Friday 30th September 2005 - morning
I left Southampton Airport at 7:35am on a drizzly late September morning. Unfortunately, the cloud cover meant that there were no superb aerial views of the country. The flight was very short and I arrived at Manchester Airport at around 8:30. After walking several miles to escape from the labyrinthine terminal building, I boarded a First Transpennine train bound for Blackpool. However, as my intended destination was Manchester Piccadilly, that is where I alighted.
It was raining when I left the station so I decided to locate some indoor pursuits. I headed up towards the main shopping heart of the city and explored the Arndale Centre which is currently being 'redeveloped'.
2. A Victorian building near Manchester Piccadilly station. The large vacant site was formerly occupied by the Law Courts which were demolished recently after just three decades of existence.
3. Looking towards the Arndale Tower and shortly opening Next store from outside the Urbis centre.
4. The famous CIS Tower, currently Manchester's highest building. As the Brutalist central tower is seen as too offensive by some, it is being clad with metal panels.
5. A 'rock bar' in the Printworks development. I just had to photograph this as the guitar neck and keyboard sticking out of the wall are an interesting decorative feature!
6. ditto
7. A new building under construction, the design of this is incredibly modern.
9. The Metrolink tram network in action near the Printworks.
10. The Arndale Centre showing the original facade and the 'redeveloped' facade. Basically, they are cladding it with metal panels.
11. A rather Brutalist shop/office building on Church Street.
12. The Arndale Centre, old facade. This is just about the only corner of the centre left in the 'old' style (except for the tower).
13. This shows Market Street, one of Manchester's main shopping thoroughfares and the 'new' style Arndale.
14. The same as the above photo, looking the opposite direction.
15. The interesting new glass tunnel connecting the Arndale Centre with the new M&S/Selfridges building.
16. Manchester Cathedral. Manchester is not famous for its cathedral and indeed this one is by no means particularly imposing.
After that, I explored the excellent Urbis museum, which is dedicated to urban studies. There was a brilliant gift shop where I bought a load of punk badges and a book called 'Boring Postcards' but in actual fact, it was quite the opposite, it featured a fine selection of 1950s and 60s postcards showing some great period architecture and interiors. Fantastic.
17. The Urbis museum
After visiting Urbis, I continued to explore the city:
18. The Printworks, a complex of trendy nightclubs and bars.
19. A traditional pub off Exchange Square. Due to commercial developments, this was moved piece by piece and reconstructed on the current site.
20. The new Next store, opening soon.
21. Exchange Square, with the new Selfridges building in the foreground.
22. St Ann's Square.
23. Department Store, Deansgate
24. A monument outside the Town Hall in Albert Square.
25. Manchester Town Hall, one of the most impressive town halls in the country.
26. Another view of the Town Hall
27. A view of the 'Chinatown' area of the city, one of several themed 'districts' of the city centre that make exploring the city easier. Chinatown features numerous Chinese businesses including restaurants, bakeries and the only internet cafe in Manchester I could find!!!
28. A rather derelict looking cinema, formerly the Odeon (put out of business by the Printworks development) in Oxford Street and next to it, a very dirty 1960s commercial building.
