At long last, one of Manchester’s most disliked landmarks has disappeared from the city centre, as the scaffolding in Piccadilly Gardens comes down.
The concrete structure that carves across the southern end of Piccadilly Gardens, known by many as the ‘Piccadilly Wall’, is undergoing a bit of a transformation.
When it’s completed, the Piccadilly Pavilion will display a light installation with criss-crossed LED lighting, on the side of the Piccadilly Gardens tram stop.
The other side will have floor-to-ceiling windows looking into the businesses who are based here – viral corndog trader Bunsik and equally viral iced drinks brand Black Street.
This week, a major step has been made in the Piccadilly wall transformation project.
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Now that some of the scaffolding has come down, we can see that the overhead concrete canopy is gone. Vanished. No more.
The light installation is also being installed as we speak.
The Piccadilly Wall wasn’t supposed to be such a divisive landmark. It’s actually designed by leading Japanese architect Tadao Ando following a competition to regenerate the area after the IRA bomb.
Ando is famous for his well-crafted concrete structures, including a circular fountain in Mayfair, but the scale and shape of his Manchester installation didn’t exactly go down well with locals.
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The canopy of the Piccadilly Wall in Manchester has finally been demolished. Credit: The Manc Group
The way it blocks off Piccadilly Gardens from the busy tram and bus routes has often been cited as a reason for the rise in crime and anti-social behaviour here.
And while providing vital shelter from the relentless drizzle, the canopy has also been blamed for encouraging crowds to gather in the area.
Though thousands of Mancs would love to see Piccadilly Gardens restored back to the rose-filled sunken gardens it used to be, this big block of concrete disappearing is definitely a welcome step in the right direction.
When a photo of the building work was shared in the Manchester Histories page on Facebook, one person wrote: “Long over due! Should stay open and become a gardens again.”
Another said: “Its such a shame that this wasn’t better thought out, with architecture like this context is everything, if it had been built by the university of Manchester, next to the wonderful collection of brutalist buildings there, it would have looked great, in Piccadilly it just added to the dystopian vibe, especially as it was constructed just as the spice epidemic kicked in, context is everything.”
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Someone else said: “I don’t think it has any future as a “garden” in this day and age- too costly to maintain in the age of cutbacks. But demolishing the canopy is a start. This whole project was not Tadao Ando’s finest work and never worked for this space and purpose.”
In pictures – the vision for the ‘Piccadilly Wall’ in Manchester
CGIs showing how the Piccadilly Wall in Manchester will look. Credit: LGIMRACGIs showing how the Piccadilly Wall in Manchester will look. Credit: LGIMRACGIs showing how the Piccadilly Wall in Manchester will look. Credit: LGIMRA
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
Police appeal after man seriously injured in Northern Quarter stabbing
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester Police are appealing for witnesses after a stabbing in the Northern Quarter left a man seriously injured.
The incident occurred around 7.45pm on Thursday 20 March, on Tib Street near Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
Emergency services scrambled to the scene and the victim, a man in his 20s, taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Thankfully his injuries aren’t believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.
No arrests have yet been made and officers are now appealing for witnesses to assist with enquiries.
DI Geoffrey Machent, of the City of Manchester Division, said: “At around 7.45pm on Thursday 20 March, we were called to reports of a stabbing on Tib Street.
“A man was subsequently taken to hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening or life-changing. He remains there for treatment.
“At this time, we do not believe the incident presents any threat to the wider public or local businesses operating in the area.
“Neighbourhood officers will be deployed to provide reassurance in the locality over the coming days, including our newly formed Piccadilly Gardens team.
“We would like to appeal to the public for any information, or anyone who witnessed this incident, to please come forward.”
If anyone has information regarding this stabbing in the Northern Quarter, contact police by calling 101, or via the Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk.
Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd August 2024 
