctober 2010

This established urban food and drink festivalrevels in the fact that it has no single location;rather it takes over as much of the city centreand surrounding districts of GreaterManchester as possible, with a hugeprogramme of events taking place, bothindoor and outdoor.www.foodanddrinkfestival.com

Comedy FestivalOctober 2010

Over 90 shows grace theatres, clubs, barsand pubs throughout the city centre andGreater Manchester in just over a week. With a full spectrum of comedy, fromtraditional stand-up to sketch, films to cabaret and cartoons to improvisation, there is a show for everyone. www.manchestercomedyfestival.co.uk

Science FestivalOctober 2010

This is the festival to explore and discover,with over 150 science events taking place atdifferent venues across Greater Manchester.There will be cutting-edge science, hands-onactivities, debates and comedy. www.manchestersciencefestival.com

EXHIBITIONS

Angels of AnarchyUntil 10 January 2010,

Manchester Art Gallery

Angels of Anarchy shows work by some ofthe world’s most radical women surrealistsand offers a theme fitting to Manchester’sown radical past as the birthplace of thesuffragette movement. The exhibition featuresover 150 artworks, including paintings,photography, sculpture and surreal objects.www.manchestergalleries.org

The Evolutionist - A Darwin ExtravaganzaUntil 30 August 2010, Manchester Museum

Find out all about Charles Darwin, and whyhe is so important to our lives even in this dayand age. During this extravaganza of exhibitionsand events for visitors of all ages and interests,find out about Darwin's life and work, thetheory of evolution and science since Darwin.www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Manchester Comedy Festival Angels of Anarchy Da Vinci - The Genius


CapturedUntil 3 January 2010

Imperial War Museum North

Captured examines the experience ofprisoners of war during the Second WorldWar. With an engaging mix of objects, art,documents, photographs, film and sound, the exhibition reveals the incredible personalstories and experiences of men and womenduring periods of captivity in Britain, Europeand the Far East.www.north.iwm.org.uk

Da Vinci - The Genius14 November 2009 - 13 June 2010

MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)

Da Vinci - The Genius sees some fascinating3D animations of Da Vinci's most famouspaintings and sculptures as well as large-scale interactive machines, hand-craftedby modern-day Italian Artisans. With over 200items on display, this is the mostcomprehensive and inspiring exhibition aboutthe man who is arguably the greatest geniusthe world has even seen.www.mosi.org.uk

The Sea: LS Lowry & Maggi HamblingUntil 31 January 2010, The Lowry

Maggi Hambling, one of Britain’s mostdistinguished contemporary artists, exhibitsher latest, extremely powerful paintings ofthe North Sea alongside Lowry’s own deeply compelling seascapes. www.thelowry.com

Facing East - Recent works fromChina, India and Japan from theFrank Cohen Collection4 February - 11 April 2010,

Manchester Art Gallery

An exceptional opportunity to see a dozen of the most exciting works from the FrankCohen Collection, many of which have neverbeen exhibited publicly before. Thesegroundbreaking contemporary paintings andsculptures by major artists from India, Chinaand Japan include Bharti Kher’s The SkinSpeaks A Language Not Its Own (2006) - a lifesize elephant with skin made entirely ofbindis and He An’s Matrix (2007) - fibreglassfigures inspired by kung fu fight scenes from The Matrix films. www.manchestergalleries.org

SPORT

UCI Para-cycling WorldChampionships6 - 8 November 2009,

Manchester Velodrome

See the Great Britain Para-cycling Teamheroes take on the world’s best cyclingnations in the electric atmosphere ofManchester Velodrome. The Championshipswill feature top international disabled trackriders including members of the highlysuccessful GB Team, which won 20Paralympic medals, 17 of which were gold, in Beijing in 2008.

English National BadmintonChampionships5 - 7 February 2010, MEN Arena

Watch the cream of England’s badmintontalent competing for the title of NationalChampion, where emerging players will take on the elite stars. They are not onlycompeting for the coveted National titles but will also be preparing for the EuropeanIndividual Championships (also inManchester) in April 2010.

National Squash Championships7 - 14 February 2010, Sportcity

The National Squash Centre at Sportcity willhost the 2010 Championships in February.Both leading players and emerging talent willbattle it out in an effort to claim the crown ofNational Squash Champion.

European BadmintonChampionships 201014 - 18 April 2010, MEN Arena

The world’s fastest racket sport hitsManchester in April, when the MEN Arenawill play host to the European IndividualChampionships. Manchester has a richheritage in staging top level badmintontournaments, having hosted theCommonwealth Games and being the regularhome to the annual National Championships.

For further information about all thesesporting events, visit www.manchesterworldsport.com

Winter Waves at Slaughden, II, by Maggi Hambling


WHAT’S ON LESBIAN & GAY

The Great British Bear Bash29 April - 3 May 2010

Men. Big, burly, brassy, brazen beasts ofgorgeousness. This weekend is just one hugefestival of fur. An event that attracts visitorsfrom every corner of the bearniverse becauseit’s all about how much fun hundreds of hairyMary’s and their admirers can cram into abank holiday weekend (and that’s a whole lotsince you ask). If you go down to the villagein May you are sure of a fabulous surprise.You don’t have to be a bear to enjoy the GreatBritish Bear Bash but you won’t be able toescape the fun and frolics - it’s as infectiousas honey is sticky.www.manbears.co.uk

Queer up NorthMay 2010

We are so cultured up north you know.This is Manchester's international queerfestival, the first of its kind in Europe (since 1992). Queer up North commissions,produces and presents a diverse, annualprogramme of live theatre, music, comedy,art and ideas from the avant garde to some ofthe more cult names in LGBT performance.The last few years have seen the festivalpresent work from Poland, Hungary, SouthAfrica, France, Italy, Australia, Canada and theUSA. Imagine the Edinburgh festival, edit outthe rubbish bits, concentrate on the gay bitsand there you have it! www.queerupnorth.com

Sparkle9 - 11 July 2010

The largest and most high profile nationalTransgender event. It’s often said there isn’tenough going on for the trans community butover the last five years Sparkle has shown theworld that there is a huge need for such acelebration of gender diversity. Sparkle is anopportunity to make new friends and obtainhelp, support and information on genderissues while enjoying a great weekend ofentertainment. The village is lively andeveryone is friendly, there are a host ofspecial events at regular venues and SackvilleGardens in the heart of the village plays hostto entertainment with Sparkle in the Park.www.sparkle.org.uk

Manchester PrideAugust 2010

Ever since Manchester hosted EuroPride in2003, visitors to the city say that the reasonPride is so special is because it has thereputation of an international event with thespirit of a community celebration. Now in its20th year there really is something foreveryone and the many thousands ofrevellers are the best part of the experience.Don’t just think of Pride as a big weekendblow out: if you have time for a longer stay,checkout some of the events that happenduring the whole ten day festival.If you feel that it’s just too much merriment,the closing vigil reminds us what Pride is allabout - still the biggest LGBT/HIV fundraiserof its kind in the UK.www.manchesterpride.com

Andrew Gilliver is Communications Manager for The Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) based in Manchester and one of the UK’s leading LGB organisations. Andrew is regularlyapproached by the media to talk about lesbianand gay issues, speaking on behalf of TheLesbian and Gay Foundation and as arepresentative of the LGB community.

by Andrew Gilliver


Manchester’s many markets offer a completely different and exciting shoppingexperience where atmosphere, character and personal service come by the bag-load. Specialist street markets take place throughout the year, the most famous being theChristmas Markets (Nov-Dec). Other specialist markets include fashion, spring,jewellery, French and fine food markets.

Or visit the Arndale Market (open daily), a modern indoor market offering everythingfrom the freshest of fish, a revolving sushi restaurant and milkshake bar to the verylatest mobile phones, exclusive watch brands and express nail bars.

Manchester MarketsVarious city centre locations. See website for more informationT. +44 (0)161 234 7357 www.manchester.gov.uk/markets

WHAT’S ON CHRISTMAS

Whether you want to do your shopping, feel like a breakfrom the stress of festive planning or just want to catch up with friends, Manchester is an unforgettable pre-Christmas break.

Light-Switch On12 November, Albert Square

Join in the celebrations and enjoy sparkling entertainment to heraldthe start of the festive season. There’s fun for all the family, withspecial celebrity guests, live music, costumed characters and anamazing firework finale.

Christmas Markets18 November - 21 December

Albert Square, St Ann’s Square, New Cathedral Street,

Exchange Street, Brazennose Street

Twinkling chalets bursting with unique gifts, the scent of mulled wineand delicious alfresco snacks will get you in the festive mood. Prettystalls grace every square of the city centre, be enticed by an array ofdecorative ceramics, hand-made toys, decorations, jewellery andmuch more.

Spinningfields Ice Rink12 November - 3 January 2010, Spinningfields

In partnership with Manchester City Council, Spinningfields will hostone of Manchester’s most popular festive attractions. HardmanBoulevard will be transformed into the ultimate winter fun destination,complete with dazzling outdoor ice rink, sparkling Christmas tree,contemporary yuletide decorations and a variety of quality eateries.

Theatre & MusicNovember/December, various city centre locations

Christmas with the Rat Pack, Scrooge the Musical, Rocky HorrorShow, Sound of Music, Aladdin and White Christmas are just some ofthe shows on offer at the city’s array of theatres. The Bridgewater Hallshowcases Christmas inspired performances and carol concerts fromthe Hallé as well as other orchestras and performers. There are alsomany rock and pop concerts across the city.


Curtain Up!Manchester’s pioneering spirit isn’t limited to science and industry. Here, Kevin Bourke celebrates the city’s theatrical heritage: the worldpremières; the remarkable buildings and the stars of stage and screen that have graced the stages of the city-region’s theatres.

It might seem an extravagant claim butmodern British theatre started in Manchester!Just over a century ago in 1909, tea heiressAnnie Horniman, who had alreadysupported the first public performances ofWB Yeats and George Bernard Shaw, as well as establishing Dublin’s famed AbbeyTheatre, founded Britain’s very firstrepertory theatre company here.

The repertory company, which was soonadopted as a model by theatres across theland, would present a different play everyweek, either a revival from the classics or anew play, and it was how generations ofactors, producers and directors, honed theircraft, including such local luminaries as BenKingsley, Albert Finney and Robert Powell.

Annie staged her first productions at theMidland Hotel on Peter Street, oppositewhat is now the Library Theatre, whileFrank Matcham, the leading theatrearchitect of the day, redesigned the Gaiety,opposite the Theatre Royal in what is nowTelevision House. The venue (which in itsprevious incarnation as the Comedy Theatrewas where La Boheme was premiered inBritain in 1897) saw Annie not only put onworks by Euripides and Shaw but also,having encouraged local writers to “writeabout their friends and enemies, about reallife”, helped found the ‘Manchester School’of theatre, featuring writers such as Stanley(Hindle Wakes) Houghton and Harold(Hobson’s Choice) Brighouse.


Manchester these days has more theatre seatsthan anywhere outside London and Anniecertainly wasn’t alone at the turn of the lastcentury either. Just down the road at thejunction of Oxford Street and WhitworthStreet was, and remains, the Palace Theatre.Often referred to as “The Grand Old Lady ofOxford Street”, it opened on 18 May 1891,having been built at a then-staggering cost of£40,500. A capacity audience enjoyed theopening show, the ballet Cleopatra, andartists such as Danny Kaye, Gracie Fields,Charles Laughton, Judy Garland, Noel Cowardand Laurel & Hardy have appeared there.

It is now one of the best equipped and mostpopular theatres in the country, hostingmany major touring musicals, often withmajor celebrities. The regional premiere ofLes Miserables ran there for 13 months from1992-1993, and that hugely popular show isdue to return soon. Other notable shows tohave played successful seasons at the Palaceinclude regional premières of Miss Saigon,Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mamma Mia, TheWedding Singer, and Mary Poppins. The hitBroadway and West End musical TheProducers opened at the theatre in February2007, with Peter Kay starring as RogerDebris for the Manchester dates. It has also hosted flagship events for theManchester International Festival, includingthe World Premieres of Damon Albarn’sMonkey: Journey To The West and RufusWainwright’s first opera Prima Donna.

The Palace’s sister theatre is the Opera Houseon Peter Street, which plays host to touringmusicals, ballet, concerts and a popularChristmas pantomime. The theatre openedits doors on Boxing Day in 1912 andfamously hosted the 1958 Europeanpremiere of West Side Story as well as theBritish regional premiere of Andrew LloydWebber’s The Phantom of the Opera with aproduction that ran from 1993 to 1995, anexceptional run for a regional production.More recently, the venue saw the premiere ofNever Forget, the Take That musical. TheDVD of the show was also filmed there.

Images this page: Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissor Hands at The LowryFacing Page: John Thomson as Willie Mossop in Hobson's Choice


Albeit indirectly, the Opera House providedthe inspiration for that famous slice ofSalford life A Taste Of Honey. When ateenage Shelagh Delaney saw a productionthere of a Terence Rattigan play, she thoughtit so bland and trivial that she spent the nexttwo weeks changing a would-be novel intothe play, which became a sensation after Joan Littlewood took a production toLondon in 1958.

A seminal film and a major influence on thelyrics of Morrissey, A Taste of Honey wasrecently revived at the Royal Exchangetheatre, a significant player on the localtheatrical scene since the late Seventies. Avisionary group of theatre enthusiasts called69 Theatre Company formed at ManchesterUniversity Theatre, off Oxford Road, in 1968to stage an ambitious series of plays. Buttheir ambition to build a new theatre forManchester was foiled until the notion cameup of creating, for the 1973 ManchesterFestival, a temporary tent theatre within theempty shell of the Royal Exchange, once thetrading floor for Manchester’s powerfulcotton industry. This proved so successfulthat they commissioned a bold andingenious seven-sided steel-and-glassmodule within the space, now the biggesttheatre-in-the-round in the world. Anastonishing list of greats have performed atthe Exchange since its 1976 opening, rangingfrom Tom Courtenay, Lindsay Duncan andAlbert Finney to Vanessa Redgrave, KateWinslet and Michael Sheen.

The University Theatre itself also took on anew lease of life in 1999, reopening asContact in a striking fortress-like design thatincorporated elements of its Sixtespredecessor. The artistic direction of the newtheatre has proved equally daring,concentrating on innovative new work andcommunity initiatives whose inventivenessand verve have attracted numerous awards.One especially remarkable undertaking hasbeen Contacting the World, a revolutionaryinternational theatre project for young andemerging artists from across the globe.

Images this page: top The contact Theatrebelow Brenda Blethyn & Pete Postlethwaite at the Royal Exchange Theatre by Jonathan KeenanFacing page: The Royal Exchange Theatre


The next year another theatrical powerhouseopened in the former Salford Docks. Whenthe area was being redeveloped as SalfordQuays, the potential was recognised for thearea to host a landmark arts venue and oneof the country’s most exciting theatricalvenues The Lowry opened there in April2000. Named after the much-loved painterL.S.Lowry, the complex houses two theatres -the 1,730-seater Lyric, boasting the largeststage in the United Kingdom outsideLondon’s West End, and the smaller,infinitely adaptable Quays - as well as studiospaces and a gallery, boasting hundreds ofpaintings by L.S.Lowry alongsidecontemporary exhibitions.

Prestigious visitors have included The KirovBallet and the Dance Theater Of Harlem, as well as the likes of Lorna Luft in TheWizard of Oz and Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands. The fiftiethanniversary production of West Side Storyalso played there.

Also a little way out of town is the historicand fascinating Plaza on Mersey Square inStockport, which first opened its doors to the public late in 1932 and is currently beingrestored to its full glory. No less than 10,000tons of rock had to be removed from thesandstone cliff that forms one side of theMersey Gorge to make room for the new,

©Tristram Kenton


architecturally sophisticated publicentertainment building and, despite itsextensive frontage, most of The Plaza isactually underground with twelve dressingrooms forty feet below street level.

The dramatic front elevation, in whiteterracotta, was originally illuminated by 300feet of red and green neon lighting and it isplanned to restore this as part of the currentworks. Originally, The Plaza stood on thecusp between silent movies and the talkies,so it looked both backwards and forwards. Italso created a luxurious escape for peopleaccustomed to the hard life of a Northernindustrial town. More recently Badly DrawnBoy played there and, next morning,enthused with Jonathan Ross about the Plazaon national radio.

A Taste of Honey was also revived in 2006 atOldham’s Coliseum Theatre, with Oldham-raised Dora Bryan, who starred in the TonyRichardson film, in the first-night audience.The theatre, which now boasts a passionatelyloyal audience for its sometimes challengingbut always entertaining shows, hadsomething of a troubled beginning. In 1885,a certain Mr Myers engaged local carpenterThomas Whittaker to build “a GrandAmerican Theatre” in the heart of Oldham.After Myers found himself unable to pay forthe completion of the theatre, ThomasWhittaker became the reluctant owner of atheatre surrounded by almost a dozen othertheatres. The need to get a return on hisunintentional investment forced Whittakerto make a go of the theatre and stars such asCharlie Chaplin and local boy Eric Sykestrod its historic boards. Almost 125 yearslater, the award winning Coliseum is theonly surviving theatre in the town.

One of the most exciting theatres aroundManchester is the Octagon Theatre Bolton,another vibrant product of the rep tradition,where David Thacker has just taken over asArtistic Director. Founded in 1967, thetheatre has had its ups and downs but hasalways endeavoured to provide theatrewritten and performed for the audience ithoped to reach. To award-winning effect, ithas premiered work by the likes of JimCartwright and Alan Plater. The latter,whose musical play Blonde Bombshells Of1943 won an MEN Theatre Award as BestProduction in 2006 and continues tosuccessfully tour, perhaps sums it up best.“A good producing theatre is a sign that acity or town is a proper, civilised communityand not just a conglomeration of people,” heobserves. “It’s a key element along withschools, colleges, libraries, playing fields - away of talking to each other about thingsthat matter, a workshop and a shop windowwhere we can try to make sense of a weirdand sometimes frightening world”.

Royal Exchange Theatre

The Royal Exchange Theatre is housed in Manchester’s historicalCotton Exchange building, a must-see on your visit to the city.Housing The Round restaurant, Bar Exchange and two galleryspaces, there is plenty to do… and that’s before you decide to cometo see a production from the city’s nationally-renowned producingtheatre company in our state-of-the-art, unique in-the-round space.

4 NOV - 5 DEC 2009THE ENTERTAINERby John OsborneArchie Rice celebrates 21 yearswithout paying tax in thisstate of the nation classic.

9 DEC 2009 - 23 JAN 2010BLITHE SPIRIT by Noël CowardEnjoy festive fun with aspirited classic. StarringSURANNE JONES fromCoronation Street.

27 JAN - 20 FEB 2010A RAISIN IN THE SUN by Lorraine HansberrySet in Chicago in the 1950s,see a family struggle for theright to survive.

For the full line-up in bothspaces and more info visitroyalexchange.co.ukTickets priced £8.50 - £29.50Call 0161 833 9833St Ann’s Square, Manchester

Images this page: Bolton Octagon Theatre Left page: top The Lowry Theatre below Mozart’s Così fan tutte at The Lowry


What brings an Icelandic former Olympicswimmer to the Northwest?

As an Olympic sportsman, I was fortunate tohave the opportunity to travel to a number ofcountries all over the world, making severalof them my temporary home. However Iwas always drawn to the UK and madeLondon my base for 13 years, moving northin 2001. I feel a real affinity with people inthe North West. I find them very welcomingand interested in who I am and what I do. Ilove the history of the industrial towns andcities in the north and the feel of being nearto water here in Liverpool; it’s important toan Icelander! I was amazed to find placenames here in the North West that have theirroots in my own language - I’m a Vikingabroad that’s come home!

You are about to launch the 2nd NICE Festivalin Liverpool. Why do you think that Nordicculture is of such great interest to audiencesin the Northwest?

Nordic culture is still an unexplored area formany people, although everyone hasexperienced Nordic design to some extent intheir everyday lives, whether its IKEA, Nokiaor Alvar Aalto, but what about other aspectsof Scandinavia? I think audiences are readyfor a festival that acts as a focus to bringtogether elements that explore the heritageof Nordic culture through contemporary artand design, and hopefully shows themsomething new and surprising. There are somany links here in the North West, throughtrade and industry, the maritime history,right back to the Viking settlements. I thinkit’s time to recognise that part of your ‘DNA’and explore what Scandinavia has to offernow.

What can audiences look forward to from theNICE festival 2009?

NICE has a programme that we hope willappeal to all age groups and interests.

H2 Dance, a Swedish/Norwegian dancegroup will do two different shows. There’s aplay for children about Iceland’s 13 naughtySanta’s, ‘Greela and The Yule Lads’. Music,both classical and pop; a great up and comingartist from Sweden, Daniel Milton, will beexhibiting his paintings and there will be anexhibition of contemporary Finnish design.Exhibitions of knitting from the FaroeIslands - but a different sexy kind of knitting!

We also have a fantastic film strand withsome great films premiering here in the UK,with talks by up and coming directors.

Manchester Voices

Ingi Thor JonnsonIngi Thor Jonsson is the director of the acclaimed NICE festival(Nordic International Cultural Events). After two years inLiverpool, Ingi Thor is looking to expand the festival’s boundaries by choosing Manchester as host city in 2010.


Participants will be coming from Iceland,Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and theFaroe Islands. Check the festival’s website forour full programme www.nice-festival.co.uk

You have plans to hold the festival inManchester in 2010. Why do you see that cityas being particularly receptive to the festivalmodel - will there be a theme for the festival?

Manchester has grown to become a realcontender as an international destinationand I think culturally it has so much to offerin terms of venues and audiences keen toexperience something new. The success ofthe Manchester International Festival hasproved the city has audiences willing toexplore new cultural territory, and withManchester airport having around 80 flightsa week to Nordic countries, maybe we willinspire Mancunians to take that interest even

further. There are so many aspects of whatNICE has to offer that echoes what goes onin Manchester already, we feel it will bequite an organic process to hold our eventsthere, design, music, architecture and art areall already important in the culturallandscape of the city. 2010 is the year of‘Contact’ and again this as a theme is idealfor the purpose of our festival, making newcontacts and partnerships in order to growand evolve.

What are the long term ambitions for theNICE festival?

NICE is a festival that has a great deal tooffer to both the public and its participants:we aim for the festival to continue to growand to showcase some of the most engagingaspects of Nordic arts and culture to newaudiences throughout the Northwest region.We also want to make use of our ever

expanding contacts within Scandinavia tosecure links and partnerships that can offeropportunities for artists and performersfrom the Northwest to travel to Nordiccountries. We aim to become more than atwo week series of events; I think theNorthwest could do with its own ‘NordicHouse’: a place permanently dedicated tocelebrating Nordic culture, don’t you?

NICE 2010 will take place between

18 November - 2 December.

Direct flights are available to ManchesterAirport from the following destinations in the Nordic region:

Stockholm with SAS (twice daily)Gothenburg with City Airline (twice daily)Billund with BA (twice daily)Copenhagen with SAS (twice daily)Copenhagen with easyJet (four times perweek, from 6 November 2009)Helsinki with Finnair (twice daily)Oslo with SAS (four times per week)Reykjavik with Icelandair (four times per week)


MANCHESTER BY NUMBERS

4The number English Premier League football clubs in the city.

£36The amount David Browning was paid for playing the trumpet for the themetune to Coronation Street (in 1960 and again 1964).

£1The amount paid by Greater ManchesterCouncil to purchase the 1830 part ofLiverpool Road Station in 1978. The site is now the home of MOSI (The Museum of Science & Industry).

23The number of Nobel prize winners from Manchester University.

5%The percentage of the world’s population that support Manchester United.

79 ADThe year that Manchester, or Mamucium as it was then called, was put on the map by the Romans.


168.87mThe height of the Hilton Tower inManchester - the tallest residentialdevelopment in Europe.

1653Chetham’s Library was founded, making it the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.

7,244The number of solar photovoltaic panels on the CIS Tower. The CIS Tower is the UK’s largest solar project.

5,500The number of pipes in The Bridgewater Hall’s Marcussen pipe organ.

100,000The number of students studying inGreater Manchester across fouruniversities.

43,593The number of seats in GreaterManchester’s theatres and cultural venues.


Manchester city centre offers a hotchpotch of architecture,mixing the extremely old with the strikingly new. It oftenpays to walk around the city with your head held high.Just make sure that you keep an eye on the pavement from time to time, or you could be very sorry.

Buildings Through the AgesBy Mark Coleman

THE ROMAN FORT

OF MAMUCIUM

In 79AD, General Agricola’s Roman soldiersbuilt a defensive fort overlooking the roadbetween Chester and York. Its location on a natural sandstone bluff led it to be called‘Mamucium’, which means ‘breast-shapedhill’. After the Romans left the site, it waspillaged for building materials and in themedieval period it became known as ‘thecastle in the field’. Today, Castlefield houses a reconstruction of a section of the originalfort, amongst its decorative railway lines,waterways and contemporary bars.

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL

An example of medieval perpendiculargothic architecture, Manchester Cathedralhas the widest nave in the country. Workbegan on the present building in 1215. King Henry V chartered the cathedral as a collegiate practice – a training ground for priests – in 1421. The church, which is dedicated to St Mary, St Denys and St.George, officially became a cathedral in 1847 when the Diocese of Manchester was created.


CHETHAM’S LIBRARY

AND SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The oldest free public library in the worldwas established at the request of the wealthy cloth merchant HumphreyChetham, following his death in 1653. The medieval library is sited in the 15thcentury training ground for priests of thecollegiate church and incidentally is wherethe original manor of Manchester waslocated. It now forms part of Chetham’sschool of music, a prestigious college fortruly gifted young musicians.

THE OLD WELLINGTON INN

Manchester’s beloved poet John Byrom wasborn in this building in 1692. The OldWellington, along with its neighbour,Sinclair’s Oyster bar, has been moved twicefrom its original resting place. The building,with its ultra low wooden beams andperiodic features was first moved in the1970’s to allow for the construction of theManchester Arndale. Having survived theblast of an IRA bomb in 1996, it was movedagain to its current location where it is now apopular resting spot for locals, shoppers andvisitors to the city.


ST ANN’S CHURCH

In the late 18th Century, Lady Ann Blandwas the lady of the manor of Manchester and the leader of fashionable society. She put forward some of the funds required tobuild a new church in town. The church of St Ann’s was consecrated in 1712 and isdedicated to three Anns; Lady Ann Bland, St Ann and Queen Anne (who was rulingthe country at the time). The architect isthought to be Sir John Barker and it has been suggested that the design may havebeen influenced by Sir Christopher Wren,architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

LIVERPOOL ROAD STATION(now part of MOSI)

The world’s first passenger railway stationopened in Manchester in 1830. It connectedthe city to Liverpool, some 35 miles away.As nobody knew how to design a railwaystation in 1830, its exterior can be forgivenfor appearing more like a charming row ofhouses. The opening ceremony attracted theDuke of Wellington and the unfortunateLiverpool MP William Huskisson, whobecame the first casualty of the railway when he was hit by Stephenson’s Rocket.

MANCHESTER TOWN HALL

Since 1877 the gothic-revival architecture ofManchester Town Hall has attracted visitorsfrom far and wide. The building wasdesigned by Alfred Waterhouse whose othernotable works include the National HistoryMuseum in London. The structure is a bold,arrogant statement about Manchester. Itconveys the city at the height of its 19thcentury dominance as the producer of 80%of the world’s cotton. Every detail isthoughtfully included to representManchester’s history, from stone statues and sculpted features to the famous muralspainted by Ford Maddox Brown.


THE PALACE HOTEL

This red terracotta building was prepared in three separate stages as offices for the Refuge Assurance Company. AlfredWaterhouse set off the construction processin 1891 and his son Paul Waterhouse, addedthe striking clock tower in 1910. Today theGrade II listed building is a luxury hotel.Hints of its past are still evident in theexterior reliefs and upon periodic featuresthroughout the interior.

JOHN RYLAND’S LIBRARY

Manchester’s first millionaire didn’t kick afootball for a living. He made his fortunefrom the city’s cotton trade and by the timeof his death, his third wife, Enriquetta, chose to immortalise him with a gothiclibrary. The library houses the impressivebook collection that John Ryland built upthroughout his lifetime. Enriquetta also wenton a spending spree to add a significantamount of stock to his collection, thehighlight of which is a piece of First CenturyNew Testament: the St John fragment.

Images: above House of Fraser below St Ann’s Church, left page detail of Manchester Town Hall

HOUSE OF FRASER

This department store began life in 1796, as a smaller shop owned by S and J Watts.Kendal, Milne and Faulkner took over thebusiness in 1835. It is the oldest departmentstore in the UK and perhaps even the world.The present building was designed by J.S.Beaumont in 1939. House of Fraser, as it isnow known, is a stripped down version of1930’s German department storearchitecture. The building continues itsreign as one of Manchester’s most attractivedepartment stores.

DAILY EXPRESS BUILDING

This black and silver curtain-walled buildingin Ancoats has a deceptive contemporaryappearance. The art-deco design by OwenWilliams purposely echoes a similarstructure that was located on London’s FleetStreet. The Daily Express newspaper leftManchester in the 1980’s. The building hassince been used as contemporary office space.


CIS TOWER

Manchester’s second tallest building datesfrom the 1960’s and is currently the home of the Co-operative financial services. Since 2005, its new facade of photovoltaicpanels has been contributing electricity tothe national grid. This is the UK’s largestsolar panel project to date. Music fans willbe interested to know that the building isalso the decoration on the album cover ofRae and Christian’s 2002 remix album, Nocturnal Activity.

GRANADA TELEVISION

Sidney Bernstein made broadcasting historywhen he decided to locate his televisionnetwork in the heart of Manchester. Over the years, Granada (named after theBernstein’s favourite Spanish region) enjoyed success with groundbreaking showsthat included World in Action, CoronationStreet, University Challenge and theAdventures of Sherlock Holmes. Granada istoday part of the national ITV network andthe site is still the home to the set of the UK’s longest running soap CoronationStreet, which is filmed on a daily basis.

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

NORTH

Daniel Libeskind designed the Imperial WarMuseum North after dropping a teapot andpicking out some of the shards. The teapotrepresented our world, shattered by war. Heselected three shards which are integral tothe entire structure. They represent threestages upon which conflict takes place; Earth,Water and Air. Imperial War Museum Northis open to the public every day of the weekwith regular, changing exhibitions.

HILTON TOWER

Currently the tallest residential building inEurope, Manchester’s Hilton Tower wasdesigned by Ian Simpson Architects. Themain man behind the project now lives inthe top two floors which offer stunningviews across the Northwest and include hisvery own indoor olive grove. A Hilton hoteloccupies the bottom 22 floors, as well as theCloud 23 bar, which aptly occupies the 23rdfloor. The bar is open to the public duringevenings and weekends, allowing anopportunity to look out to the sights ofGreater Manchester and beyond.

MANCHESTER’S CIVIL

JUSTICE CENTRE

The Civil Justice Centre was designed byAustralian architects Denton CorkerMarshall and has won an impressive list ofaccolades since officially opening in 2008. Itincorporates a number of environmentallysustainable features and certainly brings acharacter of its own to Manchester’s modernbusiness centre, Spinningfields. The designhas been likened to a filing cabinet and inthis sense, is a powerful representation of the building’s purpose. The Civil JusticeCentre is the biggest court complex to bebuilt in the UK since the Royal Courts ofJustice opened in London in 1882.

For information on guided tours in Manchester,please contact the Visitor Information Centre on0871 222 8223 or visit:www.visitmanchester.com

Images: top to bottom interior Imperial War Museum North, Manchester’s Civil Justice Building, CIS Tower.Left facing page Hilton Tower.


Manchester Voices

James Ramsbottom


Castlefield is one of Manchester’smost historic and popular districts.In recent years it has been the focusof much regeneration andrestoration - central to which wasthe Ramsbottom family and theirbar and restaurant alongside theRochdale Canal. Here, JamesRamsbottom talks to us about hislove of the area and plans for the future.

Castlefield was one of Britain’s first urbanheritage parks and one of the firstregeneration projects in the Manchester area.What it is about the area that inspired you tohelp preserve its heritage?

The area has a unique place in history, beingone of the first major expressions of theindustrial revolution in Britain andproviding the termination point for the firstcut canal in the world. More significantly forme, is the fact that as you walk around thearea you can still feel this legacy in thewaterways and buildings, many of whichhave survived and been converted to moremodern uses.

Dukes 92 and Albert’s Shed have both beencentral to Castlefield’s renaissance. Howinvolved have you been in the whole process?

I personally have played a very minor role,certainly when compared to my father Jimwho has been working for the last 25 yearsdeveloping the Castlefield area. I joined thefamily business in 2000, so by that stageDukes 92 had already been converted from a stable block for horses pulling barges to amodern bar. Since then, I have overseen itsexpansion which now incorporates tworestaurants, a busy bar and three events spaces.

Albert’s Shed was built in 2004 and wasoriginally where my great uncle, AlbertClapham, stored his tools. Albert wasinstrumental in the re-development ofCastlefield and worked with Jim on therefurbishment of the lockkeeper’s cottage inthe early 1980s and Dukes 92 in 1991. WhenI first mooted the idea of a restaurant on theshed site Albert only agreed to move histools out to make way for the restaurant if I called the restaurant after him, hence thename “Albert’s Shed”

When would you say is the best time of year to explore the Castlefield area? And what, in particular, would you recommend visitorsshould see?

I think Castlefield has something to offer allyear round, particularly with the world classMOSI on the doorstep. In addition, part ofCastlefield’s charm is the fact that it’s only astone’s throw from Deansgate and thereforeis somewhere you can easily get to on footand walk through the cobbled streets,warehouses and Roman gardens. Eachsummer, visitor numbers swell with peopleenjoying the canal side walks together with adrink and something to eat at Dukes 92 orAlbert’s Shed. There’s also an outdoor arenathat played host to a live screening of anElbow and Hallé Orchestra concert thissummer, and following recent discussionswith local residents, it looks like the arena isset to provide even more vibrancy in years to follow.

How can visitors make the use of the canal?

One thing that many people don’t realise isthe ease of access that Castlefield has withSalford Quays and, in particular, OldTrafford. Dukes 92 run trips to everyManchester United home game during thefootball season and, with no locks to contendwith on this stretch, it’s a very pleasant 20minute jaunt to the game. There’s also talk ofa water taxi starting along the Irwell whichruns adjacent to the Bridgewater Canal.

We heard a rumour that you were interestedin Barca? (Another bar in Castlefield, oppositeDuke 92 and Albert’s Shed)

I put a bid in for it but unfortunately didn’tget it. The good news is that after nearly ayear of dereliction it is due to be reopened bythe operators of Lammars in the NorthernQuarter and I wish them luck. The site firstopened in the mid 1990s its successbenefitted the whole area and hopefully itcan do so again. Despite missing out on theBarca site I have managed to secure a site inDidsbury and with a following wind I shouldbe expanding the Albert’s brand into thesuburbs early next year.


Manchester’s Menu


Spinningfields / Castlefield

The newest quarter on the block,Spinningfields has quickly established itselfas a hub of food, drink and social life. It’shome to 25 popular bars and restaurantsincluding Gourmet Burger Kitchen (IrwellSquare, M3 3HF), Carluccios (HardmanSquare M3 3EB) and Shimla Pinks (CrownStreet, M3 3HA), to name but a few. A livelyoutdoor events programme entertainsvisitors with live music, festivals andScreenfields; the city’s first open-air cinema.In contrast, Castlefield is an historical areawith cobbled streets and canal side dining.Dukes 92 (Castle Street, M3 4LZ) offersinformal ambience with views over thecanal. The multi award-winning Choice Barand Restaurant (Castle Quay, M15 4NT) isjust across the basin, serving a delicious,

modern British à la carte menu, whileAlbert’s Shed (Castle Street, M3 4LZ) bringsa Mediterranean flair to the city by servingdelicious Italian cuisine.

Chinatown

Take in the lights, sounds and tantalisingsmells of Chinatown. The Yang Sing(Princess Street, M1 4JY) is considered oneof Europe’s finest Cantonese restaurants,using only the freshest ingredients to createauthentic dim sum and à la carte dishes. Thepopular and award-winning Pacific (GeorgeStreet, M1 4HF) offers both Chinese andThai food and has one of the best wine listsin town. For less formal food, stop by Ho’sBakery (Faulkner Street, M1 4FH) whereyou can pick up delicious soups and sweetand savoury Chinese pastries for around £1.

With over 30 international cuisines on offer, and something for everybudget, Manchester’s diverse range of dining districts has the answer toevery possible culinary mood. Whether you’re looking for some quirkyplaces for a quick bite with friends, a more glamorous setting for a special occasion or buzzing squares for a pitstop, here’s an overview of the city’s foodie neighbourhoods;


Northern Quarter

Considered the creative heart of the city, theNorthern Quarter is home to many ofManchester’s independent bars andrestaurants. If you’re searching for a heartylunch, Bread and Butter (Tib Street, M41LX) is a boutique café that both embraceschintz and offers delicious home cooking;stop by for a slab of cake or a huge meatballpiadina flatbread. Soup Kitchen (SpearStreet, M1 1DF) has a modern canteen feeland takes pride in its healthy menu, withdaily soups and specials and a superb saladbar. In the evening, The Northern QuarterRestaurant (High Street, M4 1HQ) is a must,serving gutsy, fresh food and using prime,locally-sourced ingredients with addedflavours of the Mediterranean and beyondwhile Ning Restaurant (Oldham Street M41LJ) is a simple and chic gem servingauthentic Malaysian cuisine with a relaxed,social ambience.

Piccadilly

Vibrant and cosmopolitan Piccadilly isconveniently situated for Piccadilly railwaystation, bus station and city centre shopping.The area has a range of quality places to eatand drink and there’s always something to fitany budget. For lunch, the award-winningBarburrito* serves fresh, tasty, healthy food:portions are huge with burritos, tacos andquesadillas starting from around £3.Adjacent, Rice Piccadilly* is a livelyrestaurant where you can take front rowseats to see your meal being cooked. Themenu is excitingly eclectic, serving a range of dishes from Thai to Japanese to Moroccanspecialities. Kro Piccadilly* is a great bar fora post-shopping drink and is well-known forits menu of Danish classics. For somethingthat little bit special, Michael CainesRestaurant at ABode (Piccadilly, M1 2DB)offers superb modern European cuisine,using the finest produce and ingredientssourced from the surrounding regions ofManchester, Lancashire and Cheshire. *(One Piccadilly Gardens, M1 1RG)

Images: top The Northern Quarter Restaurant below The Soup Kitchen


Deansgate / King Street

For an indulgent treat, the exclusive areas ofDeansgate and King Street are the places togo. It’s a great place to finish your day after aspot of designer shopping. The food anddrink offerings around King Street andDeansgate lives up to the standard set by thefirst class stores in the area. RoomRestaurant (King Street, M2 4AH) fusesantique and retro for a stunning interior that once welcomed Kylie; the classic-

contemporary menu is fantastic value formoney. Chaophraya (Chapel Walks, M21HN) provides the finest Thai cuisine in aluxuriously modern setting. For the finestArgentinean steak head to Gaucho whereyou can dine in an opulent, Grade II listedbuilding. And the five-star Lowry Hotel’sRiver Restaurant (Chapel Wharf M3 5LH)offers a modern British menu and serves thefinest Sunday roast in the city, with theadded bonus of relaxing and peaceful views over the River Irwell.

Out of Town

There are so many great restaurants in the borough towns and surroundingcountryside of Manchester. If you’ve gottime, check out one of the following:

If you’re in South Manchester then why notstop by Greens (Lapwing Lane, WestDidsbury, M20 2NT), a multi-awardwinning venture from Simon Connolly andTV chef Simon Rimmer. This vegetarianrestaurant uses the best local produce tocreate seasonal dishes of the highest quality.Ostara Restaurant (Barlow Moor Road,Chorlton M21 0BQ) is a popular newrestaurant with a menu of hearty, organicBritish dishes and new bistro Damson(Heaton Moor Road, SK4 4HY) opened in

April 2009 and has already been hailed asone of the best in the city with a‘masterpiece’ of a wine list.

To the west of the city centre in Urmston,Isinglass (Flixton Road, M41 5AB) is anexceptional English restaurant that pridesitself on using only seasonal produce grownin the Manchester countryside. Ten milesnorth of Manchester in the West Penninevillage of Ramsbottom is Ramsons (MarketPlace, Ramsbottom BL0 9HT). This small,stylish restaurant provides the perfect settingfor couples and small parties. The proof is inthe astonishing list of local and nationalaccolades held by the restaurant that includeseveral ‘Restaurant of the Year’, a MichelinBib Gourmand, ‘Best Chef’ and 'one of thebest ten places in Britain to eat Italian food'(The Independent, 2004). NuttersRestaurant (Edenfield Road, Rochdale OL127TY), home to celebrity chef AndrewNutter, is set in a tudor manor house in oversix acres of groomed parkland withpanoramic views across Greater Manchester.The award-winning cuisine is uniqueincorporating the finest local food andregional produce in a truly eclectic style.

Images: above Alfresco dining on Deansgate below Room Restaurant

the centre

of the city

Bursting at the seams with the latest fashion, footwear,accessories, music and entertainment, Manchester Arndaleforms the heart of the city's shopping district. It boasts more than 240 retailers including Next and All Saints flagship stores. Hot high street fashion names such as Topshop, Oasis andWarehouse, stand next to cult independents like Superdry, G-Star, and Pulp with the latest music and pop culture fashions.It offers new concept stores from Puma and Disney as well asthe UK’s only Helly Hansen Store.

Indulge yourself at one of our many eateries or coffee shops such as Starbucks, Eat, Costa Coffee, Bagel Nash and BaskinRobbins. Or for a more leisurely dining experience, try Bella Italia, Est Caffe or Nandos restaurant. Our Food Court is alsohome to Pizza Hut Express, Subway, McDonalds and Wings, so there's something to suit everyone!

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the centreof the city

The heart of shopping.The pulse of the city.Manchester Arndale.

CENTRE OPENING HOURSMonday - Friday 9am - 8pmSaturday 9am - 7pmSunday 10am - 6pm

Telephone: 0161 833 9851

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Shopping SpreeWhen it comes to shopping, Manchester is hard to beat. Whatever style your heart is set on, you’ll find ithere. The good thing is that most of the shops and quarters are within walking distance from each other,so it comes as no surprise that high-end shopping is just around the corner from vintage chic.


High Street Heaven on Market StreetIn the heart of the city centre and car-free,Market Street couldn’t be a better placefor high street shopping.

Besides the likes of American Apparel and Urban Outfitters there is also theManchester Arndale, a double layer ofrenovated loveliness stuffed to the rafterswith big names including Topshop, Levis,Apple, Adidas and a huge Next. Situated in Exchange Square and next to the Wheelof Manchester is the Triangle ShoppingCentre - the original Corn Exchangebuilding which has been wonderfullyresurrected and now houses a wide range of shops, cafés and restaurants.

Vintage and Vinyl in the Northern QuarterThe Northern Quarter is packed with smalland unusual shops and outlets, home toall sorts of oddities and quirky finds.

Take Den, for example. It’s part gallery,part shop, showcasing not only itstrademark bespoke furnishing but alsoselling a mish-mash of vintage homewareand decorations. Down the road you willfind one of Manchester’s iconic shoppingoutlets. Opened in 1982 and still occupyingthe brightly decorated corner of ChurchStreet and Tib Street, the legendary

Afflecks continues what it does best -providing affordable outlets forindependent designers and traders.

Rags to Bitches - a vintage clothingboutique - offers gorgeous and uniquevintage and hand-tailored clothes andaccessories, while the Craft & DesignCentre, housed in the beautifully restoredformer Victorian Fish and Poultry Market, ishome to an array of artist-run studiosoffering the best in local design, jewellery,bags and accessories.

There are also a handful of shop-cum-caféplaces that are worth checking out, namelyCafé Pop, a vintage shop with a smalldownstairs café, and Oaklahoma, a bazaarof all things weird and wonderful includinggifts and homeware and a quirky little eatery.

For those who are on the hunt for rare vinylsand independent music, try the differentrecord shops along Oldham Street such asPiccadilly Records and Vinyl Exchange.

Exclusive Shopping on King Street Exclusive King Street has been a place forprestigious retail therapy since the 19thCentury and is now home to designershops including Emporio Armani, Boss andJaeger Ladieswear. Vivienne Westwood’sflagship store can be found at the top ofKing Street but it’s also worth visiting her

Anglomania Store on Bridge Street, thefirst of its kind to open in the UK. Just ashort walk from here and you’ll findupmarket shopping at Harvey Nichols andSelfridges on Exchange Square.

Out of Town ShoppingFurther out of town but easily accessibleby public transport and car (with thebenefits of free car parking), The TraffordCentre is the place to go for your fashionfix. It is home to a whopping 230 storesand 60 restaurants, bars and cafés. Checkout Barton Square with its flagshiphomeware outlets including Dwell, Habitat,M&S Home and British Home Stores.

Over at Salford Quays, the fashionconscious should head to the Lowry OutletMall, Manchester’s only factory outletshopping. Open seven days a week withprices up to 50% below the high street allyear round, the Lowry Outlet Mall offersmore than 260 brands at over 80 stores.These includ a Nike Factory Store,Flannels, Whistles as well as a choice of cafés and restaurants, entertainment,free shopper parking and a stunningQuayside location.

To help you find your way around Manchester’s retail heaven here are our top tips on where to go...


There’s a famous gig in Manchester – the Sex Pistols appearing at the LesserFree Trade Hall in the Summer of 1976. Not much more than a few dozenpeople were there (among them, future members of the Smiths and JoyDivision). What’s significant is how many of the audience went on fromthere to form bands, or establish record labels or clubs.

Pop Goes ManchesterBy Dave Haslam

Image: Bernard Sumner, New Order (6 February 1981) © Kevin Cummins


That Sex Pistols gig specifically, and punk,generally, energised a generation ofManchester music fans and laid thefoundations for what happened over thesubsequent decade and a half, an era whenbands like Joy Division, New Order, theSmiths, Happy Mondays, and the Stone Roses,and dance clubs like the Haçienda formed afocus for a Manchester so transformed by1989 it was tagged ‘Madchester’.

That was the most important legacy of punk;not the Mohican haircuts or the tabloidprovocations, but the way punk encouragedparticipation. Richard Boon - the manbehind the independent label NewHormones - remembers the time like this;“Part of my, and that punk rationale, was:make things happen. Make the place thatyou happen to be living in a place that youwant to be living in.”

In my book ‘Manchester, England’, I arguethat one reason why the notion of creatingyour own culture struck such a chord inManchester was that it connected with oldertraditions of independent thought and self-organisation in the city. Two hundred yearsago, at the birth of Manchester during theindustrial revolution, the rapidly growingcity had no infrastructure - in terms ofeverything from a sanitation system to localgovernance - so the local citizenry madetheir own organisations, and understoodself-reliance. The Free Trade Hall is aproduct of this; the original building wasfinanced by an association of merchantsknown as the Anti-Corn Law League.

Hedonism is also part of the city’s DNA;nowhere in the British Empire would youfind workers who worked as hard or playedas hard. Out one Sunday evening in 1849Angus Bethune Reach reacted with both fearand exhilaration; “The public houses and ginshops were roaring full. The whole streetrung with shouting, screaming and swearing,mingled with the jarring music of half adozen bands”

It was perhaps a result of Manchester’sstatus as a trading city that when jazz musicwas arriving in Britain in the 1920s,Manchester accepted this American importwith enthusiasm, and dancehalls multipliedthroughout the city. Likewise, when rock &roll hit these shores, the city rocked aroundthe clock.

In the 1960s, Manchester bands took theircue from the Beatles and the music scene inthat other great trading city in the NorthWest of England, Liverpool. And whenBritish bands invaded the American charts -in a neat reversal of the way Britain had beenimporting American music for decades - atriumvirate of Manchester bands hadmassive success over there; Freddie & theDreamers, Herman’s Hermits, and theHollies. With full employment, great clubslike the Twisted Wheel, and the flair ofGeorge Best infecting the city, in the 1960sManchester was a great place to be.

Manchester wasn’t quite a music vacuum inthe 1970s - the city being able to boast hitssongs by Sweet Sensation and 10cc (amongothers) - but it was those post-punk acts whotook British music onto another level. IanCurtis, Mark E Smith, and Morrissey (of Joy Division, the Fall, and the Smithsrespectively) revolutionised the vocabularyand scope of pop music and the musicmagnificently soundtrack a troubled time inthe city’s history. The swinging Sixties haddissolved, but at least we had the music as thecity disintegrated into post-industrial gloom.

During the 1980s, cultural activists like Tony Wilson from Factory Records wereestablishing the city as a popular culturepowerhouse. Factory, and their mostsuccessful band, New Order, opened avenue, the Hacienda in 1982; the clubstruggled as a live venue but blossomed inthe rave era as we entered an era of superstarDJs and a new generation of Manchesterbands emerged, like Happy Mondays andthe Stone Roses, powered by a day-glo


optimism that was a key factor in helping toconvert social disintegration into culturalregeneration.

In ‘Manchester, England’ I talked torepresentatives of enterprise teams andGovernment quangos charged with findinginward investment for Manchester and theyadmitted this was a huge challenge in theearly 1980s but that the buzz created bypopular culture in the ‘Madchester’ areasuddenly started to open doors. Theinternational profile of the city grew furtherin the early 1990s thanks to the pop successof bands like Simply Red and Take That. Thelandscape changed as clusters of bars andclubs opened in some of the city’s rundownareas, the gay community were out andproud in pioneering venues like Manto onCanal Street, students were applying to studyin the city in record numbers; music hadhelped transform the built environment, thepsyche of the city, the economy.

Activity on the margins of the city is alwaysworth exploring. That example of the SexPistols gig; this happens all the time, groupsof people looking for something new,establishing the next wave. It was the same in1998, in an unprepossessing Australian

theme bar on Peter Street where a few localmusicians ran an acoustic night called‘Gecko’. If you’d stumbled in there you’dhave heard the likes of Badly Drawn Boy, IAm Kloot, and Elbow playing their firstsongs to a handful of people. Years later,Elbow are award-winning local heroes,lighting up the 2009 ManchesterInternational Festival, and playing to overfifteen thousand people at the ManchesterEvening News Arena.

If Manchester was a giant school of rock -not a fanciful idea when you think about it -then the honours board detailing those whohave made a contribution would be a hugelist, but we can be assured there will be somenew names soon, the next generation;Delphic, perhaps, or the Vortex, Airship, orEverything Everything. Popular culture hasgiven Manchester a quality of life and asense of pride, and Manchester has givenbands inspiration to create. It’s one of thepopular culture capitals of the world; fertileground where great music grows.

Images: below The Smiths (22 February 1985) Left Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays & Tony Wilson (November 1989) © Kevin Cummins


Music has always been an important part of life in Manchester. Overthe years, every genre imaginable has drawn a crowd: from classicperformances of the Hallé Orchestra to the 60s ‘British InvasionBand’ Herman’s Hermit’s; Joy Divisions punk era; an 80s‘Madchester’ scene; mid-90s Britpop from Oasis and even a viableattempt at hip-hop which carries on regardless from the ashes of anow deceased but never forgotten Grand Central records. Today, thecity continues to build on its legacy with some world-class venuesthat play host to all kinds of musical styles. Here, we take a look at a handful of Manchester’s very best.

Walls of Sound


Construction of The Bridgewater Hall commenced in 1993, but the idea of a new concert hall for Manchester dates back to the reconstruction of the Free Trade Hall in the 1950s afterwartime damage. Despite holding great public affection, the 1850s hall was ill-equipped torespond to the rising standards of service and acoustic excellence demanded by performersand audiences. The city’s response was a new concert hall, the design of which was stronglyinformed by acoustic considerations. So much in fact, that the entire structure floats free ofthe ground on almost three hundred, earthquake-proof isolation bearings or giant springs.There is no actual rigid connection between the 22,500 ton building and its foundations. Thisensures the hall’s carefully designed acoustic is protected from all outside noise and vibration.Another interesting aspect of the hall’s design is that it is neither concrete nor steel-framed,but is mostly formed from solid, reinforced concrete, moulded and cast like a vast sculpture.This gives it the acoustic ideal of enormous density and mass. The remarkable roof appears tohover, weightless, above the building.

With the opening of this magnificent venue, Manchester's civic and cultural history entered a dramatic new phase. For over 150 years, the city had an unrivalled tradition of fine civicbuilding, of architectural and artistic patronage and of amateur and world-class professionalmusic-making. The Bridgewater Hall continues and consolidates these traditions.

For more information: www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

The Bridgewater Hall


On Grosvenor Street, in the midst of Manchester’s student-friendly pubs, an elegant gothicrevival building from 1877 stands proudly as the Deaf and Dumb institute. The former name isstill engraved boldly into the stone above the main entrance. Trof, a small chain of establishedbars, set up their third venture here in 2007. They evaded controversy by going for the moremusic friendly name of ‘The Deaf Institute’ and within a relatively short period of time thebuilding has become one of Manchester’s most sought after performance venues for bothemerging and established artists. The building is split into three floors with the intimate andcosy top floor set up like a miniature theatre, with a sizable dancefloor, stage and seating area.Many of Manchester’s most favoured and cutting edge music events take place here on aregular basis, such as Akoustik Anarkhy, El Diablo’s Social Club, Now Wave and Chips with Everything.

For more information: www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

The Deaf Institute


Almost everyone knows that Band on the Wall got its name because of the small stage high upon the wall that visiting musicians used to perform on. But less well known is that thisinternationally famous music venue began life as the George and Dragon pub back in 1803.Remnants from the beginning of the nineteenth century still exist in the cellars at the front ofthe building and can be seen in the layout of some of the internal walls. The building survivedthe bombings of world war two - with the band often carrying on playing during air-raids -especially when the raids became more common. However, by the middle of the twentiethcentury the area was in decline and by the mid-1970s the George and Dragon was on its lastlegs. It was at this point the decision was taken to develop the old George and Dragon as a jazzvenue, re-opening as such in 1975. Punk became the most popular music in the late 1970s andMondays soon became known as New Manchester Review nights providing a focus andsupport for a local political and music magazine of the time.

Bands who played under this title included John Cooper Clarke, The Passage, A Certain Ratio,Joy Division (who played the night they first got a syn-drum) The Fall, Buzzcocks, John thePostman and The Distractions. The last decade has seen a greater concentration on quality jazzperformers and there has also been an increasing emphasis on bringing out new young talent.The venue re-opened in September 2009 following £4 million redevelopment.

For more information: www.bandonthewall.org

Band on the Wall


Situated on Oldham Street, in the heart of the Northern Quarter, theNight & Day Café was established in 1991 as a fish and chip shop.

It is synonymous with the city’s music scene - even clocking up aname check in the US television series Lost as the place where thecharacter Charlie Pace's band DriveSHAFT played their first gig. In the real world, Night & Day hosted early shows from the likes ofElbow and Badly Drawn Boy. More recently, the hallowed stage hashosted MGMT, The Enemy, Glasvegas and Little Boots. Live musictakes place on a nightly basis as local rock n roll musicians find theirfeet, whilst the weekend hosts club nights and DJs until the early hours.

For more information: www.nightnday.org

Night & DaySankeys was voted fifth best club in the world in DJ Magazine’s 2009readers’ poll. The venue began life in 1994 as Sankeys Soap. The clubis based on the edge of Manchester in Ancoats at the Beehive Mill; abuilding almost 200 years old and possibly one of the ‘dark satanicmills’ described by poet William Blake in his 1820 work ‘Jerusalem’.The nightclub took its name from the mill’s former incarnation as asoap factory. Over the years, Sankeys has hosted superstar DJs andinternationally acclaimed acts including Pete Tong, Josh Wink,Francois K, Masters at Work, Chemical Brothers, DJ Hell, GrooveArmada, Erick Morillo, Laurent Garnier, 2Many DJs, Carl Cox, JudgeJules, Erol Alkan and many, many more. The low ceilings and edgyatmosphere can make for an intense evening of clubbing, boosted inno small part by the ‘Phazon’ soundsystem, an internationallyacclaimed audio installation designed by an ex-NASA engineer. In 2009, to celebrate its 15th birthday, Sankeys owner David Vincentintroduced 15 significant upgrades to the nightclub which includedbarcode entrance technology, a beachclub, a cinema and an LEDvideo wall with new lighting and lasers.

For more information: www.sankeys.info

Sankeys


The RNCM was established in 1973 following the merger of the RoyalManchester College of Music with the Northern School of Music. It isone of the leading conservatoires in the world and is the only one tobe given the award of a Centre for Excellence in Teaching andLearning. Today, nearly 700 students from 50 countries are studyinghere for professional careers in music. Throughout its life the collegehas enjoyed strong royal connections - being opened by Her RoyalHighness The Duchess of Kent and boasting Her Majesty The Queenas its patron. The Duchess of Kent maintains an active role withRNCM and serves today as the president of the college board.

The college’s four public venues host a performance programme thatis unique in its range and quality, featuring a rolling programme ofstudent performances alongside visiting artists and ensembles.

For more information: www.rncm.ac.uk

The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

Chetham’s is a prestigious training ground for young gifted musicianswith genuine talent. Each year, there are approximately 290 studentsaged between eight and eighteen who study at the School of Music.Competition to gain a place at Chetham’s is understandably tough. In its own words the school educates only “the brightest youngmusicians based on their talent and potential, not background orability to play”. Between September and June, visitors to Manchestercan sample performances by the music school students at freelunchtime concerts which take place every weekday. Theperformances take place in the oldest existing buildings inManchester, which date back to the medieval period. Entrance is free and no booking is required.

In addition to the free afternoon performance, another great way ofhearing the more traditional sounds on offer in Manchester is to headto the city’s cathedral for Evensong. Located next door to Chetham’s,the cathedral used to be a chantry chapel; in which masses were sung.It was said that this helped to speed the souls of the rich into heaven.Evensong, which usually takes place around 5.30pm on selected daysduring the week, as well as at weekends, is often a chance for thepublic to hear the Manchester Cathedral Choir. The choir consists ofa group of students aged between eight and thirteen, from Chetham’sSchool. The Choir have created a number of recordings and havebeen featured in broadcasts on national television and radio.

For more information: www.chethams.com

www.manchestercathedral.org

Chetham’s School of Music /Manchester Cathedral

The photographs taken at The Bridgewater Hall and the Royal NorthernCollege of Music are used with the permission of William Ellis.

Ellis’ work is exhibited at international music festivals and galleries in theUK and throughout the world. A long term project commissioned by theBridgewater Hall will culminate in an exhibition at the Richard GoodallGallery in Manchester’s Northern Quarter in Spring 2010. For details ofexhibitions and portfolio visit www.william-ellis.com

The photograph taken within Night & Day is the work of William’s son,Sam Ellis. For details and portfolio at www.samellisphoto.com


1. Kong

The best band to come out of Manchester

in a long time. Kong play an experimental

punk, avant-garde monster. A completely

fascinating three piece, they take on alter

egos and get away with crazy antics.

Definitely a band’s band, not a media band;

they can count The Bronx, Biffy Clyro and

Future Of The Left as big fans, and yet every

bit of press they’ve had in the nationals is a

brilliant response to honest music that goes

against the grain. The city should be proud.

2. Delphic

Delphic have really come into their own

this year, they’ve been knocking around

Manchester for a little while, having built a

great reputation for new era dance music

inspired by the classics. They’re quite

European-sounding and effortlessly cool

without trying to be. At the end of the day,

they make geek music - wires and buttons

everywhere - but it’s accessible, making

their gigs perfect for a club night.

3. Liz Green

Liz Green is a real gem, one of those artists

you’ll hear by word of mouth only to be left

utterly charmed and completely smitten.

Amongst the copycats and the mundane,

Green’s acoustic folk is tailored by 1930s

blues vocals, making her one of the most

distinguished songwriters we’ve got. Not

original by any means, but if you’re going

to be inspired, be inspired by the best and

create some individuality amongst the

generic retro comeback.

4. The Jessie Rose Trip

Led by 20-year-old Hendrix-loving Jessie of

Mrs Merton country, that’s err, Heaton Mersey

if you don’t know, this front lady wears brogues

and slacks and plays the ukulele. She’s ace.

Again, breaking the stereotypes of Mancunian

music, TJRT bring much needed soul to the

streets of our indie nation via powerful vocals

and a mesmerising wardrobe. Feisty, raw and

undeniably talented.

5. Kid British

The equivalent to northern, working class

comedy; not in an insulting way, but with

linear lyrical themes, Kid British will make you

giggle. They write about every day struggles

in a somewhat clichéd, but effective manner.

After all, we’ve all been lost in London, had

rows about the heating or lack of paydays.

They are signed to a major label, have

brought reggae and ska onto daytime radio

and these hip-hop rude boys recently

supported The Specials.

BANDS TO

LISTEN TO

In the last issue of MCR weasked local experts from theworld of music, TV andliterature to give us their top five ‘ones to watch’ for thoseinterested in some culturalresearch before their visit. It was so popular, we’ve done it again. So here are somesuggestions of how to get aglimpse into the spirit and soul of Manchester.

Ones to watch

Kelly Murray is a music journalist from

Manchester. After graduating in 2006, she

honed her skills writing for BBC Manchester

and City Life. Today she writes for the NME

and Tin Can, a new audio/visual website

dedicated to music and culture. You can

check out her music blog, Candid Fever, at

www.tincan.tv. Here, she reveals her top

five up and coming Manchester bands for

you to keep an eye on.

Images: below Delphic right The Jessie Rose Trip


Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange (1962)

Anthony Burgess is a Manchester literary

giant: his dystopian novel, A Clockwork

Orange, remains his most enduring fictional

work. The story is narrated through the eyes

of anti-hero Alex, the leader of a sadistic

gang. Society reforms Alex using an

experimental brainwashing technique that

renders him a pacifist and subsequently many

past victims seek vengeance on him. When

Alex’s conditioning is removed his natural

self-development leads him to overcome his

violent nature. At times an uncomfortable

read, A Clockwork Orange continues to shock

and provide insight into the human mind.

Billy Hopkins - Our Kid (2007)

Our Kid is a coming-of-age and autobiograph-

ical tale dips into the pre-World War II era and

beyond. Our Kid is a nostalgic read that is

filled with the tonal quality of a long gone era

that that will never return, but it also skilfully

pushes back the clock and invokes the past

one last time. Billy Hopkins provides a flavour

of how Manchester’s communities helped to

shape the city - and in turn how Manchester

shaped the people that have inhabited it.

Carol Birch - Turn Again Home (2004)

In Turn Again Home, Carol Birch charts three

generations of a Manchester family without

falling into the trap of sentimentality and

banality. She weaves a narrative filled with

the intricate and precisely observed details

of every day life. It begins at the turn of the

twentieth century and lights the lives of the

Holloway family against a backdrop of the

bold movements of history. Poignant and

beautifully characterised, Turn Again Home

is a novel that brings more than history to

the reader.

Cath Staincliffe, Blue Murder (2004)

Cath Staincliffe is a prolific Manchester writer

whose crime fiction has successfully made

the leap to television. In Blue Murder DCI

Janine Lewis, a single mother of three, has

just become Manchester’s first detective chief

inspector and is handed her first murder to

investigate: the grisly killing of a deputy head

teacher. Cath Staincliffe’s characterisation is

modern and complex and she adroitly side-

steps cultural and social stereotypes and

breathes life into a cliché-ridden genre. Easy

reading that won’t leave you feeling empty.

BOOKS TO READ

Joe Pemberton - Forever and Ever Amen (2000)

Forever and Ever Amen is set in the 1960s and

charts the life of James and his family who

have migrated from St. Kitts in the Caribbean

to Moss Side. There are wonderfully wrought

descriptions and nuggets of witty

observations. Forever and Ever Amen is

joyful and sad, sprinkled with a black boy’s

yearnings and despair. Joe Pemberton

masterfully evokes the nostalgia of childhood

and yet gives a unique insight into a part of

Mancunian life that few will know, but many

can treasure.

Zahid Hussain is a Manchester writer and

poet whose first novel ‘The Curry Mile’

exposed the Machiavellian machinations of

Manchester’s curry district. Zahid is also a

former Northwest poetry performance

champion and runs Manchester Muslim

Writers - the UK’s first collective of writers

of Muslim origin.

Here he outlines five novels that provide an

insight into Manchester’s rich cultural heritage.

Zahid Hussain’s novel The Curry Mile is set

in Rusholme and uncovers the worlds of

restaurant owner Ajmal Butt and his

daughter, Sorayah Butt, as they lock horns

and then become rivals on Manchester’s

most competitive mile.


Gorillaz: Live in Manchester (2006)

Filmed at Manchester Opera House as a

Trailblazer for Manchester International

Festival this is a record of an amazing event

that captures Manchester’s love of great

music, having a good time and taking the odd

creative risk. Being there was amazing but

this film is a very good second best.

A Kind Of Loving (DVD 1962) John Schlesinger

Set in a ‘Northern Town’, aka Manchester this

is an adaptation of Stan Barstow's best selling

novel of the same name. One of the New

Wave of British films in the 60’s it tells the

story of a draughtsman who gets his girl

friend pregnant and has to get married. If you

want to see how much society and

Manchester has changed this is a good one to

watch. Great performances from Alan Bates;

June Ritchie and Thora Hird.

Clocking Off (2000-03 TV series)

This is an interconnected series of dramas

about employees at a Manchester textile

factory that focuses on the home life of a

different character in each episode. Produced

by Red, a Manchester based production

company, and filmed on location in Greater

Manchester this not only shows a huge slice

of Northern Life it is also a great platform for

Manchester based production, writing and

acting talent (in particular Nichola Schindler

and Paul Abbott)

Control (2007) Anton Corbijn

Another music film, but what would you

expect in Manchester. Control is the story of

Joy Division from their beginning until the

untimely and tragic death of Ian Curtis.

Although it was not filmed in Manchester this

is a fantastic evocation of the city at that time.

Amazing performances for Sam Riley as Ian

Curtis and Samantha Morton as Deborah

Curtis.

State of Play (2003) David Yates

Brilliantly written by Paul Abbot this is a

breathtaking thriller set in Westminster. If you

watch the 6 episodes as a DVD box set make

sure you have 6 hours to spare as this is the

TV equivalent of a page turner, you will have

to know what happens in the next instalment.

Not only was it written by a Manc, (well

Burnley really but he has written for

Coronation Street and conceived/wrote

Shameless so that counts as naturalization)

parts of it were filmed in the House of

Commons set at Granada TV.

Cornerhouse is Greater Manchester’s

international centre for contemporary visual

arts and film. It presents a year round

programme of cultural film and high quality

art exhibitions. To find out more visit

www.cornerhouse.org

FILMS & TV

TO WATCH

Dave Moutrey is Director and CEO of

Cornerhouse. Dave has worked in the arts

in Manchester for over 25 years and is a

passionate advocate for the city’s arts and

cultural scene. This is his list of Manchester

on screen that gives you a view of how the

city is and was but also what Manchester

can do.


24 Hour Party People is more to Manchester than just the name ofthe Happy Monday’s song and the film that documents the infamous

‘Madchester’ period of the late eighties and early nineties – it hasbecome something of a personal mantra for the city.

On the following pages we’ve outlined just four of the many nightlifeitineraries that might take your fancy once the sun goes down.

Manchester after dark


Check-in at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel - a five-star retreat in the former Free Trade Hall building.Peter St. www.radissonedwardian.com/manchester

Dinner for two atThe French - the double AA Rosetteaward winning restaurant at The Midland Hotel. Peter St.

www.qhotels.co.uk

End the night with cocktails in Opus One back at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel.Peter St. www.radissonedwardian.com/manchester

Culture Vultures

Enjoy a performance of Manchester’s world famous Hallé Orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall. Lower Mosley St. www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk


The Gay Village

Start the night in Taurus – the community bar at the start of the gay ‘strip’. 1 Canal St. www.taurus-bar.co.uk

Check-in at Velvet Manchester - a 19-bed boutique hotel in the heart of the village. 2 Canal St. www.velvetmanchester.com

End the night with drinks in Vanilla, the city’s most popular lesbian bar.39 - 41 Richmond St. www.vanillagirls.co.uk

Out on the street. Enjoy drinks in the bars along Canal Street: Queer, Churchills, View Bar, Via Bar, The Rembrandt, Eden, Spirit and The New Union.


Get the best of both worlds at the Castlefield Hotel, with views of thepicturesque canal basin and just a stone’s throw from the busy lights ofDeansgate. Liverpool Road, Castlefield. www.castlefield-hotel.co.uk

A short walk to the delights of Oxford Road - a hiveof activity from bars, restaurants, cinema and clubs.

Catch a film at Cornerhouse - Manchester's internationalcentre for contemporary visual arts and film. 70 Oxford St.www.cornerhouse.org

Taste real ale at the Lass O’Gowrie - one of the city's mostfamous, traditional pubs. With nine local ales on sale at any

one time, you will be spoilt for choice! 36 Charles Street.www.thelass.co.uk

Drop into the Danish KRO 2 bar and restaurant - a popular spot for many along Oxford Road.www.kro.co.uk

Dance the night away at Pure Space. 11-13 New Wakefield St. www.purespacecafebar.co.uk

The Independent Traveller


The City Breaker

Start the night with drinks overlooking the city from the stylish surroundings of Cloud 23 - the bar at the top of the Hilton Manchester Deansgate. 303 Deansgate.www.cloud23bar.com

Hedge your bets in Manchester235 - the city’s very own Las Vegas-style casino. The Great Northern, Watson St. www.manchester235.com

Dinner for two at Panacea Bar & Restaurant - a sophisticatedplayground in the heart of the city. 14 John Dalton St.

www.panaceamanchester.co.uk

A stylish home from home: the five-star Lowry Hotel. 50 Dearmans Place. www.roccofortecollection.com


Manchester Voices

Irene Khan


Why did you decide to study at the Universityof Manchester?

The University of Manchester is a greatuniversity and was one of the first tointroduce courses on civil liberties withinthe faculty of Law. (In the 1970’s) The citywas not as appealing as it is nowadays, butfrom a student perspective the university layin the heart of a vibrant city with a richindustrial past, not far from the deprivedareas and the inner city, so student life wasnot played out within an ‘Ivory Tower’.

Do you think Manchester’s radical spirit hashelped to nurture the activist within you?

It was while at university that I becameactively engaged in human rights issues atthat time - the anti-apartheid movement andthe Portuguese military dictatorship - andthe city of Manchester has always had anactivist student population.

Throughout your extremely busy career,you’ve managed to keep returning toManchester, what is it about the city thatdraws you back?

I have learnt a lot while being in this city, a city with a cosmopolitan nature andmulticultural identity. It is a city thatconstantly changes, revives itself, and thereconstruction after the mid-ninetiesbombing particularly inspires me.

One of the best examples of a local campaignfor equality is the Manchester Pride festival.Have you had chance to check it out yet?

Not yet - but it is great that the cityrecognises its peoples identity in all formsand embraces the expression of such identities.

You have been appointed as the newChancellor of the University of Salford. Why would you encourage new students totake up their education in Salford?

The University of Salford serves a multi-ethnic community within GreaterManchester, linking student life to theexisting population. The University hasbegun a new academic emphasis on racismand human rights, and scholars at risk. Notonly this but it has one of the best schools insocial work, and has strong links to the newMediaCityUK.

Out of all the things you can do here, whatwould you personally recommend for visitorsto Manchester?

I was in Manchester at the beginning of Julyand was really impressed with therestoration and rebuilding of the Roman andVictorian architecture of the inner city. Awalk down by the canal when the sun isshining can make the city feel almostMediterranean. My favourite ways to passthe time in Manchester would be a walkaround the restored city, take part in theManchester International Festival, have ameal at Albert’s Shed, followed by a visit tothe theatre at the Royal Exchange.

Irene Zubaida Khan became theseventh Secretary General forAmnesty International when shejoined in 2001. She is the firstwoman, first Asian and first Muslimto lead the world’s largest humanrights organisation.

She first came to Manchester in1978 to study law at the Universityof Manchester and has recentlyreturned to the city to take up thepost of chancellor at theneighbouring University of Salford.

Here, Irene explains her passion for the city of Manchester.


When Coronation Street was conceived in1960, it put the Manchester area firmly onthe television map. The most watched TVshow in British history, is set in the heart of Greater Manchester on a back-street infictional Weatherfield. Loosely based onSalford, the soap and the lives of thecharacters have always remained rooted in the shadow of the nearby city, and just as Manchester continues to evolve, so toohas the show.

In 2008 it was announced that storylineswere in place to extend the set. Alongside the traditional cobbled street, with its pub,corner shop and knickers factory, adevelopment of swanky city-centre styleapartments was to be erected by localentrepreneur Tony Gordon (known todevoted fans as the cold-blooded killer of hunky Liam Connor). With balconies,open-plan living and city views, the flats are a far cry from the two-up, two-downdwellings on the cobbles that have beenhome to the likes of Elsie Tanner, KenBarlow and Jack Duckworth over thedecades. No stone-cladding on theseapartments, they are reserved exclusively for only the show’s upwardly mobilecharacters like Luke Strong, or the mid-lifecrisis stricken Dev Alahan.

It’s a move symbolic of the show’s continuedattention to local changes. As the years rollon and Manchester grows and redefinesitself, the street follows closely. The biggestand most defining changes to the setoccurred in 1990 when ‘the posh side of thestreet’ (Sally Webster’s words) was built on

By Andy Baker

Streets aheadAs Manchester changes, so too has the city’s soap incarnation.


the site of the old Mission Hall andcaretaker’s flat. Coronation Street was nolonger occupied by factory workers and theirflat-cap wearing other halves, it had beeninfested with ‘yuppies’ - like Des Barnes.Recognising the diverse population ofManchester, the show started to film muchmore on location from this point,incorporating real events and landmarks intothe storylines. Characters no longer stayedconfined to the then-Granada studios andwere often found filming in the city centre.The writers even took a stab at weaving the90s ‘Madchester’ era into the show whenTracy Barlow’s penchant for house music ledher to a rave at which she experimented withecstasy – the consequences of which led tothe need of a kidney transplant. Sadly, wenever got to see mum Deirdre shake hermaracas with Bez.

Producers have always been aware ofincluding big events in to the show. Localbusybody Norris Cole threw himself into thepreparations for Manchester’s hosting of theCommonwealth Games back in 2002, takingup a job as a steward for the event. For weeks

Norris proudly promoted the sporting event,which was being held in the city for the veryfirst time. The cast even filmed scenes at theCity of Manchester Stadium, to air as thegames were screened. Other local landmarksand buildings have featured too, such asSarah Platt’s departure from Piccadillystation, Steve and Karen’s engagement at theCastlefield marina and Richard Hillman’sattempt to kill the Platt family by drivingthem at full speed into one of the city’scanals.

Storylines took Corrie away from the RoversReturn and in to Manchester’s vibrant gayscene in 2003 when student Todd Grimshawembarked on an affair with nurse KarlFoster. The show, keen to inject somerealism in to the storyline, braved thecrowds of Canal Street to film the shockingmoment that Todd first kissed Karl,narrowly missed by his fiancée Sarah Platt.The storyline also heralded the introductionof the show’s longest serving gay character -Sean Tully. Played by Antony Cotton, freshfrom his role on Queer As Folk, Seanbrought Canal Street to the Rovers when he

Images this page: top Coronation Street hits Canal Street above Norris volunteers for the Commonwealth Games


was installed as the pub’s first gay barman.The show has regularly returned to filmingin the clubbing area, but has recently madethe decision to build its own ‘Canal-esque’gay club to incorporate an upcomingstoryline that would rely too heavily onlocation shoots.

Just as Manchester has built up a reputationas a shopping mecca, characters with cashdon’t stay confined to spending their doughon sherbet lemons at the Kabin either. Aftersome of the designer department storesopened in Exchange Square, shoe-lovingKaren McDonald was first in the queue.Crowds nearly stopped filming of sceneswhere husband Steve attempted to curb hiswife’s credit-card massacre.

As much as Manchester is vital to Corrie, theshow itself has become an icon of the areatoo. Every year a group of fans from Canada,where Coronation Street maintains a hugefollowing, descend upon the city on theirannual trip to honour the show with a tourof the set. Based just a short walk from thecity centre, the studios themselves are these

Images this page: top The Coronation Street set above Sarah and Jason at Manchester Piccadilly

days an uninvited tourist attraction, wherefans gather at the gates to get a glimpse atthe cast. For as much as Coronation Streetwould not exist in a world withoutManchester, the soap has become one of the city’s most iconic features too.

But as the soap strives to develop and movewith the changing face of the city, onefixture of the show will never bemodernized: its cobbles. In 2000, as part of astoryline to celebrate the show’s 40thanniversary, the cobbles were under threatfrom evil tarmacing plans, keen to bring thestreet in line with the rest of GreaterManchester where cobbles are as much athing of the past as outdoor toilets. In asymbolic gesture of solidarity, the livebirthday episode saw residents uniting in aprotest to keep Corrie cobbled, and won. Amodern Manchester is something the soapmight be keen to fit in to, but some thingswill never change.


DIGITAL REVOLUTION Brendan Dawes is the creative director for magneticNorth, an

interactive design company based in Manchester. Ever since hisfirst experiences with the humble ZX81 (one of the first ‘home’

computers) back in the early eighties, Brendan has continued toexplore the interplay of people, code, design and art. In 2009 hewas listed among the top twenty web designers in the world by.Net magazine and was featured in the "Design Icon" series inComputer Arts. Here, Brendan talks about how new media is

catching up with all of us - whether we like it or not.


It was one of those things you never forget.One of those events when you rememberwere you where when you “heard the news”;kind of like when JFK was shot or when Elvisdied. The “where” in this case wasManchester Airport’s terminal 3, waiting toboard a plane to Athens with my wife Lisa.As we sat there unaware that the week aheadwould reveal Athen’s taxi drivers to have notyet caught on to the idea of “taking payingcustomers to a destination” like the rest ofthe world, Lisa uttered the words that wouldforever be imprinted on my memory – “Ithink I’d like one of those Nintendo DSthingies”. For a short while time seemed tostand still as I tried to make sense of whatshe’d just said. My wife, a self confessedtechno-phobe (apart from the ubiquitousmobile phone), someone who would neverthink of playing any kind of video game andwho regularly tells me “she doesn’t do spacethings” or anything vaguely science-fictionlike, had just said she’d like to own a gamesconsole. Was this some kind of sick joke?Had my wife been taken over in aStepfordesque way overnight? Maybe it wassome kind of sign that the end of the worldwas truly nigh. If so, could I get the moneyback I’d spent on the week in Athens beforethe fateful event?

As it turns out the world wasn’t ending andthere had been no overnight braintransplant. But those words, and thesubsequent purchase of the “Nintendo DSthingie”, which Lisa now carries around inher handbag alongside her Dior mascara,tissues, phone, address book and whateverelse, meant something was happening. Thecontents of my wife’s handbag was suddenlyvery interesting to me not because I’ve got aweird bag fetish but because as someone whomakes a living as an interaction designer thefact that this hi-tech piece of plastic had apermanent place amongst Lisa’s otheressential everyday items was reallysignificant. Here was a sophisticated device,

a “computer”, a “games console” that usedan innovative (at the time) touch screeninterface but yet felt so invaluable day-to-day that Lisa deemed it worthy to take upvaluable space in her already full bag. Thiswasn’t someone who loved to play games, orsomeone who had a history buying the latestmust-have gadgets. This was my “don’t dospace things” wife. It was then I realisedmore than ever that these digital objects,these interactive screens, were now a part ofour everyday lives; a constant in the flow ofthe everyday. And things are changingbecause of them.

Just take a train journey, or any publictransport for that matter, look up from yourown screen for a few minutes and make amoment to fully take in how many peopleare interacting with some kind of digital“thing”. Yes there’s the all pervasive (or isthat intrusive) mobile phone, the iPod andthe myriad of portable game consoles, butnow we also have the so called smart phones,with Apple’s iPhone being the poster childof this new shiny must-have-tech. Now assomeone who my mum would describe as“good with computers”, but mainly becausemy job involves me playing with all thisdigital stuff for a living, I’m what so calledmarketeers call “an early adopter”, meaningI’m a sucker for any new technology – thepolar opposite of Lisa. So having beenwedded to my iPhone for what seems like anage now, it’s become as invaluable to me asany handbag, though I like to think of itmore as a digital Swiss army knife ratherthan a handbag – for one thing it’s just a bitmore macho.

But calling an iPhone a phone is a bit of amisnomer. In my opinion the iPhone is 1%hardware and 98% software. One minute itis indeed a phone, the next it’s my morningnewspaper. A touch of the screen later it’s amovie player, a book, a camera, a webbrowser a notepad, a handheld video

camera, a restaurant guide and a billionother things besides – even a spirit level. It’s changed the way I work. It’s changed theway I get information. Traveling into thecity everyday I can quickly check the traintimes (there’s an app for that) without havingto consult a screen on the platform. Thereisn’t one anyway, and even if there wassurely I should be able to consult my ownpersonal screen with information seeminglygrabbed out of the air rather than one bigfixed social screen that I then have to trawlthrough to find the station I’m heading to?

But so called “early adopters” such as myselfchange nothing. If these devices stayedpurely the domain of cool-gadget fans thenwe wouldn’t find train carriages awash withmore tech than your local branch of Dixons.For the everyday to change these newdevices need to become the everyday.Paradoxically when technology works well itshould become invisible; part of thebackground of how we live and play. This isabsolutely how it should be – just somethingwe do without thinking about it.

Change is happening not because of peoplelike me, but ultimately because of people likeLisa. It’s changing how we communicatewith each other, how we receive and digestinformation, how we interact with servicesand even how we interact with cities and theplaces we live. And yes. Lisa has an iPhone.

www.brendandawes.com


One of Manchester’s top attractions, MOSI is located on the site ofthe world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station. Five listedbuildings house many lively and interactive exhibitions, showcasingthe North West’s industrial, scientific and social achievements.

Da Vinci - The Genius

14 November 2009 - 13 June 2010

Get inside the mind of one of the most extraordinary artists andscientists in the world. This fascinating exhibition explores thegenius behind Da Vinci's amazing inventions, drawings andpaintings, including giant original colour and infra-red versions of the Mona Lisa. Da Vinci’s genius ideas - some of which werehundreds of years ahead of their time - are also brought to life in 65 hand-crafted, large-scale machines. Inventions such as the tank,helicopter and parachute have been created by Italian artisans,using his original notes and designs.

This exhibition has been created by Grande Exhibitions, the Anthropos Foundation, Italyand Pascal Cotte, France. Official exhibition sponsor, Radisson Edwardian, Manchester.

Free entry to Main MuseumAdmission charges apply to Da Vinci - The Geniuswww.ticketmaster.co.uk

Open daily 10.00am - 5.00pm (except 24 - 26 Dec & 1 Jan 2010)

MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FPT. +44 (0)161 832 2244 www.mosi.org.uk

WINNERMANCHESTER

TOURISM AWARDS 09

Manchester Art Gallery is one of the city’s most popular attractions.The collections include world famous Pre-Raphaelite paintings and a Manchester themed gallery of art and design. Visitors can relax inthe cafe or browse in the gallery shop. Families are welcome too.

Angels of Anarchy: Women Artists and Surrealism

26 September - 10 January

Angels of Anarchy is the first major exhibition in Europe to explore the crucial role thatwomen artists played in the surrealist art movement. Enjoy 150 paintings, photographs,sculptures and surreal objects by three generations of artists from around the world,including Frida Kahlo, Lee Miller and Meret Oppenheim.

Tickets £6 (£4 concs, under 18s and Manchester Art Gallery Friends free) To find out more and book tickets see www.angelsofanarchy.org.uk

Exhibition supported by the Northwest Development Agency, the Zochonis CharitableTrust, Manchester Art Gallery Trust, MIRIAD, Manchester Metropolitan University and The Granada Foundation.

Entry to Manchester Art Gallery is free (excluding Angels of Anarchy exhibition)

Open: Tuesday - Sunday (and Bank Holiday Monday 28 December), 10am - 5pm. Closed: Mondays (except Bank Holidays) and 24 - 26 December, 31 December and 1 January.

Manchester Art GalleryMosley Street, Manchester M2 3JLT. +44 (0)161 235 8888 www.manchestergalleries.org

On being an Angel #1 (detail), 1977, Francesca Woodman.

Courtesy of George and Betty Woodman and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York.


From phantasmagoric art to cinematic breakfasts; from

Pollock’s prints to great British grub; from hot curry houses

to underground raves: Manchester has all the ingredients

for the perfect city break.

Uncover the galleries, museums, shows, bars, boutiques

and restaurants that are distinctly, uniquely Mancunian.

Download your free city guides now.

Manchester’s guide for the creative tourist

CITY OF ANGELS?

Due to re-open in early 2010 after a £12.3 million re-developmentproject, the People’s History Museum tells the dramatic story ofthe fight for democracy in this country. There have always beenideas worth fighting for - come and find out more about this story.Visit the Grade II listed Pump House restored to its former gloryand now joined by a spectacular new extension using the strikingmaterial Cor-Ten.

Carried Away

Early 2010 - Summer 2010The first changing exhibition will take a sideways look at protestover the last 100 years featuring people protesting about a varietyof different causes and being ‘carried away’ by the authorities.

FREE entry. Open daily 10.00am - 5.00pm(except 24, 25, 26 Dec, 1 Jan & Good Friday)

People’s History MuseumLeft Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3ERT. +44 (0)161 838 9190 www.phm.org.uk


The multi-award winning Imperial War Museum North is a great free day out for all ages.Designed by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind to represent a globe shattered byconflict, it reveals how war shapes lives through powerful exhibitions, the Big Picture (a 360degree light and sound show), tours, object handling sessions, and family activities. Visit thecafe, shop and viewing platform offering views over The Quays.

Open 7 days a week. 10am - 6pm (closes 5pm Nov-Feb)Free entry.

Imperial War Museum NorthThe Quays, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester, M17 1TZT. +44 (0)161 836 4000 www.iwm.org.uk/north

Experience the Gothic splendour of one of Manchester’s most beautiful buildings and discover the library’s world famous collections through themed displays and hands-onactivities. Enjoy a full and inspiring programme of exhibitions, talks, and family eventsthroughout the year. Entry to the library and all exhibitions is free, and there is a fabulous café and gift shop to enjoy during your visit.

John Ryland’s Library 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH, Englandt. +44 (0)161 306 0555 www.manchester.ac.uk/library

WINNERMANCHESTER

TOURISM AWARDS 09

Visit The Quays, Greater Manchester’s unique

waterfront destination and discover a world of

entertainment and leisure on your doorstep.

Internationally renowned venues, dazzling architecture, superb shopping and world-class sport all combine to create the perfect day out.

In fact, there’s so much to see, why not make a weekend of it? Our partner hotels are within easy walking distance of the attractions and a short tram ride from Manchester city centre. Weekend breaks start from just £49.00 per night!

Plan your visit today – call Salford Tourist Information

Centre on 0870 420 4145 or visit the website where you

can also sign up for special offers.


THECOMEDYSTOREArches 3 & 4 Deansgate Locks, Whitworth Street West, Manchester M1 5LHT: 0161 839 9595 E: [email protected]

Radical Manchester

Museums and Galleries

A City PerformsTheatres

The Sound

of Manchester

Music

Creativity

and the City

Contemporary Art

www.visitmanchester.com/trails

Did you know that Manchester is where the legendary

Sex Pistols concert took place which started the punk rock

movement, where the oldest known piece of the New

Testament is archived or where the modern theatre

movement started? Want to find out more?

Discover Manchester’s art, music and culture scene

and explore the city at your own pace through

one of the self-guided tours!

Manchester

Urban Culture Trails

visitrochdale.com T: 01706 924928

RochdaleThere’s another side to Greater Manchester

Stunning countryside, historic gemsA place to relax and unwind


RochdaleNorth of Manchester, at the foot ofthe Pennines, you’ll find Rochdale -an area with a fascinating history,fine architecture and wild,breathtaking countryside. It makesfor a great day out fromManchester and so we’ve pulledtogether a list of things youabsolutely must see during a visit.

The Baum Pub

Rochdale’s ‘hidden gem’ The Baum Pub liesjust next door to the Co-op Museum. Thiscosy place was CAMRA Pub of the Year 2009and serves a wealth of refreshments andhome-cooked food all day. Try a beer fromRochdale’s Pictish Brewery, awarded BestBeer Brewed in Greater Manchester 2008.

The Rochdale Pioneers Museum

Rochdale is the birthplace of the modern co-operative. In 1844, a handful of labourersset up The Rochdale Society of EquitablePioneers and formed a set of ideals thatpaved the way for the subsequent internationalco-operative movement. The museum is onthe site of the world’s first co-operative shop,set up by the pioneers, No 31 Toad Lane.Today there are 700 million members in 100countries and cooperation is even known as‘Rochdale’ in many parts of the world.

The Town Hall

A trip to Rochdale should include themagnificent Town Hall. This grand, grade 1 Victorian building is a neo-Gothicmasterpiece set on The Esplanade.Considered one of the finest municipalbuildings in the country, it is still in use as atown hall, but call in advance and you mightbe lucky enough to see inside. Rumour has itthat Adolf Hitler was so taken by thebuilding he planned to move it brick bybrick to Germany, had he won the war.

A must-do for music lovers...

Rochdale was instrumental in the early‘Madchester’ Music era. Bands such as JoyDivision and, later, New Order usedrecording studios in the town to make theirmusic. Most notably, the Cargo Studios onKenion street was the site of the recording of Joy Division singles Atmosphere and Love Will Tear Us Apart. The bands wereregulars at the San Remo coffee shop onDrake Street, pop in for a slice of history!

Hollingworth Lake, ©Phil Long

Rochdale’s Pioneers Museum

HEROES, LEGENDS AND THE GREATEST FOOTBALL STORY EVER TOLD.

Every day is a great day at Old Trafford. On match day there’s no better experience than watching your modern day heroes in their quest for silverware whilst enjoying world-class hospitality. Or you can immerse yourself in the legacy and legend of Manchester United on every non-match day by taking a glance behind the scenes of the world’s greatest football club at our captivating Museum & Tour Centre.

For a truly great day out call 0161 868 8000, email [email protected] [email protected]


‘Welcome to Manchester ’ proclaimed thebillboard placed on the city’s centralthoroughfare, Deansgate, this summer. Butthe accompanying image was of CarlosTevez, the Argentine striker who had justdefected from Manchester United to play for Manchester City.

The mischievous inference of the hoardingwas one that long-suffering City fans lovethrowing at mighty United: Tevez had joinedthe club who some might say represent thereal soul of Manchester - City - and had left a global sporting phenomenon, its shirtsworn by fans from Thailand to Timbuktu,who do not - United.

I was in South Africa, covering City’s pre-season tour, when word arrived thatUnited fans had attempted to deface theposter with red paint and there were somewicked smiles from the City executivespresent when it was reported that theoffenders’ ladders had not stretched highenough to make a serious impact.

A few days later, United’s manager Sir AlexFerguson, whose Vesuvian explosions areknown among the football fraternity as the‘hairdryer,’ delivered the riposte. They are a“small club with a small mentality,” hefumed, about City. “All they can talk about is Manchester United.”

Welcome to a new era; one in whichManchester’s passion for football has beentaken to new levels. City, whose yearswithout a trophy is marked by a banner atthe famous Stretford End at MUFC’s OldTrafford ground (34 is the current tally),have been acquired by wealthy Abu Dhabiowners, prompting a spending splurge onplayers which offers them the chance tocompete at last.

Though United have not always been the topdogs - City bailed them out during the RedDevils’ dark days in the middle of the lastcentury - the novelty is an extraordinary one.To the so-called Theatre of Dreams, the Old

Manchester: the perfect pitchBy Ian Herbert, sportswriter, The Independent

For an idea of how passionate Manchester is about its football, consider the story of an advertising billboard and three words which, to those uninitiated in the city’s intense sporting religion, will read like a fairly uninspired message to tourists.


Trafford stadium where a permanentmemorial tunnel was created last year to the23 lives lost in the Munich air disaster whichhas come to define United, City anticipateregularly filling a sporting Mecca of theirown in the City of Manchester stadium, builtfor the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Manchester also has its eye on a newsporting horizon, which will enable it toharness the footballing passion whichGeorge Best and Bobby Charlton engenderedand Cristiano Ronaldo and Robinho havemaintained. England is bidding to host theWorld Cup in 2018 or 2022 and Manchester- naturally - wants to be one of the hostcities. To do so it must demonstrate, alongwith the other 15 cities and one town(Milton Keynes) who are bidding that itspopulation have embraced the idea.

England ’s Football Association, which wants host city bids in by 6 November andwill announce on 14 December which havebeen successful, need only travel to United’sCarrington training ground as I do eachFriday, to see how World Cup matcheswould be received here. The narrowapproach lane is always lined with fans,desperate for just a glimpse of their heroes.

But a city which considers itself Britain'sfootball capital - the BBC’s decision torelocate the HQ of its sport operation fromLondon to MediaCityUK at neighbouringSalford Quays from 2011 has only reinforcedthat notion - is gathering more thancircumstantial evidence.

It has employed a World Cup coordinator(now there’s a job for any Mancunian to diefor!), recruiting Clodagh Buckley from theManchester International Festival - thebiennial event dedicated to premiereperformances which has brought in £35.7mof revenue in this, its second year. (Moreevidence of Manchester’s love of putting on ashow.) The fruits of her labours include thenew website www.manchesterworldsport.comwhich offers a way to pledge support andManchester being the kind of sporting placeit is, the 3,000 pledges already received havecome - literally - from East Didsbury to EastTimor, Denton to Denmark.

The site is already encouraging moresporting participation, too. “It’s not justabout staging football and the directeconomic benefits that brings (the 2006World Cup brought £1.8bn into the Germanhost cities’ economy) but about the widereffects it will have on real people here andreal communities,” Buckley says.

Images this page: top Old Trafford Stadium below Manchester United players celebrate Images facing page: top England fans outside the City of Manchester Stadium below Inside the City of Manchester Stadium


MANCHESTERHOST CITY BIDEngland’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Bid

Pledge your support for Manchesterwww.manchesterworldsport.com

The 2002 Commonwealth Games showedwhat these might be. We have the ManchesterVelodrome, to the east of City’s stadium,without which the golden generation ofcompetitors, including Sir Chris Hoy,Bradley Wiggins and Victoria Pendleton,might not have flourished at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The regeneration benefits for eastManchester, once one of Manchester’spoorest areas, are also self evident andscattered around the city are the 10,000individuals who trained as volunteers for theGames. “Once again, our bid is about gettingchildren more interested in sport, providinga better infrastructure and nicer places inwhich to live” Buckley says.

This is one campaign which transcendsloyalties to United and City, red and blue.The host city bid team has enlisted MikeSummerbee, part of the legendary City teamwho collected four trophies between in thelate 1960s - and Bryan Robson, Old Traffordlegend of the 1980s and early 1990s - to helpjointly promote the bid. Local clubs includingStockport County, Rochdale, Oldham Athletic,Bolton Wanderers, Bury and Altrincham willplay their part too - encouraging their ownsupporters to back the city’s bid.

There is no doubt that Old Trafford wouldattract bigger crowds to 2018 World Cupgames than it did back in the 1966 finals,when the rather uninspiring Group 3 fixturesit was allocated, involving Portugal, Bulgariaand Hungary, attracted 37,000 at best. Andwhilst it’s one of only two English stadiabesides Wembley with the current capacityto stage a World Cup semi final, City willwant a serious piece of the action, too.

An act of union between clubs this might bejust now, but soon they will be fighting theirown battles once more.

FIFA will reveal the host nation in December 2010. For more information: www.manchesterworldsport.com


John Dalton, the father of modern atomictheory, did much of his pioneering work inManchester and Ernest Rutherford famouslysplit the atom here in 1917. With yourresearch into particle physics, you may oneday be recognised as following in theirfootsteps. Have you been inspired by the city’sbackground in scientific research?

Absolutely. Manchester has an astonishingrecord where physics is concerned. For me, itwas visiting Jodrell Bank (the UK's nationalradio astronomy facility in Cheshire) sooften as a child that got me hooked. But inthose days it was more astronomy thanphysics. The thought that there was thistelescope that could see to the edge of theuniverse sat in a field in Cheshire wasamazing. It was definitely the biggestinspiration to me as a child.

Can you give us an insight into your field ofwork and particularly any excitingdevelopments or breakthroughs that haveoccurred in Manchester over the recent years?

That would definitely be our contribution tothe Large Hadron Collider at CERN. We’vehelped to build Atlas – the digital camerathat will photograph the particle collisionsthat CERN hopes will unveil newinformation in the field of particle physics.The camera should show us what theuniverse was like one billionth of a secondafter the big bang. It’s 40 metres wide by 20metres high and weighs 7,000 tonnes - so nosmall project by any means.

How intense is the competition to CERN?

There’s a project in Chicago called Tevatronwhich is quite similar. It’s technically asmaller project but they’ve been going forten years so they might produce resultsbefore CERN does. Having said that, thereare two academics from Manchesterworking on it, so I guess we’ve got both endscovered!

Is there any substance behind the moreadventurous theories that CERN might causeearth to implode into a black hole, open up a portal for time travel, or send us into another dimension?

Manchester Voices

Brian CoxBrian Cox is a professor of particle physics at The University of Manchester.Whilst studying at Manchester University he played keyboard in the 90’s UK pop band D:Ream. He is well known as a keen advocate of all thingsscience related, with regular appearances on national television. Today, his work includes a role in one of the most topical science projects of recent years - the Large Hadron Collider at CERN - the world’s largestparticle physics lab near Geneva in Switzerland.


That’s an easy answer. No. It’s incredible theamount of crap that gets out there justbecause some maniacs have computers withaccess to the internet. They’ll havesomething new to talk about soon enough –spacecraft, or something like that.

Back to Manchester... would there be anyparticular reason(s) that you wouldrecommend the city as a place of study for potential students?

There are lots of reasons! It’s one of thebiggest campuses in Europe and the facilities reflect that. Everything a studentcould possibly want is here. It’s already in the premier league as far as universities areconcerned - what it needs to do now ischallenge the established centres of Harvard, Stamford, Oxford and Cambridgefor similar recognition.

How about Manchester as a leisuredestination? As a former band member, doyou still get a chance to appreciate or even get involved with the city’s music scene?

The city’s music heritage is unquestioned. As Liverpool dominated the UK’s musicscene in the 60’s, Manchester did so in the70’s, 80’s and 90’s. As someone who grew upin Manchester in the 80’s I can vouch for thelevel to which the music scene dominatedeverything about the city. It’s the lifeblood of Manchester.

You’re a keen advocate of all things sciencerelated. How can people in Manchester,including those visiting for the very first time, get a taste for the subject?

Jodrell Bank would be my biggestrecommendation. It’s amazing. Take a look on the website for more information:www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk Also, it’s worth keeping an eye on the universitywebsite for their public events. They’re verypopular so make sure to look in advance!

Tell us something about Manchester that wemight not know!

The Geiger counter (a scientific instrumentthat measures radiation), was born inManchester. Hans Geiger was working withErnest Rutherford here at the University ofManchester when they invented it in 1909.


I know I’m not as young as I used to be whenI am asked to write about IndustrialHeritage. I am proud to have frequented theHaçienda, Berlin and Band on the Wall - firsttime round - in the very early 80s. I still lovemy forays into Manchester but these daysI’m more likely to be heading for TheBridgewater Hall, the RNCM, theCornerhouse, the Royal Exchange Theatre orthe Lowry. Dinner at the Market followed bya late night in Matt & Phreds is about asdaring as we get. And when I shop I want todo so amid truly grand architecture, beneathopen skies and within walking distance ofthe Art Gallery for respite.

There is a point to this pre-amble. My ownpassion is for music and art, so what doesIndustrial Heritage really mean to me? Well,call me old-fashioned - or just call me old -but suddenly it matters to me what thisbuilding was originally put there for, or howthat building came by its name. I want thestories behind the cultural, creative,commercial face of today’s Manchester.

Once I start on this train of thought, theindustrial heritage of this region provides arich layer of beauty and inspiration. Andwhichever thread I follow I always comeback to textiles, the product that fuelled thegreat Manchester powerhouse.

One of my favourite journeys is by bike,south from Marple into Cheshire along theMiddlewood Way - a 10-mile traffic freeroute along a disused railway line that wasbuilt in the 1860s to serve the cotton millsalong its way.

We're heading for Macclesfield, to the SilkMuseum. But there are a few essentialstopping-off points first - the Anson EngineMuseum. And if you thought you'd give thisa miss because noisy smelly dirty enginessimply aren’t your thing, think again. It'sbeautiful. It’s even musical. The enginesmake rhythmical clunks and breathe gentlesighs. They gleam, reflecting in each other’sglory, the cogs and levers make intricatepatterns, everything is polished, balanced,slotting perfectly into place. And theenthusiasm that fuels this place is palpable.

The next distraction is only a couple of milesfurther on at Bollington, a handsome, stone-built mill town with one foot in the PeakDistrict hills and the other in industrialManchester. Here the Macclesfield Canal,which runs parallel to the Middlewood Way,is carried through the town on aqueducts,passing the mills that were once part of theGregs’ cotton empire, the same family thatbuilt the vast Quarry Bank Mill at nearbyStyal. Bollington is renowned for its number

More than 150 years after the warp and weft of the Industrial Revolution wove England’s Northwestinto a hotspot of the global textile industry, Alice Ferguson finds its legacy alive and well in the sights,sounds and transport network of the 21st century.

King CottonBy Alice Ferguson Alice Ferguson has spent the last 25 years working in tourism and most of those writing about theNorth of England. It all started when she went to work for the little independent museum trust thatfirst opened the museum at Quarry Bank Mill in Styal.

Images: top Clarence Mill by the Macclesfield Canal below Decorative Silk at the Silk Museum, Macclesfield Right page The Anson Engine Museum


of pubs and the Vale Inn is a favourite, notleast as home to the Bollington BrewingCompany and so the perfect place to samplea glass of White Nancy or Happy Valley.

The Middlewood Way brings cyclists andwalkers right into Macclesfield, once thecentre of England's silk weaving industry,now home of the Silk Museum, withambitions to become the National Centre forSilk. This has become the focal point for abiennial textile festival which proves a point- that history will always inspire futurecreativity. And there's plenty of industry stillgoing on around here too - textile printers,weavers, ribbon makers, tie-makers. The SilkMuseum’s permanent displays tell the storyof silk and changing exhibitions oftenshowcase more contemporary textile arts.

My next thread takes me west fromManchester to Liverpool, and what betterway to make this journey than along theManchester Ship Canal? This really wasManchester's trump card - bringing ocean-going vessels with their loads of cotton right

into the heart of landlocked Manchester. Theaudacity of Victorian Manchester knew nobounds.

I will digress a little at this point and tell youabout my father. He moved us all to theNorthwest in the very early 1960s, when hecame to work for the Ship Canal Company.We lived in one of the Victorian Cheshiresuburbs that developed with the coming ofthe railway, where Manchester merchants,riding the crest of the industrial wave, wereencouraged to buy homes with the incentiveof a lifetime of free travel on the new railwayline into Manchester. A hundred years laterit was still the place to live for Manchesterbusinessmen, and my father took the traininto work every day, bowler hat on head,brief case in hand - the same train everymorning, the same train home everyevening. Our domestic timetable was ruledby that of the railway company. And justoccasionally, during our school holidays, hewould invite us all into Manchester forlunch. We would meet him in the foyer ofShip Canal House on King Street, an opulent


symbol of Manchester's success. Of course atthat time we were oblivious to the difficultiesthat made up his working life - the long andpainful process of industrial decline throughwhich he helped to steer the last years of theShip Canal Company - with quiet dignity,respect and care for the thousands oflivelihoods that had depended on it. AnotherAlex Ferguson of Manchester - less famousand never knighted, but always a truegentleman.

Later and inevitably, he and his colleaguesmoved out of King Street headquarters intomore modest surroundings - the Dock Officein Salford, with a view of shipping containersand the huge trundling Derricks that shiftedthem around the docks. It is still visible amidthe new world of Salford Quays - a stylish1920s reminder of the place that wasManchester's original gateway to the world.

The Ship Canal may not carry the loads thatit was built for, but it is still a shipping routewhich makes a cruise along it all the moreexciting - the locks long the ship canal areon an altogether different scale from any youmight have navigated on a narrowboatholiday. And it is a very much cleanerwaterway than it was. Sit back and enjoy theride - a great commentary describes thepassing scenery and wildlife. And maybeLiverpool has the last laugh in the end -Manchester Ship Canal Cruises are run byMersey Ferries.

It takes a little longer but this mode oftransport beats the M62 and Edge Lane anyday as a route into Liverpool. Disembarkingat the Pier Head, it’s a short walk to theMerseyside Maritime Museum, one of manyattractions on Liverpool’s world famouswaterfront, and one of the eight NationalMuseums of Liverpool. This is a brilliantmuseum which for me really captures thespirit of Liverpool as the gateway to theworld that it was in the 1900s. Over ninemillion people emigrants travelled fromLiverpool to start new lives in America,Australia and New Zealand, taking withthem their industrial skills and expertise tohelp build those new worlds.

Images: this page Manchester Ship Canal Cruise, facing page View to the Quays, below The Middlewood Way


My next trip out of Manchester - north eastthis time – takes me on a steam train alongthe East Lancashire Railway Line - toHelmshore Mills Textile Museum. It's a greatjourney - like much of Manchester'ssurroundings, it's pretty in a kind ofindustrial way. And it's fun. Just before Ireach Helmshore I look out of the window tosee open moorland populated with hugeturning wind turbines - so close I canactually get a sense of their magnificent size.But here’s the bizarre thing - there are peoplehang-gliding all around them. As if flyingisn't dangerous enough, they are doing sosurrounded by gigantic, heavy blades that arepowering the national grid. Talk aboutextreme sport....I can hardly look. I settleback safely in my steam hauled railwaycarriage. What a land of contrasts.

I love Helmshore Mills Textile Museum – it’sfriendly and manageable and its recentoverhaul has created a museum thatentertains and educates me without everbeing patronising. Here I discovereverything about the northwest's textileheritage that other places haven't quiteexplained to me. The museum occupies thesite of two mills, one a woollen mill, theother cotton. And if Manchester was theindustrial powerhouse, Lancashire was itsfather. This really was the birthplace of thetextile industry and its greatest inventors,Arkwright and Crompton.

Finally I keep heading north for the fresh airand scenery that was the escape fromindustrial pollution for the more fortunatein the 19th century. Many of those whomade their fortunes in Manchester spent iton grand country homes in the Lake Districtand so the threads continue. I have had toresort to the car to follow this final thread,but not for long. At Pooley Bridge I boardRaven, one of four heritage vessels run byUllswater Steamers, to transport me intoquintessential Lake District scenery, acrossits most beautiful, inspiring lake toGlenridding, once a lead-mining village. Butany signs of industry here are dwarfed by thesheer scale of the landscape, so vast and sobeautiful that it will never change.

So the threads always come full circle. Somany other industries were born to powerthe textile boom - engineering, transport,construction, financial – and then thecultural, creative and artistic wealth thatwere the rewards of its success and are theriches of today’s Manchester. In the end it all comes back to textiles and I find my lifeinextricably caught up in it all.

Images: below The East Lancashire Railway right Ullswaterbelow The Raven - Ullswater Steamer


For more information about the industrialattractions based in England’s Northwest, please see www.industrialpowerhouse.co.uk


So many of you - 83,000 people per day, infact, will arrive at Piccadilly Station fromacross the UK or beyond via ManchesterAirport. The Station offers an impressivewelcome with its modern concoursesurrounded by shops and cafés. On leavingthe station, you may head over the ManchesterCurve bridge towards Piccadilly Place, wherethe City Café awaits. Its terrace provides theperfect getaway on sunny days, allowing youto pause for a coffee and admire the modernarchitecture in this new quarter.

Alternatively, you may find yourself strollingdown Station Approach to Piccadilly – aglance in every direction showcases the area’smix of rich history combined with gorgeousinterior design. If lunch beckons, there aremany food outlets to choose from, rangingfrom fresh and fast meals at GO Italy tosophisticated dining at the Michael CainesRestaurant at ABode Manchester hotel.

Post lunch, a walk is in order and dependingon how energetic you may feel, a historicaltour of Piccadilly may be just what you need.Professional guided tours are available, oryou can adventure along with just a map forcompany. Sports fans can find the firstmeeting place of the football league, whichwas held in Piccadilly on 17th April 1888 atthe former Royal Hotel; whereas musicfanatics can check out The Roadhouse tohear the sounds of the future. Music loverscan’t go wrong here, with a hectic programmeof live gigs and club nights on offer.

On your tour, be sure to see the PiccadillyBasin Canal, where the Rochdale canal meetsthe Ashton canal. It was built in 1796 totransport coal from the pits in areas such asOldham into the heart of Manchester. It issix miles long with just 18 locks. Developmenthas seen the oldest stone warehouse inManchester beautifully restored here andnow bursting with creative businesses.

If shopping is more your thing, then headover to Piccadilly Gardens; a vibrant publicsquare that is the city’s meeting place forpeople and the central hub for buses andtrams. The Gardens used to be owned by SirOswald Mosley who, in 1775, grantedpermission for the construction ofManchester's second infirmary. He declaredthat this space must be open to the publicforever, so if you find yourself sat in theGardens on a sunny day, thank Mr Mosley.In December, the area comes alive withfestive spirit and is home to a range of

PiccadillyManchester - a day in the lifePiccadilly Manchester. Whetheryou visit the city for business or pleasure, the chances are you will know the area.

winter activities to thrill and entertain bothadults and children alike. If you’re lucky,your visit could coincide with the twicemonthly Real Food Markets, that lay outtheir wares for customers to sample – afterall, a hot cup of homemade soup or a hotchocolate is perfect in the cold weather.

If this all seems a little too hectic for you,worry not; indulge in a little pamperingbefore you head back to your hotel or rushfor your train; the Macdonald Hotel Spa offersa superbly tranquil experience - try the DecléorAroma Ultimate Relaxer Facial as a startingpoint and see where you go from there!

That’s it; your day is complete – you havesampled the Piccadilly life. Be warnedthough: it may take more than a day.

Visit www.piccadillymanchester.com

for more information.


Manchester has achieved an internationalreputation as a vibrant and dynamic leisureand business destination. This could nothave happened without the qualityaccommodation to go with it. All theaccommodation in this section has beenquality assessed by either Quality inTourism or The AA, or has recently appliedfor a rating and is awaiting assessment.

All types of accommodation includinghotels and guest accommodation (B & Bs,guesthouses etc) are now assessed to the same criteria and awarded one to five stars; the more stars the higher thequality. Budget accommodation such asPremier Travel Inns which includesroadside or lodge-style accommodation do not have a star rating.

Ratings Made Easy

«Simple, practical, no frills««Well presented and well run«««Good level of quality and comfort««««Excellent standard throughout«««««Exceptional with a degree of luxury

You can rest assured that wherever youchoose to stay in Manchester, you canbook with confidence that the higheststandards of service, facilities and comfortawait you. For more information on starratings go to www.enjoyengland.com.

More detailed information aboutaccommodation facilities are availableonline at www.visitmanchester.com.

Greater Manchester has a huge variety ofaccommodation available from chic fivestar hotels to stylish boutique hotels totraditional B&B’s. If you prefer to spendyour money on restaurants and shops andManchester’s nightlife, then you shouldcheck out the wide range of budget hotelsand youth hostels available.

Price Bands

All establishments are listed within a priceband, that shows the minimum charge perperson, per night, based on two peoplesharing.

AAA £80.00 and aboveAA £66.00 - 79.99A £50.00 - 65.99B £36.00 - 49.99C £26.00 - 35.99D £16.00 - 25.99E under £16.00

Price bands are given as guidance only, asrates can often fluctuate due to availabilityand demand. All prices should beconfirmed at the time of booking to avoidany misunderstanding.

How to Book

Go to www.visitmanchester.com for a huge selection of accommodation inGreater Manchester. Real-time availabilityand online pricing make it easier than everto book your accommodation. Alternativelycontact the team at the visitor informationcentre who can provide advice andassistance with your booking.

Manchester Visitor Information CentreTown Hall Extension, Lloyd Street,Manchester M60 2LAT. +44 (0)871 222 8223E. [email protected]

WHERE TO STAY

Malmaison, Manchester


The Britannia Wigan Hotel is adjacent toJ27 of the M6 and offers a light, airy lobby,comfortable bedrooms and a health clubwith pool and gym. The location meansthat the many attractions of the NorthWest are easily reached from thiswelcoming hotel.

The Britannia Hotel Bolton is justminutes from the M61 and has 96 wellappointed bedrooms alongside awelcoming bar & restaurant. The hotel’sposition means Manchester & Bolton areeasy to get to as is the Trafford centre andthe magnificent Lancashire countryside.

Britannia Hotels

Britannia Airport Hotel ««« Britannia Ashley Hotel ««

www.britanniahotels.com Price Band: C/D

Britannia Hotels offer the following, please contact us for details:

· Free places available to parties of 20 or more · Free Bar Packages

· Festive Packages from £160 pp · Turkey & Tinsel · Murdery Mystery Packages

Please Contact our Travel Trade Team on +44 (0)871 222 5502E: [email protected] www.britanniahotels.com

Britannia Hotels - has over 1500 rooms in 8 hotels throughout Manchester alloffering excellent locations, comfortableaccommodation and extensive facilities for business or leisure - including 4 withhealth clubs and pools.

The Britannia Hotel Manchester &

Britannia Sachas Hotel both enjoy citycentre locations with a range ofrestaurants, bars, meeting & eventfacilities and comfortable, well appointedrooms. Sachas also boasts a health clubwith swimming pool and gym which canbe used by guests at the Manchester hotel Each hotel is ideally situated at the heart of the city with all majorentertainment and shopping venues,including the MEN Arena, close by. Thehotels are served by excellent transportlinks with national rail, bus and ManchesterMetro within walking distance.

The Britannia Ashley Hotel Hale &Britannia Stockport are located in leafysuburbs offering comfortableaccommodation and, at Stockport, a healthclub with swimming pool. Hale itself offersexclusive shopping, bars, and restaurantswhilst Stockport town centre hostsmarkets, theatre and museums. Bothhotels offer easy access to Manchesterand the scenic Cheshire countryside.

The Britannia Airport, Country House &

Stockport hotels are within a few miles ofManchester airport and offer ‘Stay & Fly’packages as the ideal way to start yourholiday early and relax before flying. The

Britannia Country House Hotel also hasan excellent health club complete withpool and gym. Again all 3 hotels are wellpositioned to give easy access toManchester and its many attractions.


Britannia Manchester Hotel ««« Britannia Sachas Hotel «««Britannia Country

House Hotel «««

Britannia Manchester Hotel


Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel – The vibrant hub for businessand pleasure. Set at the gateway to Cheshire and minutes fromManchester International Airport, this 4 star hotel embodies aunique mix of Manchester’s energy and Cheshire’s charm. MarriottManchester Airport Hotel has evolved into a fashionable venue thatis vibrant and stylish, with the newly designed Lounge Bar,Restaurant and a modern conference centre with 8 suites capableof holding up to 150 delegates. Our extensive Leisure Club and Spaoffer a full range of facilities including Dance studio, treatments andon site sports masseuse. The hotel is located on the doorstep ofWilmslow, Altrincham and Knutsford offering car parking andtransfers by airport Hopper Bus to and from the airport.

Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel ««««

Hale Road, Hale Barns, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA15 8XWT. +44 (0)161 904 0301 www.manchesterairportmarriott.co.uk Price band. B

The ideal location in an ideal city, that’s Manchester’s Renaissance.The Renaissance is situated at the heart of Manchester'sentertainment quarter. Experience the vibrant café and bar cultureof this bustling cosmopolitan city; positioned on Deansgate withinwalking distance to Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, MEN Arena andManchester Central. Upon entering the hotel you will feel instantlytaken care of with outstanding levels of service. The hotel is locatedclose to Manchester United and Manchester City football stadiums;excellent transport links with Piccadilly and Victoria stations are justa short walk away, as well as being close to Manchester Airport,making the Renaissance Manchester ideal for both business andleisure travel.

Renaissance Manchester Hotel ««««

Blackfriars Street, Deansgate, Manchester M3 2EQ T. +44 (0)161 831 6000 www.renaissancemanchester.co.uk Price band. A

Marriott Hotels

To book the Mcr4 offer rate which represents a saving of 20% off the Marriott Escapes bed & breakfast

and dinner bed & breakfast rate at any of our Manchester hotels please visit

ManchesterMarriottHotels.co.uk and enter the promotional code LPR or telephone 0800 221 222


Unique Charm and Timeless Elegance at the Manchester MarriottVictoria & Albert Hotel. Set in the vibrant city centre on the banks ofthe River Irwell, located adjacent to Manchester’s newest businessand leisure district Spinningfields, the Manchester Marriott Victoria& Albert Hotel is a perfect venue for the discerning businesstraveller or cosmopolitan socialite. The recent £5.2 millionrenovation displays old architectural detail with contemporary flair,comfort and services. Luxuriously appointed guest rooms aregraced by original oak beams and exposed brick all featuring high-speed Internet access.

The hotel has eight superb conference rooms and is ideal for avariety of social and corporate events.

On-site valet parking for hotel residents ensures a smooth arrival.We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel ««««

Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ T. +44 (0)161 832 1188 www.Manchestermarriottvictoriaandalbert.co.uk Price band. A

Worsley Park - Manchester’s Country ClubHidden away in over 200 acres of parkland, this garden metropolisis minutes away from the motorway network and just seven milesfrom the heart of Manchester city centre.

The striking contemporary interior respects the traditional Victorianarchitecture, and once inside you will discover thoroughly modernfacilities throughout the estate, encompassing restaurant and bars,nine conference rooms, championship Golf Course and extensiveleisure club and luxury Spa. Whether it is for business or pleasure,whatever your reason for visiting, the resort’s location and freshinterior, partnered with the sharpness of its savvy service andvibrant atmosphere makes Worsley Park the perfect venue for any event.

Worsley Park, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club ««««

Walkden Road, Worsley, Manchester, M28 2QT T. +44 (0)161 975 2000 www.MarriottWorsleyPark.co.uk Price band. AAA

Marriott Hotels

To book the MCR4 offer rate which represents a saving of 20% off the Marriott Escapes bed & breakfast

and dinner bed & breakfast rate at any of our Manchester hotels please visit

ManchesterMarriottHotels.co.uk and enter the promotional code LPR or telephone 0800 221 222


City Inn Manchester is an award-winning,stylish, contemporary hotel in the heart of the dynamic city centre of Manchesterand opposite Piccadilly train station. Canal Street, the gay village, China Town,Piccadilly Gardens and shopping galore are all just on the doorstep.

Our 285 guest rooms, including City Cluband City Suites all come complete with a light, fresh design, floor to ceilingwindows, personal bars, fabulous AppleiMac entertainment systems,complimentary wi-fi, bespoke toiletries,

City Inn Manchester ««««

One Piccadilly Place, 1 Auburn Street, Manchester, M1 3DGT. +44 (0)161 242 1000 www.cityinn.com Price band. B

bathrobes, walk-in power showers, 24hour room service, library of movies andmusic and of course the best of beds!

The hotel also has two stunning bars -Piccadilly Lounge and Blue Bar - twofantastic spaces to relax and chill out. City Café is our critically acclaimedrestaurant offering innovative, modernEuropean food using seasonal, freshingredients. Or why not eat alfresco on our lovely, sunny terrace. And if all thefood and drink is too much, then we have a really great gym on the first floor.


Located a stone's throw away from CanalStreet and Picadilly train station this onetime elegant warehouse is now agorgeous boutique hotel with a verytheatrical style

Boasting 167 rooms, 13 luxury suites, 5 meeting rooms, a fabulous bar andbrasserie and least we forget the Le Petit Spa we guarantee you won't bedisappointed

All bedrooms come with a complete set of Mal ingredients - great beds for sleepyheads, moody lighting, power showers,CD players, CD libraries, satellite TV,serious wines and naughty nibbles. Otherlittle luxuries include fast internet access,same-day laundry, toiletries that you’reencouraged to take with you and ‘vroom’room service for breakfast, dinner or those midnight munchies!

Malmaison Manchester «««

1-3 Picadilly, Manchester, M1 1LZT. +44 (0)161 278 1000 www.malmaison-manchester Price band. AAA

With 5 luxurious meeting and eventsrooms it's the perfect spot to give yourbusiness that important edge. Largewindows create an abundance of light,with each room offering more than it's fair share of creative space. Then there'sthe state of the art equipment such asplasma TV's and wireless internet access throughout

The Brasserie serves up divinely tasty,beautifully presented cuisine all preparedwith incredible home, grown and localingredients and served with a genuinepassion. Whether you’re looking for abusiness lunch, a quick light healthy bite or a relaxed brassiere experience, yousimply have to sample Manchester’s finest.

Eat, drink and sleep MalmaisonManchester, a hotel that dares to be different

Hotel Group of the Year2008 - 2009

One of a kind

312rooms guests never want to leave

A modern, business focussed city needs a modern, business focussed hotel and in the very heart of Manchester’s vibrant city centre stands the iconic Midland Hotel.

This city landmark has undergone a £15 million investment which has seen it lovingly restored to its traditional position as the finest hotel in Manchester.

Finest for business – boasting 14 fully equipped conference and meeting rooms for up to 700 people, the Midland and its dedicated Event Co-ordinators make sure nothing is left to chance.

Finest for leisure – with its 312 sumptuous bedrooms, a choice of dining options; including the double AA Rosette award winning French Restaurant, and 2 contemporary bars, you are surrounded by a stunning mixture of grand rich history and cutting edge, award winning design.

Complementing the fabulous decor, is the Midlands famous service that is unrivalled throughout Manchester and beyond.

So, whether you’re looking to succeed in business or relax in splendour, there’s no better venue in the North West.

Discover the magic of the Midland.

To book your stay please contact us on 0845 074 0060 or at [email protected] quoting ‘Manchester Magazine’

www.QHotels.co.uk

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The brand new 4 star Park Inn ManchesterVictoria opened in June 2009. Ideal forboth business and leisure guests and witha prime location in the city’s GreenQuarter. The hotel is opposite theManchester Evening News Arena and inclose proximity to Manchester Central andto the buzzing shopping and businessdistricts. Both Victoria and Piccadilly trainstations and Manchester’s extensive tramsystem are close by, whilst ManchesterAirport is only 20 minutes away in a taxi.

Our 252 colourful, comfortable andmodern guest rooms, including 6 luxurysuites, interconnecting rooms for familiesand accessible rooms, offer floor to ceilingwindows with fantastic views of the city,tea & coffee making facilities, airconditioning, and WiFi access.

Park Inn Manchester Victoria ««««

4 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M4 4EWT. +44 (0)161 832 6565 www.manchester-victoria.parkinn.co.uk Price band. B

The RBG Restaurant Bar & Grill will temptguests with succulent steaks, gourmetburgers, light bites, a choice of soups, localdishes, salads and signature dishes fromthe grill. The adjoining outside terrace is anoasis in the city and an ideal place to relax,enjoy a snack, a business lunch, or simplya coffee or cocktail.

Pace Health Club and Nu Spa offers animpressive black tiled swimming pool,gym, sauna & steam room and 2 beautytreatment rooms.

Located opposite the Manchester Central

Conference Centre (formerly known as the

G-MEX), this modern hotel offers great

value, with contemporary comfortable

rooms and a fully equipped Fitness First

on-site gym, which is free to guests.

The Premier Inn Manchester Central has a

convenient city-centre location just a short

walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station.

We can offer you an excellent standard of

accommodation at very affordable prices

with the option of; double, twin or family

rooms that can accommodate up to 2

adults and 2 children (under 16).

Children under 16 also eat breakfast free

when accompanied by an adult eating a

full breakfast.

Our all you can eat full English breakfast is

available everyday and is priced at £7.95.

Premier Inn offers a unique no quibble

Good Night Guarantee! We guarantee

good quality rooms, friendly service and

comfortable surroundings or your

money back!

Our hotel also accommodates a fantastic

Table Table restaurant and bar serving

lunch and dinner.

Located next to our restaurant is our

Costa Coffee shop serving Italian coffee

as well as a selection of delicious hot and

cold snacks.

Visit www.premierinn.com or call

0870 990 6444 to check availability.


The Radisson Edwardian Hotel «««««

The acclaimed Radisson Edwardian Hotelon Peter Street, voted the city’s Best LargeHotel at the Manchester Tourism Awards2007, Large Hotel of the Year in the NorthWest at the Regional Tourism Awards 2007,and joint Silver at the Enjoy England 2008awards, continues to be first choice forleisure and business visitors, offering theperfect fusion of luxury and city centreconvenience.

With 263 rooms, ranging from king-sizedoubles to a range of 23 newly refurbishedsuites, each room is dramatic andindulgent containing everything expectedof an up market hotel. The hotel offersguests dining opportunities for everyoccasion from the newly redesigned Alto

The Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5GPT. +44 (0)161 835 9929 www.radissonedwardian.com/manchester Price band. AA

Restaurant offering guests a relaxing andinviting dining experience; to the dramaticOpus One restaurant, which continues togain acclaim for its stunning interiors andhonest British food.

Sienna Spa and Health Club provides anurban retreat for guests, with fivetreatment rooms and two invitingrelaxation rooms, as well as a swimmingpool and full gym, sauna and steam room.

Conveniently positioned for Manchester’svast business, cultural, retail and night life,the 5* Radisson Edwardian Hotel offersthe ultimate city break experience.


At the bustling heart of Manchester’s stylish and cosmopolitancentre, just minutes from Piccadilly, is the latest addition to thecity’s foodie scene. This hotel is breaking the mould, offeringfabulous accommodation along with a selection of drinking anddining options that cover every possibility and taste – welcometo ABode Manchester.‘..exquisite modern Europeancuisine...’Carefully designed to pay homage to the building’s pastas a cotton merchant’s warehouse, Abode's Victorian facadegives way to modern British style, comfort and absolute luxury.Attention to detail is paramount in all bedrooms, whether rated‘comfortable’, ‘desirable’, ‘enviable’ or ‘fabulous’, they all boasthandcrafted beds, comfort cooling and secondary glazing toensure that you experience a good night’s sleep. Flat screenLCD televisions, DVD players, bespoke toiletries and arefreshment tray offering plenty of tempting treats complete theunrivalled picture. And after all of the rest, relaxation andpampering, ABode also offers the very best when it comes torefuelling and rejuvenating.

Abode Hotel Manchester ««««

Abode Manchester, 107 Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2DBT. +44 (0)161 247 7744 www.abodehotels.co.uk Price band. AAA

A three star AA hotel set in five acres of landscaped gardensand only 10 minutes from Manchester City Centre.Guests can unwind and relax in one of our 69 recentlyrefurbished bedrooms, single and double occupancy roomsincluding suites.

The beautifully restored Carriage Restaurant offers a range of tempting dining options complemented by a good selectionof wines.

Chancellors also provides modern purpose-built conference andevents facilities and a selection of new and contemporaryExecutive Boardrooms. Free internet access is available in allbedrooms and conference rooms with free WIFI in public areas.

Conveniently located, we are only 3 miles from Piccadilly TrainStation, 5 miles from Manchester International Airport and iftravelling by car offer 90 free parking spaces.

Chancellors Hotel and Conference Centre «««

Chancellors Way, Off Moseley Rd, Manchester, M14 6NNT. +44 (0)161 907 7414 www.meeting.co.uk/chancellors Price band. B


Discover harmony and serenity in the middle of the city in ourluxury spa. We all need 'me time' and we can give you just that.Leave your everyday cares behind as our spa therapists easeyou into deep relaxation with a full range of spa and beautytreatments designed to enhance and rejuvenate.As a spa package guest, our trademark touches await you atevery turn as you enjoy our healthy treats and detoxifying ritualsfrom the comfort of your own fluffy gown and slippers.Depending on the time of your visit you’ll also be treated to ourlegendary spa breakfast, lunch or afternoon munchies.

Our spa days include full use of a range of luxurious facilitiesconsisting of a Technogym, rock sauna, infra red sauna, steamroom, ice fountain and a sensation shower.

Day spa packages to include the above plus treatments start at£80 per person.

Overnight packages including dinner, bed and breakfast start at£135 per person.

Quote MCR when booking and you’ll receive a lively glass of

fizz with our compliments to enjoy after your treatments.

The Spa at the Macdonald Manchester Hotel ««««

London Road, Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2PGT. +44 (0)844 879 9088 www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk Price band. AAA


Contemporary in design yet maintaining the unique character of its Grade II listed heritageArora International Hotel Manchester is located in the heart of the City. Only minutes awayfrom the main business and shopping districts it is the perfect location.

Boasting 141 beautifully furnished bedrooms with many unique design features including“Cloud 9” beds, broadband access, power showers and air conditioning combining a feel ofstyle, space and comfort along with award winning hospitality – an Arora trademark!

Arora International Hotel Manchester ««««

Some call it the best youth hostel in the world! Contemporary city centre hostel offering thehighest quality budget accommodation in Manchester. All rooms are for four persons, and allare en-suite. Modern furnishings and décor compliment the stylish canalside location.

The Wharf bar and restaurant offers the best of British food and beers with an international flavour.

YHA Manchester ««««Hostel

18 - 24 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 4LYT. +44 (0)161 236 8999 www.arorainternational.com Price band. A - AA

Potato Wharf, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4NBT. +44 (0)161 839 9960 www.yhamanchester.org.uk Price band. D

Opened May 2008 and designed to a high standard, we are perfectly positioned for The Quays and City Centre. All our 142 en-suite rooms have LCD TV’s, power showers andamazingly comfortable beds, with free Wi-Fi throughout. Add comfort cooling, triple glazedwindows, iron and ironing boards and you’ll have everything on hand to make your staycomfortable and relaxing. To compliment this, we have 5 versatile meeting rooms and on-site parking, along with our very own Italian Restaurant, Stresa. Enjoy!

Ramada Manchester,

Salford Quays ««««

The superb 68-bedroom hotel is situated in Old Trafford Cricket Ground, one of the world’sgreat international sporting arenas and home to Lancashire County Cricket Club. With freeparking, en-suite facilities and complimentary breakfast along with 36 executive bedroomsoverlooking the famous Old Trafford pitch, where else can you relax on your own balcony at the end of the day as well as being close to the city centre and The Quays?

Lancashire County Cricket Club

& Old Trafford Lodge «««

17 Trafford Road, Salford Quays, Manchester, M5 3AWT. +44 (0)161 876 5305 www.ramadasalfordquays.com Price Band. C

Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 0PX T. +44 (0)161 874 3333 www.lccc.co.uk Price band. D

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The Place Hotel offers unique loft style living, in the centre ofManchester with all the services and convenience of a hotel,with the comfort and space of home. Each apartment has eitherone or two bedrooms, lounge and fully equipped kitchen, Sky TV,DVD player, CD player, two telephone lines, internet access,microwave, dishwasher, laundry and ironing facilities.

The Place Hotel is an ideal location for corporate and leisureguests, providing flexibility for individuals, couples, groups and families.

For a special treat, relax and enjoy city views from the roofterrace of our penthouses.

Enjoy coffee, fine wines, continental beers and snacks in The Place Bar, which also serves a light lunch and evening meal menu daily, all of which are available as room service.

Take advantage of our Full English or Continental Breakfastserved daily in our restaurant.

Car parking is available on site, and Piccadilly train station is ashort walk away.

The Place Hotel ««««

Ducie Street, Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2TP T. +44 (0)161 778 7500 www.theplacehotel.com Price band. A

APARTMENTS

Whether you’re travelling with a group or prefer your home comforts, serviced apartments provide an idealoption for your stay in Manchester. There is an array of properties across the city centre to suit every need andbudget, allowing you more privacy and flexibility. Choose from five-star luxury, stylish boutique or simplecontemporary, each one is equipped with all the essentials – it’ll be like a home away from home.

Staying Cool


The Atrium by BridgeStreet consists of 116 4 star serviced apartments.Situated in the heart of Manchester, The Atrium is the ultimate ‘home from home’ experience.

The Atrium ««««

74 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6JDT. +44 (0)161 235 2000 www.atriummanchester.com Price band. C

Situated in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. The hotel features one andtwo bedroom apartments, family apartments and penthouses with loungesand kitchens. Meeting rooms. 2 outdoor terraces including hot tub forbespoke events.

The Light Aparthotel «««««

20 Church Street Manchester M4 1PNT. +44 (0)161 839 4848 www.thelight.co.uk Price band. AAA

Set in the heart of Manchester’s vibrant city centre, these contemporary 1 and 2 bedroom apartments provide the comfort, privacy & freedom of your own home with the services of a hotel.

Padhotels.co.uk Ltd ««««

74 Bridge Street Manchester M3 2RJT. +44 (0)161 839 9654 www.padhotels.co.uk Price band. B

Hip hotel meets boutique serviced apartment. Eco-friendly places with themost comfortable beds, the best designers, Apple Macs, Gaggias, organicfoods and free wifi. Marvellous!

Staying Cool ««««/«

Various city centre locationsT. +44 (0)161 832 4060 www.stayingcool.com Price band. A-AAA

Spacious city centre apartments with fully equipped kitchens, stylish leather and glass furniture, free wifi & phone calls. Private south east facing balconies. Leisure club option.

StayDeansgate Apartments ««««

Deansgate Quay, Manchester M3 4LAT. +44 (0)16974 76254 www.staydeansgate.co.uk Price band. A


Situated in the heart of the UK,Manchester’s award-winning airportprides itself on being one of the world’sbusiest and friendliest.

As the largest airport outside of London,Manchester Airport handles over 20million passengers per year. Its facilitiesare world class with three terminals, tworunways, over 250 check-in desks and 65airline operators.

Over 190 destinations worldwide areserved from this international hub and acomprehensive European and domesticair network enables visitors to use thecity as a convenient base for transfers tothe rest of the UK and indeed Europe.

The £35m transformation of Terminal 1will see the unveiling of stylish new retailoutlets and restaurants as well asincreased security lanes, to make yourjourney through the airport so much easier.

In fact, it has never been easier to fly toManchester with a variety of competitivefares and direct scheduled flights offeredby major US, UK and European airlines.

If Manchester is your gateway toexploring the many attractions the Northof England has to offer, or alternativelythe venue for a connecting flight, whynot take advantage of the fantastic offers available from the array of hotelslocated on the doorstep of ManchesterAirport. From budget to four star luxury,these venues make for a perfect take off or touch down.

When you arrive at Manchester Airport,head for The Station, a £60 million ground transport interchange whichbrings rail, coach, bus and taxi under oneroof, offering frequent and direct transportservices to Manchester city centre, York,Leeds, Windermere, Blackpool andNewcastle to name but a few. State ofthe art technology with an impressiveticket sales facility provides up-to-datetravel; visitors will enjoy a relaxingintroduction to the region. Alternativelypick up a hire car at the airport and taketo the open roads of Greater Manchester.

A train service from Manchester Airportto Manchester Piccadilly railway stationoperates every 10 minutes, with a journeytime of approximately 15-20 minutes.

For further details of the many airlinesthat fly into Manchester, visit www.manchesterairport.co.uk

MANCHESTER AIRPORT

Your gateway to the North of England.


DOMESTIC SCHEDULED FLIGHTS

Aberdeen bmiBelfast - International bmibabyBelfast - City FlybeCork bmibaby, Aer LingusDublin Aer Lingus, RyanairEdinburgh bmi, FlybeExeter FlybeGalway Aer ArannGlasgow bmi, FlybeGuernsey Aurigny, FlybeIsle of Man FlybeJersey bmibaby, FlybeKnock bmibabyLondon - Gatwick British AirwaysLondon - Heathrow bmi, British AirwaysNewquay bmibaby, Air SouthwestNorwich FlybePlymouth Air SouthwestSouthampton FlybeWaterford Aer Arann

INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULED FLIGHTS

Abu Dhabi Etihad AirwaysAlicante Monarch Scheduled, Jet2.com, bmibaby, easyJetAlmeria Monarch ScheduledAmsterdam KLM, bmibabyAthens easyjetAtlanta Delta Air LinesBarbados Virgin AtlanticBarcelona Monarch ScheduledBasel Swiss International Air LinesBergerac FlybeBillund easyJetBordeaux bmibabyBrest FlybeBrussels Flybe, Brussels Airlines, RyanairBudapest Jet2.comChambery Jet2.comChicago American AirlinesCologne GermanwingsCopenhagen SAS, easyJetCrete easyJet, Jet2.comDalaman Kibris Turkish Airlines, Jet2.comDoha Qatar AirwaysDubai EmiratesDusseldorf Flybe, LufthansaFaro Jet2.com, Monarch ScheduledFrankfurt Flybe, LufthansaGeneva bmibaby, Jet2.com, Saudi Arabian Airlines, easyJet, Swiss International Air LinesGibralter Monarch Scheduled

Gothenburg City AirlineGran Canaria Jet2.comHamburg LufthansaHanover FlybeHelsinki FinnairIslamabad Air Blue, Pakistan International AirlinesIstanbul Turkish AirlinesJeddah Saudia Arabian AirlinesKarachi Pakistan International AirlinesKos Jet2.comLahore Pakistan International AirlinesLanzarote Monarch Scheduled, Jet2.comLarnaca Cyprus Airways, easyJetLa Rochelle FlybeLisbon bmibabyLyon bmiMalaga bmibaby, Jet2.com, easyJet Monarch Scheduled, Thomson Malta Air Malta, easyJetMarrakech Thomson, easyJetMenorca Monarch ScheduledMilan FlybeMunich LufthansaMurcia Jet2.com, Monarch ScheduledNew York (Newark) Continental AirlinesNew York (JFK) American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Pakistan International AirlinesNice Jet2.comOlbia Jet2.comOrlando Virgin AtlanticOslo SASPaderborn Air BerlinPalma Mallorca bmibaby, Monarch Scheduled, Jet2.com Paphos Cyprus Airways, easyJetParis Air France, FlybePhiladelphia US AirwaysPisa Jet2.comPrague bmibabyRennes FlybeRome Jet2.comReykjavik IcelandairRhodes Jet2.comRiyadh Saudi Arabian AirlinesSalzburg Thomson, Jet2.comSharm El Sheik Jet2.comSingapore Singapore AirlinesSofia easyJetStockholm SASTel Aviv Jet2.comTenerife Monarch Scheduled, Jet2.com, easyJetTolouse bmibabyToronto Air TransatTripoli Libyan ArabVancouver Air TransatVenice Jet2.comZurich Swiss International Air Lines

MANCHESTER AIRPORT SCHEDULED FLIGHTS

Why pay more than you have to for your train tickets?

Just switch to crosscountrytrains.co.uk and we’ll search every train company’s schedule to fi nd you

the right train, at the right time, at the right price. And unlike some other train ticket booking websites,

we won’t charge you a booking fee. The more you plan and book in advance, the more you’ll save.

And, if you’re travelling on a CrossCountry train, you could even print your ticket off at home.

Click on crosscountrytrains.co.uk and let your search engine search out some big savings for you.

crosscountrytrains.co.uk your search engine

visitmanchester.com


Valet Service Packages

Collection Only - £20*Your vehicle will be collected from your destination and securely stored for return at our valet reception at The Grand car park, Chatham Street.

Collection and Return - £25*Your vehicle will be collected from your destination and securely stored before being returned to your location.

Collection, Car Care and Return - from £50*Your vehicle will be collected from your destination, securely stored at The Grand and given a Gold or Platinum car care treatment before being returned to your location

* All prices are for a single day. Each day thereafter is charged at £15.

Please call - 0207 510 1631 or visit www.ncp.co.uk/manchester for further details.Alternatively, send the following information to: [email protected]

· Name & telephone number · Address & postcode · Vehicle make, model & registration

· Arrival date, time & location · Return date, time and location

Want to explore Manchester in comfort?

Coming to Manchester? Want to get closer to where you want to be?

Why not park with NCP Manchester at one of 46 car parks in the heart of the city.

Time is precious – to make the most of your break why not visit

www.ncp.co.uk/manchester or call +44 (0)161 817 8900


MANCHESTERHOST CITY BID

England’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Bid

Pledge your support for Manchesterwww.manchesterworldsport.com

ManchesterGift Shop

Shop on-line atwww.visitmanchester.com/giftshop

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Escape the kids from only £11 With up to three trains an hour from London to Manchester and an average journey time of only 2hrs 8mins.

Book in advance at virgintrains.com

Fare advertised is Standard Advance fare. Bookable until 23.59 day before travel, subject to availability on off peak services between 10:30 and 14:00 and again after 19:30 Monday to Friday with travel permitted anytime on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations compulsory. Customers must travel on the trains they reserve. Normal railcard and child discounts apply. Correct at time of going to print and according to timetabled journeys, Monday - Friday.

For full terms and conditions visit virgintrains.com


Manchester’s central location, and excellent transport links, makes it one of the most accessible cities in the UK.

GETTING AROUND GREATER MANCHESTER

Whatever your preferred mode oftransport, Manchester has it covered,offering a comprehensive local publictransport system. So once in Manchesteryou’ll have no problems getting aroundusing buses, trains and trams.

BUS

Buses are an excellent way to see the city and the wider region of GreaterManchester. A comprehensive network of buses offer fast and frequent servicesto many destinations.

In the city centre hop on one of theMetroshuttle buses. Metroshuttle busesare free and link the main rail stations,shopping areas and businesses in the city centre. www.gmpte.com

TRAMS

Metrolink is Manchester’s innovative tramsystem. It allows easy travel in the citycentre and further afield. BecauseMetrolink runs every few minutes youdon’t need a timetable, you can just turn

up and go anytime from early morning until late in the evening. Remember topurchase your ticket from the machinebefore you board. www.metrolink.co.uk

TRAINS

There are four key train stations in thecentre of Manchester - Piccadilly, Victoria,Oxford Road and Deansgate. Piccadilly isthe main hub and is most visitors’ principal arrival point into the city.

There is a comprehensive network of localservices to many local destinations andbeyond. Trains run every 10 minutes or sofrom Manchester Airport to ManchesterPiccadilly Station. The journey takes around15 to 20 minutes. www.nationalrail.co.uk

or phone +44 (0)8457 484950.

DAYSAVER SYSTEM ONE TRAVELCARD

DaySaver is a Travelcard that is acceptedby most bus, train and tram companiesand allows you to transfer effortlessly fromone form of transport to another, as manytimes as you wish. Available from Piccadilly

Gardens, bus drivers, tram ticket machines and train stations.www.systemonetravelcards.co.uk

or phone +44 (0)8717 818181.

For more information about publictransport in Greater Manchester visit:www.gmpte.com or phone Traveline on +44 (0)871 200 22 33 (7am - 8pmMonday to Friday and 8am - 8pm atweekends and public holidays).

TRAVELLING

FURTHER AFIELD

National Express operates from themodern Chorlton Street Coach Station to cities throughout the UK.www.nationalexpress.com

or phone +44 (0)8705 808080.

Frequent rail services run to London and many other major UK cities, includingBirmingham, Leeds, Newcastle andGlasgow. www.virgintrains.co.uk

or phone +44 (0)8457 484950.

The Last WordThis is the first year that I’ve holidayed inthis country since, ooh, I don’t know when, Idon’t think I can remember - was it Shaldonin 1966, the year of my birth? Being the sonof emancipated post war parents and thembeing part of the swinging ‘60’s middle class,Mum and Dad could afford to get on a planeand leave cloudy old Blighty to the die-hardBrits. Such has it ever been…..until now -the recessionary summer of 2009.

With piggy banks broken by piggy bankersand our collective consciences pricked by the press about doing the right thing for thesake of the planet, it added up to holidayingat home.

Now I’ve ‘outed’ myself before as a fan ofcanals, a narrow boater - so seven weeks circumnavigating Britain’s canals was anattempt to compensate for an August inAmalfi foregone. And whilst nothing,absolutely nothing can compensate for themagnitude of that loss, I found out that it’sperfectly possible to fall in love….with yourown country.

Pottering, for that is what one does at fourmiles per hour, along 535 labour-intensivelinear miles on the historic industrial arteriesthat pass through Britain’s villages, towns,cities and countryside is an eye opener. FromManchester to London - down the GrandUnion Canal, out onto Old Father Thames at Limehouse, off at Oxford and back toManchester up the Shropshire Union has to be one of the most amazing and trulyundiscovered British journeys that anyonecan do; it’s a delight, assuming you’ve gottime to live more slowly.

Traversing the country, stopping off to feed,fuel and generally just faff brought into sharpfocus something that’s been bothering mefor the last 20 years and that’s the erosion ofregional identity. Frankly, if we don’t stopand think about where it’s all taking us, itsoon won’t be worth bothering exploringanywhere at all because it will all look, smell,feel and taste the same.

Take Banbury, the destination for your cock-horse, the home of the Banbury cake (a confectionery endeavour that doesn’tcome close to the puffy delights of an Ecclescake or its flatter Chorley cousin), Banburyhas had its soul snuffed out, its identitysmothered by a downtown shopping mallpossessing what little charm can bemustered amongst the dreary high streetchains. I’m sure that at one time it had araison d’être, a function, a sense of reasonand a sense of self worth.

Banbury is only one example - the country islittered with lookie-likey towns, towns withtheir souls knocked out, Stepford Townsthat do precisely what we ask, with no barkand no bite.

The solution to all of this is, of course, to raise the plight of the independents, thecharacters, the individuals, theentrepreneurs that dare to be different:people who take risk and reward us withtheir endeavour by making placesworthwhile, by making places worth visiting.

By embracing its independents Manchesteris the one city in the country that could riseto the ambition to deliver a city that is trulyworth visiting, a city that balances corporateculture with a good dose of counter cultureand combines those components to create desire.

If we just lived through the lost decade, then let’s make up for it in the next: let’sembrace, empower, encourage and mostimportantly reward the independents andstart to make this city and this country truly distinct.

Nick JohnsonChairman of Marketing Manchester and regionalrepresentative of CABE - the Commission forArchitecture and the Built Environment.

Bus Stn.

*(For costs see overleaf)

Marketing Manchester

Carver’s Warehouse, 77 Dale St, Manchester, M1 2HGT. +44 (0)161 237 1010 F. +44 (0)161 228 2960 www.visitmanchester.com

Designed & Published:

Marketing Manchester, November 2009

Contributors:

In addition to the authors of our features and ManchesterVoices, Marketing Manchester would like to thankeveryone that has provided editorial for this issue of MCR.

Cover Photography:

The Henri Oguike Dance Company The Contact Theatre. Photograph by Matt Davis

Photography:

Ian Howarth, Steve Aland, Photolink, Jonty Wilde, Jan Chlebik, David Millington, Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency, Paul Jones, David Lake, Manchester City Council, Matt Davis

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy in this publication, Marketing Manchester cannot accept liability for any loss or damage arising from its use. As changes oftenoccur after publication date, it is advisable to confirm theinformation given.

The information contained within this guide is copyright and no part ofthe guide may be reproduced in part or wholly by any means, be itelectronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of thepublishers.

Marketing Manchester is the agency charged with promoting the city-region on a national and international stage.

Visit Manchester is the Tourist Board for Greater Manchester and is adivision of Marketing Manchester. They are funded by 360 commercialmembers and the organisations below.

MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE

Manchester City CentreWelcome! Manchester’s compact city centre contains lots to do in a small space.To help, we’ve colour coded the city. Explore and enjoy!

Manchester Arndale & Market StreetHome to all the high street favourites and a few independent surprises.

Deansgate, King Street & St Ann’s SquareA host of prestigious designer stores.

PetersfieldHome to Manchester Central conference complex, The Bridgewater Hall and Great Northern.

ChinatownMade up of oriental businessesincluding Chinese, Thai, Japaneseand Korean restaurants.

Exchange Square & New Cathedral StreetHome to the biggest names in fashion, Selfridges,Harvey Nichols and lots more.

Northern QuarterManchester’s creative, urbanheart with independent fashionstores, record shops and cafés.

PiccadillyThe main gateway intoManchester, with Piccadilly trainstation and Piccadilly Gardens.

CastlefieldThe place to escape from thehustle and bustle of city life with waterside pubs and bars.

The Gay VillageUnique atmosphere withrestaurants, bars and clubsaround the vibrant heart of Canal Street.

SpinningfieldsA newly developed quartercombining retail, leisure,business and public spaces.

The CorridorHome to the city’s twouniversities and a host of cultural attractions.

mcr4 magazine

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