LET'S ALL LAUGH AT MANCS

Ten years ago most of middle Britain was laughing at Manchester. Yes, it had a thriving music and club scene, many of its inhabitants could get away with wearing flares and tie-dye shirts, and even its sleeping giant football teams were beginning to reawaken.As the wrapping comes off the new Manchester in time for the Commonwealth Games, the city centre has been reborn. Outposts of regeneration are flowering in the west - through culture, museums and Manchester United, and in the east through the Commonwealth Games and Manchester City. The spirit and tradition of Mancunian confidence and creativity has been taken and expressed in terms of the built environment.

The regeneration effort built around the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 - is held up as the epitome of best practice in regenerating post-industrial cities. Focus on the little things, on creating public spaces that people want to use, on mixed-use developments exploiting those spaces throughout the day, on iconic buildings that capture the attention of the world and help cement civic pride, and innovative design that reflects heritage but looks to the future.

In the west of Greater Manchester, Salford Quays and Trafford Park have also been undergoing a transformation. The murky canals are now part of an impressive cityscape that features the Lowry museum, Old Trafford football stadium and the new Imperial War Museum North. All are connected to the city centre by the new Metrolink tram system. The trams are not going to be running to east Manchester in time for the opening of the Commonwealth Games later this month. But developments there, marshalled by the New East Manchester development company, are equally impressive.

All of which combine to make Manchester an attractive place to live. But can shops, museums, and cinema multiplexes alone really turn cities into economic powerhouses?

In spreading wealth to all areas and communities, transport links and basic education facilities are still essential. Such projects have longer time horizons but essentially this month represents the culmination of a 10-year campaign to make Manchester a great place to live, and to provide the basis for investment. It's certainly looking good but whether real regeneration and vitality can be built on this will be the real test.