Manchester 2007

Manchester city centre landmark St Peter’s Square is to be reconfigured as an open public space, lined with trees and featuring a continental-style paved surface, benches and flowerbeds.

At present, the landmark area – bordered by the Central Library and the former site of the Odeon cinema and Dutch Pancake House – is a mish-mash of historic developments and more modern constructions, sliced into various segments by roads and tram tracks.

The cenotaph currently marooned in the centre of the square will be relocated to one side, while the existing tram stop will be moved to a more suitable position, allowing the area in front of the picturesque Central Library to be used more freely by pedestrians. There will also be a permanent memorial for the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, which took place when the site was known as St Peter’s Field.

It is the latest in a series of schemes designed to make Manchester’s key sites more attractive and improve the flow of people and traffic, encouraging visitors and improved business prospects. Many a marketing agency Manchester and architecture firm has been involved in the gradual transformation of the city’s image, which many feel began in earnest after the IRA bombing of the Shambles district in 1996 and was hastened by the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

The redesign of St Peter’s Square has been undertaken by German landscape architecture practice Latz + Partner, selected by Manchester City Council, and a planning application will be submitted later this summer. Work is expected to proceed between late 2012 and 2014.

Many people head to Manchester for shopping and music, but it also has lots of other cultural attractions to offer – not least its varied architecture.

The city features a huge mix of business premises, houses, apartments, hotels and serviced accommodation Manchester, many of which are housed within or near buildings of historical or artistic importance.

These are a few of Manchester’s most famous structures:

Manchester Town Hall
Designed in the gothic revival style by architect Alfred Waterhouse, this impressive structure was completed in 1877 and is widely considered to be one of the most important Victorian buildings in the UK. It was given Grade I listed building status in 1952 and is often used as a backdrop for weddings, films and television programmes.

Manchester Central Library
Currently undergoing renovation, Manchester’s Central Library was built in the early 1930s and has an unusual circular construction, which is neoclassical in style and based on Rome’s Pantheon. It is Grade II listed and has been used for theatre performances as well as archive storage.

The Beetham Tower
Standing 47 stories tall and featuring a distinctive cantilevered upper half, the Beetham Tower has been Manchester’s tallest building since it topped out in 2006. It is one of the world’s thinnest skyscrapers and also the UK’s tallest residential building (third in this category in Europe), housing apartments in its upper half while the first 23 stories are occupied by the Hilton Deansgate hotel. The Beetham Tower is capped by a glass blade which works as a lightning rod and has been known to whistle loudly in high winds.

Judging restaurant quality can be a very difficult thing, as there are so many different ways to measure it. Some people prefer advice from friends, whereas others use guide books – and some will only try a restaurant if it’s received a favourable review from a respected critic.

As someone who enjoys Manchester eating out – and dining in other cities, too, national and international – I’m often asked by friends to recommend venues. However, I’m frequently hesitant to do so, as it’s such a personal thing… and you can never tell when a restaurant that’s usually fine is going to have a bad night.

I’ve sometimes eaten at places which were superb and gone on to tell people how great they were – then, a week or two later, I’ve gone back and had a really poor experience. It can change hugely depending on the chef and front of house staff on the night you happen to visit.

It’s often the same for critics, however, even if they’re incognito when they attend (which they really should be, if they’re doing the job properly). A restaurant could be excellent all year and then be unlucky enough to cater for a Michelin guide inspector on the very day their head chef comes down with a nasty virus, or a delivery of produce fails to arrive. Likewise, a restaurant could have a spectacular night when a food reviewer is in attendance, but be far less impressive the rest of the time – and then people blame the critic for having bad taste.

Of course, people’s perceptions vary too. As I love good food, I’m happy to pay for quality – but some are horrified by high prices and it can ruin their entire evening if the bill is a lot more than they’d like. Suddenly, a meal they enjoyed can seem like a rip-off.

So, bearing all that in mind, it’s important to be careful when you encourage someone else to visit your favourite venue.

There’s been lots of excitement among air travel geeks this week, as Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner began a test flight at Manchester airport, bringing the region’s plane spotters out in droves.

The twin-engined, wide-bodied plane is the company’s most fuel-efficient to date, and the first major model in the world to be built mostly from composite materials. It also has noise-reducing chevrons on its engines, a very streamlined nose design and a wing span of 197 feet.

But does all this make it ‘dreamy’? I’m not sure. It’s a nice-looking plane, I suppose – and it’s great that it’s environmentally friendly and creates less noise pollution, for both passengers and people on the ground.

However, I’m more excited by truly awe-inspiring machines such as the Airbus A380, which is fascinating because it’s so huge and distinctive. When I see that heading over Manchester to the airport, I do stop to watch.

Just like the A380, however, the Dreamliner has a luxurious cabin, with reclining chairs and sleeping quarters (though no showers). It also has larger windows than most planes, allowing passengers to see the views much more clearly and avoiding the claustrophobic feeling generated by some – and a special air filtration system to relieve the usual unhealthy effects of air conditioning.

Its most headline-grabbing feature, however, is its ability to fly non-stop from Manchester to Australia, due to its fuel efficiency – which is why some people are saying it’s the greatest advance in air travel since Concorde in the 1970s. Now that IS impressive.

In eating venues, the most important thing after the quality of food and service is definitely atmosphere. In fact, I’d go so far to say that it’s almost of equal importance. You can be eating the best steak you’ve ever had – and the waitress might have a lovely smile – but if you’re uncomfortable or your surroundings are unfavourable, your enjoyment of the experience will be inhibited.

Manchester is blessed with a fantastic variety of buildings for its restaurants, from historic character-filled stone structures to brand new glass-and-steel temples. However, it’s vital that the right location is chosen for each venue; and that it is then further adapted to make a visit the best it can possibly be.

Carluccio’s in Spinningfields is an interesting example of a place that has struggled to find its identity, from a décor point of view – but is now taking steps to correct that. Named for its founder, respected chef Antonio Carluccio, it is part of a nationwide chain. Given that there is a large number of Italian restaurants in Manchester, this puts it at a disadvantage, as many people will continue to flock to independent favourites if they want premium quality.

Unlike most Italian restaurants, it has never been a cosy or comfortable venue, with lightweight, hard tables and chairs and a draughty environment due to its huge windows and multiple entrances. However, it has now installed some softer furniture and turned the deli area into a bar, which makes it look more bustling and welcoming. It’ll be interesting to see whether it has the desired effect on popularity.

The BBC’s weekday early morning show, BBC Breakfast, began broadcasting from its new base in Salford earlier this week. Naturally, this has generated a new wave of discussion about the corporation’s decision to move several key departments out of London.

Criticism of MediaCity in Salford is rife, with many believing it leaves a lot to be desired when compared with Television Centre in the UK capital. The Daily Telegraph reported that there were security fears about the surrounding area – but this has since been answered by the revelation that the BBC’s London home has a crime rate nearly six times higher than that of its new Salford location.

One of the other key concerns is the quality of guests for shows such as BBC Breakfast, as many celebrities and politicians are based in London and therefore would have to travel north to appear. However, critics seem to forget that famous people frequently travel to appear on television shows all over the world – and that Greater Manchester has numerous entertainment venues and business hubs which are constantly being visited by huge stars who stay in the city’s hotels and serviced apartments – and may well be open to a TV interview during their time here.

However, the latter issue perhaps hasn’t been helped by the appearance of Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder and similarly stereotypical northern stars from days gone by. In fact, it has probably served to confirm the worst fears of some – southerners who think the north is empty of oft-replenished talent and star quality; and northerners keen to show the world that these parts have plenty of cutting edge culture to offer.

While the BBC shouldn’t sideline Greater Manchester’s heritage and ignore its iconic faces, it’s important that its diversity and contemporary appeal are given an equal chance to shine.

I had to laugh this week when I saw national newspaper the Daily Mail’s article about Manchester City footballer Mario Balotelli, asking whether he symbolises all that is wrong with British football.

It may be true to some extent – but also a little harsh, as he’s an entertaining character and viewed affectionately by many. If you’re a newcomer to tales of Balotelli’s exploits, here are a few examples:

Cash – With earnings of £125,000 a week, Mario isn’t short of money. Famously, when he was involved in a traffic accident and police asked why he had £15,000 cash in his glove box, he simply replied: “Because I am rich.” He has also bought snacks with £50 notes and even once put £1000 behind a bar to treat its customers.

Cars – Balotelli has a white Bentley Continental GT, purchased for around £140,000. He has a bad habit of leaving it on double yellow lines all over the place, especially cafes and bars in Manchester, amassing an estimated £10,000 of parking tickets. He also tends to drive it fast – including towards electric gates, on one occasion, just to see whether they’d open in time (they did – but only just). Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Bentley has been involved in various altercations with other vehicles.

Fireworks – In autumn 2011, Mario decided on some 1am celebrations at his £3m Cheshire home, via the medium of fireworks. Unfortunately, he set them off from inside his bathroom. The fire brigade attended to put out the ensuing blaze.

More money than sense? Definitely. But football culture would be a much more boring place without him.

Manchester has many, many worthy places to enjoy a real ale or nice glass of wine – and everything in between. However, today I’ve picked out a few very different venues that you should make sure you visit at least once.

Briton’s Protection
Next to concert venue The Bridgewater Hall, the Briton’s Protection is known for several things – not least its collection of over 200 types of whisky, a city centre beer garden and being the location of Badly Drawn Boy’s very first gig. It also used to host occasional meetings for the Factory Records crew, being near the infamous Hacienda nightclub. If you fancy a change from the usual sleek or modern-day kitsch style of bars in Manchester, this is the place to come, with lots of dark wood, tiled walkways and real fires signalling its Victorian roots.

Dry Bar
Northern Quarter veteran Dry Bar was formerly known as Dry 201 and owned by local band New Order, famous for their part in the Madchester scene of the 1980s and early 1990s. It is featured in 24 Hour Party People, a feature film which creatively documents the era – including the urban legend that Happy Mondays lead singer Shaun Ryder was spotted waving a gun around at the height of the band’s fame. Accounts differ as to whether or not that ever really happened.

Dukes 92
Dukes 92 and sister venue Albert’s Shed, an Italian restaurant, sit beside each other in Castlefield. As soon as a few rays of sun peek out from behind the rainclouds, crowds always descend swiftly on the huge outdoor eating and drinking area, which overlooks the canal system. It may not sound like much, but nowhere else is Manchester’s industrial history quite so apparent – nor so attractive in the sunshine.

As the Manchester riot cleanup showcased the pride that many residents felt towards their beloved city, it seems that the operation has also inspired people further afield to take action in their own towns and cities. Cash mobs have sprung up throughout the US, where locals flock to their local independent stores to spend money on the available wares.

Andrew Samtoy, a Cleveland lawyer, thought up the idea following his trip to the UK during the summer riots. The good deeds performed after the events resulted in the lawyer thinking about what Cleveland residents could do for the good of their own city. Samtoy then set up flash spending sprees to help to boost the profile of local stores and bring additional customers through their doors.

From the Manchester riots, Samtoy looked at how such social media as Twitter and Facebook were used in order to organise not only the rebel groups, but also the Manchester clean up groups. Through social media marketing Manchester residents managed to organise what and where needed to be cleaned, exemplifying that Twitter, Facebook and BBM could also be used to bring people together for a good cause.

It would be interesting to see Cash Mobs spring up around Manchester as there a whole host of independent stores throughout the city centre and its surrounding areas of Chorlton, Didsbury and Fallowfield. I’m sure that any independent store from Piccadilly Records to Pop Boutique would welcome the start of a Manchester Cash Mob which would help to celebrate the local stores that many residents know and love.

When television company ITV leaves its current Granada Studios home for MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, later in 2012, the remaining site on Quay Street may be turned into a residential area.

Manchester Town Hall has created a regeneration framework which indicates that landmark building Granada House will be refurbished to create updated offices; while the historic Bonded Warehouse may be converted into apartments.

Other buildings on the 13-acre plot would be cleared and the land redeveloped, with the hope that shops, cafes, restaurants and local family amenities would spring up, while the existing Coronation Street set would remain as a tourist attraction. If all goes ahead as planned, potential job opportunities in the area are expected to total 5,000.

The phrase ‘waterside quarter’ has been bandied about in reference to the scheme, which more cynical Mancunians might find amusing. Manchester already has the Northern Quarter (a mesh of Piccadilly and Ancoats), a name which has stuck – and then a few with less successful labels, such as the Southern Quarter  (around Oxford Street) and the Millennium Quarter (around Exchange Square).

Manchester already has a water-focused district in the shape of Castlefield, with its network of canals and bridges – a place that many feel is badly in need of regeneration itself – so it seems a bit odd that an new area so close by (just on the other side of Liverpool Road, in fact) may also opt for that theme. However, it would also improve links between Spinningfields and Castlefield and could therefore benefit the entire western edge of the city.

In my time I’ve seen a lot of plans come and go for various areas around Manchester – and as many have been forgotten as have gone ahead, so I’m not holding my breath. But only time will tell…