The funeral of Castlefield visionary Jim Ramsbottom will be held on Thursday with a procession leaving from the historic area he rebuilt.
The funeral cortege will begin at Castlefield at 11.30am to honour the father of five and grandfather of 16.
Mr Ramsbottom saw potential in the area which had become desolate after being at the heart of Manchester's Industrial Revolution.
He bought what is now the Dukes 92 bar and restaurant, a former car garage which used to be a stable block for horses pulling boats along the Rochdale Canal to serve the office workers in the area.
He also bought Eastgate at the start of Castle Street, the Grade II listed Merchants Warehouse, which survived devastating fires and bombings from World War Two, Bass warehouse next to Duke's and the Albert Shed site which was a former tool shed.
Inspiration for his revival of Castlefield, a former Roman fort called Mamucium and also known as Mancunium, came when it was declared the world's first urban heritage park in 1982 and Mr Ramsbottom pieced together a property portfolio.
The Salford-born entrepreneur spotted Castlefield's potential as a bookmaker with a shop on Liverpool Road at the corner of Deansgate.
The former Salford Grammar School pupil had an interest in local history and became familiar with Castlefield.
His eldest child Sarah McDermott told us previously: "The word used again and again about my dad is visionary.
"Castlefield was industrial and derelict but he could see it.
"He never took the easy path, my dad."
In 1981 Mr Ramsbottom also turned The Mark Addy in Salford into one of the area’s biggest and busiest wine bars fronting onto the River Irwell.
His wife Jean, a former district nurse, ran The Mark Addy and had a financial role in his company.
His restaurant, hotel and bar group Elle R Leisure remains a family firm with his son, three younger daughters and daughter-in-law continuing his legacy after he suffered a stroke 12 years ago.
Mr Ramsbottom died suddenly at his home in Wilmslow on Friday March 12, a week before what would have been his 82nd birthday, after suffering from an aneurysm.
His funeral service at 12.30pm and burial will be held at Agecroft Crematorium for immediate family only inside the chapel with Covid restrictions still in place.
