King Street Shopping Area

Includes St. Anne’s Square, the Royal Exchange and Barton Arcade. This is the luxury shopping area of Manchester Centre. Not Oxford Street, or the fair match of The Canebière, but of that kind. Until economic changes finished them, this was a Northern site for Liberty’s, Habitat (two streets away), and John Lewis. If you have the interest and/or credit, this is the place. Nowadays, not much for anyone else—small shops, no Hamleys or Macys. Only useful thing is the cafe in The Royal Exchange Theatre (St. Anne’s Square)—see arguably the greatest piece of modern architecture in Manchester while drinking coffee in a calm rare in any city. Otherwise, the King Street shopping area is only a intriguing way to walk from Deansgate to the Victoria Station/Printworks area. And to look at watches and shoes.