I Love MCR Summer 2016

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THE MANCHESTER BOMB

THE BOMB AND THE MAKING OF MODERN MANCHESTER

Saturday morning June 15 1996.

Where were you?

NEVER BEFORE SEEN

“MANCHESTER, SO MUCH TO ANSWER FOR” Lawrence Watson’s photographs of icons of Manchester music

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Copyright © 2016 I Love MCR Ltd All rights reserved. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate, the publisher cannot accept any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior permission of the publisher.

Editor Stephen Lewis Contributors Ray King Aidan O’Rourke Emily Oldfield Tom Ingham Art Director Chris Greenhalgh Sales & Marketing Mike Strul Printed by Studiofp Distributed by Tadtu 0161 839 3083 Cover picture Lawrence Watson Published by I Love MCR Ltd 447-449 Royal Exchange St Ann’s Square Manchester M2 7EP 0161 710 2665 hello@ilovemanchester.com #ILoveMCR

HELLO SUNSHINE! Summer’s here, just in case you hadn’t noticed. Whether you’re soaking up the sun or dodging the rain, there’s always lots to do in Manchester, and with the longer days well and truly here, there’s no reason not to get out and make the most of it.

No excuse is needed to celebrate Manchester, but just in case you need one, June 15 is the twentieth anniversary of the IRA bomb which devastated the city centre. Since then, Manchester has been transformed into a city to be proud of with so much to do and enjoy.

This month alone we’ve got Forever Manchester Week (Friday 10 June to Friday 17 June) - one week of events and offers at some of Manchester’s best restaurants and bars, with all proceeds going to Forever Manchester, the charity which raises funds for local community groups. From kids football teams to allotment groups,

older people’s clubs to disability projects, you name it, Forever Manchester will be funding it.

On Sunday 19 June, 70,000 people will be taking to the streets to celebrate Manchester Day, so better have your umbrellas handy.

When it comes to Euro 2016, you’re either in or out. If you’re in, there are plenty of great places to watch the games. Will England make a quick Brexit?

Possibly. Will they get knocked out on penalties by Germany?

Probably.

Nothing goes better with football than beer, and by a stroke a luck the first week of the Euros coincides with Manchester Beer Week, our first city wide beer festival.

So slap on the sun cream, get your shorts on and have a great summer. See you on the other side.

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SATURDAY MORNING JUNE 15 1996 Saturday morning June 15 1996 started like any other Saturday morning in Manchester. People were waking up feeling a bit rough after too much Boddies or maybe a late night at Sankeys Soap or the Hacienda.

Others had had a quiet night in watching Mavis saying how awful she felt for having thought Norris was a murderer and Alma accusing Mike Baldwin of not caring about her on Corrie, or maybe the Fugees singing Killing Me Softly on Top of the Pops.

Earlier in the year, a film called Trainspotting caused a stir, an unknown actor called Daniel Craig appeared in Our Friends In The North, and Take That split up for the first time. Oasis played two gigs at Maine Road and United beat Liverpool at

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Wembley to complete another double. The less said about City’s season the better. Some people may have been thinking about buying their first house but wondering if they could afford the repayments on a £30,000 mortgage. That afternoon England would play Scotland in Euro 1996 and the following day Germany would take on Russia at Old Trafford.

It was business as usual in Manchester city centre.

People were out shopping in the Arndale and the Corn Exchange, at Lewis’s, Woolie’s, C&A and Stolen from Ivor in the underground market on Market Street. And then it happened.

One of those ‘where were you when..?’ moments. Where were you?

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THE BOMB AND THE MAKING OF MODERN MANCHESTER

By Ray King

aturday 15th June 1996 dawned bright and sunny and Manchester had every reason to feel good about itself, writes Ray King.

Shoppers flocked into the city on the eve of Father's Day, mingling with football fans from Italy, Germany, Russia and the Czech Republic, in town for the Group C matches in the Euro 96 Championships at Old Trafford.

The grim, confrontational mid1980s were history. Manchester was on the move.

Metrolink trams were running through the city centre. The Bridgewater Hall, the prestigious new home of the Hallé, was

almost complete. Regeneration of the vast Victorian Great Northern Warehouse complex was coming on stream.

Castlefield had been re-invented as Britain's first urban heritage park. The Northern Quarter was taking shape and the vision of young entrepreneurs like Tom Bloxham were attracting back city centre residents in large numbers.

Manchester had won the right to host the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and, perhaps most crucially- for the process became a blueprint for what was to come - Hulme had been transformed from modern slum to model inner-city suburb.

“THE POLICE HAD JUST OVER AN HOUR TO CLEAR THE THRONGING STREETS AFTER THE CODED WARNING WAS GIVEN.” 6 ILOVEMCR.COM

Credit Aidan O’Rourke

In an instant at 11.17am, confident Manchester was faced with the most devastating calamity since the Second World War as the biggest bomb ever detonated on the British mainland in peacetime tore the commercial heart out of the city centre and rained debris and shards of glass down like a nightmarish thunderstorm.

More than 200 people were wounded, several seriously but, miraculously, no one was killed.

The police had just over an hour to clear the thronging streets after the coded warning was given.

The bomb itself - a ton and a third of home-made explosive primed with a Semtex fuse and packed into a Ford Cargo lorry - had been spotted soon enough in Corporation Street

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SUMMER Eleven days after the blast, the devastating scale of the damage and its potential impact on the city’s future was sinking in and, despite all the initial bravado, the demand for the establishment of a task force headed by a minister of Cabinet rank to spearhead a £500 million rebuilding drive spoke volumes about the crisis Manchester knew it was facing.

between Marks & Spencer and the Arndale centre, but ushering an estimated 80,000 people away and holding a cordon half a mile in diameter proved an enormous task. But the police had got lucky for there were many extra officers on duty that morning because of the football tournament. Without them, the mass evacuation might not have been achieved.

The devastation was enormous.

Retailers that suffered major structural damage in the blast included Marks & Spencer (60,000 sq ft), Argos (40,000 sq ft), Top Man (15,000 sq ft), Boots and WH Smith (both 10,000 sq ft), the clothing store UCS (5,000 sq ft) and Dorothy Perkins (2,000 sq ft). Partial structural damage was sustained by British Home Stores (40,000 sq ft),

Littlewoods (40,000 sq ft) and the Ramada Hotel on Deansgate (40,000 sq ft).

Though the destruction of Marks and Spencer’s and the west frontage of the Arndale Centre – both relatively modern buildings - were the most obvious effects of the blast, the power of the explosion also inflicted grave damage on a number of the city’s historic landmarks, most seriously the Royal Exchange, Corn Exchange, Cathedral and even St Ann's Church.

But speaking after emerging from talks with new council leader Richard Leese, deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine galvanised his audience with a commitment that the government would not only help Manchester reinstate the damage, but would also seize the opportunity to do much more. He declared that construction would be thrown open to an international competition seeking a range of ideas and imaginative concepts to take the city into the 21st century.

The temptation to repair and reinstate as quickly as possible was driven by the imminent opening of Britain’s biggest out-of-town shopping mall just over five miles to the west - the Trafford Centre, now a £650 million complex of 280 shops and stores, 38 restaurants, twenty cinema screens and 10,000 free car parking spaces.

Cont. >

“THE POWER OF THE EXPLOSION INFLICTED GRAVE DAMAGE ON A NUMBER OF THE CITY’S HISTORIC LANDMARKS” ILOVEMCR.COM 7

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The city's decision to resist that temptation and to invite masterplanners to create the new Millennium Quarter and, crucially, New Cathedral Street and Exchange Square, paid off to the extent that some people still hold the mistaken belief that the bomb was the making of modern Manchester.

It wasn't. It was a disaster that the city had, by 1996, the wherewithal, experience and courage to handle well, though new priorities were set by the location of the blast to which the architects and designers who spoke at the recent Manchester Histories' symposium, applied their skills.

So, two decades after the bombing, the question remains: who did it? No one has ever been brought to justice for the outrage and it is highly improbable anyone ever will.

But on 15th July, 1996, exactly one month after the Manchester attack, six members of the Provisional IRA were arrested and charged with conspiring to cause explosions at electricity sub-stations in the south of England. At the time they were described as one of the most dangerous terrorist gangs ever to work on the UK mainland and at their subsequent trial each was sentenced to 35 years. By the end of June 2000, under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, they had all walked free from jail.

It emerged that Greater Manchester had what they believed was compelling albeit circumstantial evidence, based upon mobile phone intercepts,

Credit Aidan O’Rourke

that this same six had carried out the Manchester attack.

Leaked information naming the six was published by the Manchester Evening News in April 1999.

The revelations resulted in the only person ever charged with an offence in connection with the Manchester bomb being

“NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN BROUGHT TO JUSTICE FOR THE OUTRAGE AND IT IS HIGHLY IMPROBABLE ANYONE EVER WILL.”

brought before a jury - Detective Chief Inspector Gordon Mutch, the officer leading the inquiry. He was charged with misconduct in a public office for allegedly passing information to crime reporter Steve Panter.

When Panter, called as a witness at the detective's trial, refused to name his source, he was declared to be in contempt of court. Mutch was acquitted but, unusually, ordered to pay £10,000 towards his own defence costs. The judge in the case was Mr - as he then was Justice Leveson.

Ray King's definitive account of the Manchester bomb, Detonation - Rebirth of a City, updated for the 20th anniversary, is available to download via Kindle, price £2.77

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HOW ONE SIMPLE LINE ON A PLAN WAS KEY TO THE REDESIGN OF MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE

By Ray King

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MCR Key players in the redesign and reconstruction of a city centre shattered by the biggest bomb ever detonated on the British mainland in peacetime returned to Manchester recently to take part in a symposium on how Manchester was led from catastrophic damage to globally admired modern city in a dramatically short time by leading exponents of urban planning.

And according to Jason Prior, chief executive of Buildings + Places at AECOM - formerly EDAW – which, together with Castlefield-based architect Ian Simpson, won the design competition to become masterplanners of Manchester’s new commercial core, one simple elegant line on a plan was key to the redesign of Manchester city centre.

It marked the course of New Cathedral Street, directly linking for the first time in over a century, two of Manchester greatest assets - the cathedral and St Ann’s Church - enabling the creation of the Millennium Quarter. “That line, such an obvious move, was the first line we drew on the map,” he said.

Now one of the world’s leading placemakers, renowned as a visionary in creating successful new communities and regenerating town and cities, Jason took his expertise to other British cities after Manchester and played a leading role in the planning of London’s Olympic Park in the Lee Valley and the Olympic village in Rio de Janeiro for this year’s upcoming summer games.

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“MANY PEOPLE DON’T REALLY APPRECIATE JUST HOW HIGHLY RESPECTED MANCHESTER IS FOR WHAT THE CITY ACHIEVED AT THAT TIME” He had an affection for Manchester having lived in the city as a student. Now he credits his work in the aftermath of the bomb as a career defining period. “It was the key moment in my career because it took me down the road of city regeneration. Many of those who were engaged in the Manchester project and have gone on to great success in the last 20 years owe a huge debt to their involvement in the city and the lessons they learned here.

“Many people don’t really appreciate just how highly respected Manchester is for what the city achieved at that time. Bus loads of urban designers and city officials regularly travel through the city to see what was done.”

No one has had a greater impact on Manchester’s new 21st Century cityscape than Ian Simpson, architect of No

1 Deansgate, Urbis and the Beetham Tower and major contributor, with EDAW, to the post-bomb masterplan.

He had been tasked by the city council in the early 1990s to look at urban design principles for the city and produce a guide for developers, later adopted as part of the brief for the masterplan. Earlier this month he predicted that following the financial crash and long recession, Manchester would see more and more iconic skyscrapers - including his own ambitious designs - as confidence returned.

Even before the start of the masterplan competition, he considered creating the link between St Ann’s Square and the city’s mediaeval heart around the Cathedral, isolated by grim, concrete Shambles Square. It became New Cathedral Street.

But to achieve it, the historic Shambles pubs had to be moved - the Simpson/ EDAW scheme was the only masterplan contender to suggest this. It found a new home next to the Cathedral but had to be “cranked” through 90 degrees to fit the site.

And throughout all this period there was the “drumbeat” of the threat to Manchester’s commercial future from the nearly completed Trafford Centre. Yet despite these pressures, the city council was adamant that they would not merely rebuild what was there before, but plan for the new millennium.

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“IT WAS A DISASTER WE RECOVERED FROM PRETTY WELL” Manchester city council leader Sir Richard Leese passes a remarkable personal and political milestone this month - the 20th anniversary of his election to office, writes Ray King

S

ir Richard Leese succeeded Graham Stringer as leader of Manchester city council following the local elections of 1996 and has been at the helm during two of the most tumultuous decades in the city's history.

His was literally a baptism of fire. Less than six weeks after he was elected leader by his fellow councillors, the biggest bomb ever detonated on the British mainland in peacetime ripped through the heart of Manchester's commercial centre. The devastating attack by the Provisional IRA left more than 200 people wounded and much of the city centre in ruins.

The damage was estimated at more than £500m.

Sir Richard had been at a Labour Party meeting in the town hall that morning. Seconds after a fellow councillor asked what could be done to raise the new leader's profile, the building shook as the bomb detonated. >

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MCR "The bomb was the most traumatic thing to have happened in this city since I have lived here,” he said. “There is nobody who was directly or indirectly involved that still in part doesn't live that trauma... there's an emotional impact that will stay with me until I die."

Despite that trauma, Sir Richard believes that the successful delivery of the Commonwealth Games in 2002, in which he was deeply involved, probably had more impact on the growth of the city in the long term than the bomb.

"I have argued consistently that the bomb was not the making of modern Manchester. It was a disaster that we recovered from pretty well."

The Commonwealth Games – at the time the biggest multi-sports event that the UK had ever hosted - saw the building of the City of Manchester stadium into which Manchester City moved the following year. It is hard to imagine that Sheik Mansour of

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Abu Dhabi would have bought the club - and sparked the massive development of the Etihad Campus - had it still been based at its old Maine Road ground.

Sir Richard played a key role in securing the expansion of the Metrolink system and has led the city through the longest and deepest economic recession since the 1930s.

More recently, he has been an enthusiastic supporter, alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, of the socalled Northern Powerhouse project, passionately advocating the construction of the HS2 rail link to London, the electrification of the trans-Pennine rail route, and seeing Greater Manchester take on pioneering new devolved powers over the local administration of its £6bn health and social care system.

Born and raised in Mansfield, Sir Richard took up teaching after graduating from the University of Warwick and worked in

schools in Coventry and Duluth, Minnesota, before arriving in Manchester and becoming a youth worker.

He was elected to the council in May 1984 - the year that the left-wing faction, led by Graham Stringer, finally took a majority in the controlling Labour group and formed a controversial and uncompromising anti-Thatcher administration with a radical equality agenda, years ahead of its time.

Their belief that a group of like-minded socialist town halls could take on and bring down Margaret Thatcher's government was soon shattered. By 1987 Manchester was facing huge debts and the crushing Labour defeat in the general election that year snuffed out all forlorn hopes of a bail-out.

Graham Stringer, aided by Sir Richard and most of the erstwhile hard-left group, shied away from emulating Liverpool's rebellion and executed an astonishing political U-turn.

Manchester Labour's new and enthusiastic embrace of the private sector was the start of a new era which saw the remarkable regeneration of Hulme - dubbed the worst slum in Europe - the beginning of Metrolink, and the bid for the Olympics of 1996 and 2000 which delivered the Manchester Arena and that "gold medal factory", the Velodrome.

As chair of the city's finance committee and deputy council leader from 1990, Sir Richard was deeply involved in the city's

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“THE BOMB WAS NOT THE MAKING OF MODERN MANCHESTER”

leap forward in the 1990s and was Graham Stringer's natural successor in 1996.

On his watch, the long-term decline in the city's population has not only been reversed but risen by a fifth. Today the average Mancunian's age is just 29 and in the last four years the city's economy has grown by 4.6 per cent – even faster than London.

He was awarded a CBE in 2001, and in 2006, ten years after the bomb, he was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours' List for services to local government.

Yet despite the honours and the achievements, Sir Richard has ruled himself out of contention for the new post of elected mayor for Greater Manchester, which will be contested in 2017.

"Throughout my political career I have always looked for progress, both for the city but also personally,” he says. “For me it is always about what's new, about challenges. Given the experiences of the last few years, in many ways I see the mayoralty as a step backwards, a step down even, although after two demanding, difficult but exciting decades as leader of the council I would struggle to think of another political position that wouldn't be a step down.

"I would also resent the amount of time seeking to be a candidate would take. There's too much to do - the referendum in June, a devolution agreement to implement, investment for the north of England to be secured, a city to run."

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TWENTY YEAR Aidan O’Rourke has mixed feelings about how the new Manchester has turned out...

was working in the Middle East when the bomb exploded. It was as if a family member had been hurt.

A month later I returned home and took the bus into the city centre. The patient didn’t look as bad as I had expected. Recovery had started.

Credit Wesley Harding

Let me just state my credentials.

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I am the man on the street, with a camera and a notebook. I look, I document, I make suggestions - some outlandish. I’m an independent voice and that’s what makes my views valuable.

Some of the ideas dreamt up by free-thinking individuals from around here have gone on to be world-beating.

And so let’s rewind to 1996. I was fascinated by the city around me. I started to document it in a website called Eyewitness in Manchester. It seemed every week brought a new announcement. There were early campaigns such as the plan for a cylindrical tower on the Free Trade Hall. I helped the Civic

Society to object. The plans were dropped. The spirit of Manchester seemed to be full of energy, always pushing ahead, like Tony Wilson.

The Shambles - I photographed them before they were moved. I watched as the two pubs were rebuilt in their new location. The verdict? Positive. An imperfect solution, but it worked.

The nearby Exchange Square took shape. The design by American designer Martha Schwartz was quirky, creative and flexible. But sadly in subsequent years it wasn’t maintained or used properly.

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RS ON The Corn Exchange was renamed the Triangle. I wrote that they should return to the original name. Eventually they did. Why didn’t they listen to the independent voice?

Listen is something that the powers that be often don’t do.

In 1999, I opened a copy of City Life and I was shocked by what I saw. An office block on a green space, a concrete wall, a layout that was completely out of character with its surroundings.

This was the proposed new Piccadilly Gardens. On my site I wrote an open letter to the council. Along with others I objected. Our objections were

SUMMER “MANCHESTER COULD STILL HAVE A BIGGER AND EVEN MORE OUTLANDISH STRUCTURE TO ATTRACT WORLD ATTENTION.”

overruled and it was built. At first I felt I was a lone voice but today the verdict of the people is clear.

In my opinion there is only one solution. Start again.

Over in the the newly named Millennium Quarter, a wedgeshaped glass building called Urbis took shape. I was involved with its exhibits. I went to many shows there. My Manchester Mega-Photo was displayed there. In its new guise as the National Football Museum, visitor numbers are up, and the building still looks stunning.

Manchester could still have a bigger and even more outlandish structure to attract world attention. Perhaps a tower with an observation platform. A bizarre, creative and iconic ‘thing’ that will really stand out and make Manchester famous.

In 2004, I saw a visualisation of a new tower to appear at the bottom of Deansgate. I documented its construction. I took my Manchester Mega-Photo from the roof. I captured it from all angles, from close up and from miles away. The Beetham Tower was an icon of the new Manchester. But reactions were mixed. Now I have mixed feelings, too, but soon taller

structures will reach much further into the sky. Will they win over those who were critical? I’m not sure. What is certain is that Manchester will grow an ever taller skyline just as Philadelphia did in in the 1980s.

There have been numerous other projects, buildings lost, neglected, saved, adapted, areas transformed, and not always for the better. I’d like to mention the successes of the Victoria Baths and Ancoats Dispensary.

They symbolise the spirit of Manchester. But in the rush to develop, it’s important to realise that unlimited construction doesn’t make a city better.

Quirky, characterful buildings are what attract visitors. The Old Fire Station appears to be a success story in the making - now the decision makers appear to be listening.

One of the best new conversions of an old building is the Central Library, but there is a catch. The transformation of the interior is magnificent, but it is seriously marred by the glass link building which for so many reasons is wrong in this location. There is only one solution - remove it.

And so what of the spirit of Manchester? Is it alive? Yes, I think so. When I visit other parts of the country that are less dynamic, creative and edgy, I realise that I have to live in a big, bad city like this one.

In 20 years time, Manchester may be unrecognisable by comparison to today. Will the spirit of Manchester still be alive and well? I hope so. @AidanEyewitness

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MORE MANCHESTER ANNIVERSARIES TO COMMEMORATE It’s twenty years since the bomb and twenty years since Sir Richard Leese became leader of the council. Here’s six more anniversaries we’re commemorating this year.

60 YEARS AGO: GRANADA BEGINS TRANSMISSION On May 3 1956, one of the world’s best known TV channels began broadcasting to the north of England. Founded by Sidney Bernstein, the channel become known for its innovative programming including Seven Up, a documentary series looking at the lives of British children at seven-year intervals, and of course, Coronation Street, the world’s longest-running TV soap opera in production. The channel’s presenters and news reporters included Richard Madeley, Judy Finnigan and Tony Wilson.

50 YEARS AGO: BOB DYLAN PLAYS AT THE FREE TRADE HALL On May 17 1966, when iconic singer-songwriter Bob Dylan took to the stage in Manchester he was probably not expecting the gig to go down in rock history in the way it did. During a quiet moment in between songs, a member of the audience shouted “Judas” at Dylan in response to his controversial move to start using an electric guitar.

Manchester law student John

Cordwell became the most famous heckler in the history of popular music.

40 YEARS AGO: SEX PISTOLS AT THE LESSER FREE TRADE HALL A decade after the Dylan concert, another legendary gig took place in Manchester - one known as ‘the gig that changed the world.’

The date on which it took place – June 4 1976 – is called the day the punk era began, inspiring a new generation of musicians to start their own bands. The handful of people who were there there included members of the Buzzcocks, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and a young Steven Morrissey. Some argue that it’s impossible to place this single event as the catalyst for the development of Manchester’s music scene but the legends around the show live on.

30 YEARS AGO: GMEX OPENS On March 21 1986, the former Manchester Central Station reopened as the Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre GMEX for short. Officially opened by the Queen, the building went

on to host a variety of events and gigs, with the first and last shows at GMEX both featuring Morrissey. It reverted to its original name in 2007 - although there are still many who refer to the site as GMEX. 10 YEARS AGO: BEETHAM TOWER COMPLETED Manchester’s skyline changed forever in 2006 with the completion of work on the city’s highest building. The Beetham Tower stands at 168.87 metres high and has 47 floors. It’s home to the Hilton Hotel, cocktail bar Cloud 23 and more than 200 luxurious apartments.

1 YEAR AGO: HOME OPENED After more than 30 years, Manchester’s arthouse cinema the Cornerhouse moved to a new site following a merger with the Library Theatre Company. The two organisations joined forces to create HOME. The new venue includes two theatre spaces, five cinema screens, a gallery space and a restaurant. It was officially opened by patron Danny Boyle in a spectacular ceremony on May 21 2015.

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WHAT INSPIRES BEHIND MANCHESTER’S FAVOURITE STREET ART?

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MCR We ask Akse, the man behind Bowie, Heisenberg, and other fantastic works of Manchester street art, about his favourite paintings and why he’s going to be painting more family portraits in future.

How did you get into street art?

I started as a traditional graffiti artist in the early 90’s in a suburb of Paris through hip hop.

I moved to Manchester in 1997 and with time I started painting more public spaces so I naturally developed as a street artist.

What inspires you?

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never been very pleased with the likeness of the first one so I redeemed myself with this one.

I love the Richard Harrow I painted at Sea Sand and Spray

“THE PORTRAIT OF WAYNE ROONEY I PAINTED FOR THE FA TO COMMEMORATE HIS GOALSCORING RECORD FOR ENGLAND IS A SPECIAL PIECE FOR ME”

People inspire me, whether it is through what they have achieved in life or through their art (music, acting, painting) which is why I mainly paint portraits and a lot of my subjects are musicians and actors.

Which are your works have been your favourites?

My second Heisenberg (2014) is also one of my favourites. I had

The portrait of Wayne Rooney I painted at Wembley for the FA to commemorate his goalscoring record for England is also a special piece for me for what it represents. I feel honoured and privileged to have been selected to do this. It was a great and unique experience to paint inside the stadium. It is now on permanent display at Wembley.

The last portrait I painted of Juan Mata is also special because I unveiled the piece for him at Hotel Football a few weeks ago even if it wasn’t finished at the time. I only had four hours to complete the portrait before the unveiling. I don’t often meet the subjects I paint so it was a special moment for me.

Finally, the portraits of my son are very important to me, obviously. I just had a second boy five weeks ago, so I’m going to have to paint more family portraits now.

My first Heisenberg (2013) has got to be on my list because it helped me to be where I am today.

The Bowie tribute inspired by a photograph of Gavin Evans is also one of my favourite because of the impact it had on local people and beyond. It’s been overwhelming, but the best reward I got was the retweet of the mural by Iman as well as a ‘smile’ from his son, Duncan Jones. This is just priceless. I love his first movie, Moon.

favourite character so I had to paint a tribute piece. I carefully selected the reference picture for this piece - the Ezekiel monologue is just epic.

in Blackpool in 2015. I’m very pleased with the end result taking into account the size and that I only had two days to complete the piece. I also got a thank you from the actor Jack Huston - again priceless!

I love the Samuel L Jackson as Jules Winnfield I painted in Shoreditch in London also in 2015. Pulp Fiction is my favourite movie and Jules my

What do you hope people take away from your works?

I hope people can discover a bit more of myself through my paintings. Although I intentionally keep my identity private, people can tell a lot about who I am though my works.

Facebook: akse.p19crew instagram: akse_p19 @akse_p19 www.akse-p19.com

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EURO 2016.

24 TEAMS. 51 MATCHES. 31 DAYS.

The football season’s only just ended but we’re missing it already. Luckily, we don’t have to wait till August to get our footy fix because there’s a whole month of football to look forward to.

Euro 2016 kicks off on Friday 10 June at 8pm and finishes around 9.45 on Sunday 11 July.

Will England win it for the first time? Probably not, but with Rooney, Rashford, Hart and Sterling in the England line-up, there’s lots of local interest.

When England aren’t playing, you can follow the fortunes of local players like De Gea, de Bruyne, Martial and Sagna. And with United and City both likely to have a summer clear out, see if you can spot the players on your club’s shopping list.

Our prediction - Germany to beat England in the final on penalties.

They usually do. But it won’t be Bastian Schweinsteiger lifting the Henri Delaunay Cup. He’ll probably get injured in the first match.

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F I X T U T E A M S GROUP A

GROUP B

M ATCH ES FRIDAY 10 JUNE 2016

SATURDAY 11 JUNE 2016

SUNDAY 12 JUNE 2016

GROUP C

U R E S GROUP D

MONDAY 13 JUNE 2016

TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016

GROUP E

GROUP F

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PLACES TO WATCH THE ACTION PIE & ALE

DIVE NQ

When it comes to football, a dive isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you mean this Northern Quarter bar which is showing all the matches live complete with a menu to keep you fuelled. It’s the type of food built for cheering - easy-to-eat and typically no need for cutlery - so don’t worry about forks in the air as you celebrate the goals. Watch the game from the bar or the dedicated viewing space or hire one of the comfy booth or even the snug area and be sure of the best seats in the house! Remember, bottles of beer are £2.50 on weekdays 5pm-8pm!

Tib St, Manchester M4 1SH

Pies, ale and football. The perfect combination. This place is showing all the Euro matches on 3 big screens and 2 HD TV’s.

Special football sharing menu, drink deals on 4 pint pitchers and buckets of Estrella. Happy hour drinks from 3pm till 8pm Monday to Friday, 2 for 1 Sunday roast pies every Sunday and daily food specials. Open from 12 everyday & food served till 10pm Unit 1 & 2, The Hive, 47 Lever St, Manchester M1 1FN

WALRUS

Kick back and relax in a comfortable booth with a great view of the game. Order yourself an ice-cold beer or cocktail, your favourite pizza and have them delivered straight to your table. If this sounds like the way you’d like to watch Euro 2016, then book a table at Walrus. The newly refurbished basement bar will be screening every Euro 2016 fixture and you’ll enjoy comfortable seating, table service, great food and drinks and a free shot when England score! Between 5pm and 10pm on games that fall Sunday to Friday drinks deals will include 2 beers for £5, a bucket of beers for £10 or 2 cocktails for £10, all served straight to your table.

78-88 High St, Manchester M4 1ES

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WALKABOUT

This Aussie-themed bar has lots of full HD TV’s and a large projector screen so they can show at least three live events at the same time. Sitting in front of the big projector screen relaxing in the comfort of your own seat with waiting staff serving you everything from pitchers of beer to dipping shrimps and delicious Roo burgers is probably better than being there! During the Euros you can buy a beer and burger or beer and hot dog for only £6 and they’ll donate £1 from each sale to Key 103’s Cash for Kids!.

Dantzic St, Manchester M4 2AD

DOUBLETREE

The Urban Bar at the DoubleTree

by Hilton Hotel opposite Piccadilly Station is a buzzing venue offering local craft beers and cocktails. They’ll be showing all the matches and you can enjoy a beer and a burger for just £15. If the sun is shining, the outdoor terrace is perfect for soaking up the sun.

1 Piccadilly Place, 1 Auburn Street, Manchester M1 3DG

WAXY O’CONNORS With both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland taking part in Euro 2016 there’s twice as many reasons to head down to Waxy’s, plus a chance to win a replica ROI/NI shirt or a £100 bar tab. #EurosAtWaxys The Printworks, 27 Withy Grove, Manchester M4 2BS

SHOOTERS

Bierkeller has four fantastic bars in one unique venue. Shooters Sports Bar is every sports fans dream, with all live sporting action on show constantly across over 20 HD TVs and a huge projector screen from open till close (including 3pm Premier League matches) plus weekly pool tournaments and much more. Big match atmosphere guaranteed.

The Printworks, Withy Grove, Manchester M4 2BS

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GASTRONOMIC TOUR OF EURO 2016 Eating and drinking is our favourite pastime, apart from football. (Actually, it’s our second favourite pastime apart from football but best not go into that). You can eat and drink your way across lots of the countries taking part in Euro 2016 without even leaving Manchester, so why not take a Euro 2016 gastronomic tour of the city?

Because there’s no place like home.

GROUP A France Renowned for producing fine footballers and fine food.

63 Degrees, 104 High St Cote Brasserie, 4-12 St Mary’s St GROUP B England Traditional English grub has made a comeback in Manchester in recent years. And it’s not just about fish and chips.

Beef and Pudding, 37 Booth St Rosylee, 11 Stevenson Square 47 King St West Pie and Ale, 47 Lever St Tom’s Chop House, 52 Cross St Annie’s, 5 Old Bank St Malmaison Hotel, Piccadilly

GROUP C

Germany Always win, usually on penalties.

Good for beer and sausages.

Don’t forget the sauerkraut.

Albert’s Schloss, 27 Peter St The Bierkeller, The Printworks Poland There are lots of Polish restaurants to choose from in Manchester these days. This one serves food from the Baltic countries so it’s good for Russian and Ukrainian dishes, too. And vodka.

Baltic Cellar, 20 Lloyd Street GROUP D Spain Spain aren’t just reigning Euro champions. After being underrepresented on the local dining scene for years they’re now undisputed culinary champions of Manchester with loads of excellent restaurants to choose from Lunya, 7 Barton Square Evuna, 277-279 Deansgate Ibérica,14-15 The Avenue El Gato Negro, 52 King St La Bandera, 2 Ridgefield Tapeo, 209 Deansgate

Turkey There have been Turkish restaurants in Manchester for as long as we can remember. Still going strong after all these years.

Topkapi Palace, 205 Deansgate Efes, 46 Princess St Café Istanbul, 79-81 Bridge St Turkish Kitchen, Great Ducie St GROUP E Italy Always favourites when it comes to football and food.

San Carlo, 42 King St W Rudy’s Pizza, 9 Cotton Street Salvi’s, 22 Corn Exchange Piccolino, 8 Clarence St Pasta Factory, 77 Shudehill Republic of Ireland Irish stew, seafood, black and white pudding. Oh, and Guinness. Lots of it.

Waxy O’Connors, The Printworks The Shamrock, 17 Bengal Street GROUP F Iceland Famous for their inexpensive frozen food. Branches across Manchester.

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Credit Lawrence Watson.

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“MANCHESTER, SO MUCH TO ANSWER FOR”

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An interactive photographic exhibition by Lawrence Watson.

Lawrence Watson was a regular staff photographer at the NME through the 1980s and 1990s and documented the rise of many famous Manchester and Salford bands. This installation focuses on the culture of Manchester in the 80s and 90s and the foundations that lead to the city becoming the bedrock of the British music scene. The exhibit will contain never before seen photographs of The Smiths, Oasis, Ian Brown, New Order and many more. The exhibition takes place across 2,000sq ft and features musical archive, audio clips, films and interviews, and even a 1980s teenager’s bedroom for the full nostalgic experience.

This is the first exhibition by Future Artists at their kickstarter funded venue on Chapel Street.

Until 18 July. Not to be missed. thefutureartists.com/tickets

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Doodles by David Bishop

THE BLAGGER’S A date for your diary. June 10.

That’s when Manchester’s first ever city-wide beer festival will descend on our pubs, breweries and restaurants, demonstrating the impact craft beer has made on our city. For the Rate Beer pro, this is a time to buy a new notepad and book days off work, but for the casual ‘non-craft’ drinker, this nine-day craft marathon poses more of a challenge.

What do you do when you don’t recognise anything on the board? What do you say when a brewer asks you how his beer is? No need to worry. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide for bllagging your way through Manchester Beer Week.

HOW TO ORDER IT The Beer Board/Bar: This is the first hurdle, but it’s a biggie.

Keep those hands away from your chin, look up and down that list confidently even if you don’t

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have a clue what’s what. Raise your eyebrows and nod, look impressed but not too eager.

You’re a connoisseur of beer, remember. Nothing is perfect.

Tasting: Mercifully, this is encouraged in the real ale world.

Our advice is to always ask for at least two beers to try, otherwise you’ll have to justify why you don’t want that bar’s good beer.

Just order two and just say you prefer the second. Simples.

Serving: You’ve spotted a tropical sounding sour beer and it’s 7%. The bar staff are going to think you’re a home brewer or something. And oh no, you’ve broken the spell by asking for a pint of it but it’s only served in two-thirds. Back to Bierkeller! Check out the ABV and the serving - pints aren’t that fashionable in this game.

No, this isn’t a typo. If you want to be taken seriously you’re going to need to take a slightly blurry photo of your beverage, preferably with the pump clip in the background. Also blurred.

Step 2. Keep your phone out and download Untappd. It’s every brewer’s favourite waste of time. It’s an app where you can score your beer out of 5 and give optional written feedback, the beauty being that “It’s shit” and “Don’t like it” pass as reviews in this space.

HOW TO DRINK IT

Step 3. Don’t drink it yet! Sniff it, duh. Without wanting to get too technical, beer has ingredients in it, and usually they smell of something. Us sommelier types call this ‘aroma.’ Fancy, right?

Have a good whiff, making sure to not get froth on your nosethe head holds a lot of the hop aroma. We’ll cover descriptive terms in the next section.

Step 1. Get your phone out.

Step 4 Okay, now you can drink

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S GUIDE TO BEER it if you must. Take a pensive sip, look back down at the beer, give it a swirl, taste it again and then look into the foreground. If you’re feeling confident, hold it up to the light and admire the appearance.

If you blurt out an opinion too quickly it can’t be considered, so just chew on it for a while, take your time.

HOW TO COMMENT ON IT This bit’s hard. Terms like “nice” don’t really cut it, and unless you’re aware of the characteristics of each hop variety, you might struggle.

Here’s a general rule of descriptors that will apply some of the time. If people don’t agree, remember taste is subjective so just question their palate and hope they back down.

Pale Ales/IPA’s: Usually golden/ blonde in colour. ABV’s can vary a lot here. If it’s a strong one, that’s a good place to start.

Say something like “It hides its

strength well” if it’s drinkable. If it’s a headbanger, opt for words like “bold” instead of “minging”.

Other easy comments include “nice and crisp”, “very drinkable”, “It’s got a citrusy flavour” and “light and refreshing.” Use appropriately.

Dark beers: It’s all about texture here. Is this smoked porter smooth like a nice creamy Guinness or a bit richer? Does it have a strong coffee or chocolate taste? Well, depending on the answers to these questions, you may well be able to blag your way through. Just don’t attempt to define the difference between a stout and a porter.

Sour beers: This is quite an advanced beer but, ironically, the easiest to blag. The clue is in the name, so simply comment “oh yes, that is sour” or “that’s actually not too tart, quite drinkable” and you’ll be fit for conversing with the likes of Oz Clarke in no time.

ALTERNATIVE OPTION Manchester’s beer scene is booming. A wise man once said, “Beer people are good people” so you need not feel intimidated by any of these events. Go along, ask questions, try the beer, make friends and support local microbreweries and independent bars. Oh, and if you see Connor Murphy, buy him a pint.

Manchester Beer Festival runs from 10th - 19th June and features events in various locations. Check out a list of the events here: http://www. mcrbeerweek.co.uk/events/

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MANCHESTER’S PASTOR MASTERS

An estimated 100,000 people visit Manchester city centre every weekend.

Unfortunately, not all of them are able to go on their merry way after a sherry or two without engaging in some kind of altercation

Manchester’s Street Pastors have been patrolling the city centre since mid-2011, listening, caring and helping vulnerable people in the area late at night.

They are like that extremely caring, sober friend everyone should have with them when they’ve had one drink too many.

These groups of volunteers patrol areas like Piccadilly Gardens, the Northern Quarter and The Printworks between the hours of 10pm - 3am with the primary goal of preventing antisocial behaviour and protecting the inebriated from harm.

Their work includes picking up and disposing of glass bottles,

helping people get into taxis, giving out flip-flops to women who are walking barefoot and providing bottles of water. They also step in if they see any aggressive behaviour and break up the fight if necessary and contact the authorities.

As part of an effort to support them, Walkabout in The Printworks are donating bottled

THE STREET PASTORS ALSO APPROACH PEOPLE WHO ARE ALONE AND LOOK LOST

water and allowing the team to use areas of their bar to store equipment.

It’s not all about aggression, however. The Street Pastors also approach people who are alone and look lost or are in an unresponsive state, and try to ensure they receive the attention and help they need to get home safely.

They’ve also been known to provide homeless people with food, blankets and information about organisations like Barnabas.

So if you see them, give them a smile. They deserve one.

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WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON DURING EURO 2016?

If you’re not into football or you need something to do between matches, there’s lots of other stuff to do during Euro 2016. Just find something that tickles your fancy. Try these for size.

MANCHESTER HISTORIES FESTIVAL Ten days of music, film, debate, a digital game, talks, theatre and performance, tours, exhibitions and more, this festival celebrates the familiar and reveals new and hidden histories across Greater Manchester. With more than 180 events and activities to choose from, many of them free, there’s bound to be something for you whether you’re a history fan or not. Until 12 June.

MANCHESTER BEER WEEK Nothing goes better with football than beer and by a stroke of luck Manchester’s first citywide beer festival starts on the same day

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as the Euros. This celebration isn’t tied to a single venue, so expect to find a huge variety of different events at pubs, bars, and restaurants across the city.

No excuse needed to take part in this celebration.

MANCHESTER DAY On Sunday 19 June, Manchester city centre will be fit to burst with this annual celebration of everything that makes Manchester such a special place to live. Apart from the weather.

Last year, over 2,500 people joined the parade through the city in front of 70,000 spectators.

Expect this year’s event to be even bigger – weather permitting.

MUSICAL MANCHESTER Lots of big name acts are coming to Manchester over the summer with none bigger than the Stone Roses, who are playing the Etihad from 15-19 June. It’s sold

out, of course. Rihanna and Beyonce are due to perform at the Emirates Old Trafford on June 29 and July 5 respectively.

PARKLIFE The annual weekend extravaganza of music and mayhem at Heaton Park is back on the 11 and 12 June featuring The Chemical Brothers, Jamie XX and many, many more. If you haven’t got tickets you’re out of luck because it’s officially sold out, but tickets are still available for Parklife afterparties at venues across the city.

SOUNDS OF THE CITY The Castlefield Bowl comes alive from the 1-7 July with home grown talent on a grand scale including performances from Elbow frontman Guy Garvey, the Haçienda Classical and Stereophonics.