Store Street behind Piccadilly is about to be transformed

[aidanorourke]

Demolition of the old arches on Store Street, next to the cobbled Jutland Street, is underway. It's part of the preliminary work for the Piccadilly Tower, formerly known as Inacity Tower. This new development will completely transform Store Street from being on the periphery of things to an integral part of the business and residential heart of Manchester.

I quite like the old Store Street, with the atmospheric Jutland St, a relic of 19th century Manchester. I captured it on a rainy morning in 1996. Since then the right hand side has changed, with the addition of new flats. Soon the left hand side will change also.

Here are some photos I took recording the demolition of the arches. Interesting to see that brickwork that's been buried for well over a hundred years. Could those arches have been saved and adapted for a new use, as was done at Deansgate Locks?

Does anyone have any more memories of Store Street. During the 2002 Commonwealth Games it was used as the walking route from the city centre to the ... stadium etc (I don't want to use that word 'Eastlands'!)

[aidanorourke]

Here are two more views: The partly demolished arches along Store Street, and Jutland Street as it appears at the moment. To see my 1996 monochrome Jutland St photo go to http://www.aidan.co.uk/data_sheetMan...in97Bw.jpg.htm

[rgsuk]

I'm pretty sure one of those arches was used as a location in Prime Suspect? If I remember, the storyline was that someone had been held hostage and tortured?

I was annoyed when they built the new apartment block at the top of Jutland Street because a stone cart track down to the canal quietly disappeared (as things have a habit of doing in Manchester!).

It's sad to see these arches go. They could definitely be given a new use and the only reason they haven't is because up to now this has been such an out of the way street and no attempt was made to change that.

[Sparkly]

It's all rubble now, with no sign of the arches. I also noticed a bit of the canal path on one side gated up and locked to isolate one of the developments, but maybe it didn't lead anywhere anyway. It did feel strange walking in the direction of Great Ancoats street with every apartment building being festooned with a bunch of CCTV cameras and many places having no entry/no access signs, including one road, Millbank St? being private for no apparent good reason.

[Mamucium Son]

Awful to see these pictures.

As a kid, my family ran the cab drivers cafe on Chapeltown Street. During school holidays, my mum and I used to come into town from Colshaw Farm, via train, getting off at Picc, then down the stairs onto Store street and on to Chapeltown. I used to spend the days exploring the old buildings around this area, and pretty interesting it was too!

I still recall that one of the arches - I think it was the very first one (around where the JCB is on the first one of Aidan's second set of pix) had in it, or next to it, a mysterious tunnel that I once peeked into but was too scared - as a 10 year old - to climb into. I've always wondered what that actually was, but now, guess I'll never know!

Anyway, topical to mention that I wrote a track about this area, and the video features some great pics of Store Street from the 70s. You can download a top quality version direct from here (Just right click and save as)

http://www.digi-doc.co.uk/Chapeltown.avi

or, you can hear the song and view a much lesser quality version on my myspace which is here .. MySpace.com - Mamucium Son - Manchester, UK - Pop / Electro / Folk - www.myspace.com/mamuciumson

[aidanorourke]

Yes, Mamucium Son's song is quite an epic piece of music, like something from an unmade musical set in Manchester - someone should write one, how about it, Mamucium, you definitely have the musical creativity.

I haven't been along Store Street since the arches were destroyed and I'm not looking forward to it. I shudder to think of what will happen to Jutland Street now. If they tarmac over those cobblestones, it will be a another piece of the mosaic of Manchester gone.

I feel certain that in France, the intrinsic character of an area inherited from past times, would be retained and enhanced, rather than destroyed. Or maybe I'm just idealising France a bit too much.

I simply don't buy the idea that Manchester is so much better today. it was a bit grimier and grittier in the 80s, but it had a more emotive and exciting atmosphere. That's all been swept away.

To get a taste of what it was like, go to http://www.digi-doc.co.uk/Chapeltown.avi

[Sparkly]

It looks like this now. Cobbles still there.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3920/m10sj2.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/4624/m9aa4.jpg

and overhead on Saturday was this!

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4295/fom1fj4.jpg

[aidanorourke]

Jutland Street should be to Manchester what those steep streets are to San Francisco. I just hope its unique character is retained.

As for the aircraft, I don't think it was coming in from the Costa del Sol! I had one of those as a construction kit as a child.

[Sparkly]

The Lancaster was heading to the Derwent Dam for a flypast marking the 65th anniversary of the Dambusters raid.

[Ashtonian]

A belisha beacon no less