Tag Archives: Manchester

Aug 05 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Urban scene

Building, ever more

Friday 4th August 2023, 9.05am (day 4,362)

Another building site, 4/8/23

There seems some kind of irresistible compulsion to construct more and more tall buildings in Manchester city centre, pretty much regardless of other considerations. There were a number of blocks built around one end of Canal Street and finished just before all that lockdown rubbish kicked off in 2020, which still appear to be mostly empty; certainly none of the commercial spaces on the ground floor has ever been occupied. And yet the city has plenty of homeless people and families who I’m sure would be able to make good use of such accommodation. In the meantime, let’s just build some more: it keeps certain political interests happy, doesn’t it.

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Jul 28 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Interior

Back to work (Victoria station)

Thursday 27th July 2023, 8.55am (day 4,354)

Victoria stairway

Back at work in Manchester for the first time since the 3rd. This is usually my first proper sight of the city on any given morning.

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Jun 30 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Urban scene

Chapel Walks, Thursday morning

Thursday 29th June 2023, 9.05am (day 4,326)

Manchester milk float, 29/6/23

Just some nicely falling light, pictured on the walk to the office in Manchester. Even without looking at the time in the heading, this can be identified as an intrinsic morning shot. I know this, because of the direction I’m walking, but you know this, because that’s a milk float: they aren’t still doing the rounds when I head back home.

Tagged , , , , , ,
Jun 29 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Flora/Fauna

Out with the lads

Wednesday 28th June 2023, 3.45pm (day 4,325)

Pigeon and NFM, 28/6/23

“Just out for a stroll, Mum. Hanging out with the lads, at the Football Museum, y’know.”

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Jun 22 2023
Leave a comment
Art and architecture, Daily Post, Urban scene

Mural by Red Chilli

Wednesday 21st June 2023, 12.40pm (day 4,318)

Red Chilli mural, 21/6/23

Another case of Someone Else’s Art feeding this blog. I assume this face does also belong to a real person; I wonder how models do actually feel about coming (literally) face-to-face with themselves now and again. I put her to the side of this shot because I also like the conjunction with the stuff in the restaurant window, and the pedestrian timed it well too. All seen on Grosvenor Street not far from my office on campus this lunchtime.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
Jun 20 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Urban scene

Not just an idea…

Monday 19th June 2023, 9.20am (day 4,316)

Billboard posting, 19/6/23

I reckon doing this kind of thing well takes a certain skill. Like many of us this guy’s doubtless hoping they’ll never train a robot to do his job; or replace this board with a digital version, that sucks up that little more of the world’s energy supplies.

While we’re on that topic, note for Absolut (other vodkas are available) — making bottles out of recyclable cardboard sounds neat, but isn’t glass recyclable too? Or maybe I’m missing something.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
May 25 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Transport

Not the night service

Thursday 25th May 2023, 3.20pm (day 4,291)

Dark Victoria, 25/5/23

Don’t read the time from the light here. Victoria station is much improved from twenty years ago, when I first started using it, but platforms 3-6 are still mere warrens, skulking under the overhead bulk of the Arena. Dark holes in which one can wait a while to find out if they’re running your service today.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
May 22 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Urban scene

Police line, do not cross

Monday 22nd May 2023, 8.50am (day 4,288)

Police line, 22/5/23

I walk past this car park every time I come into Manchester, as it lies on the route between my office and Victoria station. That it was cordoned off by the police this morning was notable enough. But as it happened, after last night’s gig we had stayed in the hotel that is built literally on top of it: which made it a little strange, wondering what had been going on below while we slept overnight. I’m not dwelling on it — all was gone again by the afternoon so it can’t have been that serious. Reportage over photographic quality today.

Tagged , , , , , ,
May 22 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

At the back of the Loop gig

Sunday 21st May 2023, 7.50pm (day 4,287)

At the Loop gig, 21/5/23

Attended a gig for the first time in ages. A sign of how it has become, as I have aged: gig behaviour now is to arrive early and grab the seats (or in the case of the Deaf Institute, ‘seats’) at the back, out of the way but with a good view. The guy on the left is reading a book for heaven’s sake. But like me, perhaps he has been waiting some 32 years to see Loop play live. This is a band that last year, released their first studio album in 31 years, so they attract a patient crowd.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 06 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Urban scene

Ballot bin

Friday 5th May 2023, 2.50pm (day 4,271)

Ballot bin, 5/5/23

These have appeared around Canal Street in Manchester, three or four of them with different choices inscribed on each — another reads “I’d rather have true love/megabucks”. This one lent itself best to documentation, however. I notice the ‘half empty’ optional seems to be winning, slightly. Although it always strikes me that the answer to this question in fact depends not on one’s innate optimism level but on whether the glass in question was currently being filled, or drained.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
← Older posts
Newer posts →