Manchester Day returns to our beloved city this month with lots of fun filled activities for everyone to enjoy. Between 12pm and 6pm on Saturday 27 July, the city centre will transform into Manchester’s biggest playground to celebrate the event. So, what makes Manchester so special? Steeped in history, rich in culture and defined by rainy weather and warm people, here’s 10 facts about Manchester that we can link to our present day clients through branding and marketing

 We have listed our favourite 10 facts about Manchester below:

Transport 

1. Manchester is home to the largest airport in the North of England. During World War 2, Ringway as it was known provided training for 60,000 parachutists and was a hub for wartime engineering activity. The airport has steadily grown since then, fuelled by the boom in foreign travel – Terminal Three (formerly Terminal A) at Manchester Airport was officially opened by Diana Princess of Wales in 1989. In recent times the Transformation Programme has seen Terminal 2 develop from it’s original form in the 90’s to position the airport, and the region as a national and global transport and business hub.

Music 

2. Some of the biggest bands in history are connected to Manchester. One being The Smiths, an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, they were members of the Salford Lads Club which gained recognition from their famous photo on the cover of The Queen is Dead album. Prior to that, the Buzzcocks and the Beegees put the city on the map, however it wasn’t until the Madchester scene and acid house club scene, defined by the Hacienda, that the city discovered a new found musical recognition. The mid nineties saw Oasis rise to become the biggest rock band in country and the foundations for a new breed of musical talent through bands such as Courteeners and Blossoms were well and truly set. Nods to this heritage are still evident today – the latest being for our client Kimpton Clocktower Hotel who have launched their new No51 suite, as seen on The Manc https://themanc.com/travel-and-tourism/kimpton-clocktower-manchester-suite-hotel/

Football

3. A City United! Manchester is home to two great football clubs but the two clubs were born just two years apart, United in 1878 and City in 1880. It’s fair to say that United have had the best of the success in the 80’s and 90’s, but as the Smiths wrote ‘Money changes everything’ and the blue half of the City have turned the tables in recent years.

Learning

4. Manchester’s Chetham’s Library is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world. Built in 1421 and reinvigorated by local merchant, Humphrey Chetham in the 1600’s, this building offers the visitor a dark and medieval atmosphere and is a forerunner to the great educational and learning institutions that define Manchester and Salford, attracting thousands of students and visitors alike. Manchester is also home to the infamous John Rylands Libary.

Industry

5. A small market town until the 1700’s, it was the advent of mechanised production processes, and the city’s proximity to natural resources and transport links that Manchester pioneered the industrial revolution and the dark textile mills and smog filled skies started to define the city. As the city’s population boomed, the wealthy merchants chose to locate predominantly in the South of the city so that they were sheltered from the smoke and pollution that blown North and East by the prevailing westerly winds. Our client The Lamb of Tartary (formerly Cottonopolis) is based in a Grade II-listed building on the corner of Newton Street and Dale Street. It was during this time that the bee become the symbol of the city to signify the hard work and industrious nature of its population.

Location

6. Since Manchester has a famous industrial background, it served as the perfect spot for filming parts of The Peaky Blinders series

Luxury

7. The Rolls-Royce motor company was founded in Manchester. Charles Rolls and Henry Royce were introduced at The Midland Hotel in 1904, building the first Rolls Royce in Manchester. It is said that over 60% of all Rolls Royce vehicles are still on the road, a testimony to the outstanding quality and workmanship that defines this luxury brand. Far from being simply a car manufacturer, the company is also famous for developing jet engines and in recent times SMR Nuclear reactors.

T.V

8. Manchester is home to Coronation Street, the world’s longest running TV Soap Opera. The first episode aired in 1960 and depicts a fictional Salford street and the characters that define the down to earth people of Manchester. Produced by Granda television, the studios were famous for promoting the region and putting the city on the cultural map with a numbers of shows and drama’s. Nothing though has quite made an impact like Corrie.

Diversity 

9. Manchester is one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the world and has been for many decades. Centred around the vibrant Canal Street, the city offers a unique atmosphere with plenty of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs.

Media

10. Manchester is home to Media City UK the waterside TV studios & tech hub located in Salford Quays. It consists of bars, restaurants a shopping centre and huge broadcasting corporations such as BBC and ITV. One of five branches of the Imperial War Museum (IWM North) is also located in the heart of Media City UK.

As a Creative Agency located in Greater Manchester we love to see the city come together and celebrate events such as this.

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