{"id":917909,"date":"2026-04-25T16:11:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T16:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/917909\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T16:11:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T16:11:41","slug":"youre-looking-good-albert-square-were-glad-to-have-you-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/917909\/","title":{"rendered":"You’re looking good Albert Square – we’re glad to have you back"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a regular commuter on the East Didsbury tram line which weaves its way around Manchester city centre<\/a>, through to Victoria, and beyond, your journey to work each day will most likely pass near to or right past the Town Hall and Albert Square.<\/p>\n

Since 2018 the Grade I-listed structure and plaza area has been under renovation – one of the largest and most complex heritage projects ever undertaken in living memory anywhere in the UK. As part of this, work has been undertaken to make Albert Square \u2018one of the finest civic spaces in Europe\u2019.<\/p>\n

For several years, access to the town hall and the square has been limited. While some flagship events such as Manchester International Festival (MIF) and the Christmas<\/a> Markets were still held on the plaza in 2019, due to the work progressing, they then moved to the likes of Aviva Studios and Piccadilly Gardens<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, as the tram skirts the periphery of the town hall, cladding and Heras fencing gives way to a freshly paved space complete with contemporary benches<\/a> for office workers and visitors to enjoy their lunch from. All week, the restored Albert Memorial has been gleaming in the spring sunshine, as passerby take up a pew on the steps beneath the monument commemorating the Prince Consort.<\/p>\n

\"Restaurant<\/p>\n

Restaurant owner David Fox(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig, commented: \u201cWith most of the work to Albert Square concluded, we are pleased to be able to remove the temporary fencing so people can enjoy it and see the quality of the work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe square being reopened will also benefit the businesses around it and enable those with licensed outdoor seating areas to make full use of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople visiting the space will also have the chance to get up close to the newly-restored Grade II-listed Albert Memorial complete with the railings which were part of its original design back in place for the first time in many decades.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The sunshine has helped lure people back to Albert Square(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

“We look forward to welcoming the public back into the square – and into the city’s magnificent town hall when it reopens next year.”<\/p>\n

Perched by the steps of the memorial on Tuesday afternoon were John and Alex, soaking up the warmer weather in the newly unveiled public square. \u201cI think it\u2019s lovely, I\u2019ve worked here for five years so I\u2019ve seen all of it unfold,” Alex told the Manchester Evening News.<\/p>\n

\u201cWalking through the square this morning and seeing my office from a different light was really nice. It\u2019s a shame the whole project with the town hall hasn\u2019t been completed yet, but it’s still really good to have this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Manchester<\/p>\n

Manchester Town Hall under the sun(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

The ‘Our Town Hall’ works were initially due to be completed in December 2023, however the pandemic and other delays saw the costs and length of work dramatically increase. In November last year, Manchester council confirmed the overall revamp would cost \u00a3524.8m – \u00a395m more than originally predicted – and would be complete in \u2018spring 2027\u2019, taking nearly a decade.<\/p>\n

The council explained that the project has been impacted by a ‘unique combination of challenges’ since its construction phase started in 2020. Wider factors have ranged from disruption caused by the Covid pandemic and a volatile economic climate, influenced by external factors such as the war in Ukraine, to unprecedented materials and labour cost inflation in the construction industry.<\/p>\n

As part of the works, the square has been enlarged by around 25 per cent to significantly enhance its role as Manchester’s most important square and event space. Despite the delays and setbacks, the ambition and importance of this project should not be understated.<\/p>\n

\"Manchester<\/p>\n

Manchester International Festival 2019 , Albert Square(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Look across the continent and their public squares, sometimes known as piazzas, plazas, places or Platz, are an essential part of the city\u2019s cultural heritage and social life. Some of Europe\u2019s very best urban squares, be it the ornate Grand Place in Brussels, iconic Piazza San Marco in Venice, and majestic Pra\u00e7a do Com\u00e9rcio in Lisbon, serve as the stage for the city – showcasing their social, cultural and economic capital.<\/p>\n

Markets, concerts, festivals and national sporting events are just some of the grand occasions that will soon be back on Albert Square – a great pull for both those local to the city and those visiting for the first time. Enjoying a pint in the sunshine outside the Founder’s Hall pub overlooking the square, couple David and Sarah from Kent told us that they were up for the weekend to see their daughter take part in the Manchester Marathon.<\/p>\n

As first-time visitors to the city they decided to follow a mystery guide around the city centre and stumbled across the square. \u201cWe did meet an old school friend over the weekend and they recommended coming and told us this is where the Christmas Markets usually are,\u201d Sarah explained.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Opening day of Manchester Christmas Markets 2025(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very nice, we\u2019ve been really impressed with Manchester so far, and we\u2019ve done Old Trafford<\/a> as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to its refurbishment, many headed down to the town hall to admire its neo-Gothic splendor and rich history. The building was designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse and completed in 1877, while inside its Great Hall which is decorated with Ford Madox Brown’s Manchester Murals illustrating the history of the city.<\/p>\n

Undoubtedly though, and in more recent times, visitors have flocked to the space for its drinking and dining options. Those who run the venues overlooking the square have previously spoken of the demoralising view due to the ongoing works, with portable cabins piled high on top of another and the town hall shrouded behind white sheets and scaffolding.<\/p>\n

\"Vistors<\/p>\n

Vistors enjoying the sun in Albert Square (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

While the town hall is still somewhat hidden from view while the final work takes place, the square\u2019s restaurateurs and bar owners can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. JW Lees brewery boss William Lees-Jones whose company runs The Founders Hall says it\u2019s \u201cexactly what businesses in the area have been waiting for\u201d.<\/p>\n

“I predict Albert Square will become the number one spot in Manchester for eating and drinking, especially with the newly developed outdoor area in the square which will encourage more people to dine outside,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

“Founders Hall has the best outdoor space on the square and we’re ready to welcome customers old and new to come and eat, drink and celebrate the new redevelopment with us. The redevelopment is going to be a great addition to the city and we can’t wait for it to be finalised.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The fencing around Albert Square has been removed as part of the Town Hall’s ongoing transformation (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

David Fox\u2019s restaurant Tampopo was established on the square nearly 30 years ago, he\u2019s spent many years lobbying the council to complete the project in order for large-scale events to be able to be held back on the square to encourage footfall and spend in restaurants such as his.<\/p>\n

Admiring the square along with others this week he said he was \u201cspectacularly excited\u201d to see the works almost completed and the square fully reopened. While he has voiced his frustration with the council over the delays and the detrimental impact to business<\/a>, he understands the obstacles it\u2019s faced too.<\/p>\n

“I think they had to deal with Covid in the mix, and they also had to deal with a building that hadn’t been materially touched so I’m sympathetic to why delays may have happened and the notion of future proofing the square and the town hall in terms of what technology and access was available for what it was built for originally versus now,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The newly refurbished Albert Square, Manchester(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

“I think like a lot of civic European squares there\u2019s the intention to make this as open to the public as possible so there’s a real sense of history to the development. There’s been a lot of learnings from it which will be applied to other significant developments.<\/p>\n

“There’s going to be a large visitors centre for people to come and see so if someone has one or two days in Manchester this will be one of the squares they visit and engage with.”<\/p>\n

But he also says it\u2019s been a long time coming. \u201cI think there\u2019s people on my team by virtue of their age or where they may have lived recently that have no concept of what an open square is and it just illustrates how long it\u2019s been shut for.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The newly-restored Albert Square is now open(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard for them to comprehend the impact on the business. It\u2019s illustrated by the Christmas Markets, we were 30% up on sales versus being negative for pretty much six years and it seemed to get worse last year when we hoped it would get better, so it\u2019s a really important development for the original Tampopo. For us and other hospitality businesses it will be a really positive move.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally importantly as a city, and I\u2019m saying this as someone who lives here, it’s been lacking a really good, impactful public space. I certainly remember, whether it was the Manchester 10k and now the marathon or the Irish Festival, Jazz Festival or MIF, there were so many memories that we generated from being on this square and I look forward to them coming back.<\/p>\n

“I’ve bought into the vision of it and I think it will be great for the city. I look forward to working with the council, as are all the other operators, to make this a fabulous civic square for people to come down, spend time here and interact with and I’m looking forward to the events that are going to be taking place in the square, starting with Manchester Day in July and I think it will be a square that we are proud of.”<\/p>\n

\"Arus,<\/p>\n

Arus, owner of Armenian Taverna & Restaurant which overlooks Albert Square (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

On the opposite side of the square Arus, owner of Armenia Taverna, which has been operating since 1968, says it will be \u201camazing\u201d when the town hall and square are complete.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very important for us to be in this location. Obviously the square brings people and if they\u2019re using the square they can see us, because before maybe then they didn\u2019t know we even existed. It\u2019s a good advert for us. Even now it\u2019s only a little bit sunny and people are walking around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those already making the most of the newly unveiled suntrap and public space included Colin, an office worker who works just down the street in Spinningfields.<\/p>\n

\"Office<\/p>\n

Office worker Colin headed to Albert Square on his lunch(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very nice, I guess the one thing is the scaffolding that remains on the town hall is a bit noticeable, but it\u2019s lovely, a really nice place to sit,\u201d he told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely will come and sit here over summer. I usually just walk around the centre or around St Ann\u2019s Square. But it\u2019s nice to have somewhere to sit down and enjoy the sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to have these spaces because you need them as places to relax and chill. We don\u2019t have as many green spaces or parks as say London, but this is the next best thing really.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also making the most of the sunshine, friends Leah and Emily decided to spend their lunch hour catching up on the square with their offices in close vicinity. “We both moved offices recently so it’s perfect timing really,” Emily said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Friends Leah and Emily make the most of the sunshine of Albert Square(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

“I think it’s the architecture, it’s just a nicer environment. You don’t feel like you’re in the centre of Manchester here. I’d much rather sit here than Piccadilly Gardens. It feels more professional around here and people will definitely come here especially when the sun is out.<\/p>\n

“A lot of people leave their home towns to come to the city centre so having a space that feels like you can collaborate and network, even if you’re on your own you don’t feel alone because it’s lively and there’s others about. People will come here to sit, read, eat and drink.”<\/p>\n

A smaller site compound will remain in place next to the Town Hall while work on the building is completed, and only minor finishes are required to the square itself. And while scaffolding will be removed in 2026 attention now turns to the Town Hall\u2019s interior.<\/p>\n

When it reopens it will include a new, free public attraction \u2018The Town Hall Story\u2019, which will bring alive the building\u2019s history and role in city life. Manchester Council have also said that both the Town Hall and Albert Square belong to the people of Manchester and plans are underway for the Spring 2027 to welcome Mancunians and visitors and celebrate one of the city\u2019s most important public spaces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re a regular commuter on the East Didsbury tram line which weaves its way around Manchester city…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":917910,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8813],"tags":[138437,748,393,4884,2465,18960,8086,8828,141334,11653,8937,280,16,15,185318],"class_list":["post-917909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manchester","tag-albert-square","tag-britain","tag-england","tag-great-britain","tag-manchester","tag-manchester-bars","tag-manchester-city-centre","tag-manchester-council","tag-manchester-town-hall","tag-premium","tag-pubs-and-bars","tag-restaurants","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unmissable"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116466227735091927","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=917909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/917910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=917909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=917909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=917909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}