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Luxury Car Hire uk Manchester Guide
Manchester
Few cities in the world have embraced social change so heartily as Manchester. From engine of the Industrial Revolution to test-bed of con¬temporary urban design, the city has no realistic provincial English rival. Its domestic dominance expresses itself in various ways, most swaggeringly in the success of Manchester United, the richest football club in Britain, but also in a thriving music and cultural scene that has given birth to world-beaters as diverse as the Halle Orchestra and Oasis. Moreover, the city's cutting-edge concert halls, theatres, clubs and cafe society are boosted by one of England's largest student populations and a blooming gay community, whose spending power has created a pioneering Gay Village. For inspiration, Manchester's planners look to Barcelona another revitalized industrial powerhouse and scoff at many of their northern rivals.
Despite a history stretching back to Roman times, and pockets of surviving medieval and Georgian architecture, Manchester is first and foremost a Victorian manufacturing city with the imposing streets and buildings to match. Its rapid growth was the equal of any flowering of the Industrial Revolution -from little more than a village in 1750 to the world's major cotton-milling cen¬tre in only a hundred years. The spectacular rise of Cottonopolis, as it became known, came from the production of vast quantities of competitively priced imitations of expensive Indian calicoes, using machines evolved from Arkwright's first steam-powered cotton mill, which opened in 1783.The rapid industrialization of the area brought prosperity for a few but a life of misery for the majority. The discontent this engendered amongst the working class came to a head in 1819 when eleven people were killed at Peterloo, in what began as a peaceful demonstration against the oppressive Corn Laws. Things were, however, eve
n worse when the 23-year-old Friedrich Engels came here in 1842 to work in his father's cotton plant, and the suffering he witnessed -recorded in his Condition of the Working Class in England - was a seminal influ¬ence on his later collaboration with Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto.
Waterways and railway viaducts form the matrix into which the city's prin¬cipal buildings have been bedded — as early as 1772 the Duke of Bridgewater had a canal cut to connect the city to the coal mines at Worsley, and in 1830 the Manchester—Liverpool railway opened. The Manchester Ship Canal, constructed to entice ocean-going vessels into Manchester and away from burgeoning Liverpool, was completed in 1894, and played a crucial part in sustaining Manchester's competitiveness. Within sixty years, though, the city was in trouble, with the docks, mills and canals in dangerous decline.The traditional image of the struggling post-industrial city was of empty mills and factories, and rows of back-to-back houses whose slate roofs and cobbled back alleys glistened in the seemingly ever-present rain - an image perpetuated, to an extent, by the popularity of Britain's longest-running TV soap opera, Coronation Street. Sporadic efforts were made to pull Manchester out of the economic doldr
ums of the 1960s and 1970s, but the main engine of change turned out to be the devastating IRA bomb, which exploded in June 1996 and wiped out much of the city's commercial infrastructure. The largest explo¬sion on the mainland since World War II devastated the area around the Arndale Centre and the Royal Exchange. Rather than simply patch up the buildings, the planning authorities embarked on an ambitious rebuilding scheme, which also came to embrace the Commonwealth Games' facilities the games were held here in 2002. Entire new districts have taken shape as once-blighted areas along the canals are reclaimed for retail and residential use the downtown areas have seen a surge in population as city-centre living in converted warehouses has become the rage. Meanwhile inner-city suburbs such as Hulme and Moss Side, often scarred by gang violence and drug dealing, are at last giving tenants a say in the design of new housing estates and shopping centres, and encouraging the development of local businesses.
Manchester Getting around guide
A direct rail link into the city makes Manchester Airport, ten miles south of the city, an increasingly popular point of entry into Britain. Trains to Piccadilly (every lOmin 5.15am-10.15pm, reduced service through the night; 25min) cost .£2.35, £2.80 on weekdays before 9.30am. A taxi from the airport to the centre costs £12—15. There are tourist information offices in the arrivals halls of Terminal 1 (daily 8atn-9pm; 0161/436 3344) and Terminal 2 (daily 7.30am—12.30am; same number); and a Travel Shop for public-transport enquiries in Terminal 1 (Mon—Sat 5.30am— 9pm, Sun 7am— 9pm).
Manchester 's three main train stations form the points of a triangle that encloses much of the city centre. National mainline trains all pull into
Piccadilly Station, facing London Road, on the east side, from where you can walk a few hundred yards west into the city's core, via Piccadilly Gardens (or catch the free Centreline bus #4 from outside the station, every lOmin, not Sunday, to all main city-centre locations).
Regional train routes to points south, east and west call both at Piccadilly and at Oxford Road Station, south of the centre, while Victoria Station, in the north, services the northern hinterland and Bradford. The city's Metrolink tram service connects Piccadilly Station (the platform is underneath the train station) to Victoria and G-Mex - the latter being the best stop if you're heading straight for Castlefield. National Express and most long-distance buses use Chorlton Street Coach Station, a few hundred yards west of Piccadilly train station. Local and some regional buses might drop you instead in nearby Piccadilly Gardens.
The Manchester Visitor Centre in the town hall extension on Lloyd Street, facing central St Peter's Square (Mon—Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 10.30am-4.30pm; 0161/234 3157, www.Manchester.gov.uk/visitorcentre/), offers a free map of the city centre, the handy City Guide and various other useful leaflets and brochures.You can also buy National Express bus tickets, check rail timetables, and book guided tours. They book accommodation too and are often knowledgeable about special deals and discounts; for more on accommodation, see p.778. There are direct trams to the Visitor Centre (St Peter's Square stop) from Piccadilly andVictoria stations.To find out what's on in the city, buy the weekly City Life listings and reviews magazine ( www. city life xo.uk), from any newsstand, or check out the Friday edition of the Manchester Evening News (www.Manchesteronline.co.uk).
City transport
The city centre is compact enough to cover on foot, though buses will be needed for Oxford Road and its continuation Wilmslow Road - which runs to the curry restaurants of Rusholme and you'll have to take the tram out to Salford Quays. Piccadilly Gardens Bus Station is the hub of the urban bus network, though a new transport interchange at ShudehiU (north of the Arndale Centre; due for completion by 2006) may affect some routes. For Oxford and Wilmslow roads, use the stops at the top of Oxford Road by the Palace Hotel. Information about all services is available from the Travel Shop in Piccadilly Gardens (Mon-Sat 7am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm); or call the GMPTE Travel Line (0161/228 7811, www.gmpte.gov.uk; daily 8am-8pm). Various bus companies ply the city-centre and suburban routes, though they are all accessible with a Day Saver ticket (£3.30), which gives unlimited travel on any city bus.There's als
o a seven-day Mega-Rider (£7.80) for travel on the network of Stagecoach city and local buses, or the Wayfarer (£7.50), which allows 24 hours' unlimited travel throughout Greater Manchester and into the Peak District.
Metrolink (0161/205 2000) - the electric tram service - whisks through the city centre and out to the suburbs, linking Manchester with Bury, Salford Quays, Eccles and Altrincham (every 6—15min 6am—11.30pm). New stations are planned for the Shudehill transport interchange and the airport. Tickets for short hops cost from 50p to £1.90, though (trips to Salford Quays aside) you're unlikely to use the system for getting around unless you simply fancy the ride. There are stations at Piccadilly Station, Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter's Square, G-Mex, Market Street andVictoria Station.
Piccadilly Station, facing London Road, on the east side, from where you can walk a few hundred yards west into the city's core, via Piccadilly Gardens (or catch the free Centreline bus #4 from outside the station, every lOmin, not Sunday, to all main city-centre locations).
Regional train routes to points south, east and west call both at Piccadilly and at Oxford Road Station, south of the centre, while Victoria Station, in the north, services the northern hinterland and Bradford. The city's Metrolink tram service connects Piccadilly Station (the platform is underneath the train station) to Victoria and G-Mex - the latter being the best stop if you're heading straight for Castlefield. National Express and most long-distance buses use Chorlton Street Coach Station, a few hundred yards west of Piccadilly train station. Local and some regional buses might drop you instead in nearby Piccadilly Gardens.
The Manchester Visitor Centre in the town hall extension on Lloyd Street, facing central St Peter's Square (Mon—Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 10.30am-4.30pm; 0161/234 3157, www.Manchester.gov.uk/visitorcentre/), offers a free map of the city centre, the handy City Guide and various other useful leaflets and brochures.You can also buy National Express bus tickets, check rail timetables, and book guided tours. They book accommodation too and are often knowledgeable about special deals and discounts; for more on accommodation, see p.778. There are direct trams to the Visitor Centre (St Peter's Square stop) from Piccadilly andVictoria stations.To find out what's on in the city, buy the weekly City Life listings and reviews magazine ( www. city life xo.uk), from any newsstand, or check out the Friday edition of the Manchester Evening News (www.Manchesteronline.co.uk).
Manchester Accommodation Guide
There's been a boom in the number of city-centre hotels, particularly among the budget chains, which means you have a good chance of finding a smart, en-suite, motel-style room in central Manchester for around £50-60. Almost all the plusher places offer weekend reductions too - note that, during the week, breakfast isn't included at most of the pricier hotels. Cheaper guest-house accommodation is concentrated some way out of the centre, mainly on the southern routes into the city, where reasonably convenient places can be found and the bus services are good. B&B accommodation in private houses is easy to arrange, too, though again it won't be particularly central, which makes the city's well-located YHA, in Castlefield, a first choice for most budget travellers — book well in advance. If you use the Visitor Centre's accommodation booking service, you'll pay a small fee, though their free Accommod ation Guide lists most of the city's possibilities.There's no real peak accommodation season, though the city fills up during the many festivals and major events; it's also difficult to get a city-centre hotel room when Manchester United play at home.
Manchester information listings
Airport General enquiries 0161/489 3000; flight enquiries 0901/010 1000.
Banks and exchange The city centre and the student areas along Oxford and Wilmslow roads are strewn with banks and ATMs are commonplace. Piccadilly Station and the airport also have cashpoints.
Bookshops The main chains have outlets on Deansgate and around St Ann's Square. Blackwell's academic bookshop is in the Precinct Centre, Oxford Rd; Sportspages, the sports specialist, is in Barton Square, off St Ann's Square; and Gibb's Bookshop, 10 Charlotte St, is great for second-hand books and classical music.
Bus information For all city services, call GMPTE on 0161/228 7811 or visit www.gmpte.gov.uk; for intercity services, call National Express on 08705/808080.
Car rental Avis 0161/236 6716 and at the airport 0161/436 2020; Europcar 0161/236 0311 and at the airport 0161/436 2200; Hertz 0161/236 2747 and at the airport 0161/437 8208.
Internet easyEverything, 18 Exchange St, St Ann's Square; Net-Works Centre at the Central Library.
Laundry Several along Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, or you could use the facilities at the YHA hostel (see p.779.
Left luggage Chorlton Street coach station (daily 9.30am-5.30pm); or Piccadilly train station, platform 10 (Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat9am-9pm, Sun 10am-8pm).
Pharmacy Boots, 11-13 Piccadilly Gardens (0161/834 8244) and 20 St Ann's St (0161/839 1798).
Post office 29 Spring Gardens; 63 Newton St.
Taxis Mantax 0161/230 3333; Taxifone 0161/236 9974. Airtax (for the airport) 0161/499 9000.
luxury car hire UK
Manchester/ Manchester Getting around guide/ Manchester Accommodation Guide/ Manchester information listings