Is Manchester still undergoing a rejuvenation programme

Asks Janis

A. It is almost complete and will be by the time Manchester hosts the Commonwealth Games later this year. Many of its old buildings have been cleaned and new ones built and many slum areas and seedy districts have been revamped.

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Most of the work on Manchester's urban facelift have taken place in the aftermath of the IRA bomb that ripped out most of the city centre in 1996. The redesign and rebuilding of the city centre was undertaken very professionally and the work completed quickly - so that Manchester could get back to normal as quickly as possible.

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Today, Manchester is the centre of "urban cool" and a city well worth visiting for its clubs, pubs, bars, restaurants, theatres, shops and its thriving gay community.

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Q. Can you recommend any good places to eat and drink in the city centre

A. Some of the best include the following:

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Simply Heathcote's: see's local Michelin starred chef Paul Heathcote back on his home turf with a mixed menu of local working class dishes alongside Mediterranean staples - the food here is fantastic and the surroundings huge and minimal are really impressive. Address: Jackson Row.

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Manto: this is one of "the" places to be seen in Manchester, the food is great and its balcony tables overlooking the canal are a real prize if you arrive at the right time. Address: 46 Canal Street.

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Metz: sells good Eastern European food and is located in an old converted warehouse almost opposite Manto, and just as popular.

Address: 3 Brazil Street.

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Mash & Air: another trendy restaurant located in a converted cotton mill by Oliver Peyton. Address: 40 Chorlton Street.

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Bar�a: located in old railway arches in the Castlefield area, this restaurant sells excellent Spanish food. Address: Arch 8 & 9, Catalan Square.

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Abbaye: is a popular Belgian mussels and beer joint in the heart of the Gay Village. Address: 44 Canal Street.

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Citrus: can be found behind the Central Library and sells Mediterranean food in an incredibly relaxed atmosphere. Address: 2 Mount Street.

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Green Room: attached to the theatre of the same name, this is a fantastic veggie caf� open in the evenings as well as at lunchtime. Address: 54 Whitworth Street West.

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Dry 201: this was one of the first designer bars in town and still draws the crowds; it is popular but a bit pretentious. Address: 28 Oldham Street.

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Dome: trendy brassiere with Mediterranean food and bar snacks in fantastic circular lobby. Address: Lloyd House, 24 Lloyd Street.

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The Beer House: no food here, but it stocks over 30 brands of beer so is well worth a visit. Address: 6 Angel St.

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The Circus Tavern: is the city's smallest pub and a favourite with locals. Very cosy and comfortable if you can fit it. Address: 86 Portland Street.

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Dukes 92: Another converted warehouse selling fab food at very reasonable prices, and lots of beer too. Address: 92 Castle Street.

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Q. Can you recommend any good sight-seeing spots within the city centre

A. When you're tired of shopping or hanging out in the multitude of trendy bars and restaurants, there is actually a lot to see in Manchester. Some of the best sights include the following:

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Refuge Assurance Building & Town Hall: located on Oxford Road and attached today to the Palace Hotel, this fantastic building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and completed in 1891 and was originally one of the grandest and imposing buildings in the city (and still is today) - it has a huge clock tower and dome. Waterhouse also designed the earlier and incredibly impressive Town Hall (in Albert Square), it was completed in 1877.

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John Rylands Library can be found on Deansgate and is part of Manchester University, but you can take a daily guided tour of the building for �1. It dates back to 1890 when it was founded by John Rylands' wife Enriqueta as a memorial to her husband and his theological work. It is famous for housing over one million books in its general collection, and more particularly for the Bible collection - it has Bibles written in over 300 languages.

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Manchester Cathedral & Chetham School: more than four churches have been built on the present site of the cathedral, which date back to the 9th Century. The cathedral's choristers are all trained at and attend Chetham's Hospital School, near the cathedral. Its library is famed for the fact that Marx and Engels used to study there.

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Pump house People's History Museum (Bridge Street) records the lives and protests of the North's working class over 200 years. The collection here features government cartoons, posters, charter and press coverage.

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Castlefield: Although full of trendy bars and caf�'s today, this area is the home of the Bridgewater Canal - the country's first man made canal - which brought coal to fuel the mills and warehouses of the Industrial Revolution. It is also home to an actual castle in the field - in reality an old Roman fort that dates back to 410AD. You can also find the Museum of Science and Technology here. For more information on the history and rejuvenation of this area, contact the Castlefield Visitor Centre at 101 Liverpool Road or telephone 0161 834 4026.

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Manchester Museum: incongruously, this has been one of the main centres of Egyptology since the early 1890s.

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Whitworth Gallery: is home to modern art in the city and has some major works from 1880 onwards.

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Lowry Centre: located in Salford Quays, the Lowry Centre houses the most extensive collection of his work in the country.

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By Karen Anderson