What does the future hold for Afflecks Palace?

Following yesterday’s Manchester 235 post, Ciara Leeming emailed to point to her latest blog entry:

Manchester institution Afflecks Palace appears to be under threat as the city’s redevelopment frenzy continues.

In a story I wrote for today’s Manchester Evening News, traders tell how the building’s landlord, Bruntwood, has so fair failed to give them any information about what will happen when the lease expires on June 14.

Particularly telling is a letter sent by Afflecks’ leasing company (not Bruntwood) to its sub-letting traders, saying:

We may find ourselves priced out of our own market. The rent you pay for your stall would at the very least double, which would make it unviable for most of you to continue and no longer viable for us as operators to continue to run.

The article has already attracted several comments – Vincent claiming ‘Manchester is losing its soul’, for example – and will inevitably be followed by much debate about Afflecks, the Northern Quarter and Manchester redevelopment generally.

I personally think the prospect of Afflecks Palace becoming a block of luxury flats or offices is an appauling one. But, as the Hacienda testifies, these things do happen in Manchester.

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There is a significant difference between Afflecks and the Hacienda.

The Hacienda didn’t close down because somebody wanted to build flats there, or because the property prices were right – it closed a long, long time ago, well before the bomb when property was still cheap, because various armed drug dealing gangs took the place over and that prick Wilson and his pals were too coked/pilled up to be able to deal with them. People argue this point, but seeing as it’s Wilson’s own account, I don’t see the dispute.

It may have been an institution and birthplace to something amazing, but at the end of the day, it needed to be shut down given that the management were incapable of keeping it even remotely safe.

Afflecks is not a danger to anybody. It would be a shame to lose it, but that’s the price of regeneration – a part of town that has been in dire condition for the last 30 years is getting investment: it can’t remain run-down for ever.

Personally, I think the ‘old skool’ Northern Quarter crew will just find another cheap part of town to head towards – there is plenty of space to expand into around the edges of the city, and they’d likely do a lot better if they moved closer to student areas anyway. If I were them, I’d be looking at places around areas like Redbricks/Greenheys, Fallowfield, Longsight, etc.

As for the building itself? If it’s not already listed, I’m sure it could be quite quickly, therefore protecting it from demolition. Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t get converted into flats, but admit it, if it was converted tastefully, you’d want to live there wouldn’t you?

My point about the Hacienda was more that nothing is sacred in Manchester. There were a lot of people complaining when it was being converted, and even now from some quarters. Still, it happened and people got on with life.

I’d live in Afflecks. Hell, I’d probably live in Sankeys if the same happened there. I’d find it hard to say no to a city centre flat at the right price.

Well, if it’s one less place for poseurs to congregate it cant be all that bad!

Well I will definitely miss it. I’ve been here 18 years, and consistently done my Xmas shopping there every year.

And, er, other times too.

Arrrggghh. i don’t believe it! it’s the best shop in the world for shoes and anything black. i will rip out the person’s eyes who shuts it down.

The northern quarter will be a sorry place without Afflecks Palace, the same thing happend with the traders at the corn exchange, in my view “the triangle” is horrible and i will never set foot in there

it is closing on the 16th june ive heard, i cant belive it i heard it was under threat but really its such an amazing place, and its going to be a shame to loose it, i go into manchester every weekend, with out afflecks manchester isn’t very good

I don’t want afflecks to go! i love it! ill cry whe it closes =[

manchester will be like any other city without it.

I don’t think the planners in Manchester are much good. The ability/will to resist big-business isn’t there and they don’t seem to have much vision. You just need to look at the Canal Street area. The charm it once had, has all gone bit by bit as tacky new buildings have been added, the orignal cobbles and iron bridge removed. Old shop fronts and ground floors ripped out.

The Corn Exchange used to be wonderful. The bomb was used as an excuse to get rid of all those small shops. The Triangle is ghastly. Those small retailers and so many others have gone over the past ten years. Have you tried to buy a tin of paint in the city centre? Ten years ago there were at least three DIY places.

If you allow an area to be destroyed bit by bit, first Afflecks then what next? Eventually everything that made that area appealing has disappeared and you are just left with a load of expensive apartments and identi-kit chain stores.

Hey I’m an old fart, my kids shop at Afflecks and the eldest is 26. But me and the wife shop there too.

We have a decent disposable income, since the daughter left, and the triangle leaves me cold.

The army took me all over the world and everywhere has a triangle, even the piggin Falklands sells Tesco stuff.

So Bruntwood, want to make your portfolio buoyant then keep the individuality, make it a loss leader if need be. Sanitise a place and people lose their connection. With no connection they won’t stay and your property prices will plummet.
Short term gain – long term pain.

Additionally, the youngsters grow up, remember you shut it and won’t buy or lease from you. I know I’ve held grudges against my suppliers for years because of their perceived misdemeanours.

One of the reasons that Manchester(and for that case MADCHESTER) has become so popular over the last 25 years can be put down to places like Afflecks. If you take Afflecks away you take away a piece of Manchesters soul.The apeal of the palace is as strong today as it has always been. When MAnchester was just a decaying rundown place Afflecks built it self up from nothing. The reason the buildig is a legend is down to the people who have stalls past and present and the constant stream of customers young and old.

afflecks is so unique that they just can’t shut it down.there are so many little stores in afflecks that sell great things and if afflecks shuts then it will have to shut down because they’re that small that they won’t be able to rent out a shop to keep the buisness going.

Afflecks palace is an icon, how can they even consider selling out like this? I was going to afflecks 20 years ago, when I was a gothic teen, my kids go there now, and it is still as unique and fabulous as ever. The greedy money making property magnates cannot be allowed to get away with this decamation of such an iconic part of what makes our Manchester Great.

How the hell could they do such a thing? Afflecks is the reason i go to manchester. Its got compleat soul. When i first went to afflecks, i was amazed at how utterly brilliant it was. Now, luxury apartments?? what the HELL ARE THEY THINKING???

i think its absolutely disgusting even considering this! Afflecks Palace IS Manchester! It’s the reason why hundreds/thousands of people go there, its certainly a bad day for Manchester if they do decide to do this, because i certainly won’t go into Manchester if this happens likewise many other people

I don’t think the Hacienda was ‘converted’ into flats. The original building was completely demolished?

you only need to type in afflecks on the web to see how popular it is.
pages and pages of sites come up on search engines “petition to save afflecks”, tourist sites listing it as 1 of the main attractions of manchester, so many people saying how the heart of manchester would leave if it closed, and thats just on the net. go to australia, talk to people who’ve been to manchester. not 1 will mention the triangle or the arndale centre- why bother? theyre everywhere else in the western world.
everyone talks about afflecks. in the manchester area people go to manchester specially for afflecks- most of the stores in manchester are just repitions of the same stores they can get in their local town anyway. close afflecks and just think of the larger consequences for buissness around manchester. people come for afflecks and spend in other places too. lose afflecks lose how manchesters soul.

Where the hell else in Manchester can you buy the clothes and accessories you can buy in afflecks. Everywhere else you go in manchester, each shop sells exactly the same thing as the one next door. Much more than afflecks would go if people have to shop on the internet, how about other places afflecks customers visit?

I’d hate it if Afflecks closed! It’s the only place near me where I will agree to buy clothes from. If Afflecks goes, I will have to travel over 300 miles for a shop only 1/8 as good and with little choice. I rarely get to go Afflecks, but its the only reason I ever go to Manchester. Me and my mates love it there, we even started a trend at my school from stuff there. It didn’t last long but still…it was awesome. Last time I

I’m currently doing a mini-mag on Affleck’s for uni and would love to hear about your experiences in the palace. Please share.

i dont want afflecks to go its the only place where mosh to goth people can go to buy their clothing its not fair it SHOLDNT BE CLOSED DOWN please let it be

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
amanda
sedge

OMFG!!!!!!!! AFFLECK’S CANNOT AND WILL NOT CLOSE DOWN. IT CLOSES – I DIE!!!!!!!!

OMG dont close it down! i mean i have only been in there a few times and loved it there is so many shops all the clothes are at great prices! i will miss afflecks if it goes…. DONT CLOSE IT!

ITS FUKIN PISS TAKIN! AFFLECKS IS THE ONLY PLACE WE’VE GOT LEFT WHERE WE DONT GET SHIT OFF CHAVS! HOW DARE YOU TAKE AWAY THE ONLY THING WE ALTERNATIVE PEOPLE HAVE?! YOU COULD TAKE ANYWHERE YOU LIKE, WHY AFFLECKS?!

iv been told quite a few closing dates of afflecks palace. one is tomorow 26th of january then there is the first of march, amnd the other is the 4th of june.

it would be a great loss to the cumunity as there would be one less place for teens my age to go and i personaly will be coming to manchester alot less as afflecks is one of my main/favorite places in the whole of manchester.

i will be going tomorow and helping with the protest as i will do everything i can to stop afflecks closing

with love to dear old afflecks and all the soporters Xx

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Afflecks Palace: the petition and developments » Mancubist: Life is good in Manchester
[...] over a month is impressive going, and gives some indication of how precious the place is to many. My post on Mancubist has attracted 15 comments too: Manchester will be like any other city without [...]

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