'Spinningfields might be expensive, but you get what you pay for'

On a midweek European matchday, Exchange Square is thriving.

Thousands of away fans congregate outside the city’s historic Sinclair Oyster Bar or Old Wellington pubs for a pre-match pint, or two, before being escorted by police officers to the home of City or United. That influx of European fans gives the city a buzz.

Naturally, that’s most keenly felt in Exchange Square itself, but the area is always buzzing. Shoppers are bobbing in and out of New Cathedral Street designers, office workers are marching into the Arndale Market for lunch, and day-trippers are selecting a place for a pint.