Aberdeen's Future Can Draw On Manchester's Past

Cities seldom stand still. They constantly evolve with the macro-economic landscape, the vagaries of architecture, and the plans of developers and town halls. But every now and then a significant period of transformation comes along, with profound effects on the city and its inhabitants.

Manchester had one of those in the 1990s, as the city seemed locked in a downward cycle in the wake of deindustrialisation. But towards the end of that decade, the city began its reinvention, the first steps on the road to the thriving hub of economic activity it is today. Much of that can be put down to one man: Sir Howard Bernstein, the chief executive of Manchester City Council from 1998 until March this year.