“It’s the heart of our City”- Salford residents reflect on 50 years of Salford Precinct

50 years have passed since the Salford Precinct opened, which first consisted of bustling shop fronts and high-end retailers. But despite being hit by the surge of high street closures, the Precinct is still utilised and loved by many Salford residents daily.

With its initial opening in 1972, it’s hard to imagine the city without it for many Salfordians. For shoppers like Jenny Ashcroft, 54, it’s a one stop wonder that’s been here longer than many residents. “It’s been here almost my whole life, I have a lot of memories in these streets.

“The precinct gets a lot of slander, but for people like me who have lived here our whole lives, seeing shops leave just makes me sad. It’s such a big space that many people, especially the older generation, still use to see their friends and to shop. It needs work but I would be sad to see it gone.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey for Salford’s Shopping City through the years, with many major retailers shutting down, leaving many shops empty. But what lays under the big red arrow represents a great piece of Salford history to many.

Initially, the plans for the shopping centre in the 1950s hoped to offer 260 potential shops, along with a hotel and 2000 parking spaces. But, due to Planning Chairman, Albert Jones, serving jail time for corruption, the Precinct never got the hotel and drastically cut down its units to 96 shops.

Having a community within Salford is important to many, and having an accessible shopping centre is key to that for a lot of residents. Janet Crawley, 78, acknowledges that Salford Shopping City is a key component in her social life.

“I’m here most a lot, sometimes just for a cuppa. I like the little community that’s built up by us here. I live alone but I always know just popping down”, she said. “I will see someone to talk to. It really is the heart of this city, well for me at least.”

In celebration of half a century achievement, the Precinct now also has its own artist in residence, Chelsea Entwistle. She started painting iconic Salford Landmarks in Lockdown, in celebration of the city.