Do you think Manchester and Salford would be better off as one city?
It’s a suggestion that has been asked at various times in the past and recent comments made by the BBC’s Mind the Gap host, Evan Davis, has brought the question up again.
On Monday’s show, Davis suggested that Salford’s MediaCityUK site should be said to be based in Manchester, as opposed to Salford.
“It’s a serious problem for Manchester that other people refuse to be called Manchester,” he said on the programme.
“It (Salford) should be called Manchester.”
The comments have incensed some people with the Mayor of Salford, Ian Stewart, disagreeing with Davis’ view believing it has and always will be known as Salford.
Here at MM, we wanted to find out what other people thought about a merger and we took to the streets to ask:
Should Manchester and Salford be merged together to create a ‘super-city’?
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Options |
Results |
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Yes |
57% |
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No |
43% |
The research gathered highlighted that only 57% of the people asked thought that it would be a good idea to merge the two cities as most Salfordians bravely stood up for their area.
Meanwhile, the majority of Mancunians believe that a merger between the two cities would be a good thing.
Callum Baxter, 27, a Business Development Manager from the Northern Quarter, supported the concept of a ‘super-city’.
“I used to live in Salford and they’re quite protective, but I think a merge of Salford with Manchester could only help,” he said.
Retired Stuart Elliot from the area of Salford’s Lowry also supported the idea of the two cities merging and said: “Manchester is much better known and we want to bring businesses into Salford.”
However, Retail Manager Stephen Cook from Chorlton-cum-Hardy wanted to protect the establishments that Salford has built up over the decades.
“No – despite the potential economic advantages,” he claimed.
“What would happen to things like Salford University?”
In 2012 the University of Salford actually made a small step towards what would be a huge merger between the two areas by rebranding itself as University of Salford Manchester.
Sarah Brown, 36, a stay at home Mum from Eccles, Salford, told MM: “Yes we should include Manchester in Salford’s name. Then we can showcase what Salford has to offer and bring in tourists.”
Baker Hannah Tracey, 24, from Stockport, also agreed that a merger of Salford into Manchester would bring in the visitors.
“As long as the people that live there are happy it would be great and would open up the city further to tourists,” she said.
Anna Akram, an 18-year-old University of Manchester student from Whalley Range, said: “I think it should be called Manchester – a lot of people in other parts of the country don’t even know where Salford is.”
Market Researcher from Bury, Sheila Kingley, 73, supported Salford’s independence though.
“It is an independent city. It’s always been lapsed by Manchester.”
Market vendor, Asad Mohammed, 30, from Oldham said: “I think it’d improve Salford with funding from Manchester. Then we can regenerate it.”
Cheetham Hill-born florist, John Young said: “It would bring a bad reputation to Manchester. Salford has very little to offer. The council would be better off putting money in housing in the North East of Manchester.
Employees from outside of the Manchester area also had an opinion on Salford’s potential status change.
Forty-four-year-old hotel manager, Katie Ashby, from Stoke-upon-Trent said: “I assumed that Salford would already be part of Manchester by now.”
Picture courtesy of Pit-yackman, via wikimediacommons, with thanks
