Cheetham Hill, Manchester
Creative TouristAs an area, Cheetham Hill gets a pretty bad rap. The foreboding architecture of Strangeways Prison and the arterial width of Cheetham Hill Road mean that many never go – or never stop while driving through. Those who know about the Grade II*-listed beauty of Manchester Jewish Museum (the city’s oldest synagogue, now home to a varied programme of events) are often guilty of thinking of it as marooned. This, we’ve discovered, is unfair.
The area has everything from bakeries selling freshly-made bagels and challah bread to one of Manchester’s few green spots in the form of Queen’s Park, complete with dilapidated bandstand. There’s the Irish World Heritage Centre, The Museum of Transport, a multitude of shops selling skeins of fabric or an array of hard to find spices and vegetables, such as Indian chowli and Jamacain plantains. You could argue that no place in Manchester better represents the overlaying of different cultures and communities.
And there’s a surprising amount of contemporary arts and culture to be found here, too. GRUB, which encompasses Cultplex, is a fantastic destination in its own right, as is The Yard, which is hosting more and more gigs of late. There are also a few well-above-average restaurants and pubs, including the Jay Rayner-endorsed The Sparrows.
All just 15 minutes on foot from the Northern Quarter, it’s an area that rewards exploring. Let us be your guide…