Hi, I have been trying to contact the above using the number you give on your web site 0161 234 3158. This is Manchester Town Hall who are unable to (or will not) transfer the call to the Information Centre. They say it is in a different building and they do not have a regular land line number (surely not). I have called 0161 234 5000 who are Manchester Council who say the exact same thing as the Town Hall. Can someone out there help me with a direct land line number for the Manchester TIC. Thanking you in anticipation.

Well they always used to be in the town hall extension. Yep, it's a seperate building, but it's still linked..

MCCs whole page advert in the current phone book (Manchester Central, 2009/10 p321) states at the top "Call our main switchboard number to ask for any services" - 0161 234 5000.  Then lists all the departments below, mostly geographic numbers, but tourist information does stand out with the 0871 number you quoted.   If switchboard are being awkward when you call them, you could point out that this is what it says to do!

It's daft really - the main people who would call TI would be visitors, who will mainly rely on mobiles or payphones or, worse, hotel phones!  These all charge a fortune for 0871 numbers...

What was the number in the phone book if it was not the 0871 number that I have? I do not have a local Manchester phone book so am unable to check it out myself. Thanks.

oops, sorry disregard that last message - you said it did stand out with that number - soz, I read it too quickly the first time!! Am not usually as daft as that!

Well I did exactly what you suggested and called the council back and asked to be put through as that is what it says in the phone book!! The receptionist was very nice and told me that she could not and she did not understand why the phone book was saying that. She transferred me to the communications officer who told me that the TIC is now not council run and is run by Marketing Manchester who are in a different building and do not offer a regular land line number. She did however say she would call the TIC herself to get a number from them and get back to me. I received a call from the TIC direct who apologised there was no regular land line number and knew that any 0870 or 0845 was more expensive to a lot of people. So I got the information I wanted from the TIC without even making a call!!!! But unfortunately I am not able to help anyone with any other number than the one I already mentioned. I even tried 1471 and of course the caller withheld the number! I still do not believe there is not a regular land line number.

Quote:

.....the TIC is now not council run and is run by Marketing Manchester...

The Marketing Manchester website http://www.marketingmanchester.com/  give their geographic number as

0161 237 1010

as well as an actual address which is definitely not the Town Hall.

Interesting - that number is on the Tourist information web site under 'contact us' but says it is for the webmaster and if you want to submit information about an event or gig, but tomorrow I will call it to see if I can get through to the information centre itself and if I do, I will post the number on the saynoto0870 website. Thanks.

btw - the 0161 237 1010 number for Marketing Manchester is also given on www.192.com with two different addresses:
56 Oxford St and 77 Dale St

Well surprise surprise - just got home from work and called the number for Marketing Manchester and when I asked for the tourist info centre the guy on the phone said they are in a different building but I can give you their phone number and then amazingly he said "Let me give you their direct number rather than the 0871 number." I never even had to ask - how awesome!! So I am now about to add 0161 234 3285 to the web site. And it works cos I called to see who answered. Thanks to both of you cos without the banter back and forth I would not have called the Marketing Manchester number.

Thanks, ashmax. I've removed the other (old) entry and verified yours.  :)