IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Portland Street, MANCHESTER, M1 4PZ

See Image for some notes about Vantage buses. This is fleet number 39257/

From its junction with Oxford Street.

Traffic is effectively gridlocked northbound on Portland Street even in mid-morning, due to closure of several main roads while more tram lines are imposed on Manchester's city centre. The scene in the rush hour can scarcely be imagined. In Manchester in 2015, it's often quicker and less stressful to walk across the city centre than use public transport.

Striking former warehouse with a bravura twenty-three bay arcade to Portland Street. It was built c1860 by P. Nunn for Louis Behrens & Sons. Grade II listed. Behrens was a prominent banker who built this for multiple occupation to no doubt swell his coffers. It now forms part of Bruntwood's portfolio (ubiquitous local property developers) with shops at street level and offices above.

The elite runners waiting for the start of the Manchester 10k run. The great Ethiopian, Haile Gebrselassie (who eventually won) is on the extreme left of the starters.

Inscribed stone on the side of the Circus site. "These buildings are erected on land forming part of the original endowment of Humphrey Booth who was born in Salford in 1580 and set up the Charity of Humphrey Booth the Elder by a Deed of Foeffment dated 18th February 1630 to aid poor needy or frail people in Salford" The Circus site at the junction of Portland Street and Oxford Street, contains a number of large leisure units including a 228-bed Premier Inn hotel, two bars, a Boots outlet and a Circus Casino owned by Genting Group.

Grade II listed. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-456061-127-133-portland-street-

Historic record on the outside of a modern building known as "The Circus" (Image) "HUMPHREY BOOTH THE ELDER These buildings are erected on land forming part of the original endowment of Humphrey Booth who was born in Salford in 1580 and set up the Charity of Humphrey Booth the Elder by a Deed of Foeffment dated 18th February 1630 to aid poor needy or frail people in Salford" The charity is still in existence, and was merged in 1846 with other endowments by the Booth family, and forms part of what is now the Booth Charities (http://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=221800&subid=0 )

This is the building bearing the name of Humphrey Booth in Image

I was struck by the changing array of lighting dots, but was unaware of what the camera shutter appears to have captured. Is that an arrow guiding me into this casino, or is it a coincidence I am over-interpretting?