Building work is said to be now “well underway” on Manchester‘s first new primary school in the city centre in almost 20 years.
After plans were first agreed back in February 2020, and Manchester City Council announced back in October 2021 that the green light had finally been given for the institution after nearly two decades without one in the city centre, things are now said to be taking shape at the brand-new 210-place Crown Street Primary School – which is located just at the end of Deansgate.
With the first pupils expected through its doors September 2024, the Council says the school forms “an important part” of the wider regeneration of the Great Jackson Street area at the southern end of the city centre.
The school will open with a 26-place Pre-School class and a 30-place Reception class, before expanding in size as those students move through the school, until it has pupils in each year group from Pre-School to Year 6.
There will also be an on-site Day Care centre for children who are younger than three.
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📰 The first new primary school in the city centre in twenty years, Crown Street Primary School will be run by the Laurus Trust and built by @Renaker_
The first pupils expected through its doors in September 2024.
The school will be nestled between two neighbouring towers, The Blade and Elizabeth Tower, as part of the wider residential development of the area by Manchester-based property developers Renaker – which is set to be made up of 6,300 high-quality new homes.
There’ll also be city centre park with a children’s play area, a medical facility, and a dental studio, as well as a variety of independent restaurants, bars, and a cookery school.
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Manchester City Council has appointed the Laurus Trust to operate the new school.
The Council’s preferred operator, and also agreed by the Department for Education (DfE), the Laurus Trust is highly-regarded for the education it provides, and already operates Didsbury High School, as well as several others across the Greater Manchester region.
Artist impression image of where Crown Street Primary School will be located / Credit: Renaker
“As more people move into the city centre and make it their home it’s really important we make sure they have the infrastructure they need to let them live their lives, whatever stage they’re at,” explained Councillor Garry Bridges – Executive Member for Early Years, Children, and Young People at Manchester City Council – ahead of the new school opening.
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“Having a good local school on their doorstep is what every family wants.
“We’re determined to make sure this is something that is also available to our fast-growing city centre community.
“With the Laurus Trust on board Crown Street Primary looks set to be a brilliant school in the heart of our city that should serve generations of families and children in the city centre for years to come.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
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TfGM apologises after two weeks of major tram disruption across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Trams have finally resumed running in Greater Manchester following two weeks of major disruption across the Metrolink network.
Tram services have resumed across the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this morning (Monday 2 November) following the completion of major track replacement work between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, while maintenance and renewal work also took place on the Eccles line and in the city centre during the planned closure.
Engineers replaced around 4km of track on what is said to be one of the ‘busiest and most complex’ sections of the Metrolink network.
The new track will allow further speed restrictions to be lifted, as according to TfGM, around 100,000 journeys are already benefiting from journey time improvements delivered through previous phases of work every day.
It all forms part of the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network in a bid to make it ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.
✅ This morning, tram services have resumed on the Altrincham, East Didsbury, Eccles, Manchester Airport and Trafford Park lines.
We thank customers for their patience and understanding while these works took place.
↪️ A small service change remains in place through the city centre until the end of service on Wednesday 4 November.
Until then, trams on the Bury – Altrincham, and Victoria – Manchester Airport lines will divert via Exchange Square. Customers may need to change trams to reach Shudehill or Market Street.
👉 Find out more: https://t.co/Vm08ZEDUq4
With services now back up and running, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has issued a statement apologising for disruption.
Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, commented: “This was an essential piece of engineering work on one of the busiest parts of our tram network and will help keep services safe, reliable and fit for the future.
“We’re sorry for the disruption and I’d like to thank passengers, residents, and businesses for their patience while we got on with the job.
“The upgrades mean customers will benefit from smoother journeys and allow us to lift further speed restrictions on this section of the network. It will help speed up our journeys and improve reliability for everyone who uses our network.
“Completing work of this scale on time is a significant achievement and I’d like to thank everyone involved for getting it done safely and efficiently.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th December 2022 
