It has been over 15 years since I worked in Manchester City Centre, and although I regularly drive around the outskirts of the city, I wanted to see how much it had changed, whilst looking for some inspiration for my jewellery designs.

It's been a tough year, and I decided it was time to treat myself to a bit of retail therapy, and even though I own over 15 pairs of Dr Martens, their limited edition dusky pink Buzz shoes had me reaching for my credit card, plus I fancied another Lucy & Yak boiler suit.

Unfortunately we don't have a Lucy & Yak store in Liverpool, so it meant a trip down the M62 to Manchester, I can think of worst things, and I thought why not kill two birds in one.

You find when you either live and/or working in the city, that you take it for granted that everything is going to be there, and you can do a bit of sightseeing at anytime you're there, and they you never do.

A city always seems massive until you start walking around it and then you realise how compact it truly is.

My first challenge was to find some reasonable Manchester city centre parking, as I feel the pain paying Qpark and NCP parking, but luckily I remembered the car parks from taking part in the Night Market events at Fairfield Social club, and headed in that direction, £3.50 all day, and its a 5 mins amble to Manchester Victoria station.

The first challenge of the day is to find the Lucy & Yak store on the High Street, my sense of direction is not the best, and I have to say that Google Maps didn't help the situation either, but as I had all day, I took in the architectural sights.

Not knowing my lefts from my rights, I landed up outside Afflecks Palace, in the Northern Quarter, a former department store, now a creative hub, retains its striking red-brick façade and arched windows, characteristic of late 19th-century design. Inside, the building is a patchwork of narrow corridors and multi-level stairways, embodying a labyrinthine charm that speaks to its past life and evolving function. Afflecks isn’t just a building — it’s a physical reflection of Manchester’s cultural independence and architectural adaptability, and a place that I spent allot of my free time shopping and browsing for the alternative nick nacks.
 

Still on my quest to find the High Street, and I ask so many locals, who have no idea where this street is, and I land up stumbling across it by accident, not so much as a High Street, but a side street opposite the Arndale centre.

Within Lucy and Yak, the choice of Boiler suit, which i had in mind was the black, but then I saw the denim, yellow and pink varieties, so of course I had to try them on on 2 size, baggy or really baggy. 30 minutes later I emerge with an extra baggy Black boiler suit, and it's a quest to buy the Dr Martens, so I cut through the Arndale centre, but realise I need some readies, so cut into the bank, but the queues are ridiculously long, and walk over to the other branch around the corner.

Looking up a sandstone building catches my eye, because the geometric round and elongated oval shaped windows look like earrings, and other ornatments of the building catches my eye.

Money secured it's back in the sun, and the one thing I love doing is going off the beaten track, to use the back streets of the city, where you can find some real gems, and it was at this point, I found a short distance from Piccadilly Gardens, The Shakespeare, a black-and-white timber-framed Tudor building.

The current structure was relocated and restored in the early 20th century, its traditional design is a rare example of mock-Tudor architecture in the city centre. With its exposed beams, steep gables, and leaded windows, The Shakespeare was a visual contrast to Manchester’s more industrial and classical designs.
 

Now I have the Buzz Dr Martens secured I headed to St Anne's Square, and remembered Barton Arcade, seeing its glass and cast iron work turret from the distance, and headed towards Deansgate.  When I used to work just round the corn, I loved walking this aracde full of boutique shops, and wondered how it had fared over the last few years.

Barton Arcade is an architectural jewel erected in 1871, nestled discreetly between more modern structures, this cast-iron and glass arcade is a masterpiece of Victorian architecture. Its three levels of wrought-iron balconies and detailed mosaic flooring are beautifully preserved, offering a rare glimpse into the elegance of Manchester’s commercial past. The light-filled space showcases how Victorian designers brought sophistication and innovation together in urban architecture.
 

With the sun the space was bright and light, although it looks like some renovation work was being carried out during my visit, and some of the units were unfortunately vacant, possibly a victim of the one way traffic system currently enforced on Deansgate.

Walking down Deansgate, I came across Waterstones, making the statement that they are the largest bookshop in the North West, well with a claim like that I just had to go and check out there craft and IT sections, and unfortunately found it a bit wanting, as they didn't really have much of a selection, and then the fire alarm went off, so with the excitement of being escorted out of the building, and feeling a little peckish, I thought I would check out the eateries on Deansgate.

As I headed down the eerily quiet road, especially at that time of the day as back in the day, I remember it being such a busy road, with traffic travelling at 5 mph during peak times, an imposing majestic buliding catches my eye, and at first I thought it was a cathedral, but remember that Manchester Cathedral was at the other end of the road, does Manchester have 2 cathedrals like Liverpool? Maybe it was a museum?
 

On closer inspection it turned out to be Manchester Central Library, completed in 1934, a neoclassical building inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. a grand circular design with imposing Corinthian columns which dominates St Peter’s Square, which looks so out of place with it being surrounded by modern glass fronted buildings.

From the expressive creativity of Afflecks to the elegance of Barton Arcade, the classical grandeur of the library, and the nostalgic charm of The Shakespeare, Manchester city centre architecture is as diverse as its people. These landmarks tell the story of a city constantly reinventing itself — while staying deeply connected to its roots.

Which is your favourite Manchester architectural gem?

Joolz xxx
 

May 13, 2025