advertisement


The PFM guide to Manchester.

Sloop John B

Sloop John B

And any old music will do…
Sloop Jnr (now a 27 year old man) has recently moved to Manchester, and we helped him bring his stuff over on the ferry two weeks ago. I didn’t have much time to spend in Manchester but during a quick tour of the city, it struck me that you could have very old buildings, presumably from the mid-1800s on one side of the street and much newer buildings probably on the other side, as if planning and conservation was not a thing at some stage in Manchester.

It struck me that as a lifelong Manchester United fan (there are many of us in Ireland) that I knew nought about the city of Manchester. So if there are any Mancunians amongst you, that would like to give citizens history of your city, it would be much appreciated.

Will be heading over again shortly and I’d love to hear about any interesting places we should see particularly places that give some idea of the social history, and perhaps the industrial history of the area as because Ireland (Dublin) never really was impacted by the industrial revolution I do find the era fascinating.

Also, he seems to be doing all the shopping in Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s I wonder are there any good food markets or farmers markets around and about?

And of course record shops, although in reality I mean CD shops as I no longer buy vinyl, so some good new and secondhand shop recommendations would be very welcome. And also hi-fi shop recommendations – with my son now having an address in Manchester, I may be able to sidestep some of the Brexit issues which have basically shut off the UK hi-fi market to me.

So I’d like any information at all about Manchester, current or historical, I’d like to delve into the city and try to get a feel for what the city was in the industrial era, what it became as traditional industries died out and what it is currently.

And lastly what’s the best chipper?

.sjb
 
Piccadilly Records (new) and Vinyl Exchange (2nd hand) on Oldham St. Just been there from Plymouth and bought several CDs and one LP. Been away for 17 years and got lost!
Can't help with the other questions.
 
Sloop John B said:
it struck me that you could have very old buildings, presumably from the mid-1800s on one side of the street and much newer buildings probably on the other side, as if planning and conservation was not a thing at some stage in Manchester.
Click to expand...

Camden is very much like this. There it's a result of the blitz where big chunks of Georgian terrace were destroyed. Our old 1970s ex-council flat was one such site. The differences in the colour of brick in the terrace opposite show very clearly where the roof and half the third storey were taken off by the explosion and rebuilt.
 
Sloop John B said:
Will be heading over again shortly and I’d love to hear about any interesting places we should see particularly places that give some idea of the social history, and perhaps the industrial history of the area as because Ireland (Dublin) never really was impacted by the industrial revolution I do find the era fascinating.

.sjb
Click to expand...


https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/home

This place is great, and will likely meet these needs.
 
paulfromcamden said:
Camden is very much like this. There it's a result of the blitz where big chunks of Georgian terrace were destroyed. Our old 1970s ex-council flat was one such site. The differences in the colour of brick in the terrace opposite show very clearly where the roof and half the third storey were taken off by the explosion and rebuilt.
Click to expand...

I feel a bit silly not considering WW2, it was known in Ireland (southern) as the “emergency” and only one stray bomber hit Dublin. So near and yet so far.

.sjb
 
I lived in Manc in the late 70s / early 80s. Now my daughter lives there and I can hardly recognise the places I knew. Like a lot of big cities it is a network of sprawled neighbourhoods and villages that have all merged together. There simply is not one 'Manchester'. Today it is fast growing, fast developing and very dynamic - a lot of the grot I remember has been swept away (in my day NO ONE went anywhere near Salford, for instance). Still a fair bit of grot to go - but seeing old mills being developed into 2-bed flats at north of £500k each is gulp making material.

Yes - Umbrella is needed, especially in the more Northern Districts - after all water, and lots of it, was one the main reasons Manchester developed the textile industry that is really at the root of the city / wider area. There is a reason that the posher areas are mostly to the South and South West of the city - it is drier down there!
 
JensenHealey said:
There is a reason that the posher areas are mostly to the South and South West of the city - it is drier down there!
Click to expand...
It's true. I was brought up in Prestwich, to the north of the city. There were many times we would head out onto the motorway and, crossing Barton Bridge, find the weather much nicer! I've noticed a similar phenomenon when going over the hill on the M1 between Derby/Notts and Leicester.
 
King Bee in Chorlton is a very good record shop. They also often have very good CD boxsets at reasonable prices if that's your thing.

Edit - just re-read your clarification re being interested in CDs. Good selection in King Bee but I have found boxsets particularly strong.
 
Sloop John B said:
Also, he seems to be doing all the shopping in Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s I wonder are there any good food markets or farmers markets around and about?
Click to expand...
Worth a trip on Metrolink to Bury. The market is pretty much a permanent (and famous) thing. Also where you can have a genuine black pudding barm!
 
Lived in GM and worked in Salford for 31 years. To date I have owned zero umbrellas. I walk 4 to 5 miles per day before work and regardless of the weather. Rain rarely an issue any more than it is anywhere else in the UK. Find the cliches downright annoying. Nowadays wind is the bigger issue.

Manchester city centre changes weekly. Sometimes for the better and sometimes worse.

Both the Museum of Science and Industry and the People’s History Museum would ordinarily be recommended but both are suffering at present for lack of staff and exhibits. Still worth visiting but neither what they were. The PHM has some interesting omissions and biases and neither offer a full picture. Do both but I’d also give serious consideration to the Working Class History museum in Salford, which will in a lot of gaps. The real tennis club in Salford is well hidden; will need booking but is worth a look. Additionally book on some of the many walking tours. Jonathan Schofields are variable but never less than entertaining and informative.

Lots of food markets but maybe start with Bury or see if you can time a visit with the Bolton Food and Drink Festival. The Manchester one could be politely described as expensive and elitist. Arndale market has improved immeasurably. The Northern Quarter has some gems but has really peaked at this point. A potter found Ancoats will see you right on most foodie fronts though.

For music you’re struggling as the focus is on vinyl. Lots will recommend Piccadilly Records but nowadays it’s largely vinyl and the staff remain amongst the least excited or animated by music I have ever met. HMV in the Arndale is probably as good as it gets although there’s a few gems with mostly vinyl but some fabulously obscure CDs on the outskirts in places like Bury and Leigh.
 
Rented a flat at Leftbank in Spinningfields in 2006/7 when it had just been built. It was very convenient and great fun. Used to love the bars and restaurants. Akbar’s was a favourite, along with Stock and Grill on the Alley. Glad I didn’t buy it as I think it has cladding issues.
 
Best city in the UK.

Record shops - Sifters, King Bee, Vinyl Exchange, Vinyl Revival, Piccadilly, Vinyl Resting Place, Clampdown - all do CDs.

Architecture is wide and varied - Midland Hotel, Central Ref Library, Town Hall all amazing buildings, Manchester Central is a great use of an old railway station, some gems in and around Northern Quarter.

Before I was a veggie I used to regularly eat a Kobideh kebab from The Rusholme Chippy... if there's a better kebebab anywhere in the world I'm yet to eat it and obviously won't now :D

The Police Museum is worth a visit in addition to those mentioned above. Helmshore Textile Museum also (about 20 miles north of Manchester).

Some brilliant restaurants - Rusholme curry mile worth a visit for the atmosphere although the best curries are in the city centre now.

Great Thai and Chinese (in China town). Mostly reasonable prices too. Some lovely little cafes and eateries only open at lunchtimes in the Nothern Quarter.

Ignore comments about the rain, there is not much more or less than anywhere else in that part of the world.

Loads of pubs still have live music, some obscure clubs as well... sniff them out and enjoy.

There's more to the place than people realise... especially southerners :D
 
I think the OP's suspicion that planning and conservation didn't feature high on the council's priorities are probably well founded. Back in the '60s, '70s and '80s a lot of awful and insensitive building happened, largely that sort of minimum spend, functional and unimaginative dross. It sits oddly cheek by jowl with some wonderful old buildings which, back in the '60s, '70s and '80s would have been dirty and unrecognisable, and their architectural merits largely hidden beneath layers of soot.

It's much better now, though. The IRA bomb did Manchester a huge favour and the city I grew up in has definitely got its mojo back.

The Northern Quarter is great, probably has peaked as the cutting edge has moved out to Ancoats, but that does mean there are some well-established places in the NQ nowadays which have become institutions in their own right.

Not much by way of good food markets in the city centre AFAIR (whereabouts is SJB junior located?), albeit plenty of foodie outlets for dining in, Mackie Mayor for example (which also sits next to the Band on the Wall which is a great music venue).
 
tiggers said:
Before I was a veggie I used to regularly eat a Kobideh kebab from The Rusholme Chippy... if there's a better kebebab anywhere in the world I'm yet to eat it and obviously won't now :D
Click to expand...

Excellent! You'd think to yourself 'great I didn't get that all over my clothes and shoes this time' only to find out in the morning just how wrong you were :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top