Within the minds of locals over a certain age, there lies a nostalgic recollection of bustling shops, homes, and pubs that once thrived in the heart of the city.

Originally built in the mid-19th century as residential terraces called Beckford Terrace, all that remains today are faded echoes of the vibrant area and a strange homage within The Marlands shopping centre.

A part of the busy city centre, the street blended into the background of everyday life. It went unnoticed by most, despite being used by almost all, until the abrupt arrival of the bulldozers signalled its impending demise.

Winding past the old Hants and Dorset bus station, Manchester Street, similar to the adjacent Windsor Terrace, buzzed with a variety of local shops and a constant stream of activity.

Daily Echo: The old Exeter Hotel and in the background the Bakers Arms in Manchester Street

At peak hours, the bus station was packed with commuters coming and going. After a long day, some individuals would make a stop at the basement of the wine bar at the end of the street.

The street was also home to a shoemaker, a laundry service, a financial institution, a skilled watchmaker and engraver, and downstairs was the barber shop of Percy Horn.

Extending towards Western Esplanade, a row of interconnected terraced houses lined Manchester Street, leading to Above Bar where it met the former men's clothing store, Dunns.

Hidden beneath layers of modern construction on Manchester Street lies the forgotten history of the Exeter Hotel, a beloved public house with origins tracing back to the early 1850s when the initial Exeter Inn first graced the very same location.

Daily Echo: Empty homes on Manchester Street awaiting demolition in 1968

Not far away, at the intersection of Cliffton Terrace and Manchester Street, was the Baker's Arms, a historical pub dating back to the 19th century that ceased operation in 1964.

Over time, Manchester Street underwent a transformation. The landscape evolved as the houses and pubs vanished in the 1960s, followed by the razing in 1988.

The demolition wasn't without protest. Locals tried to save the street's shops with last-minute efforts.

Daily Echo: The last houses left standing in Manchester Street with the twin chimneys of the old power station looming over, the Lido on the left and right in the distance the cruise ship Canberra alongside the Western Docks.

The construction firm agreed to move part of the street stone-by-stone and rebuild it as part of the shopping centre. This never happened.

In the present day, only a replica facade in the Mall Marlands shopping centre stands as a reminder of the once vibrant Manchester Street.