A corruption scandal which rocked the Labour party delayed the opening. It was sold off by the council and has had three owners since. In the face of a slick neighbour two miles down the road, out of town developments and predictions of the death of the High Street it has had tough times. Over two infamous days in 2011 it was a target for rioters.
But it is perhaps the heart of the second city. Salford Shopping City as it was, now Salford Shopping Centre, or simply "The Precinct," as locals call it, survives against the odds. This year is its 50th anniversary, and to mark the milestone it has an artist in residence.
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