[image]
Salford is the main Town of the City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. Historically it was part of the county of Lancashire until the creation of the Metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in 1974. The city lies to the northwest of Manchester, within the conurbation of Greater Manchester. The adjoining cities are divided by the River Irwell. At the 2001 census, the metropolitan borough had a population of 216,103, though the town of Salford has 72,750.
It gave its name to the ancient hundred of Salford, sometimes called Salfordshire.
The old medieval centre of Salford was located next to the River Irwell, on the opposite bank to Manchester. Old streets such as Greengate and Gravel Lane formed the market area. However, the centre moved during Victorian development, with new municipal buildings appearing along the Crescent. As Manchester gained importance, Salford's ancient centre became less vital and the area around Greengate and Salford Bridge shows no signs of the historic importance to the area.
Salford was one of the UK's first industrial cities and gained status at the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Vast areas of the city were re-developed in the 1960s and 1970s, with the traditional terraced housing giving way to concrete tower blocks and austere architecture. It has taken until the last decade to rectify the mistakes made during these years, and the city is beginning to benefit from new landscaping and modern housing projects.
[image]
The city was once considered a maritime centre, with vast docks constructed along the Manchester Ship Canal. From here, locally-produced goods were shipped all over the world. These docks have now closed and the area has been re-developed, with extensive housing, leisure and shopping facilities. Salford Quays houses Salford's main tourist attractions: Imperial War Museum North and the Lowry Centre, an arts centre comprising of 2 theatres and 3 galleries. The latter is named after artist L. S. Lowry, many of whose works can be seen at the centre.
The city is linked to Manchester by the Metrolink tram system, which runs near the docks area to Langworthy and Eccles. There are also railway stations at Salford, Salford Crescent, Swinton, Eccles, Patricroft, Irlam, Walkden and Moorside.
There is a shopping precinct at Pendleton, with smaller shopping areas at Eccles, Walkden and Swinton. Originally, the area around Liverpool Road was a shopping hub, but this has long since declined. Currently, the city has no city centre, sharing its CBD with nearby Manchester. Salford Quays has been shortlisted as a possible Salford city centre by 2020.
The main NHS medical facilities are located at Hope Hospital, near Eccles. The former Salford Royal Hospital was closed in the early 1990s.
The University of Salford was awarded university status in 1967. It is one of four universities in Greater Manchester and has approximately 19,000 students.
Salford's first annual film festival held at the Red Cinema in the Lowry Outlet at Salford Quays in 2003 was a huge success. The second, in November 2004 achieved similar results, showcasing some new local talent.
In early 2005, Riga appealed to the EU to advise people against travelling to Salford after a Latvian man was stabbed in the head in Broughton. However, local government insist that Salford is a safe place to visit.
Salford is a city of contrasting demographies. Whilst the area immediately adjacent to Manchester City Centre, Salford Quays and suburban areas to the far west of city such as Worsley are relatively affluent, other parts of the city are some of the most deprived communities in the UK. In August 2005 a survey by Channel 4 television rated the city as the 9th worst place to live in the UK (based on a citeria of crime, education, environment, lifestyle and employment).