Manchester’s Lost District: Life Before the Arndale by Keith Warrender was first published in 2019 and is an important history that some people may not know. As those who remember Manchester before the Arndale become less as the years pass by this is an important book of history. The Arndale Centre in Manchester was built between 1972 and 1979, with the first phase of the centre opening in 1975. Before it opened there was a public planning enquiry in 1968 where Manchester Corporation (council) and the developers agreed that the area’s history should be swept away and be replaced with a modern monolith of concrete and be a modern shopping mecca. Not that Manchester Council ever had a history of respecting its own city and its historic buildings when one of the Oldest Pubs in Britain and definitely was demolished with the council’s blessing. What people may not understand today is that the area where today’s Arndale centre stands was extensively used. My father had his suits made by a number of tailors in this area. In day time there were thriving boutiques, record shops, second hand bookstalls and cafes. This area was home to a very thriving nightlife, with coffee beat clubs, nightclubs, cabaret clubs and popular pubs in what was a maze of back streets and alley ways. This book brings that lost area back to life with a selection of stories and people as well as some of the places of interest. The author has also made use of the extensive photographic archive at Manchester Central Library. There are some fascinating stories of an area that is now lost forever. This proves the saying that once something is gone, it is gone forever. This a great read for those who want to learn more about Manchester and the proud history of the city. Or for those whose memories are fading and a little reminder is required.