The 15th June 2024 marked the 28th anniversary of the attack on Manchester city centre at 11:17am. The devastation ripped the heart out of the city centre, but thankfully no lives were lost.

This post focuses on the epicentre of the destruction along Corporation Street and the incredible rebuilding that followed.

The top photo was taken in December 1996 during Euan’s second year at university. Six months after the attack, the prospect of a rebuilt, fully functional, fully accessible city centre felt like a distant dream. It was particularly poignant for me, as I used to catch the number 50 bus just down the road on the left, outside Burger King on Cross Street. It was almost inconceivable that only six months earlier, this part of the city was bustling with life.

The bottom photo, taken early 2024, shows the remarkable transformation of this area and stands as a testament to the city’s resilience and renewal. Most of the reconstruction was completed by the end of 1999. The rebuilt and extended Arndale Centre is on the left, and the M&S/Selfridges store on the right, with the replacement pedestrian footbridge across Corporation Street.