Shopping

Not only does Manchester offer a vast number and variety of boutiques, shops, galleries, and crafts centers, but it's also one of the best hunting grounds for bargains in all of England.

Most of the larger shopping areas in the city are pedestrian-only. These include King Street and St. Ann's Square, full of exclusive boutiques and designer stores; Market Street, with its major chain and department stores; Arndale Centre, Manchester's largest covered shopping center; and the revitalized Piccadilly and Oldham streets, for fashion, music, and plenty of bargains. Deansgate Street is not pedestrian-only but does have a lot of adventure-sports shops.

For the young at heart, interested in everything from World War II RAF bomber pilot gear to outrageous club wear, it's one-stop shopping at Affleck Palace, 52 Church St. This complex provides 50 of the most widely varied shops in the city divided among four floors.

Antiques & Fine Art -- Those who like rooting through dusty stacks of stuff in search of treasures will find Manchester and the greater Manchester area prime hunting grounds. More pricey antiques can be found along Bury New Road in Prestwich village, just outside of Manchester.

Arts & Crafts -- You can rack up a lot of one-of-a-kind items while exploring the many shops devoted to craftspeople and their art. For ceramics, glass, textiles, jewelry, toys, dollhouses, and the like, visit the exquisite Victorian building that houses Manchester Craft Centre, 17 Oak St. (tel. 01618/324274).

Markets -- Here in the north, markets are a tradition and offer you a chance to jump in and barter with the locals. Tourists tend to steer clear of them, so this is a great chance for an authentic experience.

Though markets tend to sell everyday items and foodstuff, some stalls are devoted to flea-market goods and "antiques." Market days vary throughout the city, but you're bound to find at least one in full swing each day of the work-week.

The major ones include Arndale Market and Market Hall in Manchester Arndale Centre, Grey Mare Lane Market and Beswick District Shopping Centre in Beswick, and Moss Side Market and Moss Lane East in Moss Side.

Mill Shops -- Manchester is an industrial stronghold with lots of textile mills. Most mills used to have a store, or mill shop, on-site where customers could come to buy mill goods. Today, more and more of the mills are setting up shop in towns across the country.

Bury New Road in Cheetham Hill, near Boddington's Brewery, has a great selection of factory shops, discount stores, warehouses, cash-and-carry outlets, and street stalls on Sunday mornings. Some of the stores along this road do not sell to the general public and others require a minimum purchase.

A. Sanderson & Sons, 2 Pollard St., Ancoats (tel. 01612/728501), is one of England's most famous brands. The shop is right outside the heart of downtown and easy to get to. It's clean, modern, and fun to shop for fabrics by the yard, as well as bed linen, draperies, wallpaper, lampshades, and cushions.