Manchester’s development shows no signs of slowing down and here is what people – locals and new arrivals – think of the new city centre ‘brimming with confidence’
Jack Iddon (left) and Lucas Dawson both live in Manchester (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
A toddler is asleep in her pram and blissfully unaware of her surroundings in a city which is said to be ‘brimming with confidence’.
Darcy, aged two is growing up in Manchester with her dad Lucas Dawson and as she sleeps, he catches up with old pal Jack Iddon over a latte on Stevenson Square. “There’s an advert on Oldham Road that says ‘we were here when Ancoats was known for Sankeys and not sourdough’. I think a lot of people see that as a change for the negative, and the advert is for them, but I like it,” Lucas says.
Sankeys was a legendary nightclub in Ancoats’ Beehive Mill, founded by Sacha Lord in 2000, and 16 years later, it closed and was converted into offices and a coffee shop. The closure came as Ancoats went from derelict warehouses to trendy neighbourhoods, notorious for its inhabitants’ supposed predilection for artisan bread.
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People have mixed views on the astronomical growth in Manchester
Like the rest of the city centre, redevelopment was spear-headed by successive pragmatic Labour-run councils, willing to work with the private sector to attract investment, starting in the late 90s. By the 2010s, billions flowed into the city as property developers moved in. Out went surface-level car parks. In came skyscrapers and mill conversions into apartments, fully occupied by urban young professionals, complete with new bars, restaurants, and shops.
They brought disposable income and an enthusiasm for fancy everyday luxuries like craft beer, sourdough, and artisan coffee, reportes the Manchester Evening News. A stereotype of latte-sipping, yoga-classing, sourdough-eating ‘new Mancs’ followed shortly after. You were either Sankeys or sourdough. Dry Bar or Diecast. Madchester or Manchattan. ‘Balancing’ the needs and wants of old and new Mancs is a tension council leaders are ‘well aware of’.
This tension is only growing, because Manchester has become busier-than-ever since the pandemic ended. Footfall in July 2025 was 3pc higher than July 2024, and July 2024 was 6pc busier than July 2023. That was driven by significant new development like Aviva Studios in 2023, Co-op Live (eventually) last year, and City adding thousands more seats to The Etihad. Alongside more visitors, more people live here now. In the last two years, 5,110 new homes have been constructed across the city centre.
Sankeys is now a ‘co-working space’(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Fans of the ‘new’ city centre love its buzz, the job opportunities, and ‘confidence’. But others, usually lifelong Mancs who grew up within a couple of miles of the skyscrapers, feel left out. “It’s horrible, the only time I go is if I’m cutting through it,” said Julia, collecting a chippy in Miles Platting. Asked why, she gave a five-word answer: “It’s as rough as anything.”
Undoubtedly, someone’s opinion of the city centre will change depending on which part of it they interact with. Heading for a £130, 12-course dinner at Michelin-starred Skof? You’re more likely to be a fan. Need to change buses at Piccadilly Gardens and battle its well-documented social issues? You’d be more likely to avoid the city centre next time.
As city centre development shows no signs of slowing, it doesn’t appear this tension is going away anytime soon. So the Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to dozens in town to see what they make of it. Manchester’s buzz is a big draw and big enough to tempt Elisabetta Nicoli to leave Italy twice. Initially, the 38-year-old left her hometown, where they make the amaretto liqueur Disaronno, and then after Covid she swapped the sun-kissed Tuscan Renaissance city Florence for Mancunian rain-soaked cobbles and concrete.
Elisbetta Nicoli chose to live in the UK(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“I moved here for work in 2013 and I loved it,” she explained while clutching her pooch Rudy, near her home on Chapel Street on the Salford side of the city centre. “Manchester is exciting. A lot of things are happening. My friends are here, there’s gigs, there’s music, there’s bands and the people are very nice.”
Amy, munching on a Subway sandwich on the central library steps in some late-summer sunshine, agreed ‘there’s so much to do’. She explained: “We were travelling in Australia and came back to Britain, choosing between London and Manchester. We loved it here. Everyone in London is moving up, because everyone works remotely. In general we love it, there’s so much to do, the people are friendly.”
Footfall is up year-on-year in town, driven by new openings like Co-op Live(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Like Elisabetta and Amy, old friends Jack Iddon and Lucas Dawson call Manchester home. Sipping lattes in the Northern Quarter, buzz keeps the pair here – and means Darcy’s growing up in Ancoats. Originally from Oldham, Lucas explained: “2018 was when I moved here first. I think it’s a nice vibe, I love it. A lot of people say it’s a blanket negative, the way town has changed. I think there are more positives, like the way Stevenson Square is now.”
In fact, marketing manager Lucas thinks Mancs don’t realise how good they have it: “We went out to Australia and we were moaning about the nightlife, but I think we are spoiled here.”
Stuart is a craft beer salesman in Manchester(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Stuart Rumble knows a bit about buzz: He sells craft beer to pubs. “It’s boss,” Stuart, 34, smiled through his Scottish accent on Motor Square weeks later. “It’s going with the times, it’s still got a good buzz. More people are coming to Manchester. It’s a city people want to come to.”
That buzz is drawing people for jobs in the city. One new arrival is Conor McMahon, 23, from Bristol. An Oxford graduate, he had ‘a few options’: “London was expensive and Cambridge was a bit small for me, so I thought Manchester would be fun.
Conor McMahon, 23, says he chose to start his career in Manchester over London(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“My friend told me about the Northern Quarter, but Red Bank is nearer the office and Northern Quarter rents are ridiculous… so I would rather live in Redbank because it’s nice. It’s just a shame it does not have that much green space.”
Bratham Sawant, sat in Angel Meadow park, moved to study here – trying MMU before getting into Salford uni. He’s made the move from Mumbai to get a job in data science, eventually: “The technical industries are good in Manchester, it’s an industrial area. But in other industrial areas like Scotland it’s not that great. I can learn [and get] a job here in the UK.”
Bratham Savant studied at Salford University and hopes to work in Manchester(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Buzz is also attracting holiday-makers, as is its walkability. Tourist Michael Nehrmann is part of a growing trend of visitors to Manchester not coming for a football match or a gig. After unnecessarily apologising for his excellent English skills, the Berliner explained why he flew to England’s second, not capital, city.
“Usually if I was to go to England, I would go to London, but you have to walk everywhere and it’s big,” he explained over a cigarette on St Peter’s Square. “Here everything is close so I prefer Manchester. It’s easy.”
He’ll come back, probably: “I would like to see other cities, but easyJet does not fly there that often compared to Manchester.” Gloucestershire husband-and-wife Victoria and Lee Davis were asking for directions on Cross Street during their daughter’s 16th birthday shopping trip. Again, they chose visiting Manchester over London.
“We mainly go to London, but the shopping here is better,” said Vickie, 45. “We were only here for two days and we did the Trafford Centre yesterday.”
Lee Davis, 52, and wife Vickie Davis, 45, on a shopping trip(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Buzz creates demand. And demand for housing in town is still sky-high, as Liz Gordon knows only too well. Liz, a 23-year-old actress selling flowers on Stevenson Square to make rent, wants to live centrally to be near work and because she ‘really likes the social side of Manchester and the hustle’.
“People are doing their own businesses and making their own stuff,” Liz, originally from Wolverhampton, explained. “That’s cool.” But ‘it’s got harder and harder to find a place to live’, she added: “A lot of people are coming up from London for work.
“Last year I was in an apartment and I was looking to move to Ancoats or Salford. I wanted to pay about £750 per month in a share. But estate agents were asking for me to have a guarantor who earned I think £83,000. I’ve been looking for the last month. I’m on a lease coming to an end in two weeks. I’ve been doing seven viewings every week – I want to live with a friend, so we are doing five viewings each a week at least.”
Atif Hussain, 40, is worried about people from Manchester being pushed out(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Over on Exchange Square, Atif Hussain, a 40-year-old student in town living in Rochdale, feels the same way: “My concern is that the cost of living means prices and rent just go up and up for local residents. They are pushing citizens out to the periphery of Greater Manchester, so the towers are benefiting people on higher incomes rather than traditional Mancunians.”
Grace King studied in Manchester and would like to move back. But she can’t afford it. Visiting for the day from York with mates Maddie Bricklebank and Mya Moyser, the trio were waiting for Maddie to get a tattoo on Bexley Square. She found the parlour on TikTok.
“I like Manchester,” Grace said. “I would move back if it was cheaper, although my friends and family are in York. I want to spend more time with family and friends, but there is the money. I would rather have a job to move here first.”
Should Grace move, she’ll add to the influx of non-Mancunians putting roots down here. Years ago town used to be full of people Carly knew. It’s not anymore, she said as she served Julia in the Miles Platting chippy: “No one interacts with you.
Maddie Bricklebank, Mya Moser and Grace King (l to r) waiting at a Bexley Square tattoo parlour(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“Everyone is scurrying about. You used to go there and you would see people you knew and let on to them. It’s not like that now.” Carly usually visits Piccadilly Gardens, the Arndale, and Market Street, areas she called ‘scary’. She’s not alone in feeling uncomfortable.
“It’s got a bit dangerous with the stabbings, and the youth that stand around smoking drugs,” said Kirsty Fletcher, a 41-year-old stay-at-home mum in Ardwick. The former support worker ‘now does a lot of shopping online because of the way town is’.
Tony Mineo, 38, also ‘does not think it’s safe’. “I do not think it’s as clean as it used to be,” he added. “You see homeless people gather together. There’s nothing wrong with them but they leave empty cans and throw up on the street.”
Tony, 38, is worried about safety in Manchester(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A 63-year-old pensioner in Ancoats, who gives her name as ‘Mrs Cook’, now goes to great lengths to avoid Market Street. It’s a far cry from when she worked as a ‘barrow girl’ on Church Street, on a market stall next to current Lord Mayor Carmine Grimshaw.
“I do not touch Market Street, or Piccadilly Gardens,” she said. “I go on the tram from New Islington straight to St Peter’s Square, down to Deansgate then up to Marks’, and go back the same way for my shopping.”
GMP’s Commander for the City of Manchester, said the force is ‘aware of the concerns being raised around Piccadilly Gardens and we’re listening’. Chief Superintendent David Meeney told the LDRS: “We’re working closely with Manchester City Council and other partners to make meaningful improvements. It’s important that everyone who visits, works, or lives in Manchester feels safe.
Police in Piccadilly Gardens(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
“Our neighbourhood officers are out every day engaging with the public, and we’re running regular, dedicated operations to tackle criminality and key issues being reported around antisocial behaviour, and the use of illegally modified bikes.”
Council leader Bev Craig is also ‘well aware’ of the square’s shortcomings, and is promising action: “We [have] significant plans – developed working closely with Greater Manchester Police and other agencies – to improve both the appearance of Piccadilly Gardens and people’s experience of the place.”
On Friday (October 17), the council unveiled plans to regenerate the square with the first phase of the multi-million-pound project to begin after Christmas. More grass and flowers are promised, along with a permanent base for police. However, Coun Craig is confident the city centre is moving in the right direction. She recognises her challenge remains ‘balancing the old and the new’ so ‘everyone can be as proud of Manchester’ as she is. That challenge will likely not change in the near future.
In a statement for the LDRS, she said: “Manchester’s growth in the past two decades tells a story of a city brimming with confidence, a place where people want to visit to soak up our vibrant cultural offer, music scene and night life. Our city centre population has now surpassed 100,000 people from only a few hundred in the 90s, showing how in demand our city centre is as a great place to live, work and play – all underpinned by quality employment opportunities that help our residents and businesses thrive.
Bev Craig said it’s her job to ‘balance the old and the new’(Image: ABNM Photography)
“We are a city where things happen. This summer’s cultural highlights – from the Manchester International Festival and the Women’s Rugby Fan Zone to MCRLive 25 and Oasis – created a huge buzz that was felt across the whole of our city centre. Once again, the eyes of the world were trained on Manchester.
“We have invested in our green spaces – Ancoats Green and Mayfield Park are some of the best green spaces in the city – and we are continuing to improve our city spaces and neighbourhoods through our £15m Clean and Green programme. We have invested in walking and cycling routes, as well as improved public transport options, to make sure our city centre is easy to travel to and through sustainably.
“Of course, growth at this scale and the magnetic pull of our city is great news for Manchester and we relish riding the crest of a wave that puts us firmly on the global map. Our city centre is lots of things to lots of different people, but we also know that this success brings challenges.
New buildings are quickly springing up(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“Littering is something we know our residents have strong feelings about. We want Mancunians to be proud of their city and waste in our streets undermines this – and not just in the city centre. While we are proactive about litter enforcement across the city, we all have a collective responsibility to do our bit to keep our city clean. We have put more funding into street cleaning in recent years but we would always encourage people to report waste issues so we can address them quickly.
“Housing is another key challenge that we are tackling head on – and we are acutely aware of the impact the housing crisis has on our residents as well as the ongoing cost of living crisis. Through our housing strategy we are on track to meet and surpass our target to build at least 10,000 new genuinely affordable and social homes across the city through to 2032 – and at least 3,000 of these will be in the city.
“We have a number of developments on site now in the city centre that will deliver social rent and affordable housing, giving more people more choice about where they live. And we are seeing thousands of new homes being built every year to help meet demand, including lots of options in communities around the city centre fringe that give residents more options for great homes within easy walking distance of everything the city centre has to offer.
“Manchester is growing rapidly and we must balance the old and the new and continue to invest in our city and our residents. We want everyone to be as proud of Manchester – and the city centre – as I am, and share in the city’s success.”
