"From Drug Deals to Dreams: The Manchester Area Eyeing Andy Burnham's 'No 10 North'"

TO Andy Burnham, it could be the site of his new No 10 North. To locals, it’s known as “Hooker Alley”.

The new PM’s base could be built on the outskirts of Manchester city centre in the trendy area of Ancoats which has seen massive regeneration.

Andy Burnham’s new headquarters could be based in an area that has struggled with crime Credit: Steve Allen A now-bulldozed retail park is earmarked as a potential site Credit: Steve Allen

However, as well as hipsters living in former cotton mills, it is also known for street prostitution and drugs.

Wraps of heroin can be bought for as little as £20 in the area popular with sex workers and homeless junkies.

Not far from this now-bulldozed retail park, the site earmarked by government officials, a street prostitute can be seen swaying down the street in high heels and denim shorts.

Behind her on the main road lies a red-brick 24-hour massage parlour.

There are believed to be pop-brothels in the area near the Central Retail Park site as well as an Aldi supermarket and Go Outdoors camping shop.

Residents living just a few hundred yards away from the proposed government site have complained about junkies shooting up heroin or smoking crack cocaine in alley ways leading to a recent police crackdown.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) made 22 arrests in the neighbouring Northern Quarter after residents complained of junkies injecting heroin and threatening people.

Mum-of-two Dawn Campbell, 44, said: “It’s a nightmare – it’s getting worse.

“There’s lots of drug dealing which has moved from the city centre north.

“They take drugs and urinate in the streets. It’s horrible and threatening.

“The police have cracked down on drug dealing in Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre so they have just moved here.

“They all congregate in doorways or alleys and they threaten to stab you if you complain.

The area is known for drug dealing and prostitution Credit: Steve Allen Jazz bar manager Sarah Turner, 51, said the homeless have caused ‘havoc’ Credit: Steve Allen Greater Manchester Police have been working hard to clean up the area Credit: Steve Allen Andy Burnham promised it would be the ‘nerve centre’ of his new government Credit: AFP

“I’m scared to go out sometimes and worried my kids could be stabbed.

“There’s even been drug deaths – two bodies were found behind a building.

“I’m surprised Burnham wants to be a new Downing Street here – it might clean the place mind.”

Jazz bar manager Sarah Turner, 51, said: “There are more and more police here.

“But you see more and more homeless who have caused a bit of havoc.

“I know they don’t have a place to go but there’s a lot of drugs.

She added: “I think it will be a good thing if they move into the retail park.

“It will be good to use it as it’s been left empty for a few years.”

Jobless Mark Hamilton, 49, said: “I’m surprised they want to put the new Downing Street here.

“There’s been a lot of building of new flats and trendy restaurants but there’s a lot of druggies around here.

“You see the homeless walking around with sleeping bags around here. There’s brothels and massage parlours in the area.

“And there was a road nearby nicknamed ‘Hooker Alley’ as there were loads of street prostitutes there.

Near the site is a road known as ‘hooker alley’ Credit: Steve Allen The empty site is near the trendy area of Ancoats Credit: Steve Allen Drug paraphernalia can also be found in the area Credit: Steve Allen A 24-hour massage parlous advertises its services near what could be the new No 10 North Credit: Steve Allen

“You still see a lot of them.”

Retired NHS worker Cath Westwood, 60, said: “There are a lot of anti-social problems here with drugs and people with mental health problems.

“It’s down to poverty.

“Hopefully a No 10 North might change the area for the better.

“We need more police here that’s for sure.”

No official announcement has yet been made on the location for the northern Downing Street.

But it has been speculated that the government potential base could be inside the Manchester Digital Campus in the former retail park which will house nearly 9,000 civil servants when it is built in two years.

It is thought Burnham’s team is looking for a temporary office while the civil service base is being built.

The would-be prime minister said a new “No 10 North” outpost would be the “nerve centre” of his government.

Burnham, who will succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister on Monday, has pledged to shift part of his operation north.

He has called for a radical overhaul of the “broken”’ Westminster system of government, and has said he would split his time living between London and Greater Manchester.

The self-styled “King of the North” has a family home in Golborne, near Wigan.

Clive Pennington, 66 and Alistair Baker, 64, think Burnham will face significant challenges as Prime Minister Credit: Steve Allen Burnham was Mayor of Manchester before being elected to Parliament Credit: Reuters Security experts have warned it could be costly to bring fortress-level security in Manchester Credit: Steve Allen The nearby Northern Quarter is home to dozens of stylish bars Credit: Steve Allen

Security experts have warned it could cost the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds a year to replicate the fortress-level No 10 security in the North.

The new Makerfield MP has used TikTok to assess mock-ups of his promised “No10 North”.

In a video shared on the site, the former Greater Manchester mayor gave ratings to AI-generated illustrations of his proposals.

In a speech, he outlined how “No10 North” would act as “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain”, charged with making power flow to all the UK’s nations and regions.

Burnham said it would be “given a mission to strive for equivalent living conditions in all parts of Britain” as he bids to push his “Manchesterism” agenda across the UK.

The department would also have three “clear tasks” of increasing public ownership of utilities such as water, energy and housing; reindustrialisation; and regeneration.

Manchester City Council approved planning permission for the digital campus last February.

The former retail park will also have a new urban park next door.

Council leader Bev Craig: “The new digital campus plays to Manchester’s strengths.

“We have fostered one of the fastest growing tech and digital communities in the UK, with a growing international reputation.

“The transformation of this brownfield site supports our ongoing growth in the sector, which translates into quality employment and development opportunities for our residents.”

She added: “At the same time, the new park is a welcome addition to our city centre green spaces and a reimagining of the former retail site that has for many years acted only as a barrier to the community behind – and an eyesore in one of the most exciting parts of our city.”

Beth Bright, 31, thinks Burnham will be a good Prime Minister Credit: Steve Allen The run-down area is quickly redeveloping Credit: Steve Allen

Some locals are doubtful whether a No 10 North is needed and whether it can make a difference.

Retired Clive Pennington, 66, said: “Whether we need a No 10 North, I don’t know.

“I think it will just be symbolic.

“But I don’t think Burnham will have the money to make things better in the country like he has done in Manchester.”

Manager Alistair Baker, 64, said: “I think Burnham is going to have to make some hard decisions.

“He’s got to do something about welfare as a lot of money is going into it.”

However he has been given the thumbs up from Manchester’s current Downing Street less than a mile away from the retail park in rundown Ardwick.

Youth worker Beth Bright, 31, said: “I think he’ll make a really good Prime Minister.

“Part of what I love about Andy Burnham is that he’s a voice for so many voiceless towns in the North.”