Manchester City Centre
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City of Manchester. |
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Manchester City Centre from the south. |
Manchester City Centre is at the heart of the
City of Manchester, in the metropolitan county of
Greater Manchester,
North West England. Manchester City Centre has been extensively redeveloped in recent years. This redevelopment was prompted by the
IRA bombing of the city in
1996. This event and the awarding of the
2002 Commonwealth Games to the city have proved to be the catalyst for much change in the area.
One of the most notable effects of this redevelopment has been a large increase in property development in the City Centre and there are now nearly 5000 residential properties in the City Centre, mostly in the form of apartments. Well over half of these have been built since
1996. Some of the most notable developments are
No. 1 Deansgate and
Urban Splash. The prices of these homes has also risen and the first £2 million penthouse was sold in
2002 and due to the promotion, witnessed in other cities in England, of inner city living.
The
Castlefield area of the City Centre has seen particular change and now has a vibrant nightlife as well as being home to many houses and offices.
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Castlefield |
Manchester City Centre has many nightclubs, many of which following in the footsteps of the
Hacienda nightclub which has now closed and the site redeveloped as a housing complex. There is a large
gay village around the
Canal Street area of the city centre, which plays host to an annual
Mardi Gras, and also the largest
Chinatown in
Europe with numerous places to eat.
There are a variety restaurants in the City Centre including restaurants owned by famous chefs,
Marco Pierre White and
Paul Heathcote. There is also a stock of hotels in the area with Manchester's first five-star hotel, the
Lowry Hotel opening in the City Centre in
2001.
Manchester City Centre is home to the world's largest
Marks and Spencer store and is also home to a
Selfridges and
Harvey Nichols.
Deansgate and
Market Street are the city centre's principal
retail streets. There is also a large indoor shopping
mall called the
Manchester Arndale Centre. There are many leisure facilities in the City Centre also with the recent opening of
the Printworks, a large facility containing a cinema (including an
IMAX screen), numerous bars, clubs and restaurants and also Manchester's first
Hard Rock Cafe, contributing further to this.
The
Northern Quarter, centred around Oldham Street, is known for its bohemian atmosphere and independent shops and cafes.
The landscaping of the City Centre has also provided many public spaces including the newly developed
Piccadilly Gardens, which incorporates fountains, green spaces and a
Metrolink station, as well as
Exchange Square which is located near the
Urbis, which is a museum of city life. There are other museums in Manchester City Centre including the
Manchester Museum which contains many ancient artifacts and natural history items and the
Manchester Museum of Science and Industry which includes many hands-on exhibits.
The City Centre is a local government ward in the City of Manchester. It is represented by three Liberal Democrat Councillors - Cllr Marc Ramsbottom, Cllr Ken Dobson and Cllr Elaine Boyes.
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St Ann's Church, Manchester*
Salford - city just on the other side of the
River Irwell in Manchester City Centre, but part of the
City of Salford metropolitan borough.
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Manchester Metrolink - tram network of Greater Manchester which passes through the City Centre area.
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Virtual Manchester*
Manchester City Guide An Essential Guide to Bars, Pubs, Clubs, Hotels and Restaurants in Manchester.
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Manchester City Centre Webcams!
