The barriers up in front of Withington Library are the first obvious clue that things are about to change. Work has started on a new public square in the trendy suburb. And it could transform the look and feel of the area.
The plan is part of a move to revamp the neighbourhood to make it feel more open and welcoming for pedestrians, creating new public spaces and greenery.
Manchester City Council said the changes are aimed at turning the popular area into a place where people are proud to live and work, with the project funded from a pot of £2.8 million from the government. The money is being split between Withington high street and Moston high street. Withington's sum from that pot sits at £2.1m, with the cash only allowed to be spent on upgrades to its high street.
READ MORE: The trendy Greater Manchester suburb waving goodbye to its 'last cheap food shop'
Withington has crafted a name for itself as a bohemian corner of Manchester, known for its mix of bars, cafes and public art.
But this year it lost two of its popular food and drinks venues after the closure of Cafe Blah, whose owners staged a sit-in after claiming they were kicked out with little notice, as well as the loss of cult burger chain Almost Famous which was based on the site of the Old District Bank.
Shoppers and traders welcomed plans to revamp the centre of Withington, but said the area faces lingering problems with anti-social behaviour.
Redesigned with a 'pedestrian-first' approach
Plans for the suburb include closing a section of Wellington Road outside the library and turning it into a bigger and 'more welcoming' space, as well as changes to how the area looks by planting new trees.
Copson Street will be part-pedestrianised between Wilmslow Road and Patten Street as part of the plans, with improvements to lighting and public seating. They'll stop vehicles entering apart from cyclists, loading and unloading vehicles, and access for blue badge holders.
Davenport Avenue will be made one-way towards Wilmslow Road, taking cars off the road and making the street less busy for local drivers.
Rippingham Road will be made one-way westbound, rather than eastbound, and a one-way southbound route will be introduced along Wellington Road from its junction at Lausanne Road.
A council survey found more than 70 percent of locals would support plans to redesign the area with a 'pedestrian-first' approach.
Gavin White, the council's development lead, said the plans are aimed at increasing footfall in the area, which in turn should be a boost for local businesses.
"Meeting friends, holding community events and simply providing more space for living is what this project is all about," he explained.
Leah Newton, 31, is the owner of Ice Shack in Withington, an established dessert café based in front of where the public square is being built.
Ms Newton, who also lives in the area, said there is real excitement about what the changes will mean for the future of Withington.
"I'm ecstatic that it's finally starting, I can't wait for it to be done," she said. "It's so important to have events and public spaces to create a sense of community."
The problems in the area are the same as any other busy high street, she added, explaining that traffic tends to dominate the roads at busy times of day.
She says Withington has a "real problem with anti-social behaviour," but that changing the layout of the roads and creating more space for people to meet could make a big difference.
She is also excited about local businesses and people being able to use more public spaces to host events such as markets.
"We've lost a lot of small and independent businesses, so to get more people into the area is going to be fantastic," she added.
"A lot of businesses on Copson Street are worried about losing parking spaces, but I don't think it will be as bad as they think. Sometimes it's like taking your life into your own hand at night down there. This will make it feel so much better.
"I'm really looking forward to having somewhere the community can meet, it will be so nice giving people an outdoor space to use."
'There's not really anywhere to sit'
Carol Gillingham, 65, lives in Stockport but is a regular visitor to Withington.
She explains that the area offers something different to other parts of south Manchester, proudly displaying public art on shops and walls around the district centre.
But Ms Gillingham worries about the lack of spaces for people, with most of the area being designed for cars, and she would like to see a better mix of shops such as in Didsbury.
"I think it's a brilliant idea [the new square], we have to make things easier for pedestrians, there's not really anywhere to sit here," she said.
"More trees would be good too. If it makes it a bigger area with more flowers then that's a good thing.
"I think there is a lack of shops, there are some but not much other than the charity shops and takeaways."
Cedric Woodhouse, 77, agreed, and said redesigning the roads will make Withington a better place to visit.
He added: "This is a place where people feel proud to live, but it's a good idea, having this gets rid of traffic.
"It will be safer for people, you get these idiots on their bikes going up and down here and it can be dangerous. The road is always busy."
'It's a great place for students'
Based up the road from Fallowfield, Withington is a popular haunt for the city's students.
Bus routes on Wilmslow Road offer easy access to university campuses in the city centre, and many students look to live in the area for its access to jobs at the many cafes and bars in the area.
Eugenia Gamper, 20, is a student who visits Withington regularly, but questions whether the money could be better spent on other projects such as creating better cycling links.
She said: "It's bad for the cars but good for people, but I'm not sure we need a new square here. There are other things the money could be spent on.
"It's a great area, a little expensive, but very studenty. It's got a strong sense of community, people want to come here."
Adele Botha, 24, works at Withington's Fuel Cafe Bar, an independent vegetarian venue which also puts on gigs.
She welcomed plans for a new square and said the area is a place which draws people in.
"I always gravitate here so it must be a good area, and people come through to go to other places such as West Didsbury," she said.
"There's a lot of competing places in Withington, Almost Famous was seen as a burger place that you can go to once and then you've done it.
"Cafe Blah closed because of a different situation, not lack of customers. But it's a really good idea to change the square."
Creating a new 'focal point' in south Manchester
The work outside Withington Library started on November 4 and is set to continue until late December.
It will see the removal of the refuge island, sign changes, and bollards taken out.
Work will start again at Rutherford Place and Copson Street in January 2025, lasting until March, with drivers warned that traffic management will be in place while the changes take place.
Once completed, it will bring about major changes to the area, with council bosses hoping it will transform Withington into a safer, greener, and more welcoming place for locals and visitors.
Coun White added: "As a council we are keen to continue investing across all our district centres, making genuine and lasting improvements that will greatly improve their amenity for local residents.
"On top of this we understand how improved access and public space can increase footfall, provide improved space for businesses to operate and act as a magnet for increased economic opportunity for the area.
"Pride of place is something that we are deeply invested in, and through this scheme we want to provide residents of Withington a public square and surrounding amenities that not only make them feel proud, but areas that can act as a focal point for something more."
