Manchester progresses 30,000 sq ft Wythenshawe cultural hub 

Because that’s what everybody in Wythenshawe wants

It is intriguing to see such a project being planned where “what it looks like and how it works” is not a consideration for the present.

We used to have a theatre, and the Golden Garter amongst many other places where artists and shows could perform. Wythenshawe could do with really bringing back the arts.

Cultural hub . People need to have their basic needs met before they consider their ‘cultural needs’. Safety security food warmth decent houses and a sense of pride in themselves and the place they live.

More council homes flats bungalows needed plus more shops

Is wanted and needed for generations to come

Great news for the hard working people of Wythenshawe. At least a place to be proud of.

No one wants a community hub there is enough community groups around already want Wythenshawe needs is proper housing not 2 bed room flats were outsiders will sell up and move in pushing up the property prices for the ones already struggling to get on the housing list

I gather another two years before you sort the eyesore out all you seemed to be bothered about was the trams regarding civic as square dated box from the soviet era indoor outdoor markets gone to the dogs

What wythenshawe needs is places to shop and jobs for people to go too! We need more access to children’s clothes, books and toys! With the amount of houses being squashed into wythenshawe over the last few years and shops and pubs being pulled down! So far we’ve got Asda for clothes without Matalan and Tesco in Baguley which don’t have a great selection of clothes of home wares. Civic centre could be boosting the economy adding more retailers instead of forcing them to close and adding more social hubs like restaurants, bars and entertainment venues

As a young man growing up in Wythenshawe in the 1970s and 80s I made great use of the theatre in the forum, it was a real shame when the theatre closed and the library theatre group was wound up. I hope this hub proposal is a great success and provides inspiration for the current youth of Wythenshawe.

When are you to make a start?

All those people on this thread complaining about the proposed cultural hub need to have a word with themselves. Do they not realise that the great arm of State does unto them, not for them? That such ideas are there to keep middle class civil servants who don’t live in Wythenshawe busy and feeling good about themselves? What utter piffle to talk about ‘basic needs’ and ‘jobs, houses, shops.’ Ingrates, the lot of you.

Wythenshawe is a huge place and covers most of South Manchester. So why do people who live in this massive area always have to travel outside wuthenshawe to get to a cinema, bowling alley etc for entertainment. The one that really annoys me is that there are no play centres, trampoline parks etc for all the residents. I have 2 yihng grandchildren that stay for a few days during holidays and for me to take them to a play centre means either £15 each way in a taxi to either Chorlton, Timperley or Wilsmlow to get to one. Or, 2 buses or 2 trams or a combination taking around 1.5 to 2 hours in both directions. It’s not on. We have so much empty space around the civic that could accommodate these types of outlets…not just for the young but for everyone. It would also create profits for local businesses in the civic.

All sounds brilliant for the local community, 1600 more homes is brilliant and is what is needed , will these be offered to local people first tho ?

It would be nice to have outdoor markets and indoors has well, everybody misses it. I think it would bring people back to shopping in Wythenshawe once again.

There isn’t much in the way of leisure facilities in Wythenshawe – cinema, bowling etc – but this doesn’t seem to be what residents are being asked about here.
MCC has already decided what they need is an arts centre, ongoing sources of revenue funding unclear, which risks being the sort of regeneration which is all about increasing house prices by making the area more agreeable to middle class people.
Big increases in house prices/rents are already pricing local people out of somewhere which was formerly quite cheap, although MCC’s regeneration strategies have quite often involved making poor people live elsewhere, as opposed to making them less poor.

Wythenshawe needs more independent shops like butchers, chemists, clothing shops not cultural or arts outlets. Small businesses and eating places are crying out for a basis to trade. Keep away from corporate businesses like McDonalds, there’s already one there. Market stalls have always been a big hit for traders to sell things that are different to the run of the mill big chain stores. Any type of small business traders will flourish in Wythenshawe. Keep rentals of shops/stalls low and people will flock to the area once it’s established.

I was born and raised in Wythenshawe, I’m now 55 and the civic centre hasn’t changed still looks outdated, streets are never cleaned grass verges not maintained drains never cleaned like they were back in the day. The forum bath outdated and we know have loads of space across the way from the petrol station which could benefit from need house for the working class instead of them being forced to pay higher rent prices

The community needs social and leisure, somewhere families can spend quality time together, places to sit and eat a meal, play area’s for children, something for teenagers, cinema, bowling, trampolines. People of Wythenshawe have to travel out of area for such things. Places like this would generate local business, employment for locals.

I came to wythenshawe 1941 it was know as the garden city and was a lovely place to live look what happened to it.its the people who make a difference

Wythenshawe doesn’t need arts, creativity and culture. It needs shops and markets, it needs jobs, homes, youth clubs and better local services.

I was born in Wythenshawe so it will be great to see any rejuvenation take place. I look forward to the results

Good to see wythenshawe getting the needed attention. Hopefully the council come through with their plans

How much is this going to cost. And who will be paying for this cost?

I’m not sure a cultural hub is the best thing for the people of Wythenshawe. The town centre is dying and needs a whole new makeover. Places for young people would be welcomed. Cinema, bowling, cafes, bars. We have a forum centre which is not used properly with hardly any events taking place. There should be something on weekly for people to go to.

Out of all the things I can think of that Wythenshawe needs, a cultural hub is not one and would be a complete waste of money. Who’s idea was this as I’m sure the residents of our area would not use it and would be against it. Put something in that would benefit the local people they deserve it. After all there are over 70 thousand people who live here. Why can’t we have a centre like Altrincham or Sale.

We don’t want art centres, loads of coffee shops. We need a proper market that’s cheap enough to entice people back to civic ,we need shops that work for the community. Butchers, fish mongers , electrical ,food shops ,bakers , everything that a community needs and not having to rely on one supermarket to feed us . Bring the rents down to help shops to servive, civic used to be south Manchesters version of bury . Look back at how civic used to be , friving community that had everything you needed . People are struggling and are forced to pay the prices because of the rates keep going up . Just give us what we need and not what council needs , it’s our town not yours . Can you please reply to this and treat me as a person and not just a number, many thanks .

It wont happen as usual; all pie in the sky!

It is important to ensure that all communities are taken into consideration when it comes to planning and development. However, it seems that the black community feels left out in this process. They have been requesting a community center run by their own community, but it seems that their request has not been heard or acknowledged. Despite participating in the overall planning considerations, it feels like their participation is merely seen as a formality rather than genuine inclusion.

Could we please be considered for funding to start up an African museum in Wythenshawe? This museum would serve as a platform to showcase various aspects of the African continent. It would greatly benefit schools, colleges, and the entire community in fostering better integration with their African counterparts. Additionally, the museum would attract visitors from all over the world, thereby increasing tourism in Wythenshawe.

I think an Irish museum in Wythenshawe would be appropriate too. It would save having to traipse all the way to cheetham hill .

Surely an African Museum would be better suited in Manchester City Centre?