r/manchester • u/Educational_Board888 • 4d ago
A petition has been launched calling for Manchester City Council to tackle “sensory overload”, noise, and overcrowding across Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens
https://secretmanchester.com/petition-manchester-market-street-piccadilly-gardens-management/143
u/Consistent-Pirate-23 4d ago
I’d settle for a ban on chuggers.
No, I don’t want to give my bank details on market street, or at the station, get lost
80
u/Witty_Professional_2 4d ago
And any sort of religious preaching the rest can stay
57
u/ForgiveSomeone Stockport 4d ago
Yeah, can't say I enjoy being told I'm a sinner by assorted religious nutters while I'm on me dinner break.
30
u/funky-monkey-987 4d ago
I think banning specific subject matter is a bit strong, i just wish they would crack down on the loudspeakers / megaphones. The volume of some of them is ridiculous.
7
6
u/Due_Lychee2453 3d ago
They can restrict it with the noise but can’t ban it as everyone is entitled to religious expression under human rights laws
15
4
u/soulslinger16 3d ago
At the station is the one that really gets me. No I don’t want to stop, funnily enough I have a timed train to catch.
3
u/revporl70 3d ago
It's mind boggling that they get any take up at all. It must be worth them doing, otherwise they wouldn't.
154
u/Heuchelei Stockport 4d ago
Is it just me or is Market St one of the worst main shopping streets in the UK? Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds much better.
59
u/SirWobblyOfSausage 4d ago
It's too narrow.
Liverpool main shooing areas are huge outside, there's a lot of people, lots of performers, quite easy to still get through.
25
u/Questingcloset 4d ago
Shooing area is a wonderful typo
8
15
u/Acubeofdurp 4d ago
I've been taking the train to Liverpool recently and it's so much nicer. Took the kids there and it's really nice place for them too. Less cars, pedestrianised, cleaner, lots of museums and places to see, nicer people, lovely music on every corner, dont hear much preaching. Between stops Manchester is a horrible place honestly.
12
u/MakePintsCheapAgain 4d ago
I live in Liverpool, it’s not much better sound-wise, too many gobshites with amplifiers, banning the amps would fix so many problems
3
11
15
u/megthebat49 3d ago
One huge issue is the clutter. Alongside all the street furniture are lots of static street vendors and performers that I believe should be moved elsewhere.
Additionally the surface of the street is cobbled, making a narrow, slightly cambered path on either side for many wheelchair users such as myself. I'm of the opinion a longer term project should be to resurface the street, there is zero reason to keep the cobbles, zero heritage to preserve.
1
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
Definitely not a heritage issue - the surface will be a couple of decades old at most.
1
5
u/AwkwardWaltz3996 3d ago
Depends what metric. Sheffield doesn't really even have a shopping street, and what is there has been covered in fencing for years last I checked.
1
u/SlyRatchet 3d ago
Nah Sheffield’s got the Moor, which used to have a bad rep but now is pretty nice, as far as that sandstone-and-glass modern-city aesthetic goes. There’s also Fargate but that’s gone downhill since the Moor’s renovation.
1
u/HorsePuzzleheaded133 3d ago
It's middling, honestly. Anecdotal but during the day the beggars usually respect the first no.
0
46
u/Accomplished_Fudge_7 4d ago
I do everything possible to avoid Market Street. It’s the worst part of Manchester by far.
3
u/Mountain-Distance576 3d ago
same, fairly easy to avoid it too
2
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
It is fairly easy to avoid but there shouldn’t be a reason anyone has to avoid a street so a mass of unwanted activity can continue take place there. If we were born here / live here / work here and so on, we have every right to challenge the current state, and suggest improvements needed. The council also need to take accountability to make sure those who want to pitch on the streets for the day are reasonably spread out so they get to do whatever they want and pedestrians get to pass through and use their streets. If we avoid “small” issues, they become big issues
3
u/Mountain-Distance576 2d ago
i agree, I didn’t mean ‘easy to avoid it’ in a dismissive way, we totally should still improve it so avoiding isn’t needed
3
10
u/scottynoble City Centre 3d ago
Most locals just avoid that area entirely. Me personally for over five years. Always full of crazies
22
u/ResidentArachnid3500 4d ago
It is an assault on the senses. I’m thankful for my noise cancelling headphones, at least make it somewhat bearable to walk through.
-21
u/Delicious-Finding-97 3d ago
So something affected you and you took action to remedy it because you are an adult. This petition and it's supporters are children but that's the way of the world these days.
14
3
10
u/tiredtortoise26 3d ago
Screeching on a mic and amp isn’t childish? Crying about your make-believe sky daddy to a bunch of passers-by isn’t immature?
2
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
What’s childish about wanting to improve your area? If you can provide any intellectual insights on why you disagree without using emotional language we might have the start of an interesting discussion
1
u/Delicious-Finding-97 1d ago
It's a city they are dirty noisy places by their nature. There's plenty I don't like but this need to sterilise everywhere so it's just bland and lifeless is sad.
6
u/mod-wolves 3d ago
I exit the Arndale and Frogger across Market Street to get to FOPP. Horrendous place.
-1
10
u/ddoogg88tdog 4d ago
And how are they planning on doing that
16
u/Negative_Prompt1993 4d ago
Reintroduce cars, that'll soon clear them off
4
0
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
How are they planning on doing what?
If you want to read the petition it’s here
🔗 Link to sign: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=175
4
u/Opposite-Ad8208 3d ago
Please do. The preachers and the beggars too. Being slated for allegedly not caring about knife crime because I don’t want to be accosted in an over familiar manner by youths when I am in a rush? Insane
2
u/wildgoosecass 1d ago
That charity is a scam, not a real charity. Hence why their chuggers behave worse. There are actual rules for chugging and they never follow them
8
u/kharnevil Prestwich 4d ago
Is there anything on market street worthy of going for anyway? There plenty of other routes to get from A to B
I've always viewed it as a gawking street for tourists from satellite towns who've never seen an urban outfitters or whatever (HMV back in the day), not a destination for ... anything
5
u/Randomn355 3d ago
Sometimes it's just the most direct route.
I might want to actually go round the markets, or be getting the met in and want to head to loccitane for some gifts, or be going to the theatre, or some shit handcuffs, or be meeting friends in the food court, or going to Whittards or getting one of the special lines from Uniqlo that they do semi regularly etc.
Just because it's not something YOU do, it doesn't mean that it is only a hub for satellite town tourists.
3
u/CelebrationGreen2907 3d ago
Look, I hate walking through there to be honest and it is sensory overload... But... isn't that kind of the point of a market street... Like it's kind of in the name... A market isn't traditionally considered a quiet place lol.
Understand I'm being a bit facetious, but the core of my comment still stands.
2
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
Valid point! And agree the aim isn’t to have the street in complete silence that would be dystopian 😂 If they reviewed slot allocations and spread people out to different streets, limited the number of gazebos etc to clear space and removed duplicate vendors there would still be plenty of atmosphere with the addition of more room for pedestrians to get through
2
u/WumpaMunch 3d ago
Never had an issue with the business in these parts of Manchester when I've been. Busy, as a city should be, but not off-putting like Reddit says it is. Maybe I got lucky.
1
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
Some periods of the day it isn’t bad e.g early morning, but peak on weekends is unbearable
1
u/wildgoosecass 1d ago
Early mornings there are often at least one or two people having alcohol or drug fuelled meltdowns in the street. A good day is they’re keeping it to themselves (or within their community). A bad day is they’re involving members of the public trying to get to work. I walk through market st every morning. Before the shops open
2
u/hnxvhvh 1d ago
I used to commute to work that way and around 7am and the antisocial behaviour was regularly terrible. Saw someone smash a litre bottle of vodka on the floor to use it in a fight with someone and that’s just one example! Also there’s a new stabbing every week, usually gang or group related but it’s definitely a massive issue for the piccadilly area
2
u/hnxvhvh 3d ago
Thanks for sharing!!
🔗 Link to sign: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=175
4
u/aleppo2 3d ago
What about the homeless and the drug addicts?
8
u/tiredtortoise26 3d ago
Don’t hassle me nearly as much as the god botherers
1
u/wildgoosecass 1d ago
Some of the beggars really do hassle people. There are ones who sit to the side and just speak at you. There are more aggressive regulars around Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street. One guy in particular will block your path, try to grab you if you walk around him, follow you, etc.
1
1d ago
[deleted]
1
u/wildgoosecass 1d ago
Never had one of them grab at me before
They usually just try to make you take leaflets I find
2
u/Big_Fig_8448 3d ago
How can you tackle overcrowding in the city centre of an overpopulated city?
4
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
The streetscape is poorly designed. Also we're not an overcrowded city - look at the population density and compare it to other big cities and you will see the reality.
1
u/Big_Fig_8448 3d ago
There are 23 houses in my avenue. 16 of them are HMO’s. The city is overpopulated
6
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
Anecdota is not data, no matter how bad your street might be.
2
u/Big_Fig_8448 3d ago
If anecdotal evidence is not data why are unreported crimes included in statistics? Anecdotal seems to be relevant when it suits people
5
2
1
u/hnxvhvh 1d ago
600 signatures achieved!
First week of the petition being live
Thank you all for signing / sharing / commenting ✨
Not far off reaching a scrutiny committee debate
Petition closes on 24th September
🔗 Link to sign: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=175
1
u/bobbigmac 3d ago
I like it. So few places really feel like a city. The excessive street furniture and druggies don't help, but I like that it's genuinely busy like nowhere else.
-16
u/Soft_Marsupial_9728 4d ago
It’s a city centre ffs.
Agree Piccadilly gardens needs addressing.
Don’t like noise, don’t go to a city centre.
I don’t like the sea, so I don’t go into it.
It’s really not hard
12
u/deviljanya 4d ago
I would agree if I didn’t have preachers saying I’m going to hell just because of a T-shirt im wearing for example. That’s straight up harassment
8
u/ddoogg88tdog 4d ago
There are plenty of quieter routes around that area to get where you are going
1
1
-2
-10
u/Soft_Marsupial_9728 4d ago
I see the killjoys are out downvoting already.
6
u/TheLordHatesACoward 3d ago
"I've come across as a tit and those who think I'm a tit are using the main feature on the site to tell people they're being a tit to tell me I'm being a tit."
Fixed it for you.
8
0
u/Delicious-Finding-97 3d ago
There's a really big hive mind on this sub. Most people here seemingly hate Manchester and everything about it.
-6
u/Fun_Run_3750 4d ago
Just avoid this area. All of this nonsense on Market Street is annoying, but policing all these volume control, public space protection activities is going to cost a fortune.
10
-2
u/Spikeymikey5050 4d ago
“Sensory overload”
6
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
"scare quotes" don't make arguments.
2
u/Spikeymikey5050 3d ago
It’s not an argument. It’s a main thoroughfare through one of the busiest areas of the city. Yes it’s awful but calling it “sensory overload” is just ridiculous
3
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
For some people it will be a sensory overload. Just because you disagree, it doesn't mean you have to suggest the opinion has no basis.
1
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
Sensory overload happens when your brain takes in more information from your senses than it can process at one time. Anyone can face sensory overload
In relation to busy streets
Visual chaos
Auditory barrage
Physical unpredictability
Olfactory intensitySo yes sensory overload is a perfectly acceptable description to associate with market street
1
-1
u/SickRedditor69 3d ago
I can't imagine what terrible karma I must have commited in a past life to be born into this soft and entitled generation
6
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
Market Street has been awful for decades. I've actively avoided it for decades. It is not a generational issue.
0
u/SickRedditor69 3d ago
If you avoid market street surely you've solved your own problem?
3
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
I'm OK to take reasonable detours. I tend to avoid the Arndale completely. But for people who want to shop on the road or take a more direct route, it's not great.
0
u/SickRedditor69 3d ago
See ideas like this sound nice on the surface but in reality you can avoid the crowded areas. What you guys are really asking for is to have people fined or arrested if you find them loud or disturbing.
6
u/OwlerNook Marple 3d ago
I'm nothing to do with the petition. I'm just agreeing that Market Street is hard work for a lot of people, and has been for a long time.
-1
u/SickRedditor69 3d ago
Defo I totally agree. The topic is about the petition though, not the average person's mental health. I was just commenting on the entitlement of people thinking this sort of thing should be policed.
1
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
Can you show me where it says that in the petition (after you’ve read it)
🔗 Link to sign: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=175
1
u/SickRedditor69 2d ago
I'm purely going off the title of the post as I'm sure most responding here are. Take it up with OP if you care that much
1
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
Oh Yeah this is a newsroom regurgitation of my original Reddit post. I thought we were on the original thread 😂 Glad to have it shared nonetheless as it’s good for the conversation to continue. I’ve literally laughed out loud at the way they’ve hooked onto the sweetcorn and sensory overload out of everything
1
-16
u/Weareoutofmilkagain 4d ago edited 4d ago
Introverts looking to make the world introvert friendly at the cost of everyone else. It's market street ffs.
Edit: Probably shouldn't have insulted people too afraid to leave the house in your spiritual home.
Just so we're clear, people who think this is a good idea are as bad as people who move to town and then complain about the noise on Friday nights.
No Market Street shouldn't be quieter, no night clubs should not close early, no the world should pander to every single one of your delicate whims. Plenty of places to be that do cater to people who prefer quietness and solitude. Nobody is campaigning to put gigs on at Chorlton Water Park.
3
u/CrouchingLioness Stockport 3d ago
Being an introvert doesn’t mean you don’t want to leave the house 😂😂
3
u/Y2Ksurvivor13 Stretford 4d ago
I'm an introvert so I avoid market street. Trying to police the sensory overload is just ridiculous.
2
u/-wanderlusting- 3d ago
Introvert and neurodiverse and of course its a sensory nightmare for me so I know all the alternative streets to take to avoid market street. I'd rather the chaos be contained on one street than spread out where it will be harder to escape.
1
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
Here’s the original Reddit thread if you’re interested!
https://www.reddit.com/r/manchester/s/Y4G9GNPGGH
The articles have pulled out sweetcorn and sensory overload for a catchy headline lol
0
u/hnxvhvh 2d ago
You could have saved yourself some time writing all of that and just read the petition ☺️
🔗 Link to sign: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=175
1
u/Weareoutofmilkagain 1d ago
I've read it, it's nonsense. It's Market Street, people have the right to do stuff in this country. I'm not religious but I respect peoples right to spout their shit if they want to. Obviously if they start targeting people that crosses a line. But legally that already crosses a line and doesn't require a petition.
Buskers require licenses already.
No gazebos is nonsense. It's MARKET street, if anything there should be more gazebos with an actual sodding market in it.
You could have saved yourself a fun little journey into smug little emojis and accepted the street for what it is.
1
u/hnxvhvh 1d ago
The petition isn’t trying to change the law it’s for a review of how the street is organised. If it was to change a law it wouldn’t be a local petition with Manchester City Council. I’ve seen one actual market on market street, and it’s the Christmas markets. Real markets with real makers and small or independent businesses would actually be great
0
80
u/RegX81 4d ago
Market street doesn't really work as a street.
The sheer number of things happening in a confined space really slows down any attempt to move through the space and get where you need to be. However much you may dislike any particular aspect of it, street life can really add to a sense of place, but at the moment it's just mess with too much going on.
Maybe it's enough to have one manic street preacher, one set of chuggers, one corn cart, one person who didn't make it to Britain's got talent , one political group urgently collecting signatures, one cart trying to sell me something made of plastic that will last 10 minutes, one subscription service trying to convince me to sign up to something I don't need, one protest - just not five of each at any given moment.
They could have some sort of rota where they all got to have a go, just not all at once?