When Manchester Council announced major restoration work on Chinatown’s historic archway earlier this month, Vera Wong first heard about it on the radio. The next day, a letter arrived at the restaurant where she works, informing her of the planned works, with scaffolding placed over the monument just a day later.
“There’s been very little notice about the whole thing,” said Vera, a manager at the China Buffet restaurant. “I feel there has been a very real lack of consideration for those that live and work in Chinatown.”
Council cites safety risks for sudden start
Manchester Council said it was beginning an 18-month-long project to “repair and restore” the Grade II-listed imperial arch, a gift from Beijing about 40 years ago, due to elements that have degraded over time and now pose a risk to those passing underneath. The council said immediate safety risks meant a thorough consultation could not be done beforehand.
Most people in the area understand the importance of the project, but many feel not enough was done to inform and prepare those in the area in advance. Vera, whose parents ran the New Hong Kong restaurant in Chinatown for 15 years, described the scaffolding as “an eyesore - it’s a literal barricade”.
“Nobody I have spoken with has said they were given much notice in advance about this. I keep getting messages from people asking me if Chinatown is now closed,” she said. “I understand that obviously they need to restore it and renovate it for health and safety reasons, but for it to take 18 months is a bit crazy. I think they should have got in touch with the business owners and consulted with them.”
Business owners voice frustration
Jay Tran, a content creator behind the viral Chinatown Series account on social media, works alongside a number of businesses in the area. He said many owners he has spoken to are unhappy about the handling of the project.
“There certainly wasn’t enough notice,” said Jay, whose parents run the Pho Cue restaurant on Falkner Street. “It just shows the underlying issue that we have been facing in Chinatown for a long time where I don’t feel like we are often included in the conversation properly.”
David Law, owner of TLa Arts & Craft Gallery on Nicholas Street for over four decades, said he only truly realised the extent of the works after reading parking suspension signs outside his shop. “The work on the archway is needed, yes,” he said. “But I think those involved could have been more sympathetic towards the businesses around here and maybe figured out a way of doing it all in a slightly tighter timeframe than 18 months. It’s just an archway - it’s not like it’s a 70-storey building.”
Festival and future concerns
Vera said the council’s decision to erect the scaffolding ahead of the Mid-Autumn festivities, a long-standing Chinese tradition giving thanks for the harvest, angered some members of the community. “It really affected the celebrations here because people did not know how to get in or weren't sure whether Chinatown was open or not,” she said of last week's event. “It’s the second largest festival in the Chinese calendar and it just feels like a very bad time to do it so suddenly without much warning.”
Vera and others are also concerned about the impact on Chinese New Year celebrations in 2027, which will fall at the start of February. Due to predicted timings, construction is also likely to still be in place for the 2028 occasion. “Manchester’s Chinese New Year celebrations are huge and the parade always goes through Chinatown,” she said. “If that can’t happen then it’s going to look awful and not feel authentic.”
Both Vera and Jay fear for businesses in the area, warning that some may not last the 18 months of construction. “I do fear for a lot of the owners here,” Vera said. “People may decide to avoid the area altogether because of the works, or not realise things are still open.”
David remains optimistic. “The restaurants and the shops will still be open, it will still be a vibrant place to go,” he said. “I do feel like Chinatown is thriving now the most it ever has since the pandemic. I don’t think the work on the arch will stop that.”
Council responds to concerns
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council described the archway as a “treasured heritage asset” and said it had become “increasingly apparent” that urgent restoration works were needed. The council said the sudden nature of the project meant communication with residents and business owners was not possible in advance of the immediate scaffolding, but added that additional engagement will take place throughout the works.
“The safety and wellbeing of our residents is paramount and the reason this project has begun so suddenly is to ensure that the area was made safe for residents and visitors following further recent deterioration. Therefore, we could not engage earlier or communicate with residents in advance of scheduling the work,” the spokesperson said. “The needs of the local business community are also extremely important to us and we will be speaking with them directly to set out detailed information about this restoration process and what additional support they may require as it goes on.”
On Thursday afternoon (September 24), a consultation meeting with Manchester Council and many of Chinatown's businesses was held where a number of concerns were discussed and addressed.
