| Manchester city centre | |
|---|---|
| Central business district | |
 Skyline of Manchester city centre | |
  Manchester city centre Location withinGreater Manchester | |
| Population | 17,861 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SJ839980 |
| • London | 163 mi (262 km) SE |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Manchester |
| Postcode district | M1, M2, M3, M4 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Manchester city centre is the central business district ofManchester, England, within the confines ofGreat Ancoats Street, A6042 Trinity Way, and A57(M)Mancunian Way, which collectively formthe inner ring road.[1][2] TheCity Centre ward had a population of 17,861 at the2011 census.[3]
Manchester city centre evolved from the civilianvicus of theRoman fort ofMamucium, on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the riversMedlock andIrwell.[4] This became thetownship of Manchester during theMiddle Ages, and was the site of thePeterloo Massacre of 1819.[5] Manchester was grantedcity status in 1853, after theIndustrial Revolution, from which the city centre emerged as the global centre of the cotton trade which encouraged its "splendidly imposing commercial architecture" during theVictorian era,[6] such as theRoyal Exchange, theCorn Exchange, theFree Trade Hall, and theGreat Northern Warehouse.[5] After the decline of the cotton trade and theManchester Blitz, the city centre suffered economic decline during the mid-20th century,[7] but theCIS Tower ranked as the tallest building in the UK when completed in 1962.[8]
The city centre acts as the transport interchange forGreater Manchester and over 7 million people live within an hour's drive of it. The1996 Manchester bombing provided the impetus for the redevelopment of the city centre[9] and an upturn in retail, leisure, offices and urban living.[10][11][12] The economy of the city centre is built primarily on retail and services, accounting for nearly 40% of Grade-A city centre office space outside London.[13][14]
Manchester evolved from the civilianvicus associated with theRoman fort ofMamucium, which was established c. AD 79 on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the riversMedlock andIrwell, in a position defensible from theBrigantes.[4] Once the Romans had abandoned Britain, the focus of settlement shifted to theconfluence of the riversIrwell andIrk.[15] During theDark Ages which followed – and persisted until theNorman Conquest – the settlement was in the territory of several different petty kingdoms.[16] In theMiddle Ages, what is now the city centre was thetownship of Manchester.
Manchester Castle – a medieval fortification, probably taking the form of aringwork – was located on a bluff where the rivers Irk and Irwell meet.[17] The castle was first mentioned in 1184 and recorded in 1215 as belonging to thebarons of Manchester, the Grelley family.[18] It has been described as "of no political or military importance".[19] The Grelleys replaced the castle with a fortifiedmanor house, which in turn was replaced by a college of priests (founded in 1421).[20] In 1547 the college was dissolved and the property acquired by theEarl of Derby and early in the reign of King Charles II it was sold to the governors who had been appointed in the will ofHumphrey Chetham. By royal charter in 1665Chetham's Hospital was established and this becameChetham's School of Music.[21]
Manchester city centre is part of theManchester Central parliamentary constituency, represented byMember of Parliament (MP)Lucy Powell, from theLabour Co-op Party.[22]
TheCity Centre local electoral ward was divided in 2018 between two new wards,Deansgate andPiccadilly.[23]
The city centre has variously been defined as those parts of the city within theManchester Inner Ring Road,[24] or else the entire area within Manchester's Inner Ring Road, thereby encompassing a part of the administratively separateCity of Salford,[25] and an area ofOxford Road to the south.[26] Political and economic ties between the city centre and neighbouring Salford andTrafford have strengthened with the shift from town and district centres to metropolitan-level centres in England.[25][27] Manchester city centre is the commercial heart ofGreater Manchester[26][10][28] and with adjoining parts of Salford and Trafford is defined as its Regional Centre forurban planning and public transport purposes.[26][27][28][29][30]
There is little order due to the manner in which the city rapidly developed during theIndustrial Revolution nor much agreement on the differing areas in Manchester city centre. However many areas and streets in the city centre have a distinctive character with identifiable clusters of industrial warehouses, civic buildings and modern developments. Many of these distinctive areas are covered in 14 city centre conservation areas which are defined byManchester City Council.
These are essential ingredients to the City's sense of place, providing aesthetic quality and strong references to the City's past, which will always be a central part of Manchester's character. Development which fails to respond to the opportunities that this context affords should not be supported. Recent development, includingUrbis and theCourts of Justice, has demonstrated how modern architecture of the highest standard can succeed alongside the established built fabric of the City Centre.
— Manchester City Council planning policy on conservation areas in the city centre,[31]
Castlefield is an area in the extreme southwest between Deansgate and the River Irwell with the sites of the Roman fort and Liverpool Road railway station. It retains much of its industrial character and is the onlyUrban Heritage Park in the United Kingdom, and is marked by its mercantile 19th warehouses and adjoining wharfs which were used to transport goods from Manchester during the Manchester's industrial era. Today, Castlefield is quiet and noted for its waterside bars and pubs. Notable structures includeManchester Liverpool Road station which was the first inter-city railway station onthe opening of theLiverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830. Today the station frontage remains and is a grade Ilisted building, as is the adjoining1830s warehouse. The structure now forms part of theMuseum of Science and Industry (MOSI). For many years Castlefield was on a tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Status for its industrial past – particularly in regards to the development of the canal as a mode of transportation and the railway.[32]
TheNorthern Quarter is in the north east and is known as a hub for alternative and bohemian culture in Manchester. Previously the area was the retail heart of the city centre, but with the opening of the Manchester Arndale in the 1970s patronage gradually dwindled and vacant buildings were commonplace. In the late 1980s the area was renamed as the Northern Quarter in the hope that the area would be reincarnated from the ground up. Following the boom of the late 90s and early 2000s the area has become a popular destination for shops, bars, restaurants and nightclub – many of which have an independent ethos.[33]
The opening of theManchester Arndale in 1975 shifted the retail focus towards the area bounded by Market Street, Corporation Street, Withy Grove and High Street. Despite the Arndale's unpopularity with many critics, it has been described as an outstandingly successful shopping centre by visitor numbers and spending. Today the Arndale attracts 41 million visitors a year and is the largest city centre shopping centre in the United Kingdom.
The area has been extensively redeveloped after the IRA bomb of 1996 and containsManchester Cathedral,Shambles Square,Exchange Square andCathedral Gardens, as well as shopping streetsMarket Street andKing Street. Since the bomb, Selfridges, Marks & Spencer and NEXT have opened dedicated large stores in the area. Not all shops are strictly in the retail area with many in Deansgate and King Street – a short walk from the area.
Spinningfields is an area in the west adjoining the middle part of Deansgate and the main business district of the city centre. The proposal to create a designated central business district originated in 1997 whenAllied London purchased a number of buildings around theJohn Rylands Library. Allied London executiveMike Ingall was convinced of the site's regeneration potential andManchester City Council was keen to redevelop the city centre after the1996 Manchester bombing.[34] The development, named from a narrow street which ran westwards from Deansgate, is bounded by Bridge Street to the north,Quay Street to the south, Deansgate to the east, and the River Irwell to the west.[35]
The area is noted for glazed, modern buildings – many of which are offices. In 2010, Spinningfields accounted for 35% of the city centre prime office space with 44 commercial organisations employing nearly 20,000 people.[36] Notable buildings in the area include1 The Avenue,3 Hardman Street and theCivil Justice Centre – short-listed for theStirling Prize and noted as a landmark building for its distinctive cantilevers. Future buildings include the Cotton Building and construction commenced in summer 2014 and will be completed by 2016. Construction on a new 90 metre office tower,1 Spinningfields could also commence in 2015 after securing a pre-let in late 2014.
Aside from offices, Spinningfields was home to a number of high end retail units such as Armani and Mulberry. However, with the main retail district being on the opposite side of the city centre, these units struggled.[37] In recent years the district has cultivated a far more successful image in the food and drink offering with a number of popular restaurants and bars in the area. Footfall, particularly in the evening after work hours, has increased, and revenue from retail and leisure in Spinningfields has risen from £10 million in 2008 to £50 million in 2014.[38]
Piccadilly is the transport interchange of the city centre with rail, tram and bus services all within a five-minute walk. The area is typically busy with pedestrians commuting to and from the city centre. The area is dominated byPiccadilly Gardens. It is the largest public square in the centre which was redeveloped in the early 2000s but not to a universally positive reception. For over 150 years Manchester Royal Infirmary was located on the site but closed in 1914. A few years after closure the hospital was demolished and public space was created with a landscaped garden set into the ground – hence the name. The area is served byPiccadilly Gardens tram stop and one of the city centre's main bus stations,Piccadilly Gardens bus station, which has over 20 stands. Most of the stands are located on the south-west side of the square with the rest on the north side.
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Peter's Fields, now known as St Peter's Square sits at the top of Oxford Road and Peter Street and extends east towardsPrincess Street. It is noted for its purpose as a civic area and includes important buildings and monuments such as Central Library, Midland Hotel, YMCA Building, Manchester Town Hall and Town Hall Extension – all of which are listed. It is described by Manchester City Council as "perhaps the greatest collective accolade to Manchester's original modern heritage".[39] The square is famous for thePeterloo Massacre in 1819 when cavalry charged into a crowd of 60,000–80,000 that had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation on what was previously fields – hence the name Peter's Fields. A monument to commemorate the nationally importantly event in the struggle for suffrage is expected to be commissioned for 2019[needs update] to mark the 200th anniversary of the massacre.[40] In recent years, the square has been redeveloped with new high-rise office buildings,One St Peter's Square andTwo St Peter's Square with further buildings approved for the derelict Odeon site and London Scottish House adjacent to the Midland Hotel.[41] As part of the redevelopment, theCenotaph was relocated outside Manchester Town Hall in 2014 andSt Peter's Square tram stop was redeveloped with an additional platform and new configuration in 2016.
Manchester's Chinatown is an area to the south of Piccadilly Gardens with many oriental restaurants and other facilities of a far eastern character. It is the second largestChinatown in the United Kingdom and the third largest in Europe.[42] The first settlers to arrive in the city came in the early 20th century; according to theBBC, "Many arrived alone and were engaged in what was seen as the traditional trade oflaundries."[43] Manchester's firstChinese restaurant, Ping Hong, opened onMosley Street in 1948,[43] on the eve of a Chinese immigration wave that would commence during the 1950s.[44] Manchester did not have a significant Chinese population, reaching only about 2,000.[45] However, afterWorld War II, there were severe labour shortages, and in response, the government passed theBritish Nationality Act 1948, which allowed easier access into the country.[45] Additionally, Hong Kong's rapid urbanisation meant that many farmers and traditional residents' homes were being destroyed by theurban sprawl, so many decided to migrate.[44][45] The area's beginnings are rooted in the restaurant business, as many Chinese restaurants surfaced soon after the immigration boom. By the 1970s other Chinese businesses began to emerge, such as medicine shops, Chinese supermarkets, as well as financial and legal services, all serving the employees of the expanding number of Chinese restaurants in the area.[44][45] The area has retained a far eastern character ever since and in 1987 a paifang archway was installed to as a gift to the Chinese community and to reflect the far eastern heritage of the area.
Canal Street, known as thegay village, is a part of the centre east of Portland Street and west of Whitworth Street through which runs the Rochdale Canal; it contains many bars, clubs and other facilities – many of which are focused towards theLGBT community. The area has long been associated with the gay community with links going back to the early 20th century when homosexuality was still illegal. During the industrial years the area was ared light district.
Victoria North is a new town in the city centre of which the landmark development is theVictoria Riverside project.[46]
Neighbouring districts and places | |
|---|---|
| Demographic | Central[47] | City of Manchester[48] | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,689 | 392,819 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 82.0% | 81.0% | 91.0% |
| Asian | 4.3% | 9.1% | 4.6% |
| Black | 2.8% | 4.5% | 2.3% |
| Chinese or other | 8.0% | 2.7% | 0.9% |
| Mixed | 2.8% | 3.2% | 1.3% |
At the2001 UK census, the political ward of "Central", which covers an area of 2.14 square miles (5.54 km2), had a population of 11,689 with a population density of 5,460 inhabitants per square mile (2,108/km2). While this was lower than the population density for the whole city (8,798 inhabitants per square mile (3,397/km2)), the proportion of land dedicated to domestic buildings was lower in the ward than in the whole city (6.7% compared to 8.0%).[49] There was a female-to-male ratio of 100 to 113, much higher than the 100 to 95 ratio for all England.[50] Of those over 16 years old, 65.7% were single (never married), 13.7% married, and 8.7% divorced; this was significantly different from the national figures of 30.2% single, 43.5% married, and 8.2% divorced.[51] The ward's 6,188 households included 61.1% one-person, 8.6% married couples living together, 9.0% wereco-habiting couples, and 12.4% single parents with their children; compared to national figures, there was a high proportion of single person households, and a low proportion of married couples living together.[52] Of those aged 16–74, 30.5% had noacademic qualifications, lower than the figure for the City of Manchester (34.0%) but slightly above that of the whole of England (28.9%).[50] The ward had a significantly higher percentage of adults with a diploma or degree than the city or England as a whole. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 26.3% had an educational qualification such as first degree, higher degree, qualified teacher status, qualified medical doctor, qualified dentist, qualified nurse, midwife, or health visitor, compared to 21.4% in Manchester and 19.9% nationwide.[50]
Deansgate andMarket Street are the centre's principal retail streets and King Street (with high-class shops) and St Ann's Square are known for their specialist fashion and other shops. There is also a large indoor shopping mall called theManchester Arndale Centre. Manchester city centre has several large department stores includingMarks and Spencer on Market Street,House of Fraser (formerlyKendals) on Deansgate,Harvey Nichols on New Cathedral Street andSelfridges in Exchange Square. There are many leisure facilities in the city centre includingthe Printworks, a large facility containing a cinema (including anIMAX screen), numerous bars, clubs and restaurants and also Manchester's firstHard Rock Cafe. TheNorthern Quarter, centred on Oldham Street, is known for itsBohemian atmosphere and independent shops and cafes.The landscaping of the city centre has provided several public spaces includingPiccadilly Gardens, which incorporates fountains, green spaces, a concrete pavilion designed byTadao Ando, and aMetrolink station.Exchange Square is located nearUrbis, formerly an exhibition centre focusing on city life but closed and re-opened in mid-2011 as theNational Football Museum. Both Piccadilly and Exchange Square are used for screening public events. Two of the city centre's oldest buildings, The Old Wellington Inn and Sinclair's Oyster Bar, were dismantled, moved 300 yards and re-erected in 1999 to create the newShambles Square adjacent toManchester Cathedral.[53]
There are a great variety of restaurants in the city centre. There are also a good stock of hotels in the city centre which include theMidland, theHilton within theBeetham Tower, andKimpton Clocktower.
Manchester city centre has manynightclubs, many of which follow in the footsteps of theHaçienda nightclub which has now closed; the site has been redeveloped as a housing complex. There is agay village around theCanal Street area in the east of the city centre, which plays host to an annual gay pride festival, anda large Chinatown with numerous far eastern style restaurants. The area to the west which is bisected by Deansgate and crossed by Peter Street is also well-provided with bars and some clubs (e.g. The Moon under Water and Ampersand).Rafters was a nightclub located inSt James's Buildings. A number of bands played concerts at Rafters in the 1970s and 1980s. Rafters closed in 1983. In its final years the DJ wasMike Shaft who appeared onPiccadilly Radio withTakin' Care of Business. After that the club was renamed as Jilly's which existed to 1993, after which the club was called MusicBox.[54] The city centre also has many bars, mostly located in theNorthern Quarter, regarded by some as the central district's creative hub. The quarter is well-provided with bars of various sizes; these include TV 21, Bar Fringe, the cocktail bar Apotheca and Trof. Live music venues may also be found here, including the Night & Day Cafe, MOHO Live and jazz bar Matt & Phred's.
There are two major theatres in the city centre, thePalace Theatre (opened 1891) and theManchester Opera House (opened 1912).[55] In 2008, plans emerged to redevelop the Palace Theatre as a northern base for the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet, however these plans were shelved and both theatres were purchased by theAmbassador Theatre Group for £90m.[56] In recent years the group have launched the 'Manchester Gets It First' campaign and a number of high-profile musicals have premiered in Manchester such asGhost in 2011.[57] TheRoyal Exchange, a nationally known theatre company which specialising in new productions of the classics and is known for its 'the round' layout. TheCornerhouse, at the top of Oxford Road and opposite the Palace, is a venue for the visual arts and contains several cinemas which show mainlyart house films. A new Cornerhouse and Library Theatre building will open at First Street in 2015[needs update] providing a larger home for both companies.[58]
Manchester Art Gallery, opened in 1824, welcomes over half a million visitors every year and is one of the largest galleries outside London.[59] TheManchester Museum of Science and Industry in Castlefield explores the industrial heritage of the United Kingdom with emphasis on Manchester. ThePeople's History Museum explores the social history of Manchester and the United Kingdom. Many galleries and museum exist outside the city centre in Manchester and Greater Manchester such as theWhitworth Art Gallery,Imperial War Museum North andThe Lowry.
Manchester City Centre has four railway stations in theManchester station group: Piccadilly, Victoria, Oxford Road and Deansgate.
City Lines - Manchester Metrolink | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Metrolink is the light rail tram service that operates in Central Manchester. The services are usually 6 mins in the peak and 12 mins off-peak to most destinations, all of which are within Greater Manchester. As of 2021 there are eight lines operating, connecting the city centre with termini atAltrincham,Ashton-under-Lyne,Bury,East Didsbury,Eccles,Manchester Airport,MediaCityUK,Rochdale and theTrafford Centre. A new line through the city centre was constructed in 2014-15.
Metrolink stops in the city centre are:
Two stations used to serve the city centre but have been closed:
There are also 2 major bus interchanges located in the city centre;Manchester Piccadilly bus station andShudehill Interchange which all serve local bus services to areas in the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, as well as some from the surrounding counties ofCheshire, Lancashire,Yorkshire andDerbyshire.
Chorlton Street coach station provides long-distance coach services operated byNational Express to cities across Great Britain.Shudehill was opened so the bus system was directional.
Part of the City Centre is in Salford and both the Regional Centre and Inner Areas cover areas of Manchester, Salford and Trafford... Manchester City Centre is defined as the area inside the Inner Relief Route and extends to the south to encompass the Oxford Road Corridor. The City Centre also extends to Chapel Street, within the administrative boundary of Salford City Council.
