My shock at state of once-great city centre
I WRITE this note with a somewhat heavy heart, but feel compelled to pass comment upon the state of Manchester city centre and the Piccadilly Gardens area in particular.
As someone who now lives in Europe but who grew up in Collyhurst in the fifties and early sixties, and as a kid worked at Smithfield market, it saddens me greatly.
I invited a group of friends to join me in making a special trip to visit Manchester and to watch the match at the Etihad on Saturday, May 6.
Arriving in the UK early Friday morning, we drove up to Manchester through the Derbyshire Dales and Peak District and it was absolutely glorious.
However, the feelings of contentment totally disappeared that same evening in Manchester.
We checked into the hotel by Piccadilly station and decided to go to Chinatown for a meal, returning through Piccadilly Gardens.
What greeted us was totally unexpected and left me and my friends somewhat cautious of our surroundings – it was dark, dingy, with rubbish-strewn streets, junkies who were so bereft of their senses that they were like zombies and, of course, the rough-sleepers and drunks that now seem to be accepted as part and parcel of everyday life. The place was far worse than many third world countries, and I speak from experience in that respect.
On the Sunday morning I accompanied my wife and the ladies in the group to Deansgate for a shopping trip.
The streets were still rubbish-strewn and I counted 17 rough-sleepers/beggars and two junkies along the route from Piccadilly Station approach to Corporation Street – this in broad daylight.
What used to be a vibrant, safe, area of our great city has become a filthy rubbish tip.
Speaking with family members later it seems that Piccadilly Gardens is now considered a ‘no-go area’ by most ordinary people. This is both shameful and disgusting.
The mayor and city councillors need to get out and actually see for themselves what is happening to this once great city and there can be no excuses – it is happening on their watch. It is scandalous and they should be utterly ashamed. Bill Flint, Warsaw