To think that Manchester is awful?

I work in Manchester and made a few visits to get to know the area before taking my job. As others have said its spread out, so unless you have specific locations/purpose to be somewhere, it's not easy to just to have a mooch around unlike Bath, Cardiff, Liverpool etc which are more centralised and compact.

I've enjoyed getting to know a neighbouring city but I can't wait for an opportunity to return back. The traffic congestion is terrible (worst than any other city I've known) and for some reason the weather is bad 90% of the time.

I love Manchester, spent a year there in the 90s and been back sporadically since then.

We took the kids to Manchester a few years ago for the opening match of the Women's Euros at Old Trafford. We also had a wander round Media City and saw the Blue Peter garden, the Imperial War Museum, the Lowry, and the People's History Museum. We had a great time and there were loads of other places we could have gone. So I'm not sure I agree it's not a good tourist destination for families, there's lots to do.

Mackie Mayor is one of my favourites for taking friends too 😊

Castlefield pub on a sunny afternoon is lovely.

OP, saying Manchester us awful is a bit like saying London is awful when you've only been to a small part of it. It's vast.

I recently went and visited the art gallery, Mackie Mayor and Affleck's. Sure there are some dodgy, dingy parts but there's plenty in the way of culture too.

They're not hidden away at all. But I know loads of people who've visited Manchester, said they didn't like it and then when I asked where they went, named the worst, most commercial and busiest parts of the city.

I even had one friend - about 10 years ago now - say the food scene wasn't very good and when I asked where she'd eaten she said Pizza Express and Yates Wine Lodge 😂

In the same way that people go to Rome and complain that the areas around Trevi Fountain or Spanish Steps are busy areas with rip-off restaurants, or that Times Square in NY is too tourist-y and loud or there are too many touts on Las Ramblas in Barcelona... Nobody going to these areas ever gets a proper indication of the city as it's not where the locals are or where the "real" life is!

@Dunkler
So according to you, Mancunians have an awful accent and York and Durham University are stuck up.

Tell us where you're from if you think it's so superior.

Is there somewhere I've missed?

Um yes, the actual city centre 😂

I always thought I didn't like Manchester (and to be fair, I still prefer Liverpool) but I spent 3 weeks there for work earlier this year and on the few occasions I got out and about, really enjoyed it.

Things I did that I liked:

John Rylands library (there was also a lovely street market around it)
The area round the cathedral
Science & Industry museum (great computer games through the ages room which my kids loved)
Shopping in the Arndale centre
The area around St John Street
Porta tapas bar (OK, that's in Salford, but it was amazing)

And that despite the fact that it rained pretty much the whole time I was there.

Bit of a cop out saying ‘the best bits of Manchester are hidden away and only locals know about them’….

No-one gives a shit though. It's nice if it gets tourism but it's not a city dependent on it. Nor should it be. Not everywhere is Bath or Cambridge.

Man Utd traditionally has a lot of fans not from Manchester.

But it's nonsense to say that people from Manchester are not fans and don't go to the games. It was always 50/50 blue/red where I grew up.

And looking at my family background I have equal rights over supporting either club.

Man City has rather a lot of plastics these days. And international supporters.

If comparing to London, no comparison. I live in Manchester and grew up there but was living in London temporarily earlier in the year and developed a wonderful habit of wandering through the city. It's my favorite thing to do in London, just wander aimlessly. You just can't do it in Manchester even in the centre. Not the same. But it's not a bad city overall.

Yes - what you've missed is fhe actual city centre!! Pretty ignorant post this.

Put it far more articulately than I ever could. People saying that if you’re with a local you get to see the really great bits. Well that’s the point, most folk aren’t with locals.

It's a big working city and not some kind of twee, pretty tourist attraction.

Better if you are with someone who knows where to go.

Lol. Bit patronising. Northerners ever salts of the earth.
Good on your son, taking one for the team, being friends with someone from Rotherham 😂

Don't mean to rain on your obvious bitterness parade but ...

The majority of the catering staff and stewards are the least local people in the stadium 🤦🏻‍♀️

Agree with @Flatulence's post.

Another great place to visit is HOME (near Deansgate). It's what used to be called the Cornerhouse (previously on Oxford Road). It is a theatre and cinema space (screening a lot of interesting international films), with a cafe, bar and exhibition space.

I'd also strongly recommend the Whitworth Art Gallery (beautiful cafe), and the l Pankhurst Centre, which is not far from the Whitworth.

Went to Manchester twice last year and have visited many times in the past as my child went to uni there and I also attended a couple of conferences for work. I really like it, it still has a positive energy especially compared with my home city which is smaller and looks so depressing these days. I am sure there are grim parts of Manchester but as a visitor I still rate it

This.

You are not in the city centre!

@BishyBarnyBee @BigBlueTeapot

Yep, fair enough.

As an urban kid, I’m always on the side of people choosing cities. Don’t trust the countryside at all. All those trees wandering about willy nilly. They belong in parks, with swings and ducks and a proper secure fence around them.

Manchester is a brilliant city if you know where to go. A friend of mine comes for work often and was v ambivalent until she spent a weekend with us showing her all the good bits and she loved it. Horses for courses but I think its fab.

I spent a weekend in Manchester a couple of months ago and had a blast.
I live in London and really enjoyed how manageable Manchester was on foot from St Peter's Square, with good shops, bars and restaurants. People were chilled and friendly. I would definitely go back.