The plan to bring flowers back to piccadilly gardens

THE REDESIGN OF PICCADILLY GARDENS, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO COST 'THREE TO FOUR TIMES MORE' ITS ORIGINAL £27M BUDGET, TAKES ANOTHER TWIST. ETHAN DAVIES REPORTS 07:10, 01 Jun 2025 Any

discussion about Piccadilly Gardens’ future tends to head in one direction: A plea to return it to the rose garden layout of the 20th century. “No need for any design team, just put back the

wonderful sunken gardens,” said one _Manchester Evening News _reader when the council appointed LDA Design Studio to redesign the plaza in summer 2023. Countless images of the rose garden

on a bright, sunny day in the early 1960s are certainly attractive, especially when compared to the chaos Piccadilly Gardens can see on a near-daily basis. But those nostalgia-tinged photos

of the roses hide a darker truth, that Piccadilly Gardens was a dangerous place even with flowers, and the sunken garden allowed thugs and yobs to hide from view. That’s why the council has

categorically ruled out reinstating the rose garden for years in the ongoing refurbishment project for years now. Article continues below But since the _M.E.N. _revealed there is a plan to

fix the space, but council chiefs can’t afford it currently, sources also say the refurbishment will include ‘floral element’ in the redesigned Gardens, but they have been clear it is not a

return to the rose garden. Instead, there will be a nod to the flowers of the last layout, it’s understood, and the council is expected to release more details later in the summer. Sources

also said the authority seriously examined the prospect of moving the Parker Street bus station outside City Tower in an effort to reduce the strain on the square. However, the council found

it proved logistically difficult without creating more congestion in the city centre and instead, the bus station will undergo a makeover to make it a more welcoming space, they added. A

council spokesperson confirmed it is working with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) ‘to secure vital investment’ for the bus station. The spokesperson added: “Piccadilly Gardens is

something that Mancunians rightly feel strongly about. We share the public’s desire to see improvements to Piccadilly Gardens and it’s something we’re working hard behind the scenes to

address. “This includes the work that’s been done to improve the feel of the area such as the investment into the Pavillion and demolishing the unpopular wall - making the area feel more

open - to attracting hugely popular events, the much-needed work on security and safety with the GMP, and indeed the work with TfGM to secure vital investment into what is a very busy bus

hub for the city. Article continues below “We will be sharing an update in the next few months on both our immediate plans for the next few years and our longer term aspirations of better

connecting Piccadilly Gardens to the station, Market Street and the Northern Quarter. “Piccadilly Gardens is a much-used space, with thousands passing through its heart everyday. We know

that visually many people find Piccadilly Gardens grey and uninviting and we are looking at how we can make them more attractive, in line with overall aspirations for a clean and green city.

“At the same time, we are looking at how we accentuate the elements of the Gardens that work best, from the well-used children’s playground to the grassed space which was so well used

during the recent heatwave.”