Central Library tops the poll!

We are delighted to hear Place North West readers have voted Central Library as the building from the last 100 years that has had the biggest impact on the city.

According to Place North West, Central Library received several nominations ahead of voting and was among the most popular throughout the process. The venue triumphed ahead of second-placed 100 King Street, with Beetham Tower, the most popular of the 21st century offerings on the shortlist.

One nomination Place North West received from Laurie Mentiplay of WSP declared:

“Manchester Central Library is a place where people from all walks of life come together. It’s a beautiful building that lifts the spirits and engages the mind. A building full of surprises. It’s a place to read, study, apply for a job. Meet a friend. See an exhibition. A refuge from the winter cold. Manchester was the first local authority to provide a public lending and reference library. It continued to innovate with the new Central Library in 1934, and then again with a major refurbishment and transformation completed in 2014. The Central Library continues to give us opportunities to improve our lives for the better. It’s free to visit, welcoming and inclusive. For me, it’s our most important building.”

Reacting to the poll result, Cllr Shazia Butt, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure & Libraries at Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester Central Library is an iconic landmark at the heart of the city’s civic quarter and one of Manchester’s most-loved buildings as well as a’ jewel in the crown’ of public libraries countrywide. We have always invested in our libraries and Central Library’s major refurbishment 15 years ago, restoring and preserving its historic features while transforming it into the modern, relevant and accessible space that it is today, is why thousands of residents and visitors continue to come through its doors every year. And while it thrives as a library it is also a major cultural destination, a community hub, an events space and is truly a living room for the city. It brings people together providing a welcoming space throughout the year whether as a cool refuge in the summer or a warm space in the winter.”

Read the Place North West feature in full here: Central Library tops poll as Manchester’s most important building – Place North West