Does Manchester Need Saving?

/ wanderingturnip
www.buymeacoff...
The 9th episode of the Death of the High Street - Manchester
We are closer to home this time, but since London shocked me, I thought it was only right to head to my nearest big city, and see how the high street is looking there.
It is christmas time, so the markets are out, which always gives a sense that a place is doing well. But behind that, the retail seemed in the same state as everywhere else.
Also, by amazing coincidence, there was a talk going on in the evening in Manchester. The topic - the declining high streets. It was really interesting to finish the video there and get an in depth look at a serious study on what is going on. Hopefully I will be able to do more with there findings at some point.
I do love Manchester, it is a great city. It has fallen victim to the problem that everywhere has, which is...we just don't need that much retail space any more. How to reimagine it is the key question now.
Debenhams Exploration video by ‪@Urbandoned‬
• Exploring Manchester's...
Thank you as always for watching.
W.T
#london #abandoned #capital #urban #decay #towns #buildings #fail #city #levellingup

[@peterd788]

My mother died in 2008 and even then she said "Give it enough time and all you'll see on the High Street will be charity shops, phone shops and crappy takeaways".

[@es8117]

Don't forget all the bloody coffee shops

[@danielcunningham6727]

​@@es8117 and the vape shops 🙄

[@pauls8456]

And gambling shops….taking money from the poor and giving to the rich…

[@Dom-sc9ih]

Vaping wasn’t around then, but she knew ❤

[@drwasabie1]

İt is the same everywhere on world nowadays

[@sarahwinget7975]

That old library is now owned by university of Manchester. Very cool inside. Also interesting history as an independently wealthy woman (from cuba) built it for the people of Manchester in memory of her dead mill-owning husband. Was hoping you would go in affleck’s palace too as I haven’t been since the 1990’s and it’s quite a landmark!!! Thank you for pointing out the architecture, growing up in Bolton/Wigan/Manchester etc I always thought that was just how buildings were and never appreciated it as architecture until I moved away!!!

[@C0llyhurst]

Never knew this until reading your comment, thank you 🙏

[@DiscoDrew]

I’m Mancunian, and what amazes me is tens of thousands of apartments have been built in the City Centre over the past 15 years. All these extra consumers on the doorstep and these businesses have still failed.

[@HansHackfress]

those extra consumers who probably order everything online anyway ;)

[@HexNebula]

Could be empty properties as well ... Bought for investment / renting out

[@kryztofkowalski4628]

Immos don't spend money.

[@clivea493]

the high rise blocks are for foreign students paying high rents and 3 times the tuition fees as English students at the fake universities.

[@mmiii]

Up to the eyeballs in debt doesn’t leave much spending money

[@jminsh463]

You didn't visit Afflecks and the Manchester Craft and Design Centre- these are a good example of a big building being used consistently long term. It's made up of small individual stores/shops, most of which are owned by independent local people. The Trafford Centre used to have the Marketplace too which was a similar thing. There are probably plenty of small makers there to speak to about Made In Britain too. Also, Lanx shoe makers are a slightly bigger brand or Thunder Egg which started in Afflecks! I wonder how much the death of the railways (and repeated failure of Northern rail) has impacted visitor stats to Manchester? I live about 40 mins away on the train but it is such an unreliable service that other places become more accessible.

[@hannahsakura4487]

That’s true and for those who live in Greater Manchester buses are very unreliable also.

[@Iron_Stigmata]

A lot of the stores in Afflecks have declined too. Empty spots have cropped up, and a lot of the stores now just sell dropshipped items that would've been popular 10 years ago and now only appeal to elder millennials stuck in their ways. It's depressing.

[@crackhead8693]

@@hannahsakura4487 what part of gm you from? im in stockport and the 192 runs up to town every 10 minutes not a bus u wanna get on at night tho haha

[@hannahsakura4487]

@@crackhead8693 Middleton area (although just recently moved to Leeds). There always seemed to be cancellations and diversions & I had to get two buses to go to work which took well over an hour just to get to Ancoats. Although to be fair when I went back a couple of weeks ago I was impressed the buses have actually improved since they’ve gone over to that yellow bee network! Leeds buses are far worse than Manchester though so I take back all the times I used to complain about GM buses!

[@crackhead8693]

@@hannahsakura4487 they are getting better with it and their planning on expanding the tram routs out to the surrounding boroughs im just worried that its a part of gentrification though theyre tryna fix up all the town centres in the 9 boroughs but their just building fancy bars and coffee shops fuck all for the locals ull only see posh students in them

[@GT380man]

I’m a retired guy in the south. My family is originally from Yorkshire. I was born in Birmingham. I’m so sad that almost all manufacturing jobs were exported. It was a conscious, deliberate destruction of a society, especially of what used to be called the working class, and we stupid middle classes just took to deflationary gains for decades. Now, the denouement is here. For ALL of us. We’re in full on authoritarian mode and de-civilisation of a nation. I love my country. I’ve advised my young adult kids to emigrate for example to Croatia.

[@princebuster93]

@GT380, Its a worldwide decline because we are at the end, look around you, everything is breaking down, the bible tells us what the signs will be at the end, and here we are

[@braxxian]

A quote from one of my favourite TV shows. “ Their strangling us so slowly were not even noticing”

[@reddwarfer999]

@@lerhodes2236 Deliberately in the way that it made econimic sense to manufacture goods where it was cheaper to do so. I don't believe there was ever any 'grand master plan' to destroy the British working class or whatever.

[@vickijohnson9367]

Our governments owned by good old finance. It’s called betrayal. We need to see the financing and the markets, and the government’s officials (all branches) for what they really are…sociopathic parasites. The greed and the decadence behind the walls, is right back to the time of people rising up in revolutions. There is a reason our media glamorizes them, and puts their lifestyle and their values on pedestals. It’s so we go along with a type of modern indentured servitude to the system of giving our God given days to finance’s businesses for the privilege of having food, clothing and shelter. Sounds like nothing has really changed, except Britain used to put the masses in desperation in prisons (or indentured servitude in the Empire’s colonies), now the United States puts it’s masses in prisons, that has become industrialized business. Take a good look at what the U.S. promotes now, a failing empire’s parasitic unregulated policies. That’s what we are, a non-stop war, debt parasite owned by global finance, feasting off the bodies of our citizens. They take it all here, cradle to grave, institutional finance inside everything, abuse is rampant.

[@escapetheratracenow9883]

@@reddwarfer999Denial isn’t a river in Egypt.

[@DrDeboraDaly]

I’ve lived in Manchester for years and noticed these changes gradually. Thank you for the excellent work and keep it up 👊🏼👏🏼

[@robertogarcia-cw4go]

You and Wendall do great work in this field. Considering the financial weight of UK domestic TV channels, KZbin documentaries like these are often better and without bias. Keep it up. Regards from the south east. 👍

[@MrPINKFL0YD]

I totally agree with you about this!

[@ryszard68]

​@@Azrael1st- not to mention the soon to be £169.50 that they expect you to pay for your own brainwashing!

[@anthonydowling3356]

@@DaysOfDarknessUK Tel-lie-vision ? Sadly many still do .The majority in fact .

[@nelliemelba4967]

The content of channel makers like WT is far superior to any homogenised tv programme because it is AUTHENTIC and organic. TV is over.

[@MrPolicekarim]

I agree with what you say about KZbin being better, but I don't believe TV being dead. What about fantasy shows like GAME OF THRONES, or THE WALKING DEAD? Companies like NETFLIX would be broke, but they are still making massive profits. Not that I think they deserve it.@@nelliemelba4967

[@trinitychiplove]

I’d love to open a sewing machine/crafting workshop where people who love making things can come and socialise

[@MrLucysWildRide]

Please 🙏🙏🙏

[@mogadon7]

Cant park your car + cost n hastle. Dont feel totally safe, drunks, druggies. Awful weather. A lot of walking.

[@justinshore5566]

Dreams don't always translate into good businesses especially considering the overheads.

[@abdaljabbarhusayn610]

Great idea.

[@kunaiflex491]

Sure if you make rent /rates etc

[@Thats_him_with_the_daft_hat]

Your reference to "Road to Wigan Pier" is perfect. A housing crisis, wasted public funds, poor food/diets, slums etc; all from 90 years ago. Everything that was achieved by post war Britain, free health care, decent housing, a decent education, employment, is now in ruins or has been wound back to mirror the 1930s. It would be worth following up 'Wigan Pier' with Down and Out in Paris and London. Though the homelessness now is often more complex than the 1930s, some things seem to endure.

[@medievaltimes1482]

Its Called the Great Reset and all being done on purpose, the elite do not want a middle class messing up the enviroment so they are making us poor and taking us back to a time where there were no foreign holidays, no cars and limited food and lesuire, they have been doing it gradually for decades now but it is all part of a plan 'you will own nothing and be happy is the motto'. But make no mistake they will be living lives of total opulance, like ancient leaders.

[@tahu1349]

Except the US had the opposite, no free health care, no free education, very limited social support.... And yet it has even worse social problems

[@chrisgilmore2957]

It’s worrying that we fall into the same problems

[@AJ-hi9fd]

Agreed. We are heading back to the times where 10% are wealthy/comfortable and 90% have buggar all (as we say in Yorkshire) this is not good for anyone, because the rich will need to be vigilant when surrounded by poverty.

[@mrmensa1096]

All by design = 100% planned.

[@LifeofBrad1]

British cities are just misery pits now. I used to spend a lot of time in them in my teens-early 20's to escape my small town and the small town mentality people have here, but now when you go into a city, you constantly get hassled by homeless people and the vibes are sh!t in general. This leaves me in a situation where I don't like the town I live in, but I don't like what cities have become either, so I spend most of my time at home these days.

[@user-op4st5xs4t]

By design welcome to the corporate human farm.

[@amreenazam9013]

Same I stay home all the time now

[@garyjcampbell2058]

If you are sensitive you would find any city 'in yur face' The only change in homeless beggars is that they used to be old men with bottles and now they are young people with white powder. In advancing years we sometimes get less tolerant of intrusive events.

[@LifeofBrad1]

@@garyjcampbell2058 Or maybe it could just be that the vibe has changed like I said.

[@EvgeneXI]

@@garyjcampbell2058 na, mate. The country has changed and entirely for the worse. It’s been squeezed dry and impoverished and this is the result.

[@Wandering_Nowhere]

Google Map's timelapse of different eras is a really cool feature. Only found it out because if this video. Seeing how the nearby towns have changed (declined), and brings back old memories as a kid going to the town centre when it was alive. Takeaways, charity shops, phone shops, Poundland, make up the majority of what's left.

[@LifeofBrad1]

Did you notice how much greenery has been chopped down and paved over too? I've looked at images around my area on Google Maps from 2008 and it was so much greener around here back then. Back in 2008, only a few people had paved over their front gardens. Now most people have. It's part of the reason why the air quality in residential areas is terrible now.

[@matthewprince9705]

I was looking for this! I wanted to know what it is! How far back does it go?

[@JudeTheYoutubePoopersubscribe]

Yup looking back to 2009 on Google maps in my town you can see the impact online shopping has had, and yes all that remains really is takeaways and places to do your shopping.

[@rhino5100]

I live in a small historic city about 50 miles (1 hour drive) south of Washington D.C.. Our only indoor shopping mall was bustling with shops and shoppers into the 2000's. I went there just the other day and many of the shops are gone. Its still being used though, but not so much for commerce. There's a post office in there now, a neighborhood extension of the library full up with books and shelves, an extension office for the Sheriff's Department...all in places where there were clothing and accessory retail shops and restaraunts. I expect to see a branch office of our Social Services Agency or Child Support Enforcement Office next time! At least its being used for something. The mark of depressed areas where I live are Dollar Stores, liquor shops, and check cashing/payday-loan businesses. If there are a lot of those things close together in the same area then its time to get out of there!

[@garyjcampbell2058]

Google Map in general is not that helpful. When one looking for a place one gets confused by the prevalence of retail names

[@nelliemelba4967]

I totally get your making of these videos as record vlogs. I often search for older videos and film of my town, trying see what it was like in the recent past. And I love your sense of the past and your love of old industrial buildings and the like. Your idea of a Made in Britain series sounds good too.👍

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Loving the idea of the Made in Britain idea. I always find it fascinating that they say it would cost to much to manufacture stuff in the UK. Yet the cheapest most reliable hoover is a Henry Hoover and that is all manufactured in the UK and that contains complex to produce parts.

[@dirkbogarde44]

Not sure why though..it's a pain to cart around.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@dirkbogarde44 it is slightly awkward but not that bad

[@alyswilliams9571]

My Henry is at least fifteen years old and I would like a vacuum cleaner that is less cumbersome and heavy but it is still going strong still and I can't justify replacing it.

[@M0UAW_IO83]

Some of the main reasons Henry is so popular are that it doesn't contain complex to produce parts, it's tough enough to be used by commercial cleaners, it's dead easy to repair and it's pretty good as a vacuum cleaner as well as being cheap (no complex to manufacture, expensive parts) and reliable (no complex parts to go faulty)

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@M0UAW_IO83 it does have complex parts you can't make a vacuum cleaner without complex parts the motor is complex.

[@soHatey]

Really looking forward to your "Made in Britain" series. I'd love for that to start a trend all over Europe, highlighting local business to inform customers how they can help their communities by buying local. ❤

[@Bard_Land]

Having been to christmas markets in several European countries I can confirm that 90% of stalls in all of them sell the same cheap tat, all made in china. The other 10% occasionally includes some nice food. So, overall not worth it.

[@digidol52]

I agree. Cheap tat often in the rain with a nasty overpriced mulled wine from a garden shed. I really don't get it.

[@Bozebo]

Plus many literal shops here that usually have nice local stuff get rid of it before christmas to only sell made in china crap and cash in. Do other european countries do that too?

[@perfectallycromulent]

you can get mostly the same stuff at the Christmas Market in Chicago as in Berlin, except for the product labels.

[@ChaCha-lt8rx]

There's a few good stalls...one being a jewellery stall on market street..Amazonas gifts (or something like that) she sells beautiful stuff.

[@halfbakedproductions7887]

Yep. The only truly authentic Christmas markets not peddling that crap are some of the niche German ones, I think.

[@ragnarjakobsen7722]

I love your videos, mate, don't change 👌 We share them into our boys groups and it's nice to see someone talking about all this. Refreshing, instead of pretending this isn't happening in England.

[@wanderingturnip]

Hey nice one proper appreciate the support 👏👏

[@ragnarjakobsen7722]

@wanderingturnip you deserve it dude 🍻

[@DrJohnsun]

Bro my dad is a stone mason and makes letter carving commissions. I’m sure he’d love to have you interview him

[@cloudberry27]

I own a small business retail property since 1987 and ive witnessed the decline. One of the problems not being talked about is barbers shops money laundering. No one can talk about it without getting mafioso style threats. Im selling my building as i did speak out and I've been threatened.

[@MrPolicekarim]

Hope you are well mate! Also good luck with the new business, whatever it is!

[@Church_Of_Kloppism]

As a landlord I don't think you're eligible to question anybody moral compass.....

[@djbilly5913]

@@Church_Of_Kloppism What's your point?

[@Church_Of_Kloppism]

@@djbilly5913 landlords are scum.

[@valerianocuomo996]

I'm Italian, in central and northern Italy, both cities, between industries, the tertiary sector, we are lucky compared to you Britons, obviously not the glittering London, but it's just a happy island and nothing in common with the real England. We have the south, which is migrating en masse to Rome, Milan, Bologna, we use them as labour, in large industries, there is a lack of workers, in the north many young people already have their 10 employees, MASERATI... it is easy in Italy to become an entrepreneur ,,very startup s

[@roryhanlon927]

The only thing I regularly go into a physical shop for now is food. Everything else is generally easier to do online. A lot of services which traditionally required a brick and mortar location (banks, travel agencies, currency changers, estate agents, internet cafes, ticket offices, post offices etc) can now be done so much more efficiently online. The amount of retail space in our towns and cities is simply too high. Lowering rates isn't going to change the fact a lot of these bricks and mortar businesses are fundamentally unviable. The ultimate solution is to start converting areas to a mix of uses with smaller retail footprints and more commercial, civic and residential space.

[@doug1570]

Intersting about the hospital. Back in the day the MRI was in Piccadilly. Brilliant video - thanks. I studied in Manchester in the late sixties and worked there till the mid seventies. Went back there a few years ago and was shocked when I arrived in Piccadilly Gardens. It was full of drug users wandering around in a trance and the amount of architectural vandalism was beyond belief. The Manchester planners have completely messed up. So sad.

[@321bytor]

In what way have 'planners' messed up? 'Architectural'.

[@ianmansbridge3646]

You are right, it needs a priority rethink but much redevelopment in the city has been successful thank goodness.

[@chrisbibb]

A Made in Britain series sounds great and focussing on the positive and not just the sad state of our cities (not just empty shops, but knocking down all the heritage to build those empty buildings)

[@catxls1835]

Cool video as always my friend. Some fantastic Victorian architecture. The entire country is on it's knee's and there are issues in every high street up and down the UK David. We were a world leading country, and now we are nothing. A real shame.

[@rolback5055]

Go woke go broke. What you need are more windmills, more fines on cars for driving into cities, more business taxes, more illegals, more two tiered policing and more abortions. That will fix your country.

[@razzprince2877]

As a manchester local and someone who runs a restaurant on Deangate, I've seen the decline. Most of it is down to the constant integration on one way systems that aren't necessary. They are trying to force public transport despite the fact public transport hardly works as it's supposed to.

[@OldhamSteve52]

Spot on. Use to park on Thompson St, £3 Saturday. It's gone, replaced by block of flats. Well done Mr Mayor your driving us to Trafford centre.

[@SuzanneO707]

Yes, public transport was privitized & fragmented and not integrated. Big chunk out of peoples' wages who rely on it and don't drive. Just to get to work and back, and for night out. Yes, the one way system does freak out drivers, when I have been a passenger.

[@sweetycamy]

Then vote for people who can make public transport good.

[@SuzanneO707]

@@sweetycamy 👍

[@razzprince2877]

@@sweetycamy that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Andy Burnham promised to make public transport "Frequent and affordable" and he's done nothing of the sort. Almost as if politicians lie all the time or something?

[@blackburnparty]

Great channel, no bullshit, just honest and genuine 🙏

[@alanmon2690]

In the 1950s, 60s,70s etc Piccadilly Gardens were actually gardens. Before the WWII it was a hospital (originally a workhouse and lunatic asylum) but badly damaged in WWII and demolished. And the bus station was enclosed - no getting wet. Around the gardens were shops. Primark is the left-hand building of the Lewis department store. There was Woolworths, now a hotel. A Paulden's, burnt down. I used to love just wandering round looking in the old shops. The wholesale market on Ancoats street where my father worked before the war; the old newspaper building. The area where father lived, it was razed in the 60s. I have 1839 OS maps of Manchester, full of foundries, woodworking factories, mills, hotels. In the 1960s the centre was black from the soot. Buses were quick (was 30 mins, now 60 mins), I could drive in, I see no reason to go now. The rebuilding was a good opportunity to sort out the rail mess. I go to Stockport instead, good buses, car friendly. but it's lost the big stores...

[@philipwaddington1931]

Thank you for this video. I'm a Manchester lad (and proud Lancashire lad too) born and bred, but I am ashamed at what this once great city has become. No identity, no pride and no future.

[@nikobellic570]

No identity no pride no culture - yep

[@halfbakedproductions7887]

My experience was of a city miles up its own arse without good justification.

[@philipwaddington1931]

And a city which has forgotten its roots@@halfbakedproductions7887

[@OldhamSteve52]

Wife and I would visit MCR shopping every so often. Park on Thompson Street £3 Saturday. Happy bald chap ran the Car Park like clockwork, top guy. That's gone, block of flats. We go to Trafford Centre these days, free parking. City centre full of drunks at weekend. Bar prices astronomical.

[@crayontom9687]

Depends. Nobody goes shopping any more, as Turnip’s videos highlight. Manchester is pretty good for restaurants and night life though

[@ShadowCastPro]

Loved this video, we need positivity when it comes to these things. Ideas around how to make things better, not just focusing on what's wrong but also talking about what is good and what could be done, otherwise it would be depressing and that's it. Looking forward to your Made in Britain series as well.

[@johnl4213]

Great video, Scotland certainly isn’t immune to this either. Aberdeen, union street, used to be full of great shops but with Covid/ shopping centres built/ downturn of oil, the street is practically dead now. Although there is a campaign to revive it

[@llanieliowe794]

No one has visited Scotland someone need to go to Greenock/Port Glasgow area and Cumbernauld is such an awful place it need a visit too

[@jdh6752]

@@llanieliowe794 I'm in Glasgow. Sauchiehall Street and Argyle Street are appalling now - A shadow of their former selves. The city also looks filthy no thanks to the utterly inept SNP run Glasgow City Council.

[@clivea493]

not Covid, it was the lockdowns that deliberately destroyed small businesses.

[@sportsman2103]

Edinburgh had no boarded up shop I was there last week. Looks better than Manchester

[@Jrhynie]

@@sportsman2103 Its miles better than Manchester, don't think Jenners has reopened on Princess St and some rubbish American Candy Stores on the same strip. We are lucky as some nearby towns are rubbish.

[@judeec9624]

I am endlessly fascinated with your term "high street"...in the States we call it "main street." And in many, many towns and cities over here, it's not much better, for many of the same reasons you've described in this video and the others I've been watching. Great work!!

[@mx986]

Parking in Manchester centre is crazy expensive. I did a job in a fancy flat near the Arndale and paid £26. A lot of trades won't go into the centre as you have to carry your tools miles through crowded streets, pass through multiple security doors with their own codes, pay a fortune in parking and risk having your van broken into by the local crack heads

[@sailingaeolus]

Large American cities are the same.

[@rewind12354]

And then all the bus lane cameras.

[@jeanniegoldweddingplanner]

You parked in the wrong place, plenty of smaller central car parks where it’s £7 a day or sometimes free if you find the right street which hasn’t been adopted for parking yet (there’s a few near Piccadilly station)

[@mx986]

@@jeanniegoldweddingplanner Have to park as close as possible due to carrying tools. This was in the Northern Quarter

[@jenniferjuliana10]

You can park for £2 per day in Cark park 10-15mins walk from Victoria Station. Of course, unfortunately carrying tools around is not good, however I'm sure you can claim that...

[@leehumphries7696]

So many factors to the cause of the death of the high streets - online shopping, high rents & rates, no free parking, but also people's incomes haven't kept up and we've had austerity since 2008 - shrinking availble money in the economy whilst private compaines who own utilities & public transport hiking their profits. There's been an increase in reocrd shops here in Hastings as its a small seaside town that loves its music.

[@ATLIEN333]

I came across your channel in the last week or so and watched several videos. I applaud what you're doing and your personality is endearing. This is happening in America as well maybe worse since many of our cities were designed around the automobile.Great content and spot on as the British would say.

[@mmaidofsteel]

Can you do a walking autopsy of Sheffield? It's gone the same way as Manchester. I'd like an eulogy to mourn the place I used to love living. Looking forward to the Made in Britain series as well.

[@davetaylor4741]

Your presentation style is infectious. The down to earth attitude. And I am with you on avoiding the big shopping malls. Manchester would have to be one of the better big cities in the UK. Such a history. And such a life force. Looking forward to the new series. It will be interesting to see people making a product in England. And competing with all the foreign imports. I think I am right in saying , that at the height of the British empire. The UK produced something like 60% of the world's goods. China has never even got close to this. Manufacturing. New inventions. Product development. Britain was where it was at. Also, interestingly as you mentioned exploitation. During the big industrial era. British workers were largely exploited. The working class usually bear the brunt so others can prosper. These days we look at the low paid workers in China. Different location. Same deal. Governments should back enterprising business. But they don't. There is a big thing in Australia about buying Aussie. Hard to do. Not much made here anymore. The norm is now to advertise. Proudly Australian company since 1922. But the small print says made in China. Or Taiwan. I have even seen packaging with Proudly Australian written on it. And they didn't even spell Australian correctly. Sign of the times.

[@Coco-uk9tv]

The British Empire was successful through the exploitation of brown and black people too mate.

[@davetaylor4741]

@@Coco-uk9tv Most great empires were. And way before in time. Chinese. Roman. It would seem the only way to get rich and powerful. Is trample enough people. Must be why I'm broke and insignificant.

[@marcelbork92]

@@davetaylor4741 LOL

[@pauljakeman]

I haven’t been to Manchester for a few years, and you could already see it starting to get like this. Great video again mate, love the google street view images feature too. Really shows you how things have changed. Thee shouldn’t be that many retail units up for rent on such busy roads. Spot on with wanting to remember how things looked too, I wish I had managed to record some video of Nottingham in the earlier 2000’s but I didn’t.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

I think one of the other important factor is wages, a recent study showed Britiains earn £10,500 less than French workers. Wage stagnation, coupled with rising inequality is another reason people just can't go out to support these businesses as you said with the christmas market it is so busy, because people will have that as a treat. Imagine if you had £10,500 extra every single year (obviously minus taxes, etc.) You would spend more in the town, more people would be able to afford to open up shops. You could eat out, drink out more. You may take more holdiays and some would be in the UK. And the fact you are earning more would mean more goes to taxes that can pay for better services and investment on the high street.

[@neilclark1681]

And our state pensions are the LOWEST in Europe. - The second lowest pension is the Netherlands, and theirs is DOUBLE ours !!!

[@hayfield11]

Wow. Thanks for that info. Where did you see the study?

[@neilclark1681]

@@hayfield11 They were talking about it on GB News a few days ago.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@hayfield11 resolution foundation

[@neilclark1681]

In Germany the state pension is THREE TIMES ours.

[@gordkennedy1059]

I've just got back to Manchester from a round trip that went to Brussels, then to Ghent in Belgium, then to Wroclaw in Poland. I go on a few European city breaks a year and it's very worrying to see the state of the UK versus other European cities. I notice even more because I'm a shop owner myself. Despite many people thinking its a universal issue, its really not, this is a UK problem. All of the cities mentioned above and all the others I've visited in Europe have been thriving. There's barely any shops to let. There's busy markets full of fresh produce. There's a much greater variety of shops, independent businesses, everything is cleaner. Theres just far more people out shopping. The towns are bustling in comparison to the UK. You don't see streets filled with "to let" signs, charity shops and betting shops like in the UK. I personally dont think it's because retail is becoming obsolete and has to be developed into other things, people still enjoy shopping and browsing, other European cities are evidence of this. I personally think the issue just boils down to the overheads and rent, the running costs of a shop in the UK are astronomical. either makes it unaffordable and/or forces retailers to stock lower quality goods that are sold at a higher price than can be bought online. Amazon, Ali express and companies like temu are thriving because of this. Folk can only run businesses that have very low overheads or running costs to survive snd make profit. Escape rooms are everywhere fir this reason. They cost very little start up costs. just a room, some padlocks, and stuff from thrift stores to create an aesthetic. They cost nothing except from bills and rent to run, and have high profit margins. Food shops are surviving, bars are just about surviving, and clothing shops are just about surviving (but are struggling more because of apps online shopping and apps like vinted) Can already see in picadilly Gardens that almost all the surrounding shops are restaurants. Five guys, nandos, mcdonalds etc. Because foods is one of the only stable trades right now. Other shops that are becoming saturated are barbers, tattoo studios and cosmetics. Again, these places have relatively low running costs to high profit margins. But then eventually the saturation will eventually dilute demand and make those bissinesses unfeasible to leading to them all going private. Setting up home salons etc. UK high streets are really up sh*t creek right now. The only way this will change is if there is a major crash in property values that can make these retail units available and affordable to the working and middle class public to encourage folk to open businesses. Not just the real estate investment opportunities for the wealthy. There needs to be free parking in all city and town centres and better public transport links. They need to scrap business rates based on rateable values, give relief to all small businesses and for larger businesses the rates should be based on a percentage of the yearly profits. We need to get stricter on online only businesses like amazon that virtually pay no tax and use offshore banks. On top of these, ive been saying for a long time, that many of these big empty retail units should be divided into micro units, and those units should be for colleges, schools and universities to utilise, allowing students to operate small businesses, selling products and services being produced by the students themselves. This would be an introduction for students into running retail and businesses in a real world set up. It showcases locally produced, made in the UK wares, and they could use a percentage of the takings to cover the overheads. The rest would be income for the students to cover their own living costs. The aane could be done with other units for small businesses to operate within on a percentage of profit basis, rather than a rental basis. And the way you regulate that is by having a cashless system in place within.

[@adambrennan579]

100% correct, but don’t forget the customers. When a 2 bedroom ex Council house in the middle of a rundown Council estate is rented out for a minimum of £1,100 per month nowadays, most people just simply cannot afford to go on a big clothes shop in Town anymore. Nevermind the fuel prices, parking prices & bus lane fines just to get to the high streets. Might aswell just order online & save yourself money & hassle with ultimately effects the high streets. If the basics ie. rent, are lowered or capped then your average person may have a little extra spending money & you’ll see high streets jump up again. It’s a real shame.

[@gordkennedy1059]

@@adambrennan579 thanks for reading my comment, have a good Xmas 🎄🎅

[@Alex-cw3rz]

I think one of the other major issues is all of these shops will be owned by people who don't live in Manchester. It will be owned by places in London, tax heavens and other places abroad and therefore what they care about is their return on investment and because they will own hundreds possibly thousands of shops. They will have calculations that show they can have X amount of vacant units and still give their investors the right ROI. It ruins our town and city centres, espcially as they don't upkeep the property, but they don't care.

[@burtwallace5909]

WHY LONDON ???

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@burtwallace5909 because it's were most REITS and finanical businesses are located in the UK.

[@emgee9775]

People and councils are to blame. 1. People buying online too much. 2. Councils fleecing businesses with business rates

[@Delorkay]

I'd love to see if you could get in touch with people doing office to residential conversions and the difficulties, it's definitely something that should start changing the landscapes of cities

[@Etannl]

I’m an American, active middle aged, and one of my favorite memories is Manchester back in the late nineties. It was magical. And this - it breaks my heart. I wonder about all of the people whom I met - where are they? Are they okay?

[@58Brando]

Do not be fooled by this video. Written by Alliance Investments | Jun 7, 2023 2:38:21 PM It is not news that Manchester is a booming city with great future prospects. We reported recently that its economy is set to grow to £71bn GVA annually by the end of 2024, fuelled by the creation of 28,000 jobs and a huge amount of foreign direct investment (FDI). However, the scale of Manchester’s opportunity to keep growing and growing has been underlined this week by CBRE’s Which City? Which Sector? report which has delivered even better news than could have been expected. The report analysed 50 of the largest regional towns and cities in the UK outside of London to evaluate their potential in a range of fields, including housing, offices, retail, life sciences, and industrial. Commenting on the research method, Jennet Siebrits, Head of UK Research at CBRE, said: “The way towns and cities grow and evolve is very much reflective of their local geographies, natural resources, and cultural history. “As a result, no two cities in the UK are the same, and subsequently, different real estate sectors thrive in different locations. Real estate professionals need to be cognizant of these differences to help inform their strategies.” While it is true that no two UK cities are the same, it appears that no others in the UK outside of London excel to quite the same level that Manchester does. The city was ranked in the top 5 for almost all categories included in the report, and was first in approximately half of them. Manchester's robust performance is attributed to a variety of factors. Key among them is its projected population growth of 6% in the next decade, a huge current and future talent pool, and an estimated consumer spending increase of 24.7% within the decade thanks to economic growth. Demand for office space and housing is set to increase alongside this. With its thriving retail, tourism, and hospitality sectors, a diverse industry base, strong economic fundamentals, and one of Europe's largest student populations, Manchester continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and growth potential.

[@ianmansbridge3646]

Don't think things are bad here compared to many parts of the country. Manchester is buoyant in general but going through big changes in growing so fast.

[@58Brando]

@@ianmansbridge3646 The "Does Manchester Need Saving?" title is to get views, very misleading.

[@geertstroy]

Those people are all scooping up property in "Europe".... as a B. dividend.

[@geertstroy]

​@@ianmansbridge3646yeahh reallo " buoyant"... it shows.

[@ahmedlawind4296]

I normally like your videos, but after what you said about fashion, channel and why you do these videos, i absolutely love them and respect you❤

[@wanderingturnip]

Hey thanks for watching 😀😀

[@Jane-rc2rk]

I was in Salford a few weeks ago … and what mess Manchester had become! The roads for a start … and then where have all the lovely old historic buildings gone? It was dirty, grimy,littered beyond belief … the are by the river was disgusting; it made me cry to see the wildlife trying to co-exist. It needs a bloody good clean!

[@Damaz22]

What city were you visiting? All the nice old buildings still exist, the city is developing hugely and this is on derelict/underused land, thereby bringing wealth and people onto the city centre which will sound proof it from the inevitable decline of retail.

[@Jane-rc2rk]

@@Damaz22 I stayed in Salford quays. I was a student in Manchester in the 80s …mit seemed much nicer then.

[@justaspartan8203]

Really enjoy your work, the extent of the urban decay that you have covered has been genuinely eye opening. I wonder if you had thought about trying to get a response from the local MP or councils, it would be interesting to hear their take on what they’ve tried to do to sort issues out? Finally would you mind showing what equipment you use to do your vlogs. Thanks for what you are doing it’s a really important public service 😊

[@markbeks2019]

Agree - these videos are real evidence of the destruction of life as we knew it. No one seems to care! We need everyone to get on this & write to their Mp,s for a start. Not that they do much. It’s a bit of a no win.

[@tommypip]

It's a hard issue to sort. It needs not only a change in legislation (e.g. reform of business rates or tax online shopping agressively) but needs a change in consumer habits. I'm sad at the death of the high street but I am as guilty as anyone of buying something on amazon as I know what I want will be there and will arrive the next day rather than wandering round the High Street looking for it

[@justaspartan8203]

@@tommypip I understand the changes in consumer habits, but what I don’t understand is how politicians and local authorities have allowed the urban decay to become the norm. A constant theme seems to be the dirt, rubbish and filth is not cleaned up. I’ve been watching a few KZbin channels that chronicle what’s taking place. Buildings are allowed to crumble and decay and nobody is held responsible or taken to task? Yet those trying to survive around them are forced to endure this or relocate making it worse. Those in positions of responsibility no longer seem to care but continue to be paid at public expense on large salaries. It’s just not working for anyone.

[@Jenny-tl7gk]

Probably not your cup of tea but the Yorkshire soap company might be worth looking into your new series! Handmade cute soaps made and sold in Yorkshire Also your reaction to selfridges was brilliant 😂 loving the videos can't wait to see more!

[@gillianstapleton7741]

It's interesting that you mention The Road to Wigan Pier. I read that too a couple of years ago. Orwell stayed in my home town while researching for the book, and wrote about the situation you describe - fine new town hall completed in 1933, while the miners were in financial straits. 90 years on, little has changed!

[@petermach8635]

Don't knock the civic buildings built in the 1930's, many were constructed to give work to otherwise unemployed artisans and builders, as a way of keeping skills alive and surely better than paying folk a pittance to do nothing ..... in much the same way that Germany built its Autobahns and America the Tennessee Valley Authority in the same period, as a way of providing both infrastructure and relief for the unemployed.

[@joeymoto108]

Another great vid. You should do Nottingham next, look into the scandal surrounding Broadmarsh shopping centre and the council announcing that they're broke.

[@Skyisnotalimit]

When they need to put up a sign, ”Don’t poo here”, the place probably needs saving.

[@reddwarfer999]

Or *beyond* saving.....

[@PWMoze]

How can the owners sustain so many empty retail units? Often planning permission is granted to huge businesses (Sainsburys or Tescos have especially taken advantage of this model) to build apartment blocks (very lucrative) as long as they provide 'the community' with something in return. So they design the blocks of apartments with 'retail units' on the ground floor. There is very little demand for these units so they can remain empty for years. The best you can expect is a Tescos/Sainsburys Local convenience store. The company in question doesn't mind having these units empty because the financial rewards from the apartment spaces above the property are so huge. Because of this they can ofset huge business rates. In most cases, if the retail space is empty, the business rates don't even apply. In this way these corporations dominate the high street with small convenience stores or empty units, depressing the high street footfall and trade, taking it away from independent traders who cannot afford the extortionate business rates. Meanwhile the apartments are sold at unimaginably high prices and/or let with huge rents. They destroy shopping areas and saturate town centres with unaffordable housing. It is a model that has been happening for over a decade so we are now seeing the long term effects.

[@ivydickson7596]

Just love watching these uploads from New Zealand. You have inspired me to watch some from New Zealand about abandoned towns. We so do not see what the real UK is like until we watch your vids .I will watch and sub to Made in Britian. We have so many inspiring people here with small businesses and I always shop local, do not go the the mega stores and malls.

[@arandorapress7561]

Your videos on this are real social documentaries. If we lose our high streets, we lose our shared public spaces. It’ll be the last nail in the coffin of social cohesion and community.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

One of the only hopes I do have is, I have seen independent retails is on the increase, although that is because it was stamped out by the "clone town" national retailers, and now the national retailers are going bust or selling of premises often because of the whims of shareholders rather than footfall, espcially noticed that with banks. Independent businesses have more chance of doing well.

[@reddwarfer999]

That's interesting. 20 or so years ago we heard a lot about 'clone towns'. Every high street would have it's Woolworths, Boots, WHSmiths, Debenhamns, Marks & Spencers, BHS etc. All those national chains that everybody knows. Now obviously some of those I mentioned have gone now and even M&S disappeared from my town earlier this year. If this helps the independents then that's good but they probably won't be large enought to take over the actual premises vacated by the big chains.

[@LifeofBrad1]

The problem with physical independent businesses is that they come and go so quickly. Like, one will pop up, then it'll be gone again within 6 months. It's such a hostile environment to be a small business owner in now. We're heading towards a future where everything is owned by Amazon.

[@legalsparrow]

Piccadilly gardens was beautiful. Then it was concreted. I don’t know when it changed but I will guess in the late 90’s.

[@toddhunter3137]

Yeah it was between 2000/01. That office block on it was completed in 2002. Piccadilly gardens nowadays is all full of shipping containers and used as bars, it looks absolutely awful there that whole area just looks like a shanty town, it's shocking what they've done to the once beautiful gardens.

[@fillrobs7726]

Its a briliant series. We moved to Taiwan in 2020. The internet shopping here is quite small, shopee, pchome, momo is there but Amazon etc means importing. There are night markets and the streets are always heaving with shoppers. There is also a strange thing where alike businesses all exist in the same area, you need electronics you go that area and there are hundreds of shops. Getting married? There is a whole street of wedding shops. The difference between here and the UK is huge, sad to see the UK slipping down. Keep it up! Great videos!

[@mariotaz]

Why Taiwan

[@geertstroy]

...."we moved"......😅

[@dan8716]

Ah I miss Taiwan, I used to live in Banciao, think it’s been renamed to “New Taipei City” now. Those night markets are top tier, so much variety!

[@FrankEdavidson]

Same in London re shopping quarters. Jermyn Street, (shirts, shoes) Savile Row (suits), Soho (music, books). Hatton Garden (jewellery) Unfortunately much of it is foreign-owned, sold out to overseas investors and luxury brand conglomerates.

[@lindaolivova2698]

SO EXCITED to see a Made in Britain series! I think that's absolutely perfect and so fitting for this channel.

[@TheSadButMadLad]

Used to live in Manchester in the 80s till the end of the 90s. Used to be that the centre was dead after 5pm. Now it's heaving. The shops might be shutting down, but the mills are being converted into residences and new high rise flats being built. So the high street in Manchester is going back to residential and offices but the high street shops are going online or out of town.

[@EgoChip]

It really makes me sad when I see all these videos showing the decline and decay of this country. I remember in my teens in the late 90's and early 2000's when the city was full of independent shops and none of them were empty. Most of those have gone, even some really big names have gone, and there are so many empty buildings. It's only getting worse too. All that will be left are the supermarkets and the chains owned by global conglomerates.

[@braxxian]

It’s all a matter of perspective. If you go back a century and look at the UK in the 1920’s and 30’s things are far better today than they were back then. Society is never perfect, no matter how much we want it to be.

[@EgoChip]

@@braxxian Yes, you are correct. We are better now than 100 years ago, but we are slipping so fast, there may come a point where we are worse than we were back then. We certainly are not better off now than we were 30-40, even 50 years ago.

[@LifeofBrad1]

I had a group of friends I used to meet up with in my local city back in 2015-16. Things weren't too bad back then. I even spent a few nights down in London in 2015 and it was okay. Me and the people I was with walked around the city centre at night and we didn't feel unsafe. In my opinion, things only started getting really bad after 2016. It's crazy how much cities have deteriorated in only a short amount of time.

[@mmiii]

@@braxxianI don’t believe that’s correct. Without regurgitating platitudes what specifically and evidently has improved?

[@billy12333]

There's a massive problem with wealth hoarde in this country which is leading to the decline, you've got thousands of people aged 60 & over sitting on £200k plus in the bank and not spending it within the local economy which in turn closes businesses and makes people redundant. You've then got the 18-40 age range who are having to work more to live and so they can't spend their money like they used to which again massively affects small businesses. The other huge problem with small businesses at the moment is jealousy, for some reason this modern generation don't like to see individuals and families do well for themselves and will actively avoid shopping there, they'd rather line the pockets of billionaires than give back to the local economy.

[@tonycahill9621]

Another interesting docu walk around. new strategy is required for business rates to equalise online retailing, government needs to act.

[@nightie69]

Keep up with this type of content, especially your enthusiasm and passion over what is happening to our cities and towns. Some content makes put on an act with their videos but you really come across as genuine with your travels. Looking forward to a series or a one off video over record shops (I’m that old). I can imagine when Fred Dibnah was alive you and him would’ve made a perfect interview video.

[@lindyfraser6243]

Oh my word, I can't wait to see Made In Britain. What a great idea!! I'm watching from South Africa and I really don't understand this whole concept of "Levelling Up" but I do get that it's about improvement. Why don't the government cut these business rates? It'll mean more businesses and shops can move back into the high streets, more jobs for local people, a healthier growing economy. I would think that's a better way to level up towns and cities..... Anyway, just an idea from someone on the outside looking in.

[@alexiakembia8041]

Lovely to see you in my home city! Ancoats is weird like it used to be a post industrial wasteland and now there’s loads of new modern blocks but you don’t really go into ancoats to look around you’d go there for a specific place. Spot on with Piccadilly gardens too, used to be lovely when I was a child with the public fountains but now it’s cramped and congested

[@SuzanneO707]

Yeah the Victorian sunken garden was so clever, when you sat in there its was like an oasis from the hustle and bustle. Its was said it was a troublesome because a few homeless people hung out there. Now its gone, there are a lot more homeless people and it is grey, flat pigeon zoo. 🙄

[@liliann8346]

Was in Manchester (from the US) around 2014. Absolutely loved it. It may be because I so admire and appreciate hardworking cities (I grew up largely south side of Chicago)--but it was my favorite city of the trip. I do so hope it's coming back. It deserves it. And! Very much looking forward to your new series! Thank you for all the insight, the information--

[@geekexmachina]

Manchester used to have a number of buildings with retail units like afflecks palace, the coliseum etc. the real tell tale is going out into the surrounding areas like Rusholme, levenshulme, longsight, gorton, moston, collyhurst etc. some have their mini centres. Then there is Salford not Salford Quays. Liverpool and the wirral has suffered a bit also Birkenhead has taken a bit of a hit

[@dimitarmargaritov]

I was there as a student during the school years between 2011 and 2016. Recently saw some other videos of the city and seemed to be doing alright unlike some other places I have seen in the UK. But looking at this video it is sad to see these stores closed down on the main street where I have walked on hundreds of times.

[@LL-sw7qj]

Made in Britain series will be great! Showcasing local made goods helps small business owners! Thanks David!

[@toddhunter3137]

Some of the city centre where it's been redeveloped is alright, Piccadilly gardens and the northern quarter is an absolute toilet of an area. Whole lot of it needs flattened and starting again from scratch. Great video. Enjoyed watching. 💯👍

[@DC-jk9ts]

Just visited Manchester after about 15 years. Really really depressed me.

[@Damaz22]

It was far worse 15 years ago

[@slof69]

​@@Damaz22no chance

[@luton_gmanrock]

Top 5 Reasons why the high street is dead/dying: 5. Covid and small business folding as a result. 4. Brexit and import/export higher costs, killing companies! 3. Retail Parks outside town like enormous Tesco's etc. Trafford Centre a good example. 2. Business rates and extortionate rent rates 1. Online businesses not just Amazon, but everything online, Uber eats, deliveroo etc (kills restaurants), online estate agents, travel agents, online banking

[@ms.b8724]

Manchester! My favourite town. I used to live there from 2001 to 2005. It used to be so full of lovely shops. Lever Street used to be heaving with shops. I used to go to Abhakan Fabrics and Fred Aldous every week for my craft stock. Manchester Piccadilly used to be lovely with small, independent shops. Thank you Turnip for another great video! It definitely has changed!

[@TheSadButMadLad]

Aldous is still around. They are the ones that paint and cover all the concrete blocks of peace in the Northern Quarter.

[@FixFireFlank]

It feels completely different now to 2005, really went downhill to the point I left in 2017

[@Happy-Viking]

I lived in Ancoats in the late 90s early 2000s, they were already starting to get rid of the local communities to knock down and start building and certainly not affordable housing. We sold up and moved back to Marple.

[@mitchiemasha]

Manchester used to have these multi-storey buildings crammed to the top floor with independent retailers. Half the time you wouldn't realise when you passed form 1 shop into the other. It was such a fascinating experience... like the old inshops but across many floors, in 1 out to the other, it was crazy! Do these not still exist in any form???

[@tomfitz-tm6tz]

Has it shut ??? Used to drive up from london...hacienda and bit of shopping.!!!

[@nikobellic570]

​@@jdgamingdealsAffleck's palace is where the cool kids went

[@eddieallen2511]

Afflecks palace is still alive and doing well. I went recently and it is still crammed with independent shops on every floor

[@SuzanneO707]

The Corn Exchange, years ago. Shopping centre now. Affleck's Palace. Got some togs there for playing out & bopping in the Hacienda, The Boardwalk. Pear Mill in Stockport doing that sort of thing.

[@thathurt]

Afflecks palace is still there mostly but the traders do change. It even opens on a Sunday now. 😊

[@thathurt]

The beautiful building there is John Rylands library. It's my favourite building there neo gothic quite unique but not the main city library. There's also a beautiful little library called the Portico it's in a Greek revival style so a complete contrast.

[@Theboyaaron]

Your videos are such a great insight man, really appreciate you making these!

[@manishbhatti6553]

I attended University in Manchester along with my 2 sisters…we bought a home in Manchester and lived together for 5 years.. After we graduated we sold our home and moved to London to work. Fond memories of this amazing city. We lived in Withington, Manchester.

[@jontemple1038]

Low interest rates helped cause a massive expansion of certain stores - eg. Maplin, Ryness, Patisserie Valerie, etc. from what had been very few niche stores which tried to be on every high street. Far too many, when rates rose or trading conditions got tough, and they collapsed. Upward-only (too high anyway) rent reviews on commercial premises simply don't reflect the sheer impossibility of running a normal business under such conditions. And then there are too-high business rates. No wonder it's all empty...

[@stevo728822]

The most resilient shops on the high street were always jewelry shops. They would survive most recessions. Not sure if that's still true.

[@TheBillaro]

£37000 biz rates on a street with no footfall plus rent, electric, staff et al. wow. impossible.

[@RideBikes_Walkplaces]

Nuts innit!

[@Sean-ll5cm]

Add that to gouging landlords and running a business is near impossible.

[@Loftikaz]

Yea they think customers use gold leaves to wipe their bums

[@Ian-bq7gp]

Secondhand clothes shops and a market like in Camden in London with music, culture, cheap food that's good like cabbage, mash , dumplings and pies like in London pie and mash shops where people can eat basic , healthy food rather than Macdonald's unhealthy rubbish could be great. I go to charity shops for clothes and if the vintage clothing and decent coats, jackets , shirts, trousers of quality would sell well especially after being washed and second hand tools, hardware would sell I'm sure. Many people want good stuff rather than pound shop quality and a polish, clean up can put much value on stuff and also good secondhand furniture made of solid wood and metal could sell. Big shops can be shared amongst a few small businesses. Shoe menders, tailors, snack cafes without loads of red tape and good clothes shops, hardware . Curried goat is a great idea and even vegetarian Asian and African food as well as Eastern European food is going well. I go to polish shop for smoked polish sausage , pierogi or stuffed dumpling and good dark German bread for example that's natural and healthy especially evenings. Sauerkraut potato and meat , dumplings, just a cheap basic few meals can do really well as can instant coffee and tea for £1 or so as Starbucks etc isn't very affordable even for average families with kids when housing, cars etc are costing so much. It needs a rethink and advertising but offer good value and it will attract people anyway.

[@NickyDunn]

*Congratulations. 70K. Subscribers.* Watching now

[@wanderingturnip]

Thank you so much 😀

[@lisjones6874]

Would love you to explore the history and impact of the Manchester Ship Canal. You have such wonderful passion to produce something great on this subject.

[@Delorkay]

Interesting idea about the hospitals, there is a channel 4 doc recently about the ambulance service struggles, using those spaces for medical and community infrastructure would potentially be a huge opportunity to solve some of the other society issues

[@TheBillaro]

in taiwan we have walk in clinics nearby in most places. that deals with most of the minor issues. then the hospitals charge £15 or so in emergency. i can see a doctor in either within 10-15 min

[@crankypantsmcduff]

I live on an estate in North Manchester and the decline isn't just in the city centre, it's everywhere you go. You can't escape it. Where you used to get your clothes in weight was a bar called Idols and the bar staff used to wear denim hotpants and tiny tops but it was a good night out

[@jvillalaz44]

Greetings from Everett, Washington, USA. Thanks for showing how the situation is in England.

[@laurastuart3814]

I watch an equivalent youtuber in America. The decline of towns in the USA is shocking.

[@amandalewin2872]

Really interesting video, I live and work in Manchester for a M&E consultancy, we did the refurb of the building you went to the presentation at, although slightly before I joined. I've worked on lots of refurbishments of empty city center buildings into apartments and student lets, lots of them have asbestos that can be very expensive to remove, are listed which makes getting planning hard, and are just not ideal for being turned into big spacious apartments because of loads of columns etc. The main thing that really surprised me after moving up from London is how there is just land and empty buildings that have sat around for decades without being snapped up for development, absolute far cry from London where every inch is used.

[@ThisWontEndWell]

I remember dead Manchester City Centre before the IRA bomb, a place that was almost completely depopulated with very few people living in the city centre it was really on its arse in a big way... The determination internationally after that atrocity to rebuild Manchester was the making of the place. Although not as vibrant as it was in the mid-90s and 00s it is a million times better than the city centre of the 70s and 80s. More than any other place in the UK, Manchester shows you what is possible with the right will to create something new out of a decaying mess.

[@SomeoneBeginingWithI]

For anyone still confused about business rates, it's a tax that's based on the value of the property a shop is in. It's meant to be harder to avoid than corporation tax because everyone can see that the shop is there and its relatively easy to work out what the property is worth compared to some types of corporate profit which can be hidden off-shore. However, it being based on the value of the property means that when property prices are absurdly high, business rates are also absurdly high. It also makes it extra difficult to run a business with a physical shop compared to a business which only has a werehouse and a website and sells everything online.

[@JM-iy2hg]

I appreciate your videos- think you’re doing a fantastic job showing us different UK cities that’ll be valuable to look back on in future Thanks for your enthusiasm in bringing videos to people x

[@michaelward2082]

I like to go to Manchester tram spotting but its a long journey, park my car at Buxton Station ideally, or go from Ely by train, visit a few pubs, have a walk around,

[@stevensarson482]

It’s the old saying, ‘fur coat no ….’ Like a wild western town the glossy buildings turn out to be a facade with little more than a shed behind. Manchester is so authentic that it’s bringing back its city slums. Years ago I was never out of the place, day and night. As kids my mother used to dress us up, just to go shopping on Market Street and Oldham St. My first big adventure was to wander down from my grandparent’s shop , and walk down Tib Street , excited by the pet stores . I now pick and choose when I go in , what I go for and how long I stay.

[@surfingtangents2229]

That sounds like London! You could walk about with a wicket basket, and flowers in your hair as you visited the many farmers market on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Now we are suffocated by Tesco Express 🙄

[@CherylFoster-vt4nu]

Thank you for raising awareness as to what is going on around us… as always your passion for telling the story really comes across…. Thank you for your time and effort into educating us… 👍

[@christopher9727]

... Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@arronstone177]

I just came back from Amsterdam after not visiting for 17 years. Walked around the main centre and small shopping avenues to find loads of independent stores as well as the big names on very clean streets and didn’t see one store boarded up. Its identity still intact.The Xmas lights and trees all over the city were nothing short of breathtaking and quite frankly shits all over London. I left feeling really sad.

[@harrypalmer1544]

you're more then welcome to come to Carlisle and do a video on my wifes shop. She is an indepent artist and illustrator, we spent the last couple f years travelling to do stalls etc in different cities. In October we opened our own shop, it is full of items from other indepenent businesses. We have had lots of positive feed back and hope we can bring something different to the high street

[@strategicconsensus]

My first time in Manchester - the gf and I had concert tickets and so we started looking for a place to stay. Spotted Piccadilly Gardens on the map and thought 'ooh, sounds fancy' so we booked a hotel just around the corner. Let's say it subverted our expectations :D

[@footballfanar9717]

There's huge plans in place to improve Piccadilly gardens. The plans look exciting. Check back in a few years and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[@pmufc7]

Your poor gf, maybe her next bf will have more money to spend on nicer hotels

[@SylvesterAshcroft88]

I thought my city was pretty bad, but now it's mostly takeaway's, but thankfully a lot of the old buildings have been saved from demolition, but that's awful to see so many boarded up buildings in the high street.

[@jessicawalton4690]

Made in Britain series sounds great! Hopefully will bring some customers to those businesses

[@norman7527]

Made in Britain = As always shoddy workmanship and poor quality

[@jkayrichardson3366]

Manchester is my nearest major city and I have been there twice in the past month for work reasons. It pass all these shops all the time but i never noticed how bad many vacant shops there actually are, and to think w h smiths is shutting down as well Side note: Wouldnt be surprised if that massive tim hortons becomes a vacant spot within a couple years, i can't think of anyone in the UK who likes the english version of the chain

[@gigteevee6118]

Death of the High St is an amazing and fascinating series, thanks so much for opening our eyes! A social document. Love Manchester, such a cool place and friendly people.

[@rafo6577]

My mate has just opened a record shop this week in the Manchester area. Looking forward to the Makers series. 👍

[@Kleiko]

Found your channel recently and find it super interesting as a northerner myself. Would love to see you cover Leeds where I’m from as we recently got a big revamp of the centre. Liverpool when I lived there a decade ago also seemed like it was doing well but I’d be interested to see if now it’s taken a turn the way these other cities have. Keep up the good work though, the more positive stuff sounds good too, since especially up here we have tonnes of people doing all sorts of craft works

[@karlosthejackel69]

I live in a tiny Wiltshire rural town. We have 3 empty Turkish barbers who simply cannot afford to pay that rent. And every other shop in the last 5 years is of the same ‘group’

[@JM-iy2hg]

Looking forward to your new series coming 👍 good on you - it’ll be interesting to see what’s still made in Britain