Manchester, to paraphrase John Lewis, the UK department store group, is never knowingly undersold. From the swagger of its football teams, United, the European and World Club champions and City, the world’s richest club, to that of bands such as Oasis and The Stone Roses, there are few on the planet that have not heard of this city of 3m in northern England.

Manchester and its hinterland have punched above their weight since they burst on to the scene in the 18th century as the cradle of the industrial revolution. On a plain, at the foot of the Pennine hills it was blessed with few natural advantages. Cut off from the sea, its business community eventually risked much to build a canal to bring the water – and globalisation – to it.