The Manchester skyline has transformed beyond all recognition over the past decade – with even more changes on the way over the coming years.
Now, the BBC has stepped in to commission a new TV series to tell the story.
Manctopia: Billion Pound Property Boom, set to screen on BBC Two next week, meets the people living and working in the eye of Manchester’s remarkable housing boom – charting the rise of one of Britain’s fastest developing cities.
Filmed over a period of 12 months, Manctopia explores how the changes have affected all the different types of people living in the city.
This includes millionaires looking for the perfect penthouse, mums who want to find an affordable home the kids will love, and those in homeless shelters trying to get themselves off the streets.
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Narrated by Mancunian Sally Lindsay, the series also speaks to the property developers and decision-makers shaping the city, as well as the communities struggling to keep up.
With so many new homes being built in Greater Manchester not classed as ‘affordable housing’, families who have lived in the area for generations are slowly being out-priced.
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The programme also meets some of the 5,000 homeless people across the city and looks at the services and charities out there to support them.
Each of the four 60 minute episodes are stories of the troubles, joy and million pound deals happening every day in Manctopia.
Emma Loach, BBC Documentaries Commissioning Editor, said: “Property can be a dry financial issue – but behind every property deal is a person and a family. This series tells the stories of their lives and the highs and lows of the property process.”
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Grace Reynolds and Sophie Leonard, Executive Producers from Minnow Films added: “We were struck by the building boom in Manchester and felt there must be a human story to tell behind the skyscrapers.
“We found people with compelling stories, living through an astonishing time, many of them strikingly interconnected. Through them we are able to learn all kinds of things; about cities and their development; what home means to us; and what the future may look like.”
Manctopia: Billion Pound Property Boom is coming to BBC Two on 18 August.
Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
England football fans warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of World Cup
Emily Sergeant
England football fans are being warned to remain vigilant, as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup merely weeks from officially kicking off in the North America and Mexico on 11 June, football fans are being urged to guard against scams, as newly-released data from Lloyds has revealed that football ticket scams increased by more than a third (36%) during the current Premier League season.
The findings – which are based on thousands of scam cases between October 2025 and March 2026 – showed that fraudsters focused heavily on popular teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Fraudsters also repeatedly targeted supporters looking for tickets to some of the most in-demand football matches in the UK, which is why, with the upcoming World Cup set to be one of the most speculated sporting events of the year, scam warnings are being issued.
It’s anticipated that fraudsters will target the big-name fixtures and attempt to exploit international demand, according to Lloyds.
England football fans are being warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the World Cup / Credit: Picryl
On average, it was revealed that victims lost £215 during the current Premier League football season, but some fans even paid thousands of pounds for ‘season tickets’ or VIP seats that never existed.
Hopeful football fans are expected to pay much more for expensive World Cup tickets, meaning the potential loss for victims could be ‘devastating’.
As scammers know demand for World Cup tickets will be huge, it’s expected that they will mimic the methods seen in club level scams – including fake listings on social media, pressure to act fast, and requests for bank transfers.
“Fraudsters thrive on urgency and target fans looking for hard to get tickets for big name fixtures,” explained Liz Ziegler, who is the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds.
“Most of the football ticket scams we see start on social media, before the criminal moves the buyer onto WhatsApp and insists on a bank transfer to pay. It’s incredibly convincing, and we don’t want fans to lose their money trying to support their team.
“We’re urging supporters to stay alert and stick to official ticketing channels.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Lloyds and the Home Office have teamed up to take action to protect fans by highlighting how criminals will try to exploit the excitement – with Lord Hanson adding: “Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen support for victims.”
The Manc -
12th August 2020 
