Calling Manchester Mumsnetters…

[MimiGC]

AIBU to worry about my daughter visiting Manchester City Centre alone, at night? She’s arriving early evening, but it will be dark. She will have to walk from Manchester Piccadilly to a nearby hotel, which should only take 5 mins or so, but she doesn’t know the way, so will have her phone out , following Google maps.
I know I sound ridiculously over protective, but the last time I visited Manchester myself (2019), I had a short walk at night from the train station and was approached/accosted by about 5-6 different male beggars, asking for money, a few quite persistent. I was with another woman at the time and we were both quite startled by the experience. I grew up in London and still visit regularly, but had not experienced anything like that before.
My DD has only ever lived in a very safe, small town and is not really streetwise…the next morning she has to make her way to a Manchester Met Uni building on Oxford Road. I’ve suggested a taxi, but any tips for alternatives would be appreciated.
Is it comfortable/safe for a young woman alone in Manchester at night? I know the city is full of girls and women who live there, so I’m aware I’m sounding a bit ridiculous, but I guess I am asking what is the reality and how can I prepare her?

Oxford road/uni area etc is fine.

Picadilly gardens is pretty sketchy at night lots of weird groups of men hang round there.

I'd jump in an uber it will be like £5/6 to the hotel if it is close.

Picadilly Gardens is best avoided but the thing with Manchester is its always very busy with lots of people round so she will probably be safer than walking through a quiet park at night
She should take all the usual precutions we (sadly) have to usually, no eye contact, close eye on bag and move confidently and avoid unlit areas but she should be fine

Walking from piccadilly train station to a nearby hotel early evening will be absolutely fine. Unfortunately homeless/beggars are in most big cities but she will be fine. And no need for uber to mcr uni on Oxford road. It's a very busy route, tons of buses from piccadilly bus station - all cost £2.00 - there will be lots of people about.

I would possibly advise her not to walk around with her phone out, she could print out the route instead. She will be fine to get to Oxford Rd the next day by bus or even walk but I would get a taxi as they will take you right to the door!

There are also some free buses round the city centre, I don't know what routes they take, but she can google that.

Can you tell us what hotel she’s in and what time she’s arriving?

It'll be busy early evening so will be fine walking to her hotel. She could have one earbud in with Google maps guiding her and her phone tucked away. In the morning, she can get a bus from Piccadilly gardens bus station up to the uni. Loads of them.

There are a lot of homeless begging on Piccadilly approach, tell her to just not make eye contact and walk straight past.

She'll be fine if she follows standard safety (blanking anyone trying to hassle her, keeping an eye on her possessions etc).

I have a phone case which has a lanyard attached that goes round my neck, which makes me feel better about my phone not getting snatched, but she should be ok. Don't infect her with any anxieties (I say this with love, but it's easy to slip into paranoia. Sensible warnings are much more useful)

Walking confidently with a no bullshit face on goes a long way ❤️

She will be fine. If she’s not streetwise then she needs to sort that out pronto.

Walk with purpose. Ideally if I was her I’d print out the route from Piccadilly to her hotel (which one is it?). Also when she arrives at Piccadilly take a look at the map so she has an idea which way to go and isn’t staring at it the whole time and only gets it out if she needs further direction, then put it away again. Do not make eye contact with any beggars or acknowledge their presence and just keep walking. They sense weakness as I have never come across any that were ‘persistent’ because I’ve never given them the opportunity to and they can clearly see from my demeanour I’m not a pushover.

You aren't being serious... are you?

Not sure why this would be an issue if you didn't give the date and exact time? Thousands of people go through pickadilly every day.
OP very, very regularly get a late training train and walk through piccadily with no issues.
In over twenty years have never been approached or had any issues! As with all cities, she just needs to walk with purpose.

OP she will be absolutely fine. I lived alone in Manchester city centre for 10 years (oh I miss those days!). I still work in Manchester now (on the days I am in the office) and I absolutely love it 😊

Disagree about avoiding Piccadilly Gardens. It's absolutely fine. Yeah it's scruffy with quite a few homeless people but it's probably one of the busiest parts of Manchester with a constant stream of people waiting for buses / walking to the train station. Yes homeless people will ask for money but that's pretty standard in any city across the world! She just needs to say "sorry I have no cash" and keep walking. Or ignore. But as another poster said, I've never come across any homeless people who have harassed or followed me.

Also I personally wouldn't worry about having her phone out. Pretty much the world and his wife walk round with their phone out these days.

I would say a busy city centre is actually one of the safest places you can be at any time of the day. CCTV and people everywhere. Manchester is no different.

Early evening Piccadilly gardens is absolutely fine, usually really busy with people out shopping and getting the bus. Walking shouldn’t be a problem but I would advise her to check the route before hand on google maps cos it’s a bit confusing round there. I walk around with my phone out lot cos I find the street layout baffling!

Getting to ma met Oxford road campus is dead easy too - I would walk from town but there are approx 1 million buses that go past it every day

She'll be fine, I work in the CC, never had any issues, just keep your bag close and valuables hidden and you'll be fine.

Wow this is a crazy level of overreaction it's a city there's people everywhere. I walk around it all the time completely on my own and I've never had any hassle.

She'll be fine - even in early evening. Would advise her to NOT book into any hotel that is part of the Britannia chain of hotels though.

Re Oxford Road - there are tons of buses that go down the Oxford Road corridor - it's really busy (and probably quicker than a taxi). Manchester Met isn't that far down either so she could actually get a tram to St Peter's Square from Piccadilly and then walk down Oxford St and then Oxford Road. Dead easy.

Sometimes a bit of tough love is what is needed so here it is. You are being utterly ridiculous. Presumably your daughter is an adult if she's going to a city on her own. Millions of people walk around cities every single day. She'll be fine! Please don't pass this level of anxiety on to your daughter. I get it's difficult to let go of our kids but you are going to have to or you will drive yourself and them crackers. Have a glass of wine and chill.

I live in Manchester and work in the city centre and I actively avoid picaddly gardens in the day nevermind the night. So yeah you’re valid to be concerned. Keep any of value hidden and earphone outs of ears, bags clutched stay in lit areas. X

I’ve never found or felt central Manchester to be unsafe. But I certainly wouldn’t be walking around Piccadilly with my phone out after dark - that’s just asking for trouble. If it’s five minutes walk it shouldn’t cost much by cab from the door of the train station.

The universities area (Oxford Road presumably) is busy night and day. Google maps will give her the route by foot or public transport.

She’ll probably have a great time if she keeps her wits about her and her phone in her pocket.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Some of you clearly think I’m being silly and overprotective and others recognise there are indeed real risks. I think my own experience in Manchester in 2019 is clouding my judgement. As I said in my OP, I am well used to London, but in Manchester the people who wanted money were coming directly up to us, as opposed to waiting more passively for money, if you see what I mean. It was unnerving.
Anyway, I will print out a paper copy of the map from the station to the hotel and tell her to keep her phone out of sight.
Re. Getting to the uni the next day - it’s good to know there are plenty of buses. Can anyone tell me the number of a direct one from the Piccadilly station area to Oxford Rd please? And what destination will it say on the front of the bus ( so she doesn’t get on one going in the opposite direction?!) Thanks.

I think you can get a train directly from Piccadilly Station to Oxford Road station which takes about four minutes and then there are buses that just run down Oxford Road to the university constantly.

She's probably just better Google mapping it honestly when she's there.

Personally I’d just walk but maybe the free No 1 bus from picadilly to the top of Oxford rd and then walk down Oxford rd? It’s all very safe and not far. Bus is a small one and just says No 1 on it iirc.

https://tfgm.com/ways-to-travel/bus/free-bus

if she does want to get a bus down Oxford rd then just literally get on anything heading south down Oxford rd, it’s the busiest bus route in Europe.

this is Manchester uni not Met, but all down Oxford rd, has info any bus numbers inc some which look like they go from Piccadilly train station -the 147 but might be a bit of a convoluted route.

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/maps/travel-by-bus-coach/

Oh yes indeed you can also get a tram from Piccadilly to Saint Peter's Square and then walk down to the university that way

YABU, I live in Manchester, I am a young woman and walk around there in the evening alone all the time