This web design Manchester company moved here one year ago today
I moved back to Manchester in December 2022. I had spent almost 9 years living and working here as a teacher from 1987 to 1996. Prior to this, I’d lived and worked in Staffordshire, my native Doncaster and then moved in 2008 to Norfolk. We settled first on the coast in Gorleston. Then, we downsized to Bradwell. Finally, we had a nuclear downsize to Norwich city centre.
Last year, I moved myself and this business up north, along with my border collie, Cassie. I moved to Manchester, a city that I’ve long loved. It has improved since the late 80s and 90s.
Manchester has changed and stayed the same
Manchester is of course recognisable from almost 28 years ago. There is still the Arndale centre perched at its core. Market Street, Cross Street, the Royal Exchange theatre, Kendals, Deansgate, and Piccadilly Gardens are all familiar.
What has changed though is the Northern Quarter. Stevenson Square was once a bus terminus. Now it forms Manchester’s Soho with Thomas Street, Lever Street, Oldham Street, and others. So much so that the Chanel show with rainproof canopy was held there this month.
Deansgate is no longer the snarled traffic jam of yore. Now it is one way, and it is a bougie area. It is near Spinningfields. The Ivy, Flannels, 20 Stories, and other upmarket places and apartments have spread there.
A city of skyscrapers
Look south and the Beetham Tower catches the eye on Deansgate. Now, at the far end, Deansgate Square adorns the cloud line with its four residential towers.
The Cornerhouse has closed on Oxford Road. Yet, HomeMcr with Tony Wilson Place is a massive upgrade on that derelict cinema. The Hacienda on Whitworth Street is now apartments. The Gay Village still straddles Canal Street. The city still exudes tolerance and acceptance.
Ancoats
Ancoats, close to where I live, is unrecognisable from 30 years ago. It is now the coolest part of Manchester. Cutting Room Square is at its centre, surrounded by hip bars and restaurants. An overpriced Co-op is there, too. Aldi is across Great Ancoats Street, when grocery prices hurt.
Miles Platting, the business base and home
I live in Miles Platting, on Oldham Road, just up from Little Vietnam and Wing Yip. Pho No 1 is a regular place for me to eat. Miles Platting has transformed too. It was once a place where dogs used to go round in twos. Its residents now rub shoulders with those in Ancoats. Yet, gentrification here has led to justified claims of social cleansing.
Ditto, Collyhurst, is across from me. Collyhurst “Village” is the latest place to see cranes and bulldozers.
The real second city?
I think my point is this – Manchester has changed, for the better, but there have been casualties in its ascent to become Manchattan. It still feels working class at heart, tolerant, socialist, proud, but the money at City and United, the proximity to Cheshire feeding the city centre’s wealth.
There’s Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, End Clothing and a plethora of high end electronics shops. Walking gear shops are still common thankfully with Patagonia on the posh King Street.
This web designer walks around Manchester most days
Walking around Manchester is easy too as it’s a compact city. I can easily amble with Cassie from home in Miles Platting along the grubby towpaths of the Ashton and Rochdale canals to Castlefield, in 35 minutes.
I am a prolific documenter of life in Manchester too, on both TikTok and Instagram – give me a follow!
Today, for example, I was drawn to Mr Thomas’s Chop House on Cross Street and did a TikTok video there.
Public transport is great too – Stockport is 10 minutes away by train and the Metrolink tram network connects Bury, Altrincham, Didsbury, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne etc to “town” as the city centre is called by natives.
Manchester has not only been great for me personally, but professionally too as business is booming here for web design, copywriting and social media marketing.
Manchester is open for business
I work on Mondays and Tuesdays for two companies based here, one remotely and one in an office on a day rate, on web design and content marketing.
The team now consists of five people – myself, Gareth, Gillian, Andy and Adnan and it was a one-man band in Norwich.
Revenue has increased as the business has grown, and I’ll tell you why.
Manchester is a city of helpers
You see, people here are helpers. It is young at heart too, with an energy that I still find exciting and alluring. It’s never dull. It has 220 languages spoken, almost a million people and is charactered by kindness.
You fall over, you get picked up, physically and metaphorically.
Manchester is a city of sanctuary, a haven for healing. They are friendly, genuinely caring and will always recommend a kindred Manc spirit. There’s no spite, envy or parochialism here, unlike in Norfolk.
People here want you to succeed.
Left wing politics
It is genuinely left-wing, anti-Brexit and hates Tories as much as the Scottish or Liverpool does. It’s my home politically and personally.
This year, I’ve read so many self-help books about healing and growth. Several like “The Pivot Year” by Brianna Wiest advise making your home in a place that shares your values, where you can draw comfort from, seek solace in.
Norfolk was home for 15 years, Manchester now for 1 year. There is no comparison between the two – it’s been like moving from a Nokia 3410 to an iPhone 15 Pro Max, or Z Fold 5 (I have a burner phone for dodgy dealing!)
I’ve come home to Manchester
It’s felt like that.
So if you’re looking for a new website, content marketing, social media marketing from a team of five, look no further than this Manchester web design company. Check out the 300 plus websites we’ve designed in Manchester and across the UK.
We are honest, like the people here, transparent and fun to work with – like this city.
Contact this Manchester web design company
I love Manchester, its people, its cityscape, its culture, the proximity to National Parks, and I’m sure you’ll love working with Get Pro Copy, Manchester, too.
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Want to start or improve your digital presence with a website, content marketing, emails, newsletters and social media?
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