Transformed Manchester now firmly on the tourist trail

By Detlef Berg Oct 18, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Manchester, England - Once an industrial powerhouse, Manchester has recovered from the decline of its traditional textile manufacturing industries and reinvented itself as a modern metropolis.

Britain's third-largest city is now an ideal short-trip holiday location where visitors can enjoy post-industrial renovated factories as well as the city's many sporting and musical attractions.

A guided tour is always a good way to discover Manchester. The more than 100 differently themed tours include a visit to the city's canals, organized by Ray Hoerty.

The group, which includes locals wanting to learn more about their home city, is told that the waterways were constructed during the Industrial Revolution, to transport goods. Consequently, most of the now-disused industrial complexes are situated directly along the canals.

'Over there is a building where umbrellas were once made,' says Hoerty as he points to a brick building on the other side of the canal.

Today, the plush 'Rain Bar' in the ground floor is the only hint to the building's past, while the upper floors of the protected structure have been converted into loft apartments.

Other former factories have been turned into cafes, restaurants, fitness centres, nightclubs and modern apartments.

Manchester has managed to move from industrial metropolis to a city with a new quality of life almost as quickly as it emerged as the industrial heart of England in the 18th century.

The area's soft water was ideal for use in the manufacture of textiles and by the second half of the 19th century, 60 per cent of the world's cotton requirements were spun here before being shipped around the world.

'Take a trip to Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate,' recommends Hoerty. There, a few kilometres south of the city centre, the industrial museum on the River Bollin tells the story of Manchester's mill workers.

Visitors can watch hand-spinners at work, experience the noise of machinery and see Europe's most powerful working waterwheel.

The modern Lowry arts centre, based at Pier 8, was constructed to raise the cultural profile of the city. The impressive glass and metal building on the now completely renovated Salford Quay quarter houses two theatres as well as several galleries and restaurants.

Office and apartment blocks line the Manchester Ship Canal, while the Imperial War Museum in Trafford can be reached on foot over a pedestrian bridge.

Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, is also in walking distance. A 90-minute tour of the stadium - also known as 'The Theatre of Dreams' - includes a visit to the dressing rooms and the tunnel to the pitch. It is even possible to sit on the substitutes' bench and in the red leather seat occupied by manager Sir Alex Ferguson on match days.

The two-hour-long Fac 51 Music Walk is a must for music lovers and takes in all the important musical venues in the city, including the Hacienda Club from where the Rave and Acid House scene emerged in the 1980s.

'The club was as important for Manchester as Michelangelo's David for Florence,' explains the tour guide. Unfortunately, the club has long since closed.

'The club was closed down in 1993 because there were a lot of drugs involved, with gang fights and police raids,' the guide says.

Today, Cloud 23 is considered one of Manchester's top clubs. The venue is situated on the 23rd floor of the 171-metre-high Beetham Tower, one of the tallest residential apartment blocks in Europe.

'It's impossible to get in without a long-term reservation,' explains one youngster. Arriving at the door in a pair of trainers also guarantees disappointment.