A historic archway underneath Manchester Piccadilly railway station remains an abandoned eyesore, years after plans were put forward to bring it back to life.

The archway was a bustling tobacco and sweet shop in the 1950s . Before that, it operated as an antique store in the 1890s.

The shop, built into an archway below the Station Approach bridge to Piccadilly on London Road , has now been left derelict for decades. It was last used as a bookmakers but, its rusting roller-shutter security doors are now daubed in graffiti and a target for people fly posting.

Network Rail, who own the building, announced back in 2021 a £50,000 project to restore the shop's façade, echoing the restoration of the front of the former shipping and goods office further down London Road in 2019.

The propo

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