'I lived in Cape Town where I saw dolphins and whales. Now I see machetes and hoodies'
When Ahmad Alaswad opened his shop on one of north Manchester's busiest high streets, he had high hopes of it becoming a success.
But while the eye-catching bouquets and floral arrangements regularly draw compliments from customers, they have not sold as well as Mr Alaswad had hoped."Everyone that comes in says it's a beautiful shop and we are lucky to have a florist but people here have low budgets. Aided by the council’s successful Shared Prosperity Fund bid, the plans are aimed at encouraging residents to spend more time in the centre of Moston by making it a 'greener, more attractive and sustainable destination'.
"The pictures look really good," she said. "I can't imagine it looking like that down there but if that's what they are going to do, it will be the best thing ever." Takeaway owner Sameer Khan is another fed up with the amount of crime in the area. He says he and his staff have been targeted by local gangs on several occasions."It's got a bad reputation. There's a lot of crime.
"I think the perception of the crime rate is exaggerated. You get gangs fighting in Chorlton and other areas too. It's not just here." "Hopefully that will change and it will become a place where people take pride and are happy to stay on a more permanent basis." Pride and community spirit is one thing that Moston has in abundance, according to Peter Kilian, who moved to the area from South Africa 17 years ago."I'm proud to live in Moston though. There are good and bad people here.For Mr Kilian, changes to Moston's high street cannot come soon enough."There are no flowers or colour. If the council put more interest into the area then people will take more interest as well.
"It's a major problem. I know a lot of people who would like to come and do business here but they don't have anywhere to park their car. They go to other areas where it's easier to park."
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Residents' horror after sudden tragic death in 'nice part of town'Emergency services were called to Wood Street in Darwen after a teenage girl was found unresponsive
Read more »
Police break window to free child from hot SUV on Cape CodPolice say they broke a window to rescue a toddler left in an SUV Friday afternoon on Cape Cod. The incident happened in the parking lot of a TJ Maxx in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Police and firefighters responded to the store on Teaticket Highway shortly before 4 p.m. It was sunny and 78 degrees out when the child was found in…
Read more »
Northampton 'complaints choir' to give a town a voiceResidents in Northampton will perform a work based on their grievances and hopes for the county town.
Read more »