As destinations, Dubai and Eccles are a million miles apart. The Salford suburb does not have the coastline, the seven-star hotels or the palm trees that the Emirate boasts. But local councillor Michael Felse recently told of his ambitious plans to turn Eccles into the "Dubai of the UK" and transform it into a centre of arts and technology. So we sent jet-setting reporter Ashley Pemberton to Greater Manchester to see how they compare.
Sunbathing
My first port of call was to find somewhere to soak up the rays as Britain baked in scorching heat. While Dubai boasts beaches and stunning hotel pools to sit and sunbathe, it was a bit trickier to catch some sun in Eccles. Plenty of people were sat in short sleeves outside cafes in town, but I wanted something more private. Luckily, I was able to find a discarded sofa in a park near the Manchester Ship Canal. So that had to do.
Shopping
My next stop was the Eccles Shopping Centre to see how it compares with Dubai's mega malls and luxury boutiques. Sadly, many of the shops had long since closed and it is earmarked for demolition by the local council as part of a regeneration project. On the exterior of the shopping centre, it did boast the Reel Time amusement arcade and a Cash Converters. But mostly, it was shop shutters. Nearby, a bright and well-stocked pound shop appeared to be doing a roaring trade. It was a million miles from the Dubai Mall and the owner was shocked to hear of Councillor Felse's suggestion. But he did say the town centre used to boast a bustling high street a decade ago, but has been in decline ever since. He highlighted its proximity to Media City and the Trafford Centre and argued its central location could make it a prime location for investment.
Food
Dubai offers spectacular culinary delights, such as the iconic Dinner in the Sky experience, which sees a table suspended by a crane 50 metres in the air. There was no such extravagance in Eccles, but eateries did seem to be the busiest of the businesses in the high street during our visit. In RKid's – which sticks out as a trendy, Instagrammable cafe – they were discussing the councillor's comments. Staff there thought it was a wildly ambitious aim, but they too would welcome any investment into the area to attract footfall. And they had something on the menu I doubt you'd get in Dubai... the legendary Eccles cake.
Architecture
Dubai boasts futuristic buildings and giant skyscrapers, including the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa. Nearby Manchester has been dubbed Manc-hattan by some wags due to its high rises, but Eccles is very much noted for its Coronation Street-style red brick buildings. Its tallest buildings are apartment blocks just off Church Street, the main thoroughfare through the town centre. Best Bargain, another discount retailer in the town centre, is situated in a grand Tudor-style building. Dubai doesn't have that.
History
Something else Dubai doesn't have is the history and character of Eccles. Dubai has transformed rapidly from a tiny fishing village to a globally renowned metropolis. But while it attracts social media influencers like a magnet, Eccles has actually influenced the world. I took a stroll down to the Barton Swing Aqueduct on the edge of town, a genuine engineering marvel. The only swing aqueduct in the world, it was completed in 1893 and turns into a vast tank holding 800 tons of water when it swivels the Bridgewater Canal over Manchester Ship Canal. The area nearby is run down, overgrown and has been subject to fly-tipping. But there is no reason it cannot be the Iron Bridge of the North and attract thousands of tourists with canal side cafes and be a site for school trips with a bit of TLC and vision.
Can it be done?
Councillor Felse's comments might sound pie in the sky. Obviously Eccles won't be transformed into a tree-lined paradise. But what it could do, as Dubai did, is benefit from an injection of investment to attract business and visitors. One bar owner told me footfall has died off since Covid. She echoed the shop owner's comments that there was once a steady flow of people coming into the town centre. It is just minutes from Media City on the swanky Salford Quays and the Trafford Centre, a giant shopping mall which perhaps wouldn't look out of place in Dubai. So there is money being spent nearby, it just needs a bit of vision and creativity to get some of it spent in Eccles. Maybe that's something the King of the North Andy Burnham could look into when he is finally crowned as prime minister.
