The Shambles

About

Shambles Square is a bustling pedestrianised piazza in the heart of Manchester, renowned for its historic Tudor‑era pubs and lively nightlife. The square was created in 1999 when the original medieval ‘Shambles’ market stalls were carefully dismantled, relocated and re‑erected to accommodate modern development, while the iconic buildings—The Old Wellington Inn, Sinclair's Oyster Bar, and The Mitre Hotel—were rebuilt and positioned to form two sides of the new square. The square’s narrow lanes and cobbled streets evoke its past as a market that once hosted meat‑butchers, now transformed into a vibrant concentration of bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. Visitors can explore the glass‑roofed public spaces, take in street performances, and enjoy the surrounding architecture that links Manchester’s medieval heritage with its contemporary culture.