Wednesday 4th November 2026, 9.20am (day 5,550)
A limited palette, I admit. Nice sunlight, autumn leaves, moment with no traffic. No complaints about the weather but can I take my Christmas holiday yet? Oh well.
Asia House
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: Manchester
The annual dose of fencing
Tuesday 27th October 2026, 10.20am (day 5,542)
The open space between Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Station and the National Football Museum is called Cathedral Gardens but it’s not a ‘garden’ in any meaningful sense of the word and for at least half the year seems to be taken over by some corporate operation or other. Right now, it’s time to construct the annual ice rink, because, of course, we must all be inculcated into the idea of Christmas, even though it’s still October. So up goes the fencing, because it can.
Scoreboard duties
Tuesday 13th October 2026, 8.10pm (day 5,528)
FC United of Manchester like to think themselves a sort of throwback to a more soulful and authentic era of football and, being honest, this is not an entirely fanciful self-image. Certainly they never worried about installing some fancy electronic scoreboard gizmo in their otherwise well-appointed Broadhurst Park ground. Does the operator get in for free I wonder? She only had a couple of bouts of activity: the final score was FCUM 1-1 Emley on this mild Tuesday evening.
No way through
Tuesday 6th October 2026, 8.10am (day 5,521)
Nothing shall get through the Red Screen of Doom. Behind, a car park and some undefined ‘businesses’ may be ‘open as usual’ but we cannot know this for sure: these things may as well exist in another dimension.
Set dressing
Tuesday 29th September 2026, 9.20am (day 5,514)
In the 21st century, even more than wearing hi-vis gear, the status of being in possession of a Filming Permit allows one to infiltrate public space with almost total impunity. The clutch of large and mysterious trucks, the erection of ‘No Waiting’ cones and signs proclaiming the colonisation of the area (in this case, the junction of Pall Mall and Booth Street, Manchester) until some unspecified time on Thursday…. it all cries ‘film set’ to me. The clincher is seen here, though. Clearly the production is of a period piece, 20th century stuff — because no one installs phone boxes like these any more. They’re definitely props — trust me.
Pankhurst in the Arndale
Thursday 24th September 2026, 11.05am (day 5,509)
One of the main halls of Manchester’s Arndale Centre has recently been filled with these large, soft, Cluedo-style busts of famous Mancunians, and Emmeline Pankhurst definitely counts as one of those. People say that nowadays we’d have called the suffragettes ‘terrorists’ but that was also true at the time. They got what was right, though. In case this all seems too radical for a shopping centre, rest assured that to my right at this point are similar busts of, amongst others, Noel Gallagher, Marcus Rashford and Caroline Aherne.
On Grosvenor Street
Thursday 3rd September 2026, 3.35pm (day 5,488)
She looks mildly disapproving, I think. But is the look for the pedestrian, or the photographer? Another one of the blue-themed pictures that have appeared over the last few days.
China Lane
Sunday 16th August 2026, 10.55am (day 5,470)
The alley of China Lane lies on the shortest walking route between Victoria and Piccadilly stations in Manchester and when I’m walking between them — as I was this morning — it is always worth looking down to see if the opportunity arises for a shot — specifically, this one. Why is it called China Lane? No idea, but as it is lined with warehouses and located right beside Piccadilly Basin on the canal, maybe it’s a tea reference.
Spill life
Tuesday 21st July 2026, 9.55am (day 5,444)
One of those shots chosen as much because I thought of a neat title for it as for its photographic qualities. But let us continue, at least for a day, the orange theme begun by David Byrne’s entourage on Saturday night. Other ‘hotel, restaurant & catering linen’ options are available, I am sure.
Victoria, mostly empty
Wednesday 15th July 2026, 8.15pm (day 5,438)
Manchester Victoria was significantly less populated at 8.15pm this evening than it would normally be on a Wednesday. In the end though, the reason was obvious. But I did make it home in time for the second half.
