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Green light given for £7.6m transformation of Manchester’s iconic John Rylands Library

The next chapter in the Grade I-listed building's storied history is about to be written.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 14th February 2024

The green light has been given for an impressive £7.6 million transformation of Manchester’s iconic John Rylands Library.

The Grade I-listed Rylands is, undoubtedly, one of the finest neo-Gothic buildings in Europe.

The building on Deansgate in the heart of the city centre has survived two World Wars, the disappearance of the Lancashire cotton industry, post-war modern planning, and the changing fortunes of Manchester to today house several internationally-important collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives.

And now, the ‘next chapter’ in its storied history is about to be written, as the legendary structure is set to begin a new life as part of a £7.6 million project.

That’s because Manchester City Council has approved plans to transform the University of Manchester-owned building in a bid to “enhance” its contribution to research, student experience, and public engagement in the city.

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The green light has been given for £7.6m transformation of Manchester’s iconic John Rylands Library / Credit: UoM

The £7.6m project, which is actually named ‘John Rylands Next Chapter’, forms a part of the Library’s wider Imagine2030 vision.

The proposed designs, which have been drawn up by conservation architects at Donald Insall Associates, utilises a so-called ‘single design language’ that speaks to the building’s evolution through the 1890s, 1920s, 1960s, and 2000s, and includes an updated exhibition space, an advanced imaging laboratory, a flexible event space, and a refreshed main entrance.

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According to developers, the consented transformation scheme aims to “sensitively protect” and “revolve” the beloved building.

The Grade I-listed Rylands is one of the finest neo-Gothic buildings in Europe / Credit: Michael D Beckwith (via Flickr)

The University of Manchester says that Rylands, both the Research Institute and Library, is expected to remain open throughout the project of works.

However some areas will need to close “as required” while their redevelopment takes place.

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“The Rylands is one of the great libraries of the world,” commented Professor Christopher Pressler, who is the John Rylands University Librarian and Director of the University of Manchester Library, as the transformation plans were given the green light this week.

The Library’s ‘Next Chapter’ project will deliver world-class facilities / Credit: UoM

“The ‘Next Chapter’ project will deliver world-class facilities for research and engagement, of a quality to match our extraordinary collections and building, and will equip the Rylands to address the many challenges and opportunities of the mid-21st century.

“It will also reinforce the Rylands’ importance to the University, the city of Manchester, and world heritage.”

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Timelines for the £7.6m transformation are expected to be announced in due course.

Featured Image – Donald Insall Associates

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Police seize an estimated £6m worth of counterfeit goods from Rochdale industrial units

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Rochdale counterfeit goods

Police have seized an estimated £6 million worth of counterfeit goods from several industrial units in Rochdale.

It comes after the Trading Standards team and officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Rochdale Neighbourhood Policing Team attended a joint visit to a business park, at Crown Top Lane, on the afternoon of Thursday 1 May last week, following the receiving of some intelligence that an Organised Crime Gang from Cheetham Hill had extended their operation and opened another site in Rochdale. 

According to GMP, the visit was part of a ‘targeted operation’ tackling organised crime in the Castleton area of Rochdale. 

When police arrived on the scene, seven units containing counterfeit goods – including a range of branded sports trainers, perfumes, luxury accessories, high-end tech products, and illicit cigarettes – were all discovered.

Two men, aged 29 and 70 were present at the site, and they were subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession and control of counterfeit goods.

Police have seized an estimated £6m worth of counterfeit goods from Rochdale industrial units / Credit: GMP

They have been bailed pending further enquiries, GMP revealed.

Due to the large scale of the boxed goods, the scene was secured overnight and officers and trading standards returned the following day (Friday 2 May) with a HGV to recover all the items.

Police are now appealing to the public for information, with Inspector Anthony Taylor, from GMP’s Rochdale Neighbourhood Policing Team, explaining that it takes any intelligence submitted by the public ‘seriously’ and acts upon it ‘accordingly’.

“If you have any concerns about organised criminals operating in your area, please get in touch with us,” he concluded.

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Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101, or via the LiveChat function on the GMP website. 

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. 

Featured Image – GMP

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The annual Manchester Remembers Foundation charity football match has shut down

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Remembers charity game 2025 cancelled

The annual Manchester Remembers charity football match has been cancelled for 2025, and unfortunately, the wider Foundation has also shut down for the foreseeable.

Set up back in 2020, the Manchester Remembers charity game was created to help raise funds for the families of those lost in the tragic 2017 Manchester Arena attack, raising nearly £200,000 in donations for multiple organisations.

It has been a truly treasured community event across Greater Manchester, welcoming thousands to the likes of Manchester City Academy Stadium and Oldham Athletic‘s Boundary Park, as well as spotlighting local musicians and notable figures volunteering their help for a deeply important cause.

However, the Foundation is now set to hang up its boots. Confirming the news over the bank holiday weekend, founders Aaron Lee and Paul Corrigan shared “a difficult statement to make and a decision not taken lightly.”

As explained in the lengthy and emotional post, it is with a “heavy heart” that this year’s charity match has now been officially cancelled, and tickets already purchased up to this point are now being refunded.

Having played a small part in helping spread awareness around the game and the Foundation since it began, we were gutted to learn of this sad news.

The 2025 MCR Remembers game was scheduled to take place this June at a new venue for the event, Bury FC’s home ground at Gigg Lane, but following what they have labelled “a lack of support” from Greater Manchester leaders and “influential people needed to carry the event forward.”

Lee – a former police officer turned firefighter who was one of the emergency responders on 22 May, 2017 – went on to share a follow-up video reflecting on the announcement.

As he puts in the piece to camera, he says that even if those who had been reached out to in recent times were to suddenly respond, that it is “sadly too late.”

Taking time to thank not only past sponsors, managers, ex-pros and celebrity players who have been part of the event in the past, but everyone who bought tickets to the event(s) over the past few years, stating simply: “We cant thank you enough.”

Lee, who was given both a Chief Fire Officers Commendation and British Citizen Award in 2024, went on to address those “so-called leaders and influential people” in a subsequent post, adding: “All we needed was a bit of help. But we were ignored. Thanks for the memories.”

Unsurprisingly, the comments on social media have been awash with messages of love, support and sadness upon learning of this year’s cancellation and the end of The Manchester Remembers Foundation after more than half a decade.

There is some hope, though, as he ends the video by saying, “Who knows if this is the end or not? […] I dare say we’ll be back at some point.” We can only keep our fingers crossed he’s right and the MCR Remembers charity game won’t be shut down for good.

Manchester will always remember.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester Remembers Foundation

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