First installed in 1997, Lemn Sissay’s poem Flags stretches a little under a mile down Tib street – running from Market Street up toward Swan Street.
Originally part of the Tib Street art trail, created to draw people back into the Northern Quarter when it was in serious decline, Flags has long been a part of the area’s fabric.
Over the years, some of the poem’s stones have disappeared: leaving us to guess the missing letters and marvel at the way a simple act of feet treading the pavement has, over time, changed the meaning of the Chancellor of the University of Manchester’s words.
On his blog, academic Dr. Tony Shaw calls it “living poetry, uncertain poetry” – where “sometimes you have to kick aside cigarette ends to read more clearly, or wait for a momentarily parked car to move.”
And for the past 24 years, that’s exactly how it has been: A piece of urban poetry slowly eroding under our feet, the very meaning of the art changing as stones disappear, wear away or – as artist Tim Rushton notes – are taken home as souvenirs.
In a bold move, the full work has been immortalised in a new ‘cast iron’ rendering – restored on Tib Street in full, with a new version of the poem written especially by Sissay for the occasion.
Supported by Manchester City Council, Bruntwood, and the Arts Council, Sissay was able to work once again with artist Rushton – who designed the original poem’s font back in 1997 – on the new installation.
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Rushton had designed a special font called cypher for the piece back in the ’90s, which is used again on the new rendering.
“In the last couple of years it has become obvious that Lemn Sissay’s poem Flags on Tib Street has finally become past reasonable repair,” said Tim, reflecting on how the poem on the pavement has changed over the years.
“General wear and tear, scaffolding pole drops and souvenir hunting has rendered [the original poem] very patchy.”
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Sissay’s poetry can be found across Manchester. In fact you’ve probably noticed one of his most famous, Rain, painted on a wall above Gemini takeaway near the Oxford Road university campus.
Lemn Sissay’s poem Rain can be found above Gemini Takeaway on the Oxford Road corridor / Image: Gerald England
Now an internationally respected poet with work recognised across the globe, Sissay has come a long way from using his unemployment benefit to self-publish his first poetry pamphlet Perceptions of the Pen.
The official poet of the 2012 London Olympics and Chancellor of the University of Manchester since 2015, for this year’s Manchester International Festival Sissay has also co-curated an exhibition at HOME with Hans Ulrich Obrist.
On display until 30 August, it’s called Poet Slash Artist and is all about forging new links across cultures, continents, languages and generations – joining up poets and visual artists to connect words and images across gallery walls and city streets.
Just like the Tib Street poem, it’s not all found in the gallery: Rather, the new exhibit has spilled out onto the streets of Manchester: creating a new trail that runs from Deansgate to Whitworth Street West.
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A full map of the locations for these new works of living art can be found here.
Flags by Lemn Sissay – the original poem (deciphered by Dr. Tony Shaw) versus the new edition:
The original 1997 poem:
These pavement cracks are the places where Poets pack their warrior words
These pavement cracks are the places where sleeping shadows of moving bridges stole
Where dying dust of dreams slides where the slits silt turns to food
Where home truths trickle home and confide Where the silent forests brood
Where spines bent?? the bridges arches where they vaulted with asice(?) to ? speak
And unity sown on to the sun of alll trades perhaps they’re a script words of the street
Perhaps these pavement cracks are the places awhere flattened flags lies solidified waves
The telling lines within a sea of faces where sufferers take cover of street caves
The telling lines within a sea of faces Where sufferers take cover of street caves
Where wander the wayward and lost Where the runaway can chart his journey back home
Where the water runs as the world defrosts The street breathes beneath this stone
And perhaps the pavement cracks are the pattern of concrete butterflies
Where thoughts carefully cultivated waiting to waken grow wings and fly
Like us they hold the people of a modern earth This world between the windswept flags
Where pavement cracks are the places where sleeping shadows of moving bridges stole
The cold
The updated 2021 poem:
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Pavement cracks are the places
Where poets pack warrior words
Verses to catch the surfeit of faces
Where seeds slip from bitter birds
Trip and fall between the ledges
Where sweeping silent rivers run
Hidden roughened toughened edges
Where darkness swallows the sun
Pavement cracks are the places
Where shadows of bridges roll
Where water falls water races
Heat crouches beneath the cold
The dust of the city slides
And secret silent worries wait
Home truths trickle home
Cracks are the lines of fate
These pavement cracks are patterns
of concrete butterflies
A perfectly positioned parallax
Waiting to wake grow wings and fly
And perhaps these pavement cracks
Hold the Manchester myriad———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
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The cracks the cracks the cracks!
The world between the windswept flags
Art & Culture
Review | Midsomer Murders comes to Manchester for a satisfying Opera House adaptation
Hollie Wells
‘The Fuzz are here!’ – also known as the well-known duo, Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby and Detective Sergeant Troy. As ever, they’re here to solve the murder of orchid-loving, elderly lady Emily Simpson in the seemingly sleepy county of Midsomer…
Manchester’s historic Opera House played host to the first ever stage production of Midsomer Murders: ‘The Killings at Badger’s Drift‘ last night.
With a busy, full audience of fans of the original novel by Catherine Graham and the acclaimed ITV staple. There was a hum of anticipation to see the timeless tales unfold.
Excitingly, the role of Barnaby in the stage play is under the trusted care of Daniel Casey, who is best known as DS (Detective Sergeant) Troy in the prior television adaptation of Midsomer Murders between 1997 and 2008.
Casey’s comfort and wealth of experience with these narratives comforted the audience from the outset. In a purposely complicated plot, Casey grounded the performance and was the throughline in the show.
‘The Killings at Badger’s Drift’ is a good, light-hearted, mid-week show, with an enjoyable concoction of eccentric characters and the perfect ‘whodunnit’ plot, which keeps you intrigued and entertained throughout its roughly two and a half hour duration.
Even those more than familiar with Misdomer tales and the most typical murder mystery format will still get plenty of enjoyment out of it.
The engaging use of multi-role actors received a great response from the audience, particularly the moments between Barbara Lessiter and Dickie Whitley; all of their interactions were performed with fabulous comedic timing by Chandrika Chevli.
The elements of comedy throughout made for a lovely evening at the Opera House. This was not solely through the actors, either: the use of mechanics within the set of this stage-play allowed for multiple moments of physical comedy, and this was a strong motif throughout.
A rotation of impressive transitional sets also aided in transporting the audience to the infamous village and crime scenes, allowing one to be absorbed in the story and successfully converting Midsomer Murders from page to screen to stage.
Running for only three days from Wednesday, 27, until Saturday, 30 May 2026, with matinee shows available throughout.
One must act fast to join the detective duo and catch the killer before it’s too late!
Paul Heaton announces HUGE headline Manchester gig with ACTUALLY cheap tickets
Danny Jones
Fellow Northerner and firmly adopted Mancunian, Paul Heaton, has just announced one of his biggest-ever shows here in Manchester, and he’s putting the focus back on affordable ticket prices.
And when we say affordable, these ones are ACTUALLY cheap for such an established name, let alone at such a big venue.
Revealing a whole new UK tour to toast the release of his latest album, Jenius, Heaton will be playing to the biggest crowd for a headline gig of his career later in the year, with a bit of help from some very familiar support acts.
Confirming his second visit to the Co-op Live arena this coming autumn, along with nearly a dozen domestic dates up and down the country.
‘Jenius’ the brand new album produced by @IanZBroudie will be released 21st August. New single ‘Favourite Kind Of Idiot’ is out now on all streaming platforms! Pre-order the album at https://t.co/ZdQIADzKAb for UK tour ticket pre-sale access. Tickets only £39.50 (+ticket fees). pic.twitter.com/H1YyeW6ePB
Writing on social media, the ‘Jenius Tour’ isn’t just about the record itself; it will be “celebrating more than 40 years of unforgettable songwriting.”
As you would expect, these concerts will obviously feature plenty of Housemartins and Beautiful South tunes, as well as a wealth of his solo material.
The LP itself, which will be his sixth studio project outside of the bands (including his first release under the old ‘Biscuit Boy’ moniker), features 15 tracks touching on everything from love, pubs and booze, community and counsel, football, the state of the nation right, as well as ‘the overall wisdom of kindness’.
You can tell the Bromborough-born artist grew up in the North West, and we count ourselves honoured for him to have South Manchester.
He may be more Mersey than Manc by birth, but you can tell he’s fully immersed himself in the local culture, by both still finding new and relatable things to write about 23 albums later, but recording it down the road at Blueprint Studios, too.
More importantly, he’s also made sure to set the tickets at a more than reasonable price point, detailing that they start at only £39.50.
He’ll also have serial collaborator Rianne Downey – whose vocals also feature throughout Jenius – on board, not to mention The Lightning Seeds serving as another warm-up and then some.
Fans can find the full list of newly announced shows down below – we’ve taken the liberty of highlighting the Northern ones for you.
Paul Heaton UK tour dates – 2026
October Thurs 29 – Newcastle, Utilita Arena Fri 30 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro Sat 31 – Leeds, First Direct Bank Arena
NOVEMBER Mon 2 – Cardiff, Utilita Arena Tues 3 – Plymouth, Arena Fri 6 – Sheffield, Utilita Arena Sat 7 – London, The O2 Tues 10 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena Wed 11 – Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena Fri 13 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena Sat 14 – Manchester, Co-op Live
As always, besides enjoying early access by pre-ordering the album/via his mailing list, Co-op Live‘s dedicated venue presale will be available to official Co-op members from 9:30am on Wednesday, 3 June.
Meanwhile, general admission tickets go live at the same time on the following Friday (5 Jun), and once again, from just £39.50. You can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
13th July 2021 
