Paul's U.K.: Manchester in 2000.

Video filmed by myself, in and around the centre of Manchester, back in early January, 2000.

[@leiwulong_og]

Wow, I think of 2000 as very current but its actually 20 years ago! For some reason I think of the 1980s when someone says 20 years ago.

[@iama2509]

Same here. My earliest memories are the early 2000s so the 80s has always seemed 20 years ago to me too.

[@maximiliandegarnerinvonmon6457]

Imagine this. I left the UK in 1998, I'm from Manchester. I didn't return till last year 2022. So this is how I know Manchester as. Imagine the shock that I had moving back here. I'm totally lost living in a skyscraper in the centre. It's more like Chicago now to me than Manchester as I knew it.

[@susanick]

true, Manchester is in contruction bloom, all old building without heritage status or lost function for times will be demolished and new project will be sited on

[@tkoteacher1707]

Why did you never once return in 24 years ? I left manchester for Hong Kong in January 1997 and I'm still there/here but I have visited UK for holiday ( visiting family & friends ) including Manchester at least every few years...and yes of course it has changed ...where hasn't in quarter of a century?... so the changes are not too shocking to me, Its actually everything else that is a culture shock to me, the attitudes of constant bickering about political/ gender/race/sexuality issues in the media and everywhere is very nauscious to me...but I love the UK and will return next year and am massively looking forward to grey rainy cold days ..for a while WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ?

[@adilabbas8628]

Were u in strangeways?

[@Jomo-x6n]

@@tkoteacher1707 "the attitudes of constant bickering about political/ gender/race/sexuality issues in the media and everywhere" Agreed but yet hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers flock to the UK and mostly ended up in London or Manchester. Just wondered if those Hong Kongers are now wondering what they have done!

[@tkoteacher1707]

@@Jomo-x6n they moved for education, opportunities, cheaper, better, bigger housing ...and because they typical and unneceserily self-effacing British government is terrified of being called racist ( just like the population ) so they alowed mass-immigration from its former colony of affluent Chinese families...which wasn't really necessary as they were not suffering any percecution here. Hong Kong has never been democratic and it never will be...but it functions fine

[@gazwild438]

The old Piccadilly gardens ❤

[@Amathusukx]

Manchester might of looked tired back then but boy did it still have character, decent Pubs cracking night life that catered for everyone, 2000 on it has just turned into a sterile metropolis of cloned buildings and a corporate big boy of overpriced clubs, pubs and dining.

[@Alan_GA]

Apt description, Manchester just needed the old buildings to have their facias spruced up. Manchester city centre had tonnes of architectural character.

[@Amathusukx]

@@Alan_GA Your spot on Alan, these monstrosity's wont stand the test of time, this is the 1960's moment for the 2000's, mass building and lazy architecture.

[@MatthewCyUK]

Doesn't look so different, considering what's gone on since. Great video. Tried to spot myself as a 17 year old!!

[@theone77443]

Born in ‘83 lucky

[@gilgammesh1]

Buildings are Beautiful. Every new building is minimalistic and soulless. Wish i know architecture. Id love to try bring the classic beauty back

[@C345OFR]

1:16 - The Clio, Micra and Rover 100 might be the last time I see 3 small cars in a row on Britain's roads. Should have appreciated it more, then. The crossover (no pun intended) to cars our roads weren't designed for has taken little over a decade. Such a shame.

[@moodyguymick]

I used to work in Lewis's in the early 70's. Great days ! 😊

[@markbirchall8225]

Great, albeit brief shot of the old Dutch Pancake House and the Odeon Cinema you show very briefly at the beginning second of the video. Great seeing how Manchester was back then.

[@71dazgee]

I spotted the same thing. I loved The Dutch Pancake House.

[@Wriggs74]

I wish I could go back to 2000. I was in a job I really enjoyed and life was finally enjoyable.

[@bestofukaudits1274]

I worked in town around this time as security. Brings back great memories

[@BsktImp]

15:56 Wow look at the old Piccadilly Gardens! Nowadays you need a nuclear arsenal to walk around there.

[@myview2543]

what happened to all the grass

[@BsktImp]

@@myview2543 The ornamental sunken gardens were levelled in 2002 but all the subsequent architectural renovations have been awful and the place has become home to people off their faces and gangs.

[@myview2543]

@@BsktImp yeah it looked far better back then even the people did

[@BsktImp]

@@Ben-tn4qz Not supported by the statistics. The per-capita homocide rate mid-1980s is comparable to that of 2016, however improved trauma protocols pre- and intra-ED mean fewer victims of serious violence end up as mortality statistics.

[@BsktImp]

@@Ben-tn4qz Well, you can take more recent numbers if you wish but there was a huge rise in the early 2000s that has only recently approached mid-1980 levels.

[@alexanderthelame8462]

Fabulous document/video footage-was this shot on 8mm?I could hget 3x90 min 8mm tapes for as little as £5-just over 10 years ago,for my Canon handycam.Piccadilly Gardens when they were gardens rather than just a carbuncle of Berlin wall/concrete tangled fragmenyts as it has been for the past 10 years or more.St Anns Square hard;ly changed-Past Times fab shop-that big book store on the corner-was that Dillons(?)-WHSmith across the way-HMV and Virgin Megastores on Market Street-King Street has always been poncey(!)no change there!Nice footage of St P[eters Square-looked way better with the gardens-than it odes now.Overall the Mnachetser city centre in January 2000 far more epigmaic than that of August 2018!I knew A FDavid Gleave whpo lived in Hazrel Grove.He hasd a younger brother called Robert.Any relation,perhaps?xxx

[@fandi008]

I arrived in Manchester in 2000s as a teenager. I feel so nostalgic watching this video. Despite its pros and cons i am proud to say this city has now become my second hometown. ❤

[@Mendleson]

@The Complaining Channel it’s so much more vibrant now than it looked here, it was grimey back then I agree but it’s my shit hole

[@southofthemersey7351]

The comments that Manchester looks 'tired' seem odd. It looks worse now in most of the areas you filmed. Re do these shots now and there'll be visible homelessness and litter everywhere.

[@southofthemersey7351]

and wow, Piccadilly Gardens with actual gardens. Not a concreted square full of junkies.

[@elaine58100]

Would have been nicer if filming took place on a more brighter day. But then it is winter time. Great video though, especially the old trams. Thanks for sharing :)

[@therealkyleofsalford]

Is that pigeon lady statue still around? I can't remember ever seeing that

[@Alan_GA]

The deterioration of film, coupled with Manchester's gloomy weather makes it look like this was filmed in the 40's. And additionally give the city centre landscape a more tired look. Yet this was barely twenty years ago.

[@LA90598]

To be fair it is clearly the depth of winter... everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in deep winter looks drab

[@tan4eva]

Other than that, good video showing how Manchester was looking tired & going through a major transitional period to what it looks like today 👍🏼

[@cate.77]

Crazy to think its only 20 years ago, yet looks like it was filmed on a potato

[@gazwild438]

The time before “the world changed forever” pre 2001, atrocities and all sorts have gone on in the world since this video. Humanity was once good.

[@MatthewCyUK]

I would love to know what day)s of the week this was filmed on. Would actually be able to know what I was doing at the time. And there month

[@71dazgee]

Does anyone know of any videos like this from the 1980s?

[@markkennedy4936]

Whats that green stuff in piccadilly gardens

[@leeprice1834]

when manchester was easy. with all the new one way bus lane and no entry manchester city centre is a nightmare

[@davidclark3603]

It seems like yesterday!

[@tan4eva]

You say you filmed this in early January 2000 but later in the video I detect in fact this was recorded later that year because towards the end of the video you were filming around Piccadilly Gardens & the Bus Station which the layout shown in your video is what it still looks like today, but in May 2000 the Bus Station was dug up again (Piccadilly Bus Station was first redeveloped in 1995 when the covered shelter was demolished) & the Parker Street (Plaza side) part of the Bus Station was STILL a two way road for the Buses to come in & out of Portland Street (turning circle at the Mosley Street end of Bus Station) with a one way section by the gardens where Buses coming into Piccadilly from Mosley Street entered & exited right onto Portland Street. Just thought I’d point that out to you. I was 17 for most part of that year later turned 18 in November 2000.

[@jimbobgembob4766]

Its 2000. As you can tell from the christmas decorations. Its around christmas time. I worked in lewis's when this was filmed. And lewis's is in this video. Lewis's closed down in march 2001. So it cant be later than 2000. Plus i recognised the christmas decs on king street from that time. I was also 17. It was my first job

[@71dazgee]

I also noticed the Nativity scene was set up in St. Anne's Square, so definitely either side of Christmas 99 or 2000

[@LA90598]

Printworks opened in late 2000 so maybe later in 2000 not January

[@rmg5111]

Last year of the 20th Century

[@danielhaslam5179]

People do be walking around thinking “hey look, the world hasn’t ended”

[@kingpuppo5880]

It was so much better then , especially during the 90s, now it seems very generic and soul less

[@lauren27891]

FACTS! I’m from Manchester and I grew up there during the 90s and 2000s. Moved down south five years ago and I will always think fondly back on these times. Can’t replicate that feeling 😢

[@brianmorecombe2726]

All those statues meant so much to the people in those times they were erected,But now noone knows or care who they were or what they represented.

[@Cheyannesorelle]

I was 6/7 then 🥺

[@jayheywood9635]

nice

[@HikikomoriDev]

3:22 looks quite satanic

[@TrueGaming140.48]

agreed, same building had a bricked up door that led underground a few years ago discovered

[@cheyanneturner5158]

I would have been 7 :)

[@thefivepoints]

And look at it now....all the nice bits of grass replaced by scumbag infested concrete landscapes and soulless generic skyscrapers.

[@markkennedy4936]

Looks emptier..you can see less immigrants and homeless

[@puppets.and.muppets]

its really crap now and there is zero personal privacy.

[@cteasdale1979]

80s. Was grim place sorry most Northern. City's

[@steeviem1835]

Even less places to park, now.

[@cteasdale1979]

Manchester. Sand for London od North

[@cribb6376]

Immigrants and government ruined it