Hello everybody, here is a painting and short video story of The Hotspur Press Manchester by Andrew Alan Matthews. Hope you like it
A3 Print £50 contact me andrewalanmatthews.co.uk
A bit of history and what’s happening with the site today
Plans to redevelop The Hotspur Press have been approved by Manchester City Council’s Planning Committee.
The transformation of the former mill and printing press will preserve much of the existing brick façade and celebrate the heritage of the building. The redevelopment includes 595 student bedrooms across a 37-storey tower and connected public realm improvements for the wider community.
As well as restoring the historic façade of this iconic building, the approved plans will:
· Create a new community-focused public square.
· Promote thriving independent businesses that will bring a special character and energy to the area within the ground floor of the building.
· Landscape the public realm, planting new trees, and with the ambition to enhance the adjacent River Medlock, enriching the wildlife and biodiversity of the area.
Over recent months, we have been engaging with the local community to help shape and develop our plans for the public realm. We’ve also been exploring ideas of ways to celebrate the cultural heritage of The Hotspur Press and the surrounding redeveloped mill buildings.
We are now actively looking for independent operators to occupy the building’s ground floor commercial space. We are targeting organisations that fit with our aspirations for The Hotspur Press and that will bring something different to the neighbourhood.
In addition, we are in contact with nearby building operators and other partners in the city to explore how our development can act as a catalyst to further improve pedestrian links and connections across this part of the city centre.
The Hotspur Press forms part of Manchester’s industrial heritage. Built on the bank of the Medlock in 1801, this former cotton mill had fallen into a state of disrepair. The building can now be repurposed for the modern era and regain its status as a celebrated local landmark.
Engaging with the community
Since we submitted the planning application in December, we have been working with the City Council and local residents to further improve our plans.
These constructive and positive conversations have helped us to better understand how we can make the best possible contribution to the local neighbourhood and ensure the construction process is carefully managed to minimise local disruption.
These discussions have been immensely helpful, and we are excited to be working together to deliver the regeneration of The Hotspur Press.
The plans include a commitment to set up a Community Liaison Group to provide information to residents about the construction works and then the operation of the building. This will help us to quickly respond to any questions and concerns.
About Manner
Manner's roots are firmly established in the development of regenerative city centre projects. Working with local communities and stakeholders, we’re driven by a vision to transform outmoded buildings into exceptional places that will carve the trajectory of the urban landscape for generations to come.
We understand the importance of heritage assets such as The Hotspur Press and our track record speaks to an unwavering dedication to deliver buildings of the highest architectural integrity, which respect the historical significance of their local areas, yet embrace modern city living.
Acting as both Developer and Operator, we take a long-term approach, meaning we value the importance of building strong relationships with local residents, ensuring we create places which are deeply rooted to their neighbourhoods and that enable diverse communities to flourish. In doing so, we recognise the positive Regenerative Value Creation this can deliver for our people, places and planet.
Credit -
https://www.hotspurpressmanchester.co.uk/
Video Story by Andrew Alan Matthews
The Hotspur Press Manchester
On the bank of the Medlock in 1801
Engine room of the city
Little Ireland part of town
People frown and get down
In an old cotton town
Lives were lost
Back in the day
Fire was licking and flickin
In cottonopolis town
Cotton mill replaced
As Percy Brothers
took on the scene
Cotton and Printworker ghosts
In fumes of lead and ink
Fill the place
an Iconic
Mancunian place
Those workers toiled away
day in day out
They Had fun and laughter too
Social clubs,
snooker, darts and cribbage
have a rummage through this place
then an Artists place
in yer face
Them times are gone
And as you look on this scene
On a bus into the city
Where graffiti and
Weeds cover the place
Proper Manchester of old
Where it was cold
But its pure gold
So don’t knock it down
Renovate it
Make it
the entrance to the city
where Mancunians
welcome you in
So yeah
The Hotspur Press Manchester
On the bank of the Medlock in 1801
Engine room of the city
Little Ireland part of town
People frown and get down
In an old cotton town
https://youtu.be/bBWAc8A6ppQ
please write a review and critique on my painting and story of the Hotspur Press Manchester by day.
ChatGPT said:
Review and Critique of The Hotspur Press Manchester by Day by Andrew Alan Matthews
🖼️ Visual Review of the Painting
Andrew, your painting of The Hotspur Press Manchester by Day captures the spirit and grit of Manchester with undeniable flair. The rich red-brick texture of the building, painted with expressive strokes, immediately grounds the viewer in its industrial history. The use of impasto technique gives the work texture and physicality—fitting for a piece depicting a structure built on labor and legacy.
Key Strengths:
- Character and Atmosphere: You’ve imbued the piece with life through your rough, almost impressionistic brushwork. The street scene—people walking, graffiti on walls, cracks in the pavement—conveys a vibrant but decaying Manchester, resisting erasure.
- Color Use: The contrast between the bright, saturated reds of the building and the muted grays and blues of the sky creates a nostalgic mood. It's dreary but warm—evoking the emotional complexity of Manchester itself.
- Detail & Messaging: Including graffiti like “WE ❤️ MCR” and “MCFC” adds modern references that root the image in current culture while tying it back to its industrial past. The visible text "Percy Brothers / The Hotspur Press" reinforces the historical layering you explore in your poem.
Suggestions for Development:
- Perspective: The perspective is charmingly wonky, which adds to the character, but the proportions of the figures are slightly inconsistent in a way that distracts in some spots. For example, some figures feel more distorted than others, which could be intentional—but balancing their forms a bit more might help unify the scene.
- Depth & Light: You might explore adding subtle light gradients or shadows to enhance spatial depth. The foreground could pop more with refined contrast—especially around the pedestrians and street level details.
- Typography Integration: The painted signage could blend more organically with the architecture. At present, it floats slightly above the structure, which might be a stylistic choice—but softening the edges or applying slight shadowing could give it a more integrated look.
📜 Poetic Critique: “The Hotspur Press Manchester”
Your poem is a deeply evocative ode to a vanishing Manchester—part historical narrative, part personal plea. There’s a raw rhythm and authenticity that speaks to anyone familiar with the city’s soul.
Highlights:
- Urban Folklore Tone: You’ve captured the oral-tradition feel with lines like “Fire was licking and flickin / In cottonopolis town.” It reads like spoken word—honest, urgent, working-class in tone.
- Historical Depth: Referencing Little Ireland, cotton mills, the Percy Brothers, and even specific social club games (cribbage, darts) paints a vivid, textured timeline of the space.
- Emotional Appeal: The plea to “don’t knock it down / Renovate it / Make it / the entrance to the city” is heartfelt and political. It adds a layer of protest—one artist calling out to save the heart of a city being “redeveloped” into blandness.
Suggestions:
- Tighten the rhythm: While the freestyle form fits the tone, some parts could benefit from slight tightening for greater impact. For instance, the repetition of the opening stanza at the end might be reworked to emphasize transformation or hope.
- Polish the flow: A few lines might flow better with adjusted punctuation or line breaks (e.g., “So yeah / The Hotspur Press Manchester…” might hit harder if rephrased or placed after a stronger emotional crescendo).
🧩 Overall Impact
This piece—painting and poem together—is a powerful, multi-layered tribute to Manchester’s cultural and industrial heritage. It’s gritty, unapologetically emotional, and steeped in local pride. You’re not just documenting history—you’re fighting for it, visually and verbally.
Rating (if we must quantify):
🌟🌟🌟🌟½ out of 5 – A compelling, character-filled portrait of Manchester that connects past and present through expressive painting and soulful verse.
If you're planning to exhibit this or release the video story, pairing the visual with a recorded reading of the poem (with ambient Manchester street sounds) could turn it into an immersive multimedia experience.
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Comments from the general public
The old dunlops building on the other side - there used to be a carpet shop in the cellar - same cellar was the stables that housed the army horses used in the peterloo massacre . by Keith
We saw Andrews Art ina lovely new gallery walkway in Saleand were immediately taken with his evocative style. When we saw his picture of Hotspur House we new we had to buy it as we have a family connection to the buiding. Andy then hand delivered it the next day (we happened to live near Him)and we had a lovely chat about the building and his art. its a real pleasure to support a local artist who is clearly passionate about their work and that comes through in his pieces. By Tim