Guys what did you think of Manchester (as a city?)

D

Danny

Guest
As someone who used to live in Manchester a few years back and was visiting back again this weekend I wondered what any first time visiters to Manchester thought of the city, its people, the arena, everything!!! As I think these days its an absolutely fantastic city, probably the best in the UK with all the squares, parks, bars, the tram, the people and the shops.

Even Morrissey had great things to say about the place on the MEN website saying it was a much cleaner city than the one he grew up in and with beautiful people and better shops. though he was worried that all the old people had gone!

www.manchesteronline.co.uk
 
> As someone who used to live in Manchester a few years back and was
> visiting back again this weekend I wondered what any first time visiters
> to Manchester thought of the city, its people, the arena, everything!!! As
> I think these days its an absolutely fantastic city, probably the best in
> the UK with all the squares, parks, bars, the tram, the people and the
> shops.

> Even Morrissey had great things to say about the place on the MEN website
> saying it was a much cleaner city than the one he grew up in and with
> beautiful people and better shops. though he was worried that all the old
> people had gone!

> www.manchesteronline.co.uk

Great city, but calm down, you obvously have'nt been out in Glasgow.
 
> Great city, but calm down, you obvously have'nt been out in Glasgow.

Have been actually on many occasions. Though I prefer Manchester to be honest, perhaps because of the music connections. Saying that Glasgow is probably the 2nd best city and music scene in the country IMO.

I tell you where is a dump, where im living now, Newcastle Theres no decent public spaces, or cafe bars, or indie clubs here. And if youre an Irish man like myself then the geordies really look down on you.

Glasgow and Manchester are proper big cities while Newcastle is just a town.

Oh and btw the MEN arena kicks the arse of the SECC where I saw Oasis, its a real dump isnt it?
 
> Have been actually on many occasions. Though I prefer Manchester to be
> honest, perhaps because of the music connections. Saying that Glasgow is
> probably the 2nd best city and music scene in the country IMO.

> I tell you where is a dump, where im living now, Newcastle Theres no
> decent public spaces, or cafe bars, or indie clubs here. And if youre an
> Irish man like myself then the geordies really look down on you.

> Glasgow and Manchester are proper big cities while Newcastle is just a
> town.

> Oh and btw the MEN arena kicks the arse of the SECC where I saw Oasis, its
> a real dump isnt it?

The Men was amazing!!! we have nothing like that in Glasgow!!!

SECC is an aircraft hanger!!!

I've been to see the Toon a few times, not bad, mind Glasgow is the Murder capital of Europe!!! doh!
 
It's a GREAT city

My favourite in the world, second to Oxford, mind.
 
Birmingham - now thats *is* a grat city!
I love it here anyway.
Brummies are the friendliest people on earth. After the Irish
 
I really enjoyed visiting the city. The train ride from the airport to the Oxford Road station was everything I expected and more. I commented to several people that I was surprised that there was any red brick left anywhere in the world.

As far as the city center was concerned, I was a little disappointed because it was too nice. Part of me really wanted to see the Manchester of the Smiths, and that city no longer exists. It was kind of like going to see a haunted house, and upon arrival you find out that someone knocked the house down and built a modern office building on the same site. The place is still haunted, and the ghosts are still there, but you have to look a little harder to see them.

I was also surprised that I didn't see as much of an Irish influence in Manchester. Knowing that three of the four Smiths were the first generation born outside of Ireland, I was expecting to see a few more Irish pubs. Perhaps I wasn't in the right section of town, or maybe I'm just used to seeing them everywhere. Here in Boston it is hard to spit without hitting an Irish pub.

Overall it was a great trip and I really enjoyed myself. It was easily the best vacation I have ever had.
 
favourite cities

> My favourite in the world, second to Oxford, mind.

Do you live in Oxford? I do, atm. I thought I was the only Morrissey fan about (jk). You don't own that Moz t-shirt that says 'Mmm chocolate yummy' do you? I saw someone wearing that once.
 
Nope I live in Preston, I've just visited Oxford a few times
 
There is still a "Smiths" Manchester

i.e. Salford, run-down places, etc. etc. You went to the wrong part.
 
> I was also surprised that I didn't see as much of an Irish influence in
> Manchester. Knowing that three of the four Smiths were the first
> generation born outside of Ireland, I was expecting to see a few more
> Irish pubs. Perhaps I wasn't in the right section of town, or maybe I'm
> just used to seeing them everywhere. Here in Boston it is hard to spit
> without hitting an Irish pub.

> Overall it was a great trip and I really enjoyed myself. It was easily the
> best vacation I have ever had.

It is quite interesting that point, What Ive found being Irish myself (and having lived in Manchester) is that in Manc it is unlike other places in Britain for this. As the Irish in Manchester have really just became Mancunians. Infact one could argue that Mancunian is almost entirely Irish in origin. There are some remnants of IReland in Levenshulme and in the Irish Diaspora Centre in Cheetham Hills but in the main the Irish have just became Mancunians and perfected their own culture, and musical identity. That is (partly) what makes Manchester unique.
 
It's the same in Liverpool. Nearly everyone is a little bit Irish so there's really no need to have overt symbols such as Irish pubs or even St.Patrick's Day Parades. Most communities only turn to such symbols when they lose self-confidence or feel their 'identity' is under threat.
 
Re: There is still a "Smiths" Manchester

No, you're right. I went on the Morrissey bus tour, and I did feel like I saw the "Smiths" Manchester once I left the city center.

> i.e. Salford, run-down places, etc. etc. You went to the wrong part.
 
> As someone who used to live in Manchester a few years back and was
> visiting back again this weekend I wondered what any first time visiters
> to Manchester thought of the city, its people, the arena, everything!!! As
> I think these days its an absolutely fantastic city, probably the best in
> the UK with all the squares, parks, bars, the tram, the people and the
> shops.

> Even Morrissey had great things to say about the place on the MEN website
> saying it was a much cleaner city than the one he grew up in and with
> beautiful people and better shops. though he was worried that all the old
> people had gone!

> www.manchesteronline.co.uk

I've seen parts of Manchester, but the city centre was lovely and I want to go to university there. I was very impressed.
 
Hey, so do I!

It's my second choice after Oxford, and let's face it my chances are low there, so it looks like Manchester. I don't think I'm going to be able to afford the accomidation prices there! Have you seen them? Ridiculous!
 
> Birmingham - now thats *is* a grat city!
> I love it here anyway.
> Brummies are the friendliest people on earth. After the Irish

Well anything beats the East Midlands.....
 
Chuff off you! You know you love it there, thats why after all these years you've nabbed an East Midlander just so you can go for Cheesecake weekends!!!!
heh heh

> Well anything beats the East Midlands.....
 
Well, my first visit to Manchester was in 1993, when I was 17 and I loved the place as much as I thought and hoped I would. A vast majority of the bands I adored - and still do adore were from Manchester. It sounds over-emotional, but I really felt closer to the bands I loved on that first visit. Especially ending up one night on the wobbly dancefloor in the Ritz. I had found my first piece of Smiths/Morrissey history.

After several visits, spanning 6 years, I finally moved here permanently and I have made some "top" friends. It's a vibrant, cosmopolitan, individual city. Despite hailing from a larger city, Manchester has so much more to offer. It pains me to say it about Birmingham, but it doesn't compare to Manchester.

> As someone who used to live in Manchester a few years back and was
> visiting back again this weekend I wondered what any first time visiters
> to Manchester thought of the city, its people, the arena, everything!!! As
> I think these days its an absolutely fantastic city, probably the best in
> the UK with all the squares, parks, bars, the tram, the people and the
> shops.

> Even Morrissey had great things to say about the place on the MEN website
> saying it was a much cleaner city than the one he grew up in and with
> beautiful people and better shops. though he was worried that all the old
> people had gone!

> www.manchesteronline.co.uk
 
RUBBISH!!!!!!!!

It pains me to say it about Birmingham, but it doesn't compare to Manchester.
 
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