Harpurhey

Harpurhey is an inner-city area of Manchester in North West England, approximately three miles north east of the city centre. The population of the ward taken at the 2011 census was 17,652. It has a large daily market and shopping district, as well as local police station and leisure centre. In 1981, Asda opened a large anchor superstore as part of the new Harpurhey district centre, now known as North City Shopping Centre. It was the last store that the then Managing Director of Asda, Peter Firmston-Williams opened before he left the company in the same year. Areas of Harpurhey include Kingsbridge Estate, Barnes Green, Shiredale Estate and Baywood Estate.HistoryHarpurhey is recorded in 1320 as Harpourhey, meaning "hedged enclosure by a man called Harpour", who owned the area in the 14th century.This small township, at one time called Harpurhey with Gotherswick, lies on both sides of the road from Manchester to Middleton, extending westward to the Irk. In 1830 it was described as abounding in pleasant views. It has long been a suburb of Manchester.GovernanceHarpurhey was included in the Parliamentary borough of Manchester from its creation but was not taken into the municipal borough until 1885. It ceased to be a township in 1896, becoming part of the new township of North Manchester.Harpurhey is within the Blackley and Broughton constituency, which has been represented in the House of Commons by Labour MP Graham Stringer since 2010. Harpurhey is one of the most economically deprived areas within the Greater Manchester area.