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Piccadilly #19

The imposing five-storey building built of Portland Stone in 1928 on the corner of Oldham Street and Piccadilly was once the flagship Woolworth's store in Manchester SJ8498 : Woolworth's, Manchester. At the time it was the largest Woolworth's store in Europe.

On May 8th, 1979 a deadly fire started around 1pm. A damaged electrical wire in the vicinity of piled furniture started a blaze that resulted in 9 shoppers and one staff member being killed. So significant was the fire that it resulted in the routine installation of sprinkler systems, which Woolworth's didn't have, in large retail stores. It also led to changes in the material used in soft furnishings to reduce the hazards created when the stuffing was exposed to fire.

For many years it has been Noble's amusement arcade SJ8498 : Nobles Amusements but they have now been evicted and there are plans to develop the building into an hotel and shops.

In front are bus-stops for services towards Ashton under Lyne and Glossop.