History

The Northern Quarter is one of those areas lying between the City Centre and the 'inner city' residential belt that characterises many British cities. It was the central trading area in Victorian Manchester, home to the City's Smithfields food markets - bustling activity from dawn 'till dusk, a 24 hour economy.

In post war years it was Manchester's main shopping district, Oldham Street its central attraction. The retail revolution of the 60s and 70s suddenly left it marginalised. Land and property values plummeted and the retail sector went into decline. But this marginalisation has also allowed new sorts of business operations into the area, just as it has allowed activities mostly banished from city centres to persist.

It is still a mixed-use area of the sort that has disappeared in many cities and is now sought anew by the current wave of urban regeneration: Fashion designers and market traders; curry houses and architects; council houses and craft centre; designer hairstylists and barrowboys; World-Wide-Web weaving microbusinesess and sewing machine shops; recording studios, renowned music venues, record labels and pet shops, wool shops; a Methodist Hall and a Buddhist Centre; Dickensian pubs ambient chill-outs and The Market Restaurant.