A Manchester thread for all things Manc

[farmerbarleymow]

John Rylands Library is worth visiting, and if they're open The Portico Library and of course Chethams Library.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Don't think Manchester Museum opens on Mondays either.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

the transport museum (not quite city centre, but fairly close to a metrolink station) isn't open mondays / tuesdays or i'd suggest that. likewise the heaton park tramway is now closed until next year.

there used to be a good radical / alternative bookshop not far from piccadilly - can't remember if it had a cafe space as well. anyone local know if it's still there? i can't remember what it was called or exactly where it was, and searches haven't come up with anything.

the national football museum seems to have moved to manchester. it wasn't there last time i went.

must be over 20 years since i last set a paw in manchester

 

[hitmouse]

So I'm going to be spending 24 hours in Manchester this Mon - Tues.

Can some kindly soul produce a must-see/visit list of interesting places?

I fancy the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Museum and Manchester Art Gallery although I doubt if I'll be able to see all three without overloading on culture.

What else is worth checking out? How about cafes/alternative spaces etc?

Much obliged!

People's History Museum is definitely worth a look if you're interested in that stuff. Cafes/alternative spaces tend to be a bit far-flung cos city centre rents are ridiculous, but let me think... Old Abbey Taphouse in Hulme is a lovely establishment that you should definitely have a look at if you're round there, as is Kim's Kitchen, also in Hulme. P3 Annihilation Eve (formerly Peste) is a little bit (ok, more than a little bit) silly and hipster but I like it and it's worth seeing imo, maybe see if there's anything on at Islington Mill while you're there? The Carlton Club is a nice community venue in Whalley Range, maybe try and have a look at Niamos/Nia centre? Round Didsbury and Withington way, there's Fuel Cafe and Cafe Blah, both of those are worth a look for nice/interesting/alternative cafe places. You should try and have a pint in Gulliver's, Castle Hotel and the Peer Hat as well, I reckon. Will you be based in any particular area?

Also, Working Class Movement Library says "The archive reading room appointments from Tuesday – Friday from 10AM to 4PM. Our display spaces are are open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 1.00pm to 4.30pm and there is a tour of the library every Friday at 2pm." So not ideal but you might be able to make an appointment for the reading room if you're curious?

 

[The39thStep]

The Science and Industry Museum ( MOSI) is always a good shout. Whitworth art Gallery is/was always closed Monday but open Tuesday, The Northern Quarter is worth walk round for eats and beers , years since I have been but the Port Street Beer House always had a good selection., Oldham Road has the Castle where I once went to an Urban meet when I was still in the UK. The Marble Arch has its own brewery.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

You may like to peruse Eastern Bloc Records ed
Eastern Bloc Records Manchester opens at 7:30am

Or Afflecks Palace over the road

https://afflecks.com/pages/about-us

Plus lots of other stuff in the Northern Quarter

Arts & Culture - Northern Quarter Manchester

Find out about arts & culture in the Northern Quarter

northernquartermanchester.com

 

[Saul Goodman]

You may like to peruse Eastern Bloc Records ed
Eastern Bloc Records Manchester opens at 7:30am

Or Afflecks Palace over the road

https://afflecks.com/pages/about-us

Plus lots of other stuff in the Northern Quarter

Arts & Culture - Northern Quarter Manchester

Find out about arts & culture in the Northern Quarter

northernquartermanchester.com

Afflecks Palace used to be good in the late 80s/early 90s. Is it still good or has it been gentrified and shittified?
Eastern Bloc was excellent, too.

 

[stethoscope]

Been so long since I got across to Manchester, perhaps next year now. The two Urban meets I made some years ago now were great nights

 

[zahir]

Manchester Jewish Museum is quite modest really but at least it's open on a Monday. The cafe isn't bad.

Manchester Jewish Museum

Manchester Jewish Museum is a place to experience how we are different, together. Open seven days a week from 10am-5pm, sharing the stories of Jewish Manchester with the world.

www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com

eta: except that it's closed in the afternoon tomorrow

Please note that tomorrow, on Monday, 30 September, the museum will close at 12pm for a private event. You can still visit us in the morning – we open at 10am and last entry will be at 11am. We apologise for any inconvenience. We’ll reopen as usual from Tuesday, 1 October.​

 

[hitmouse]

Crowdfunder to help Hulme residents taking Manchester City Council to court:

Fight for Manchester’s land: Ensure our Council stand up to Developers

A campaign by residents of Hopton Court & Aquarius Estate, fighting plans to turn the Gamecock into student flats.

www.crowdjustice.com

Private developers, Curlew Alternatives Eighth Property LP, have been pushing for permission to build student accommodation on the site of the former Gamecock pub in Hulme for years.

Not only do these plans ignore the needs of the existing community in Hulme, but building a 9-storey block on this relatively tiny piece of land would completely overshadow the surrounding area. Development work would also create gridlock at this key public transport artery for the city.

These are just some of the reasons that the planning committee had previously refused the plans on four separate occasions.

But Manchester City Council allowed the developers to come back again and again. The planning office exploited the use of the Council’s own written constitution, telling the committee that they could only make a ‘minded to refuse’ verdict, effectively permanently deferring final refusal. This gave the developers an advantage.

Now, on the fifth attempt, the development has been given the green light.

We believe that this decision was made unlawfully, and we need your help to stop this development going ahead!

We need £10,000 to protect the campaign from adverse legal costs. Donate now and share our appeal with friends, family and colleagues.

Apparently all donations received this week will be matched.

 

[The39thStep]

Which reminds me of the book about him Never Counted Out -The Story of Len Johnson

​

 

[editor]

I visited the Museum of Illusions and can definitely recommend it!





I also checked out the National Football Museum which didn't impress me as much.

 

[hitmouse]

Quick crosspost from the housing crisis thread, story on disrepair in social housing focusing on Middleton:

'There's water running down the walls': Social housing complaints soar by 162% as council repairs costs quadruple

An investigation by LBC has found local councils are experiencing a surge in the number of complaints concerning the condition of social housing and, as a result, facing ever-increasing repair bills.

www.lbc.co.uk

For more on the Middleton tenants fighting for repairs and compensation, there's an indepth interview with them on Renters' Radio here: