Youâll find one of the worldâs coolest streets in Ancoats â in the worldâs âcoolest cityâ.
Time Out recently released its list of the worldâs coolest streets â a collection of 33 places across the globe that feature the best architecture, art and harness great culture.
Sitting at #21 on the list is Cutting Room Square in Ancoats, a much-celebrated place at the centre of a rejuvenated district on the northern edge of Manchester city centre. Itâs a square filled with impressive independents, culinary success stories, homes and workspaces and is often bustling with Mancunians and visitors alike.
The article celebrates Ancoatsâ âseamless mix of culture, exquisite dining and rich sense of history makes it the coolest streetâ; the piece also said that Manchester is âthe UKâs coolest cityâ.
Cutting Room Square is one part of Ancoatsâ story and undoubtedly a catalyst that has helped inject new life into this area of Manchester; Ancoats was a lead character in the heart of the cityâs industrial story and the worldâs first industrial suburb. There were cotton mills â a marvel of the late Georgian era â and canals that Historic England described as the âarteriesâ of the area, with two major waterways that helped textile pioneers reduce their costs, transporting their goods by water instead of road.
Industry helped Ancoats attract a vibrant and diverse population; the area was also once home to a large Italian community who pioneered the British ice cream industry here.
Post war Ancoats sadly fell into decline, with textile mills dwindling since the 1920s. Thankfully the turn of the century brought change, with Ancoats subject to regeneration that has helped earn credits such as Time Outâs latest ranking today.
We are proud to be a part of the neighbourhood. In the early 2000s we brought Waulk Mill back into use, creating new workspaces that remain filled with interesting businesses. In 2016 we acquired Beehive Mill, an important historic building locally which more recently had been the famous home of Sankeyâs nightclub. We now have workspaces here and the building is again filled with brilliant organisations â including The Princeâs Trust with whom we worked to create a brilliantly designed ground floor space for young people. We have also helped develop the neighbouring community of New Islington â somewhere now filled with homes, bars, restaurants, a park, a school and a health centre.
The areaâs now heralded as one of Manchesterâs finest, and somewhere in which we love to spend our time.
You can find out more about Ancoatsâ heritage by joining one of these regular tours of the area given by local journalist and historian Jonathan Schofield.
Urban Splash Newsplash
Want to be kept in the loop about all things Urban Splash? Then sign up for Newsplash!
Our monthly news round-up with the latest and freshest news on property development, place-making, housing, architecture, events and careers sent straight to your inbox.
Looking for something else?
