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Local’s website brands Moston as a ‘ghetto’


16/ 5/2008

A CONTROVERSIAL website has been launched slating the state of Moston and depicting the area as "little more than a ghetto".

The site (www.moston-martyr.blogspot.com) run by an anonymous poster called 'The Moston Martyr', features an eight minute video of boarded up houses and businesses in the district, accompanied by text lambasting the council, private landlords, asylum seekers and vandals.

The clip has also been posted on video sharing web page You Tube.

In a blog on the site, the poster writes: "I have lived most of my life in Moston and I am appalled at the way my area has been systematically run down and changed beyond all recognition in the last five years or so.

"It seems the payoff for a new swimming pool and sixth form college has been the decimation of the area, and a massive influx of African and East European immigrants completely changing Moston Lane from a thriving community shopping area into little more than a ghetto."

The video also describes North Manchester Sixth Form College and North City's Library and Family and Fitness Centre as "white elephants" before claiming that "social misfits from all over Manchester are housed in Moston."

Eamonn Boylan, deputy chief executive for regeneration, said: "This video paints a selective, skewed and frequently misleading picture of Moston.

"Its agenda seems to be to belittle the area, maligning the strong community which exists there while deliberately ignoring the strong progress which is being made in its regeneration.

"It dwells on shots of boarded up houses which it suggests are a damning sign of neglect. But in reality these are properties bought under a compulsory purchase order by the council which are in the process of being replaced with high quality family housing for sale.

"Equally, shopping along Moston Lane has been strengthened. We have invested £1.25 million in improving the environment, there are no longer vacant units and many shopkeepers have invested further themselves."

Mr Boylan emphasised the success of the council's alleged "white elephants".

"The award-winning North City Library has been a major success story, attracting 3,500 more visitors a year than the outdated facilities it replaced," he said. "The Sixth Form College has seen hundreds of young people - 500 this September alone - enter post-16 education with higher than national average achievement rates. The Family and Fitness Centre has also proved popular.

"The suggestion that Moston's community spirit is somehow being eroded is inaccurate. While there is a growing community of newcomers, both from this country and elsewhere, it is on nothing like the scale suggested by the video's maker and they are generally living harmoniously alongside existing residents who are proud of their area and work hard to improve it."

n The Advertiser wants to know what Moston residents make of their distict. Do you feel the views of 'The Martyr' are erroneous? Are you proud of your area? Or do you have concerns? Please write The Advertiser at 17 Chaddersley Walk, Beswick Precinct, Manchester, M11 3SW or email beswick.news@menwn.co.uk.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(2)


Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   the offending (or rather offensive) item on you-tube is a subtle and sly but blatant piece of covert racism. whilst attempting to capture the moral high ground, the martyr instead gives a perfect example of what doctor johnson meant when he declared "patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" the martyr (or scoundrel as he is) is a good example to us that in this day and age, not all racists have swastikas tattooed on their foreheads.

dave f new moston
david fawcett, new moston
20/05/2008 at 13:43
   I entierley agree with the comments it was a lovely little village of shops and you could get anything you wanted they have lost all the atmosphere of the area including where i live in Waterloo street we are continually having building and no one cares what we think we are living in a building zone and this has been going on for years they have not give us a break and how they can say they are regenerating the are is behond me Eileen
Eileen Barker, Blackley
17/05/2008 at 14:10
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