Is Manchester the UK's third city a grim decaying mill town?

Question

Most of my friends from London says it is.

Answer 1

It used to be, but after the IRA bomb caused 500 million quid's worth of improvements (old joke in Manc) the redevelopment has been almost total-in the city centre at least. The old canal wharfs and warehouses down at Castlefield are a cool place for a night out, and the city centre has countless good bars & restaurants. Once you drive out of the city in any direction you go through a scummy area-and you really want to avoid places like Longsight, Ordsall, Rusholme, Harpurhey, Collyhurst etc.

I grew up in Manchester in the 1970's & 80's, and it was a bloody grim place then-a real shithole. But I have a theory that because there was ****-all to do and it was always raining, that fired the creativity which Manchester is famous for. So you get Joy Division & New Order, The Smiths, Oasis, Badly Drawn Boy, Happy Mondays, The Fall, Stone Roses, James, 808 State, Doves, The Verve (ok, they're from Wigan but they played Manchester mostly in the early days) etc, some of the most influential artists to come out of Britain in the last 30 years

Answer 2

Well, they must be right then. Everyone knows that people from London know everything about anything.

Answer 3

Manchester is a tale of two cities, a prosporous thriving city centre, but in many suburbs major poverty and deprivation. Many students come and then leave, many of the workforce choose to live in the many neighbouring area, Bury, Stockport etc etc

Much better than London though having spent time in both

Answer 4

It has been developed and people will say it's a modern town, but I recall reading in the newspaper a couple of months ago about a million pound sports car in the city centre being ticketed, and a crowd of people standing around watching...as if people would give a 2nd look at an expensive sports car in London or any other big city! It must be a hick town.

Answer 5

Try buying a house there, thats how decaying it is.

Answer 6

I did my degree in Manchester and then left for the bright lights of London. I don't look back. The people are a bit bizarre in Manchester, and although it's a good night out, it's not really my thing.

London is far more cosmopolitan and exciting, Manchester was a bit of a letdown!!! It's big enough if you want a bit of city life and not somewhere too big.

IF I ever left London, I'd consider going to Manchester but I don't see myself going anywhere.

Answer 7

Yeah probably...But alas London is the UK`s 1st decaying/drug addled/crime ridden City...or so the papers say.

Answer 8

Just proves once again how little those Londoners know then doesn't it.