We are meeting up in Piccadilly at 11.45. We have Manchester Samba band who are coming to play for us (thanks :)) and we hope to have a giant teapot, cup and saucer with food to give away for free and popcorn. Its a mad teaparty for a mad world. Come dressed as madly as possible at short notice!! Its a fluffy event, and we hope to have interesting and decorative things for children to do. There shouldn't be any problem with the police because they gatecrashed a meeting so they know about it.

The serious political bit is that is Mayday and we are angry about the rip-off of public space in Manchester. (thats Sat May 1st, btw, NOT Bank Holiday Monday).

I found this info on Piccadilly which is interesting, but I can't find
anything more out about future plans for selling off the rest of the land to the company that built the hotel (unsurprisingly really) although we've been told its happening.

Manchester Piccadilly gardens was originally a clay pit. In late 18c Lord
Moseley donated the land to the people of Manchester for public use. An
infirmary was built there with landscaped public gardens. Extensive bombing
during the war cleared the site of buildings but the gardens survived. In
the 50's and 60's it was a popular space where public events were held and
families enjoyed the gardens. Since then the City Council allowed the
gardens to decline. Even after Metrolink arrived in 1992, the gardens were
left to deliberately deteriorate so the ground (by now potentially a
valueable commodity) could be sold.

A public consultation exercise was carried out before the redevelopment
began. People were asked to contribute to comment books. 99% of people did
not want any building on Piccadilly gardens.

So the City Council went ahead, stole the land of people in Manchester and
sold a third of Piccadilly to build the office block 'Piccadilly One'.

The original plans passed for the 'development' included moving the tram
lines to make up for the lost garden space and creating horticultural
gardens on the site. Unsurprisingly this hasn't happened.

Reclaim Piccadilly Gardens.