Let's hear it for Manchester.

Never been but it's on my list - it looks like a great place.

Personally I think it would be a good idea if Parliament moved there. It'd be much more central to the whole UK and they could sell off Westminster for expensive flats and save the fortune it's going to cost to do the place up. (Building a lovely new edifice with the profits - like wot Scotland has)

That would go down well in the Home Counties, Nik.

I used to go there frequently as my DD was at uni there but she now lives out in the country in Cheshire.

I no longer have to go there, so don't - see my post on the thread about London!

Only ever been to Manchester once but that was to visit a cousin on the outskirts but have never been to the city centre. It is on my list of places to visit. I would be interested to see if I like it as much as Liverpool which we have visited a few times and is a lovely city IMHO.

Sunday lunch at the Midland Hotel - I used to make a point of getting to Manchester early if I was doing a Sunday gig there, just to go to the Midland for a real old-fashioned Sunday roast!

I have only been once, to a civil partnership ceremony. In the evening the happy couple took us ( about 30 people) to the Canal street area. It was a great time! x

Having worked there for 15 years, I now rarely go into Manchester, except to the Royal Exchange Theatre with a coachload of U3A members. I have nothing against the city, but if I need to go shopping, there are closer and less congested places.

I lived in Manchester for about 2 years and now about 10 miles away for 48 years and I visit about every 2 years. I think that often happens to places on the doorstep.They are too familiar. Some lovely buildings though if you seek them out.

Haven't been to Manchester for years but we used to love going up for Chinese New Year. My brother lived in Timperley at the time so we could visit whenever we wanted.

DS and DDiL used to live in Styal. Handy for the airport because DDil is a senior flight attendant but they've now moved over the border to Staffordshire.

Haven't been to many northern cities, just Manchester, Sheffield and York.

I'm a Manchester girl and I worked in a large city centre bank for ten years (it's now a Jamie Oliver restaurant!)
Then I was a police woman for a while, on the beat.
Manchester was a great place in those days, but now it's much too crowded for me, and too much walking about is involved usually.

It's got some nice old bits. That come upon you unexpectedly.

I seem to remember it's got daytime drunks as well. And the trams/trolley buses sound like steam engines.

Only been there overnight for a conference but friends who wee at Uni there love to return and speak warmly of it. I should go and see for myself!

Never been but its also on my list to visit when OH retires this year.

I was born there and as my mother is quite ill I'm going up there at least once a month at the moment to see her. It's a great place to visit and spend a few days. I love the tram system (extended just in time for me to catch the tram from my sister's house to my mum's on my recent visits) and can't believe how relatively cheap and accessible the public transport is. There are some wonderful theatres too and there's plenty going on in the city centre.
But, I am always glad to come home to my quiet and peaceful little town where I regularly bump into people I know and where I feel safe and comfortable.
A friend of mine visited Manchester for the first time recently and confirmed what I've been telling him for a long time; that, on the whole, Mancunians are extremely friendly. He said the people he met went out of their way to talk to him and be helpful.

Manchester born and bred and for many years I fell out of love with the city centre, after working on the corner of Canal Street (probation office and crown court). The back streets of town aren't so nice, but like many large cities it has a lot to offer. I like it now I don't go there as often. The galleries, museums and places like the Rylands library and Exchange theatre are fabulous. The Midland for afternoon tea is a treat - glass of madeira on arrival, background piano not stultifying conversation, no rush, wafer thin cucumber sandwiches. It's like therapy!

My school 'houses' were named after famous Mancunians: Peel, Dalton, Joule and Rylands when. I still remember how awed I was on my first visit to the Rylands library. When I was at Uni I used to get waitressing jobs at all the big hotels, including the Midland and now I think it would be quite nice to visit again as a guest.

We left the Greater Manchester area in 1977, looking for nicer pastures. We lived about 8 miles from the city itself, hubby was born and bred there, but I wasn`t, and I hated it. Where we are now isn`t perfect, but we wouldn`t ever want to go back to Heywood.

WhenI'm I am glad you qualified what exactly you did while working on the corner of Canal street in Manchester! My mind was Boggling there for a moment.

I love Manchester, it's vibrant, friendly and fun. We live 12 miles from the city centre and for me, that's the best of both worlds, we can be in to Manc in half an hour (ok hours if it's rush hour) but have moorland and beautiful open countryside on our doorstep. Manchester has great social/political/economic history, art galleries, museums and theatres. I remember than bank Lona mentions, which is now a Jamie Oliver restaurant. I love Manc

I live in the city and have done for most of my life. It's a great place to live, with a lively atmosphere and lots going on. In my retirement I can find loads of activities at a very low cost - I go Nordic walking (subsidised by the city council and so only £1 a time) - and in 3 weeks I will be singing Mozart's Requiem at the Royal Northern College of Music. I really appreciate our wonderful public transport system.

We have an airport just down the road and a good train system. I regularly go to London for babysitting duty and it's only a 2 hour train ride.

It does amuse me when people who are well travelled say they have never been to Manchester as if we living in some remote area hardly known to modern man! I have 5 friends who all live in the South east - these are people I met on a holiday to China four years ago and they are a case in point, as they had been all over the world but not to Manchester! They came to stay with me for a weekend in November to see the sights and 'do' the Christmas markets. They had a great time and loved it

I really liked Manchester on my one and only visit there. I couldn't think why at first then I realised that, as a dyed in the wool Corrie fan, everyone sounded so familiar when they spoke. I felt among friends which I do completely realise was daft. My visit left me with an abiding happy memory of Manchester.

I think if you haven't seen Manchester at all, or for many years you might be very suprised. I was in Salford a few weeks ago and it is looking very good. (Well Salford is more or less in Manchester.)

Many of our big cities have improved massively. DD went to uni in Sheffield in the late 90s. Since how I remember it was then, the city centre has changed beyond belief and is a very attractive place.

I've cycled through Manchester several times, but I've never really been to Manchester. I thought I might go there this summer if I can manage it, where are the recommended places to visit?

I lived near Manchester (Blackley) when I moved in with my partner. We got married at Manchester Registry office. My step dd now lives in the house, her brother lives nearby and my son lives in Irlam. I miss the shopping in the city but I'm going there in 3 weeks when Dgc number 5 is due to arrive!!