BRUNTWOOD, the Manchester property developer and one of the North West's great arts patrons, held a competition at the end of 2013 through social media.
Although delighted and humbled to have won the poll…we are slightly bemused when you look at who we have beaten.
This was to mark the re-opening of Elliott House on Deansgate. Built in 1878 as School Board Offices - school boards were the first institution women could be legally voted into as members - Elliott House has charming details of chubby angelic children and old wizened but wise elders.
Chubby angel
The building also recently hosted Manchester Central Library while the St Peter's Square building was being refurbished. During its history Elliott House spent time as the registry office for births too.
Taking the latter fact as inspiration Bruntwood's ‘Born in MCR’ competition set out to discover which individuals the public felt have significantly contributed towards shaping today's city.
Social media decided and music was the winner despite the astonishing nationally and internationally famous roll-call of scientists, politicians, artists, actors, writers and so on associated with Manchester.
Thus during the voting process the love for home-grown musical talent reigned supreme with famous names such as Ian Brown, The Smith’s Johnny Marr and Morrissey, proving popular nominations.
The final week of the competition saw six poll-topping favourites go head to head where The Warehouse Project’s Sacha Lord took home the title of ‘Favourite Mancunian’.
Sacha said: "I'm totally blown away to be voted Favourite Mancunian on the Bruntwood Poll. Although it was my name on the poll, my name clearly represents The Warehouse Project. Throughout the years, we have won awards but none really like this. When it’s the public who vote, it really means a lot.
"It should be noted, that Bruntwood consistently support music, culture and the arts in Manchester…especially with the Manchester International Festival. They should be praised as developers and landlords and acknowledged for how they support the city.
"Although delighted and humbled to have won the poll…we are slightly bemused when you look at who we have beaten. Over the years, both Sam and myself have seen Manchester evolve from the days of the Hacienda and re-sculpted since the day of the IRA bomb.
"Winning is a huge honour and really brings home the support that is out there for what we do. But we would like to dedicate it to two Mancunians who really deserve it far more than us.. without their input The Warehouse Project, Parklife and indeed Manchester would be a very different and less colourful place in which to live place...Tony Wilson and Sir Howard Bernstein.”
