It can't become like another Ancoats...don't make it an artisan ghetto

FEARS FOR OLD 'COUNTERFEIT STREET' NEIGHBOURHOOD

- STEPHEN TOPPING

IT WAS a hive of activity with a criminal undercurrent that had a habit of spilling out above the surface. The Strangeways area was notorious for being the 'counterfeit capital of Europe' for decades.

Great Ducie Street, Bury New Road and the side streets that lurked in the shadow of HMP Manchester's watchtower would see hundreds of people hurrying along clutching carrier bags filled with knock-off goods. But, as the years went on, police concerns went beyond fake fashion.

Violence, exploitation, money, laundering, drug dealing and intimidation were all deemed to have become too commonplace in the 'Counterfeit Street' corner of Cheetham Hill. Operation Vulcan was launched in October 2022, sparking a clear-out of criminal enterprise in the area.

To say police have left their mark on the area would be a big understatement. Operation Vulcan posters still adorn shutters, walls and doorways, serving as a reminder of the raids which led to 218 premises being closed.

Walking along 'Counterfeit Street, the M.E.N. saw the vast majority of buildings on the once-notorious stretch still with shutters down. One empty shop was being cleared out by workers, preparing to give the site a new lease of life.

But compared to how the area used to be, it now resembles a ghost town. Legitimate shop and take-away owners told the M.E.N. that while Strangeways is more peaceful since Operation Vulcan, they have taken a major hit from a lack of passing trade.

'I don't blame the police... but it's too difficult for us now'

Naresh Chadda has run Jean Image for 35 years. He says the shop's business is now 'down 95 per cent' following the clear-out of counterfeit trade.