I Love Manchester
I have lived in various cities so far in my life, York, Barcelona, London, Leeds and most recently Manchester. All of which have something unique to offer and cities are great places to be: art, culture, architecture and the inner city buzz atmosphere. I suppose you cannot argue with how amazing the capital is and with our new office opening up in the West End we are seeing more and more of it. There's so much excitement, inspiration and incredible diversity - especially when you're on the outside looking in. However there does seem to come a time (for most,not all) when many candidates we speak to simply feel the time has come to cut the commute, ditch the tube and move to the regions where work quality and challenges are not sacrificed for a better quality of life... A simple gear change is often what's needed for some and candidates from London tell us that they will find exactly that in Manchester - OK the work load, demand and performance levels are the same level of expectancy here as there are in London however it’s the pace for life / work balance is slightly slower and more even ... So what does Manchester have to offer our Southern counterparts, what will tease them up to the bright lights of the North? If you mention Manchester in a conversation and 3 things are obvious to anyone, Coronation Street, Oasis and of course (the best team in the world in my opinion of course) Manchester United. As most MUFC supporters are actually based in London it makes sense for those particularly to move up! So as a city what else is there to offer apart from an innovative music scene, historic cobbles and buildings as well as modern architecture (Beetham Tower & 1 Angel Square) an overload on shopping therapy and cheaper apartments too! What's not to love?!
Michael Caines
Manchester people are big foodies and so it’s no surprise that we have a food market in the city centre and food stall that represent cuisine from around the world. Manchester also boosts top class restaurants that Jay Rayner would be proud of such as the Michael Caine restaurant situated in the central Abode Hotel or take a break shopping in the luxurious Harvey Nichols and indulge in lunch at the Second Floor Restaurant and simply take in the view of Manchester. If you feel that missing China town is too much to bear then rest assured we have one also, although our China Town is of a square layout and so easy to find your way from crispy duck to the karaoke bars (China Town’s firewaork display is spectacular at Chinese New Year). What's brilliant about all of this is that you can walk from one place to the next - no need to take taxi's or even tubes. Coming from a fashion background it's important to me personally to have a diverse choice of shops and Manchester certainly provides that, from the glamour of Harvey Nicks and Selfridges you can hunt for vintage treats around the Northern Quarter. It is here where you will find a hub of trendy independent coffee shops and creative businesses with New York style lofts around every corner... it’s also the home to Manchester Fashion Week (yes we have on of those too!).
National Football Museum
If you are a sports fan then Manchester will cater for you also. Two of the best football stadiums, swimming at the Aquatics Centre or cycling at the velodrome track! The property works out better here too. For a fraction of the price in comparison to what you would ordinarily pay for a 1 bed apartment in London, you get you a 3 bed loft conversion here. Manchester and it’s surrounding areas are great also for families, areas such as Prestwich (home to the delicious Aumbry fine dining restaurant) Wilmslow (where you’ll find Black White Denim) Macclesfield, Chorlton and Didsbury are all great spots to raise a family and still have all the amenities to the City Centre.
Media City
Mancunians love music and is never far away from either international acts such as Rihanna playing at the MEN or local smaller venues giving the rising stars a chance. And our nightlife isn’t bad either .... with so much happening in Manchester at the moment with the big media move from the BBC and now ITV, Manchester is firmly on the map when it comes to business or career growth - Manchester is lifting it’s shoulders to be counted alongside our capital, we’re not there yet but there is no question that Manchester is an exciting place to be right now. Helpful Links: www.michaelcaines.com/restaurants/manchester ilovemanchester.com www.urbansplash.co.uk www.men-arena.com www.mcrfashionweek.com www.nationalfootballmuseum.com Next month we'll be talking about the prospects of a move to Leeds and all that the wonderful northern City has to offer.
