Manchester

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Piccadilly Gardens

Donated for public use over two centuries ago, the land that is now Piccadilly Gardens first housed an infirmary, demolished in 1909; today’s Labour council have operated a loose interpretation of the initial intentions by selling off the Portland Street corner for office and shop development (now belatedly coming to life and shaking off its bad reputation) in order to finance the 2002 overhaul of the rest of the gardens. The area now contains new seating, a popular walkthrough fountain, a thoughtful metal tree sculpture commemorating the World War II civilian dead, and a much reviled concrete wall courtesy of Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

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