Manchester’s Northern Quarter has changed rapidly over the years, a sizemic shift from a gloomy forgotten part of the city to pretty much a tourist destination in its own right. A sprawling epicentre of counter culture and street art, a new bar, restaurant or boutique shop seems to open its doors at least once a fortnight.
Back in the mid eighties it was a different story, the majority of twenty somethings who now spend their weekends buying records and knocking back craft beer & cocktails were yet to be born, mobile phones looked daft and top flight footballers still had to find a job after hanging up their boots.
Our gallery below transports us back these times, when pet shops, appliance centres and curry houses were king, and these now fashionble streets and pavements were seldom trodden.
Manchester’s (Pre) Northern Quarter, 1985.
Oldham Street, at the crossroads with Hilton Street, 1985.
Oldham Street facing up towards The Castle Hotel, 1985.
Tib Street, facing up towards Great Ancoats Street, 1985.
Junction of Hilton Street and Tib Street, 1985.
Blacks Sauna Club/Domestic Appliance Centre, Tib Street, 1985.
Blacks Sauna Club/Domestic Appliance Centre and The Record Bar, Tib Street, 1985.
Tib Street and Brightwell Walk social housing, 1985.
Tib Street and Brightwell Walk social housing, 1985.
The facade of The Smithfield fish market in the shadows of The Co-Operative Insurance Society building (CIS) 1985.
A young couple enjoy a stroll by Manchester Craft Village, 1985.
The King, Oldham Street and Tib Street entrances, 1985.
Fish & Chips and a green Lada outside Manchester Craft Village, 1985.
Tib Street, facing towards High Street, 1985.
All pictures © Manchester Archives+
2018 © British Culture Archive
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Happily these streets were well trodden in the 80’s Tib Street a mad mix of pets, pubs and sex shops. Three Yates’s still on the go, I drank in The King and The Castle both busy town boozers. Odd little clubs like the Green Door tucked away, curry canteens on the go, mostly still there excepting the Cuckoo Chef. The presses were still active on Gt Ancoats St and Withy Grove, supplying the area with well paid thirsty printers, after hours in the Express Club. Affleck’s was a honey pot for the young, and quality vintage shops like Zip Code and Pop Café emerged. Manchester has changed for better or worse – things come and go – that’s life.
https://modernmooch.com/2016/01/25/oldham-street-manchester/
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