The Guardian article says "We are very happy with what the city has done about the plaque," said Paul Fitzgerald, spokesman for the Peterloo massacre memorial campaign. "And it's a great victory for our group." I would have said it was the very least Manchester City could do!

The Free Trade Hall was a much more serious memorial to those people. The were demonstrating against, amongst other things, the reform of the Corn Laws which priced food off peoples tables. The act which finaly removed the last elements of those awful times was the Reform Act of 1832, allowing Free Trade and bringing food prices out of the control of the Government and landowners. The Free Trade Hall was built in the 1850s as a permanent reminder of the repeal of the corn laws and, although it was never said by the people funding it, a memorial to the people that died to bring about their repeal.

I was sickened and disgusted that the City council sold this wonderful building to private business and now all that remains is the facade. A sham, covering the so called Labour councils sell out to capitalism. The final straw, for which I was threatened with police action, was when a young homeless man selling the 'Big Issue' outside the Hotel that now hides behind the facade was 'moved on' by a liveried doorman. My language was not pleasent and I did later apologise to the doorman. It was not realy his fault.

I do now sing, on Harveys version, the last line
'Trendy wine bars stand today, on the fields of Peterloo'.

Cheers

Dave