Gong Hei Fat Choi

….OR HAPPY NEW YEAR OF THE DOG AS WE SAY IN MANCHESTER
Manchester is proud to be the UK’s second biggest Chinatown and it is 70 years since the 1st Chinese restaurant the Ping Hong opened on Mosley Street in 1948.

During the late 1950s & 60s, Manchester welcomed many Chinese migrants and Chinatown became firmly established in the very heart of the city.

By 1960, 16 more restaurants were open and the boom continued well into the ’70s with notable names such as the Kwok Man in 1972, Charlie Chan’s in 1973 and probably the most famous Chinese restaurant in Europe, the Yang Sing in 1978.

Kwok Man Restaurant

In the 30 years that have followed, Manchester’s links with China have gone from strength to strength. In 2013 the Manchester China Forum was established and 4 years later the city has seen tremendous progress in its engagement with China, investment into Manchester’s infrastructure has grown enormously and now totals over £3 billion, including large investments such as Airport City.

Dragon and Lion Dances

The relationship was further deepened in 2015 when President Xi Jinping visited the city, marking the first time a Chinese president had visited a UK city outside London. There is now a direct Manchester to Beijing air route, and this has had a major economic impact on Manchester and the north. UK export values from Manchester Airport have increased to £200 million per month and the link has generated a visitor spend of £140 million in the region.