A beloved mural of Ian Curtis is to be restored in the Northern Quarter more than a year after it was painted over with an Aitch advert.
The original artwork of the Joy Division singer had been commissioned to raise awareness for mental health and installed on the side of a house on Port Street from October 2020 until the end of August 2022.
However, when it was covered over by an advert for Aitch’s new album the discovery was met with fury across the board – including from Aitch himself.
As a furore raged in Manchester, graffiti saying ‘Money, money will tear us apart again’ and ‘Ian Woz Ere’ was later daubed on the wall in protest, with Aitch commenting: “No way on earth would I want to disrespect a local hero like Ian.”
Councillors finally promised to help find a new home for the mural and now, more than a year on, it has been revealed that the artwork is to be reinstated at a new home in the Northern Quarter.
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Image: The Manc Group
Planning documents show that events company Headstock, described as ‘the UK’s biggest music and mental wellbeing festival’, has its sights set on the iconic Star and Garter pub as the new location for the mural.
Located behind Piccadilly train station on Fairfield Street, images included in the application show that the artwork will be created once again by local artist Akse P19 and will look near-identical to the original.
A design and access statement included in the application reads: “The mural of Ian Curtis had been painted on the wall of 75 Port Street in October 2020 and was opened to celebrate World Mental Health day and support Manchester Mind, Help Musicians and promote the 24/7 wellbeing text service Shout.
“The mural was overpainted with a music advertisement in August 2022 leading to a public outcry within the Manchester community and the wider music community. The search for an alternate wall, ideally within the Northern Quarter began in later August 2022, with the Star and Garter offered as a prospective site.
“The mural depicts the singer Ian Curtis of the post-punk band Joy Division, who died by suicide in 1980, shortly before the release of their second album, Closer and on the eve of the band’s first North American tour.”
Featured image – Google Maps
News
Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
Georgina Pellant -
11th August 2023 
