Whether it’s your default place to visit for shopping on your days off or just a necessary evil you dash down when nipping through town, Market Street is one of Manchester’s best-known streets.
And looking back on it over the years, Market Street has been one of Manchester city centre’smost popular streets even all the way back in the 1900’s.
Retailers have come and gone, trends flew by and consumables were snapped off the shelves, but the one thing that has kept this central street alive and beating is the people of Manchester.
The appeal of this high street really can’t be beaten and it seems its reputation has been following it around for over 100 years. If there’s one thing Market Street is never short of, it’s a crowd.
Have a look back over these photos of Market Street over the years – can you remember any of this?
Market Street – Over the years
Market Street, 1823
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Shops and people galore, it’s almost like we’re looking at our modern day Market Street from 200 years ago. Oh wait, we are!
In this photo from 1823, there are families, workers, friends and couples, just like the street attracts in this day and age, it’s lovely to see that this central point has seen many people and witnessed many special memories.
Considering Market Street is uphill and this picture is facing downhill, we tried our best to recreate this moment in the present day.
Market Street/ Cross Street, 1890
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Gone are the Tudor style buildings of the previous photograph and in are the Victorian gas lamps and shop awnings.
It’s hard to make out what sellers and makers are perched up in each shop unit, but I want to visit whichever place is selling those fancy black top hats.
It’s great to see Royal Exchange has kept its legacy in our city even with all the developments happening in and around the city.
Market Street, 1905
Credit: The Manchester LibraryCredit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Alas, colour! There’s some lovely gold brand embellishing spelling out ‘Brothers’ and even a hanging sign to match.
You’ll definitely never lose track of time, especially when there’s clocks sequenced in between the street’s high risers.
After some significant research the ‘Hope Brothers’ building may no longer be with us but a shop filled with Canadian sweet treats and coffee is, Tim Hortons.
Market Street, 1924
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
This image is taken from a shop window overlooking Market Street and although the picture may be black and white, it looks as though the sun is beaming down over Manchester, someone got lucky!
1920’s Manchester would certainly put a smile on Andy Burnham’s face, just look at how many trams are running in this photo.
The clocks are no more and it seems the tram wires may have stole the skyline instead, our picture was taken from the top floor of clothing retailer H&M.
Market Street, 1940
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
There was a time when everyone’s favourite affordable clothing shop, also known as Primark, was a department store branded ‘Lewis’s’.
Known for its grand window displays and the infamous phrase “If something happened it happened at Lewis’s.”
On the left of this photo you can see an arch detailing ‘Lewis’s Arcade’, this is now where Cafe Nero and Costa stand proudly on one of Manchester’s finest retail streets.
This photo was taken during World War Two and you can see in the windows a message – ‘Are you supporting the national effort?’
Market Street/ Cross Street, 1974
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Cross Street neighbours our beloved Market Street and is also where you’ll find a host of shops occupying the impressive perimeter of the Royal Exchange.
One of the city centre’s newest retail arrivals to nestle in this grand building is Astrid and Miyu, luxury jewellery makers and designers.
Manchester Arndale has seen a major facelift since this photo was taken as it opts for a more glass-heavy fronting and futuristic style.
Market Street, 1984
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Now in the 80’s and florescent lights and neon colours were all the rage, something which you can see in HMV’s logo shining brightly above its shop window.
The music catalog maestros may not be sitting pretty on Market Street anymore, but you will still find them in the Arndale Centre spotlighting loads of incredible new music, like they’ve always done.
You might not be able to pick up a copy of Madonna’s ‘True Blue’ or Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’, but you will get yourself a ‘Black Hoof’ from ‘Black Sheep Coffee’.
Market Street/ Mossley Street, 1985
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
A shop called Pizzaland dedicated to all things pizza? Here’s another reason why the 80’s were one of the best decades.
This popular eatery chain shut down in the early 90’s and some of these sites went on to become Pizza Hut sites but ours became a Santander, now closed down to make room for Pop Mart.
If all this food talk has made you hungry, fear not, there’s a Burger King just next door, or explore all the various food options in Manchester via our foodie friend, The Manc Eats.
Inside Arndale Centre, 1978
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Manchester may be one of the most eccentric cities in the world with a constant array of new openings and arrivals but the trusty Arndale has been by our side since the very beginning, or at least the 70’s.
The same can’t be said for this lovely sculpture by Franta Belsky, which was installed in 1977 and removed in 1988 after refurbishments to the shopping centre.
This big open plan mezzanine might not be present anymore but it’s clear to see that one thing certainly hasn’t changed and that’s our love of shops.
The retailers might not be the same, but this shopping powerhouse is never short on some incredible and wonderful vendors.
Outside of Manchester Arndale,Market Street, 1990’s
Credit: The Manchester Library / The Manc Group
Manchester’s Arndale Centre sees 41 million visitors each year and has undergone some very big changes throughout its time.
We’re sure some of you looking at this picture will remember when the Arndale had its own deep blue awning and a few benches perched outside.
Whether its 1823 or 1990, one thing’s for sure, Market Street has always looked sharp!
Review | Snow Patrol roll back the years at Co-op Live for a mini-Manc’s first gig
Danny Jones
This weekend we enjoyed a new kind of live music experience: rediscovering the joy of listening to a childhood favourite by watching it through the eyes of the next generation – that was how we witnessed a fully-fledged arena return to Manchester for Snow Patrol at Co-op Live.
And it was special for lots of reasons.
Taking a little one to their first gig is something you’ll never forget and sharing a new-found connection with a band that you loved when you were their age is one of those magical things about music that we’re eternally grateful for.
You might assume the Snow Patrol crowd one skews a little older for the most part but we were pleased to see there were more than a few kids and teenagers donning tour tees, looking wide-eyed at the sheer size of the Co-op Live arena, and singing the words back better than Gary Lightbody at times.
Sees the sign: ‘Race you there!’ (Credit: Audio North)
Yes, the Belfast-born frontman made a few mistakes on the night, but it did add a rather laid-back quality to what many acts might have found a daunting performance: playing a sell-out night to around 23,500 fans inside the enormous state-of-the-art venue.
But, obviously, there wasn’t even a whiff of nerves from these lads.
You don’t get to have been around for this long and become as successful as they are without being able to relax on stage and lean into those idiosyncratic perfections that feel more like private moments shared between the artist and the crowd.
The young lad sat watching it with us certainly got a kick out of it and though we might not have been able to cover his ears in time to censor some light but ever-charming swear words (it always sounds better in Irish, don’t you think?), it made for some nice banter between him and the crowd.
Big props must go to Johnny McDaid on the keys too, who besides having written for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams, Alicia Keys, Biffy Clyro and countless others over the years, also managed to impress by playing the majority of this entire tour after having trapped his hand in a train door. OUCH.
Credit: The Manc Group
Not only was that little interlude up there with one of the most applause-worthy parts of the entire show, but we were always pretty blown away by what we saw, as we all as what we heard.
Be it watching a digital tree come to life, shed its leaves and then fall as petal confetti, two sheer semi-opaque paper-thin screens swirl to create the album cover art for their latest album, or kicking the gig off with ‘Take Back The City’ as a multicoloured skyline appeared behind them, it was all pretty incredible.
We even got to hear a personal favourite of ours, ‘Set Fire To The Third Bar’, complete with a virtual performance from the voice that truly makes the song: Martha Wainwright.
It was in moments like this when we turned to see a 10-year-old’s face not quite sure of what it was seeing but an open-mouthed expression confirming they were finding it as stunning as we were.
We thoroughly enjoyed going through the back catalogue and working our way right up to plenty of the songs from The Forest Is The Path – which Gary himself firmly believes is their best work yet when we interviewed him – but it was as visually stunning as it was to the gorgeous sonically.
Both proved to be a brilliant way to see the contemporary rock, indie and alternative veterans, but there’s something about giving them a stage as big as this that reminds you of just how much they deserve it.
Up there with one of the prettiest gig snapshots in our memory.Not quite a hologram but very cool nonetheless.The production levels are always top-tier at Co-op Live but the Snow Patrol set was much more impressive than we expected.
Last but not least, thanks to Co-op Live not just for having but for creating a little boy’s memory that he’ll never forget.
Flashbacks: The timelapse of the Trafford Centre construction that’s gone viral
Danny Jones
The Trafford Centre might look like some decadent Roman emperor’s palace or as if it was plucked from the heart of Ancient Grecian city, but as anyone old enough to remember it’s opening and/or construction will tell you, it seems strange to think its not even been around for three decades yet.
As Greater Manchester’s and one of the North West’s most famous shopping centres full stop, the iconic attraction first began being built back in 1996, when John Major was Prime Minister, Manchester United were still Premier League champions, Britpop was at its peak and George Michael was number one.
It’s fair to say that a lot has changed since then and although Oasis might be back come 2025, The Trafford Centre and surrounding area are pretty unrecgonisable compared to nearly 30 years ago.
All told, it took approximately 27 months to erect the neo-classical epicentre of all things shopping, leisure, food and fanciness – and here’s what the process looked like:
With the initial 14 million sq ft shopping centre being completed in September 1998 following approximately 810 days of work, The Trafford Centre debuted to the Manc public and beyond.
It took more than 3,000 builders to bring the 60 hectare site to life at the peak of construction and since then the plot has only grown bigger, bolder and more ambitious over time.
Present day, it has everything from cinema screens and a mini Legoland to a Sea Life location, multiple bowling alleys and countless other forms of entertainment beyond just rows of shops and restaurants – hence why it remains busy pretty much year-round.
Back then, British celebrities, popular local names of note, politicians, dignitaries and prominent figures from the retail industry got to visit as part of exclusive preview events in the days before its launch date.
You can see the spectacle and fascination surrounding the official opening event here:
Seems surreal watching this today but the construction of the Trafford Centre was a huge moment not just for 0161 but all of the North.
But of course, the entire complex itself has seen multiple extensions over the years, including massive developments such as Barton Square and The Great Hall.
At the outset, it cost more than £600 million to build The Trafford Centre; the major renovations mentioned above which took place in 2008 cost another £100m and the Trafford Palazzo revamp around a decade later came in at around £75m.
There has and always will be lots of money put behind this intruguing monument to modern consumerism, and big brands will continue to flock to open units within the huge expanse whenever they can: some of the most recent being Archie’s, Flying Tiger, Sephora, Tiffany, Gymshark and more.
We’ll admit the aesthetic still makes us double-take from time to time (though not as much as confused Londoners visiting for the first time), but it’s not like this part of the world hasn’t boasted plenty of other curiosities in the past…
Thomas Melia -
21st February 2025 
