Hurrah, full steam ahead – at last
My favourite bit of the Science and Industry Museum, the Power Hall (picture above), is set to reopen on Friday 17 October. There will be all manner of engines and trains. There’s something deeply poetic about the massively mechanical. To see large components working in rhythm together is mesmerising and a million miles from digital miniaturisation and the accelerating take-over of AI. Standing next to these machines is akin to being in the presence of mighty metal dinosaurs.
The director of the museum, Sally Macdonald says: “This is a hugely significant moment for our museum, the Science Museum Group and for Manchester. Power Hall symbolises the city’s innovation, creativity and resilience. Ideas that began in this city have impacted people and places across the world and shaped life as we know it.”
The Power Hall has been named after Andrew Law who supported the renovation through his personal foundation, AL Philanthropies. Money from this will go to educational programmes for STEM subjects.
My favourite bit of the Science and Industry Museum, the Power Hall (picture above), is set to reopen on Friday 17 October. There will be all manner of engines and trains. There’s something deeply poetic about the massively mechanical. To see large components working in rhythm together is mesmerising and a million miles from digital miniaturisation and the accelerating take-over of AI. Standing next to these machines is akin to being in the presence of mighty metal dinosaurs.
The director of the museum, Sally Macdonald says: “This is a hugely significant moment for our museum, the Science Museum Group and for Manchester. Power Hall symbolises the city’s innovation, creativity and resilience. Ideas that began in this city have impacted people and places across the world and shaped life as we know it.”
The Power Hall has been named after Andrew Law who supported the renovation through his personal foundation, AL Philanthropies. Money from this will go to educational programmes for STEM subjects.
Albert Square’s coded messages
As Albert Square gears up for public access on 7 November the drains have been given distinction. Five designers are going to have their work walked all over with their decorative drain covers. These were manufactured by the excellent Jon Male at Studio Jon Male in Manchester. The artists are Barney Ibbotson, Faz Barber, Olivia Clermont, Eddie Campbell and Dan Birkbeck. A good example is Ibbotson’s which highlights some of Greater Manchester’s innovations and firsts: expect references to Dalton’s atomic theory, the programmable computer, graphene, the formation of the Football League amongst several others. They won’t look shiny silver as in these design illustrations, they’ll be Cor-Ten steel, so rusty orange; tougher, easier to walk over.
As Albert Square gears up for public access on 7 November the drains have been given distinction. Five designers are going to have their work walked all over with their decorative drain covers. These were manufactured by the excellent Jon Male at Studio Jon Male in Manchester. The artists are Barney Ibbotson, Faz Barber, Olivia Clermont, Eddie Campbell and Dan Birkbeck. A good example is Ibbotson’s which highlights some of Greater Manchester’s innovations and firsts: expect references to Dalton’s atomic theory, the programmable computer, graphene, the formation of the Football League amongst several others. They won’t look shiny silver as in these design illustrations, they’ll be Cor-Ten steel, so rusty orange; tougher, easier to walk over.
A Bobby Dazzler
Taking some guests around OId Trafford suburb recently a guest remarked about the Bobby Charlton mural on the Old Trafford pub wall. I recalled this story from Graham Stringer (ex-council leader and presently an MP) in his Charlton obituary in Manchester Confidential.
‘I only ever met one person who was completely oblivious to Bobby’s celebrity this was Kim Yu-Sun the North Korean Member of the International Olympic Committee. He had been instructed by the North Korean Government not to make himself available to the delegations, including Manchester, bidding for the 2000 Olympic Games. Glyn Ford, then an MEP for Greater Manchester, managed to get the instruction changed and Bobby, Glyn and I took Kim for a meal in Monte Carlo. Although Kim was an international footballer himself, he had no idea that he was in the company of greatness. The conversation was stilted to non-existent, and Bobby ended up producing a pack of cards and doing card tricks. At the end Kim thanked us all for the meal and in particular for bringing the ‘magician’.’
Taking some guests around OId Trafford suburb recently a guest remarked about the Bobby Charlton mural on the Old Trafford pub wall. I recalled this story from Graham Stringer (ex-council leader and presently an MP) in his Charlton obituary in Manchester Confidential.
‘I only ever met one person who was completely oblivious to Bobby’s celebrity this was Kim Yu-Sun the North Korean Member of the International Olympic Committee. He had been instructed by the North Korean Government not to make himself available to the delegations, including Manchester, bidding for the 2000 Olympic Games. Glyn Ford, then an MEP for Greater Manchester, managed to get the instruction changed and Bobby, Glyn and I took Kim for a meal in Monte Carlo. Although Kim was an international footballer himself, he had no idea that he was in the company of greatness. The conversation was stilted to non-existent, and Bobby ended up producing a pack of cards and doing card tricks. At the end Kim thanked us all for the meal and in particular for bringing the ‘magician’.’
Nomenclature madness: a hat-trick
It still bewilders me that Malmaison Deansgate Hotel (pictured above) overlooks Albert Square on Princess Street and the King Street Townhouse is on Booth Street. For the former the Malmaison used ‘an algorithm’ to work out what was the best name for the hotel in the area. The algorithm said more people search for Deansgate than Princess Street. Tail wagging the dog eh? I’m sure if they’d put in Albert Square the result might have been different. But it shouldn’t have mattered about an algorithm; the name should have been Malmaison Albert Square or Malmaison Princess Street because that’s where the hotel is located.
Mind you it’s not just with recent names there’s a problem. The Bridgewater Hall is named after the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater who funded the Bridgewater Canal which is nowhere near the concert hall. However the latter sits above the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal and very close to the Rochdale Canal. Of course those wouldn’t have worked, they would have been confusing, especially the Rochdale Hall.
Tommy Ducks pub was close to the site though. This curious pub which weirdly sported donated underwear from customers on the ceiling was infamously demolished by the infamous Greenalls brewery in 1991. What about Tommy Ducks Hall? Would that have worked better? Er…no, but it would have been more relevant to the site.
It still bewilders me that Malmaison Deansgate Hotel (pictured above) overlooks Albert Square on Princess Street and the King Street Townhouse is on Booth Street. For the former the Malmaison used ‘an algorithm’ to work out what was the best name for the hotel in the area. The algorithm said more people search for Deansgate than Princess Street. Tail wagging the dog eh? I’m sure if they’d put in Albert Square the result might have been different. But it shouldn’t have mattered about an algorithm; the name should have been Malmaison Albert Square or Malmaison Princess Street because that’s where the hotel is located.
Mind you it’s not just with recent names there’s a problem. The Bridgewater Hall is named after the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater who funded the Bridgewater Canal which is nowhere near the concert hall. However the latter sits above the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal and very close to the Rochdale Canal. Of course those wouldn’t have worked, they would have been confusing, especially the Rochdale Hall.
Tommy Ducks pub was close to the site though. This curious pub which weirdly sported donated underwear from customers on the ceiling was infamously demolished by the infamous Greenalls brewery in 1991. What about Tommy Ducks Hall? Would that have worked better? Er…no, but it would have been more relevant to the site.
Peel Group and the Pomona problem
Of course they’re a big company, of course they have to make money but many of us dreamt foolishly that as a legacy gift to the city region Peel Group might have turned the ‘island’ site of Pomona on the Manchester Ship Canal into a park. After all it was public money that created the canal so it would have been appropriate if Peel Group could have followed the example of so many regional bigwigs in the nineteenth century and given citizens something tangible back; a gift to beautify the region.
Ridiculous fantasy of course. Peel Group doesn't do fantasy.
Pomona lies between the Bridgewater Canal and Manchester Ship Canal between Castlefield and the Quays. There’s a consultation out for 2,600 homes, up to 100 care beds, 200 hotel rooms, and student beds plus 750,000 sq ft of flexible office and retail space. There will be green bits in between. The lead architects are Manchester’s Jon Matthews Architects. There’s an image above of what it might look like. You can join in the consultation here.
Of course they’re a big company, of course they have to make money but many of us dreamt foolishly that as a legacy gift to the city region Peel Group might have turned the ‘island’ site of Pomona on the Manchester Ship Canal into a park. After all it was public money that created the canal so it would have been appropriate if Peel Group could have followed the example of so many regional bigwigs in the nineteenth century and given citizens something tangible back; a gift to beautify the region.
Ridiculous fantasy of course. Peel Group doesn't do fantasy.
Pomona lies between the Bridgewater Canal and Manchester Ship Canal between Castlefield and the Quays. There’s a consultation out for 2,600 homes, up to 100 care beds, 200 hotel rooms, and student beds plus 750,000 sq ft of flexible office and retail space. There will be green bits in between. The lead architects are Manchester’s Jon Matthews Architects. There’s an image above of what it might look like. You can join in the consultation here.
Scary scary AI and Pomona
AI everywhere. I decided to give AI a go at designing something for Pomona. Bloody hell. In about three minutes it came up with the image in the attachments.
AI everywhere. I decided to give AI a go at designing something for Pomona. Bloody hell. In about three minutes it came up with the image in the attachments.
Hidden bakery heaven
Sourdough is useful in many ways, not least the crusts are so sharp after toasting you can use them to shave. I find sourdough sour and soapy, sometimes ok, sometimes too much and definitely not for every occasion: so the sourdough take over in the last decade, especially in restaurants, has been mildly annoying.
At Half Dozen Other bakery there is more choice - if you can find it. The address is Unit 17, Red Bank, Manchester M4 4HF, but it really lies off Faber Street behind the railway arches housing Sparrows restaurant. We were shown the bakery on a fascinating walkabout of the huge redevelopment area of Victoria North. This was excellently led by Gemma Price of inhouse marketing and PR company FOUND for developers FEC (I’ll write about this trip on another occasion). The new woodland area of mature trees at St Catherine’s Island is going to be good when it opens in the first half of 2026.
At Half Dozen Other I spotted a rack of loaves in the warehouse that weren’t sourdough. Hallelujah. I entered the shop area and said: “If my eyes don’t deceive me, those loaves are not sourdough, they are Farmhouse.” They were. Freshly baked. I bought one. Bread like this has been a bit of a problem in the city centre.
Half Dozen Other belongs to the Pot Kettle Black group of coffee shops. You can get the bread and cakes too there or at their Circle Square, Oxford Road, outlet. The shop at the bakery is open from 7.30am-2pm every day apart from Saturday and Sunday when it’s 7.30am to 4pm.
Sourdough is useful in many ways, not least the crusts are so sharp after toasting you can use them to shave. I find sourdough sour and soapy, sometimes ok, sometimes too much and definitely not for every occasion: so the sourdough take over in the last decade, especially in restaurants, has been mildly annoying.
At Half Dozen Other bakery there is more choice - if you can find it. The address is Unit 17, Red Bank, Manchester M4 4HF, but it really lies off Faber Street behind the railway arches housing Sparrows restaurant. We were shown the bakery on a fascinating walkabout of the huge redevelopment area of Victoria North. This was excellently led by Gemma Price of inhouse marketing and PR company FOUND for developers FEC (I’ll write about this trip on another occasion). The new woodland area of mature trees at St Catherine’s Island is going to be good when it opens in the first half of 2026.
At Half Dozen Other I spotted a rack of loaves in the warehouse that weren’t sourdough. Hallelujah. I entered the shop area and said: “If my eyes don’t deceive me, those loaves are not sourdough, they are Farmhouse.” They were. Freshly baked. I bought one. Bread like this has been a bit of a problem in the city centre.
Half Dozen Other belongs to the Pot Kettle Black group of coffee shops. You can get the bread and cakes too there or at their Circle Square, Oxford Road, outlet. The shop at the bakery is open from 7.30am-2pm every day apart from Saturday and Sunday when it’s 7.30am to 4pm.
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