HAS ST ANN'S SQUARE LOST ITS SPARKLE?

DESPITE A CAR SHOWROOM SET TO ARRIVE, LANDMARK STILL HAS EMPTY UNITS

- ETHAN DAVIES

LINED with jewellers, high-end fashion houses, and luxury watch brands, it has a reputation as one of Manchester city centre's top shopping spots.

St Ann's Square, and this corner of town, has a long history of attracting the creme-de-la-creme. Nearby King Street, connected by a hidden snicket, is nicknamed by some as the 'Bond Street of the North'.

The pair were among the first streets to be pedestrianised in the city centre: King Street was first in 1976. St Ann's Square followed in the early 80s.

The latter also has an important civic role for Mancunians. The location became the epicentre of a public outpouring of grief in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. The square was covered in floral tributes to the 22 victims.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II five years later, it was once again covered in flowers. But plans for a new car showroom in the middle of the city centre landmark have led some to question what role the square now plays in Manchester life.

To say St Ann's Square has lost its magic would be incorrect. It still has the attraction of St Ann's Church, the Royal Exchange building, a large pedestrianised area with some seating, the aforementioned top-end boutiques, and is in very close to other city landmarks like Deansgate, New Cathedral Street, and the Arndale.