Comments Posted By Paul Robinson

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Where can you find free wi-fi access in Manchester city centre?

Cornerhouse doesn’t charge. You just ask at the bar what the password is – they change it every month or two.

Comment Posted By Paul Robinson On 22.02.2007 @ 13:54

What does the future hold for Afflecks Palace?

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?

Comment Posted By Paul Robinson On 14.02.2007 @ 11:43

Manchester: a godless place?

Simple reason for that: our weekly church attendance is very high compared to the rest of the UK. Thanks to the large baptist, methodist and (since the Polish started arriving) Catholic communities in the city, Sunday church attendance is high. As a result the ‘upkick’ has a way to go to be high when measured in percentage terms. However, if you’re in Bath & Wells and only 50 people turn up every week, to get a 200% upkick requires much less than it would in Manchester with a congregation measured in tens of thousands.

I hate people who don’t understand statistics. Particularly statisticians.

Comment Posted By Paul Robinson On 27.12.2006 @ 12:38

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