When in Manchester
Manchester is fast becoming England's second city, developing into an important area for the country as a whole.
The north-west city, buoyed by a thriving student scene, has seen major regeneration over the past ten years, making it one of the UK's most vibrant and cultural destinations. Iconic museums, restaurants, bars and shops bring an individualistic vibe to the place and provide its 440,000 or so residents and numerous visitors with much to do.
Modernisation really got under way in the wake of an IRA bomb, which caused damage to a section of the city centre in 1996. Since this terror scare, which incidentally killed no-one, the city has set about becoming one of the fastest growing and dynamic centres in the country.
A walk through Manchester city centre today is very different to a decade ago, with the fountains in Piccadilly Gardens creating a continental atmosphere and the plethora of chain restaurants and bars - as well as those with a particular Manchester stamp - providing the people with an endless supply of top food and drink.
Even on arrival to the city by rail, visitors will be overawed by Manchester Piccadilly Station, which is practically unrecognisable to the terminal it was prior to the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
In fact, the Commonwealth Games have had what could be seen as a revolutionary effect on Manchester as a whole.
With the world's focus on the city, much was done to clean up the streets and make the place a top visitor attraction. Sport City, the new home of Manchester City Football Club, is one such legacy, now hosting 48,000 football fans each fortnight in the state-of-the-art City of Manchester Stadium. Much of the work done by Manchester City Council and the event's organisers is now being copied by London Olympic chiefs, in preparation for the Olympic Games in 2012.
Other city attractions include the Printworks, where cinema-goers can watch all of the latest films in a giant multiplex before sampling the bustling bars and energetic restaurants; the Northern Quarter, where Manchester's past combines with the present to offer an array of individual pubs and eateries; and Kings Street, which caters for a shopper's entire designer clothing needs.
For visitors seeking the cultural and historical aspects of the city, Manchester's museums, such as Ibis and the Lowry, visualise how far the city has come and the diversity it has to offer. They also highlight how Manchester is an innovator, on a par with any other UK city, giving the world some of the best-known writers, painters and musicians.
It has also emerged this year that Salford Quays, which Manchester United's Old Trafford Stadium overlooks, is the preferred destination for a northern media hub. The BBC announced plans recently indicating that much of its production will move out of London up to Manchester, with the quays being the BBC's number one choice for its new Media City.
Manchester is going places. Looking across its cityscape you cannot help but notice the major construction work constantly taking place, which will eventually lead to more luxury accommodation, increased business and enhanced tourist facilities.
With the Peak District, Liverpool and Yorkshire, not to mention the other cities and towns comprising Greater Manchester, all in close proximity, the city can lay claim to being the UK's northern hub.
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Introduction
