ABC Wednesday: C is for Coburg Street

ABC Wednesday and "C" is for Coburg Street. I have always liked the 1950s style number three. The rest of this short street is a mix of apartments, such as Stonebridge House, and the Bangladeshi High Commission.

A red rose...

A red rose for Lancashire but I don't know what type of rose it actually is.

Linking with the Ruby Tuesday blog.

Monday Mural: Keep on rocking at the Printworks

Mural at the Printworks; any idea who it is of? Sharleen Spiteri or possibly Chrissie Hynde have always been my best guesses. Bound to be someone old school 1980s. Linked to Monday Mural.

Lazing on a summer's afternoon

Can it get much more chilled than this? Sunshine, shade, trees and exploring the Trent and Mersey canal at 5 miles an hour on a narrow boat. 

Washday on Sackville Street

City centre washing lines. Washing and other Saturday chores to be completed before partying or chilling on a summer's day can begin in earnest. 

manchester jazz festival @ManJazzFest

Yesterday Festival Square was still being transformed into the cool space where the 18th Manchester Jazz Festival will strut its stuff.

It starts today and runs through to 4 August with pop, grunge, world, bebop, urban, fusion and cool jazz; whatever jazz you're into it should be here for you. Always one of my favourite Manchester festivals. Nice!

Brunch at Soup Kitchen, & old fire station fund raising gig tonight

Three people enjoying brunch outside Soup Kitchen on Spear Street before the lunchtime rush begins. Don't be confused out of towners, it's not actually a soup kitchen for homeless people but a cafe bar, serving far more than soup, and also a music venue.

A reminder of the gig here tonight.

A benefit gig under the banner of Project Liberation is the first shot across the bows by the Friends of London Road Fire Station, a recently founded community trust that is fighting to save the neglected At Risk Grade II listed building opposite Piccadilly Station from terminal decay. (See also two of my previous posts on the Old Fire Station).

The benefit gig, on 25 July, stars the bands Freedom of the City, Puppet Rebellion and The Fourth Circle, plus DJ Pasta Paul from Piccadilly Records. It takes place at the Soup Kitchen in the Northern Quarter. Money raised from the gig will be used by Friends of London Road Fire Station to fund a series of events this summer and autumn that aim to draw attention to the need to act quickly to ensure the iconic building is rescued from 27 years of neglect by its current owners. 

A petition set up by the Friends indicates overwhelming support by Manchester residents to protect the fire station. Please sign and share the petition.

ABC Wednesday: "B" is for Buddhist Centre

Peace and serenity at the lovely Buddhist Centre on Turner Street. 
I'm keeping it simple and zen with my "B" contribution to  ABC Wednesday.

Viennese twist on Oldham St...

It still amazes me what fabulous buildings you can find in a post-industrial but still gritty city, if you look closely. Manchester is actually rather unconventionally attractive but sometimes is beautiful in a more obvious way. Like this building at the top end of Oldham Street. Taking part in today's  Our World Tuesday.

Monday Mural: Cafe Pop mural

The space age and pop art era is commemorated on this long standing mosaic mural above Cafe Pop on Oldham Street. Linked to Monday Murals at the Oakland Daily Photo blog.