Colin is sat on a doorstep behind Barton Arcade, home to some of Manchester’s most expensive shops. He’s waiting for a hot drink, which is brought to him by a friendly barista from the back of one of Deansgate’s many coffee shops.
He is happy to chat to the Manchester Evening News , but does not want to be identified. “I don’t want my family to see me like this,” Colin, not his real name, explains. “It will break their hearts.”
The 60-year-old, originally from Gorton, worked most of his life as a welder and a joiner. He’s been homeless for roughly five years throughout his life, and this stretch on the streets started six months ago when his relationship broke down.
