Ancoats is the Northern Quarter’s cousin. Old mills have become expensive flats, and businesses have flourished around the area’s centre, Cutting Room Square, which has been named among the world's coolest streets by Time Out.
Now, a six-month trial has been launched to see if closing the roads around the square could be a permanent fix to traffic issues, while also creating outdoor seating for businesses. It comes after the square off Blossom Street, which is home to many cafés, bars and restaurants, was temporarily pedestrianised during the pandemic.
Local councillors say the move, which saw businesses spill out into the square with tables set up in the streets over the summer, creates a 'European feel'. The trial, which started last week and could become permanent, is hoping to gauge the public’s response to the car-free zones and is part of Manchester council’s commitment to provide safe and attractive, traffic-free public spaces.
