Ours is a visionary city - so let’s not lose sight of those who need our help

THIS week we reported how Manchester is consolidating it’s rightful position as a world-class place. The city fathers have always, in my experience, been visionary and ambitious and nothing can stop the people of Manchester leading the way in many fields. As my old pal Tony Wilson used to say, Manchester – as Mancs love to tell you – has always been ahead of the game.

Both the skyline lifestyle reflect the aspirations and yet there are still contradictions – as there have been for centuries. The poverty line is only a stone’s throw away from the wealthiest, and the disenfranchised and live within a postcode or two of the decision-makers.

I’ve been reflecting on two quotations from history, which were published within three years of each other. Benjamin Disraeli said of Manchester: “Manchester is the most wonderful city of modern times”.

In 1847 Frederick Engels wrote about the area just south of Oxford Road which was known as Little Ireland: “The race that lives in these ruinous cottages behind broken windows or in dark, wet cellars in measureless filth and stench must surely have reached the lowest stage of humanity”

Almost 170 years on, let’s continue to celebrate achievements and progress but let’s not take our eye off those who need help the most. WHEN it comes to music heritage the argument still rages about which city, Manchester or Liverpool, has had more influence since the 1960s. This column isn’t long enough for me to list the Manchester bands which

Mayflower make an amazing sound conquered the world or the many ways in which the Fab Four insinuated themselves into popular culture. Luckily there’s a new band which neatly crosses the divide and brings both ends of the M62 together.

Jake Calvert’s band Mayflower combine influences from both Manchester and Liverpool – with a healthy dose of Dylan in there – to write original songs and create their amazing sound. I suppose you could call these lads an emerging band but they’re already making a big name for themselves in the local venues and on BBC radio. They’ve been together for just under a year and when they hit the really big time, remember you read about them here first.

They stormed Gullivers in the Northern Quarter last night and if you want to see Mayflower for yourself, they’re playing The Blossoms in Stockport tonight, The Castle Hotel in Manchester next Saturday and on 20th August they’ll be rocking in the Night & Day Cafe on Oldham Street. Good luck to the lads, they deserve great success. AND finally...

I’ve just joined the gym and I asked the instructor if he could teach me some yoga positions. He said “How flexible are you?” I said “I can’t do Mondays or Wednesdays.”