Photo Gallery & Poetry: Mancunian poet Mike Garry’s tribute to the Arndale on its 40th anniversary

Can you believe it’s been 40 years since Manchester Arndale officially opened its doors? To celebrate, local poet Mike Garry has released a new poem dedicated to the shopping centre and Mancunians’ fond memories of it. Garry’s poem is inspired by his own memories of the centre growing up, as well as taking inspiration from nostalgic comments shared by Manchester Arndale’s shoppers on social media.

 The heart of the city since ‘79 
Tiles that go for miles
Palm trees fountains and an Aviary
Birds and Bees buzzing
Inner city living before Tony Wilson invented it  
Johnny Marr sweeping up in Stolen from Ivor
Everything imaginable within an indoor market
And all the shops that we loved along the way
Warner Bros, Woolworths and C&A
Exit down a concrete helter skelter drop
Bus station, pedestrianisation then a tram stop
Pop star smiles in HMV and Rowntrees Café for a Chippy Tea
Washed down with a pint in John Willie Lees
Then, we built new bridges to new worlds
The Next Chapter, The New Looks with a nod to the past 
40 years and standing strong through sunshine snow and rain
And looking forward to serving you for another 40 years again

All images courtesy of MMU image library. 

For more information on Manchester Arndale’s 40^th anniversary, visit: https://www.manchesterarndale.com/40years. For more information on Mike Garry, visit: www.mikegarry.co.uk