IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Oldham Street, MANCHESTER, M4 1LF

This striking image showing 22 worker bees is the latest tribute to those killed in the Manchester Arena bombing of 22 May 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Arena_bombing . The bee was first adopted as a motif for Manchester during the industrial revolution, and seven bees are included in the crest of the city’s arms, which were granted to the Borough of Manchester in 1842. At the time the bee represented the hard work of Mancunians and the textile mills that were commonly described as hives of activity, with the workers inside them compared to bees. But following the horrific terrorist attack, it has come to represent Manchester’s “defiant spirit”. The mural, painted on the gable end wall of the Koffee Pot café on Oldham Street, is the work of artist Russell Meeham, also known as ‘Qubek’. It was commissioned by the Manchester Evening News. Each bee, pictured swarming around a honey heart, represents one of the 22 innocent people killed in the horrific attack. This MEN article http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/gallery/manchester-bees-mural-amazing-mancunian-13137136 includes photographs of the mural being painted onto the wall.

A new mural is being painted on the gable end of the Koffee Pot on Oldham Street. It is a work in progress. When completed it will feature 22 bees representing the 22 people who died in the Manchester Arena bombing.

This newly created mural on Oldham Street consists of 22 bees and a heart around Manchester. The bee is a symbol of Manchester and 22 is the number of people who were killed at a concert in the city on 22nd May 2017. Work started on the mural on 3rd June Image and it was completed the following day.

This building site on Oldham Street, which in recent years has been used as a car park Image, is being developed by Kempton Homes who are constructing two mixed used buildings (https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/76-82-oldham-street-northern-quarter-8-5-fl-u-c.1947139/ Skyscraper City). Previously, the site was home to the art-deco United Building Image which originally housed Dobbins fancy drapery shop (http://manchesterhistory.net/architecture/1930/dobbies.html Manchester History Net) and in its later years became "Mr Ryan's World Famous 2nd Hand Shop". It was demolished after a fire in 2013 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-22121085 BBC News) and became a temporary car park. This view is from Warwick Street; for an alternative view, from Oldham Street, see Peter McDermott’s photo Image For a closer look at, and more information about, the bee mural (which will soon be obscured by the new building) see Image

The striking image painted onto the side of the Koffee Pot café in Oldham Street, is the latest tribute to those killed in the Manchester Arena bombing of 22 May 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Arena_bombing . It is the work of artist Russell Meeham, also known as ‘Qubek’, and was commissioned by the Manchester Evening News. Each of the 22 worker bees, pictured swarming around a honey heart, represents one of the 22 innocent people killed in the horrific attack. The bee was first adopted as a motif for Manchester during the industrial revolution, and seven bees are included in the crest of the city’s arms, which were granted to the Borough of Manchester in 1842. At the time the bee represented the hard work of Mancunians and the textile mills that were commonly described as hives of activity, with the workers inside them compared to bees. But following the horrific terrorist attack it has come to represent Manchester’s “defiant spirit”. This MEN article http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/gallery/manchester-bees-mural-amazing-mancunian-13137136 includes photographs of the mural being painted onto the wall.

On the back of building on Spear Street Image] is a mural by Dale Grimshaw http://www.dalegrimshaw.com/ Dale took part in the Cities of Hope event as a special guest. Here he realised one of his iconic, tribal portraits, which is dedicated to those fighting for independence in West Papua.

The symbolic bee of Manchester on the outside wall of the Koffee Pot bar and cafe.

With Art Deco detail, including stylised Ionic columns and incised geometric patterns framing the Oldham Street facade. A Thai/Malaysian restaurant at ground floor, above may have been converted to housing - the top certainly looks like a modern flat with rooftop garden.

1930s tiled facade on Oldham Street; the ground floor is now occupied by a discount clothes shop.