Will Manchester’s Curry Mile replace its name as South Asian restaurants become scarce?

If you are a student in Manchester, chances are, you have visited ‘curry mile’.

Located on Wilmslow Road, in recent years, the number of South Asian restaurants along curry mile in Manchester, has dropped to 12 – only 15% of South Asian restaurants remain. 

With South Asian restaurants becoming a rarity, is it time to rename Manchester’s misleading ‘curry mile’ title?

Most of us have experienced the 142-bus route from campus. But if you haven’t, you must be one of the lucky ones.

Let me set the scene: The treacherous journey from Oxford Road to Fallowfield; you’ve waited 15 minutes for the third bus to arrive, thinking it was a tactical decision to avoid being stood with a stranger’s armpit angled too close for comfort.

However, if you caught the bus during the quieter hours, you may have experienced the luxury of finding a seat and peered onto the symbolic area known as curry mile.

The hustling streets, the restaurants reaching capacities I never thought were possible, the fluorescent shop signs illuminating the road.

My Indian aunties and uncles from Manchester were excited for me to study here. However, their main advice was: “Go to curry mile, you need experience little India”.

I was incredibly drawn to this idea. I could experience the Indian culture and cuisine from a short bus journey away.

As I arrived for the first time, I noticed the integration of ethnic restaurants spanning from Middle Eastern cuisines to Turkish steakhouses. The only restaurant’s that were less prominent were South Asian curry houses.

I began counting the South Asian restaurants along the stretch and just 12 were present. The irony of the curry mile title therefore remains incredibly misleading. 

At its peak in the 1980s, there was said to be over 80 South Asian restaurants – the largest concentration anywhere outside South Asia itself.

Its large South Asian presence allowed for culture and identity to be celebrated widely across Manchester.

So where have they all gone? With numbers dwindling to just 12, curry mile remains disconnected from its previous history. 

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Nisma, Manager of Chit ‘N’ Chaat on curry mile said:

“Curry houses have decreased due to the cost issue, curry and rice is more costly than burgers and other fast food.

We should open more Indian restaurants and we need to change the name so people know where they are actually going and what kind of food they can get there.”

The Manchester Tab asked students on whether curry mile embodies a progressively cultured society or whether the South Asian identity within curry mile is dying.

Puneet, an international student from India at MMU said, “I visited so many times, and I love the food. If there’s no Indian food… there’s no taste of home.

My recommendation is to open more Indian stores. If there are more stores, it is very good, like representation in Manchester, and see all my people have a chance to eat true Indian food.” 

Ariya, a 1st year International Business Finance and Economics student at UoM said: “If they weren’t so similar to one another, maybe a lot more would stay open.”

“Naturally, if you have more food options, then you’re going to be more successful…by diversifying the cuisines along the road, businesses  will therefore be more successful.”  

Business owners along the curry mile have complained about the the rising crime levels in the area while they also struggle to survive financially in a cost of living crisis – forcing South Asian restaurants to shut down, resulting in the decline of such restaurants. 

Although curry mile may have faded from its original name, it remains a melting pot of food and culture for students and the local community to enjoy. 

If you’re looking to enjoy a taste of South Asian cuisine along the curry mile, here are some restaurants recommendations: 

• Chit ‘N’ Chaat: Great for student budget meals starting at £5 with speedy service so great for anyone on a time crunch
• Mughli Charcoal Pit: If your feeling a bit more boujee or maybe its your besties birthday then this would be a great spot to enjoy some what Indian cuisine has to offer.
• Sanam Sweethouse & Restaurant: A great place to grab a cheeky sweet treat with over 30 traditional South Asian treats to choose from.