It has been an infamous part of Manchester's skyline for 144 years. It's nearby 'twin', the iconic Boddington's chimney, tumbled in 2007 when the brewery was demolished.
But the stark 234ft high Strangeways tower still looms over the Victorian jail. However a report reveals that it is crumbling - and posing a danger to staff.
It's one a number of details contained in a new report into conditions behind bars at HMP Manchester. It found the prison was dealing with the fact that inmates felt safer during the Covid pandemic than they do under the 'normal regime' and that self-harm has rocketed since things have opened up.
Meanwhile, razors have been banned, and prisoners are waiting 70 days to see a dentist and 10 days to see a GP.
On the positive side, the prison's gym service has been offering badminton, football, classes for elderly, spin classes and tennis, as well as 'excellent equipment'.
Meanwhile, there are sessions on wellbeing, meditation, acupuncture, creative arts, and support groups to 'promote positive change'. "A member of staff is currently on a training programme to facilitate yoga classes which will run for eight weeks," the report says.
The report was compiled by the Independent Monitoring Board, volunteers who ensure that prisoners are being treated fairly and humanely at their local prison or immigration facility, on behalf of the public, appointed by government ministers.
The latest inspection, the details of which have just been published, covered the period March 2021 to February 2022, when the state of parts of the building at HMP Manchester caused concern.
"Throughout the reporting year the cleanliness of the outside areas surrounding the central tower has been poor as litter has collected there and not been cleared up because access to the area has been restricted," the inspectors found.
"The crumbling brickwork of the grade 2 listed tower has become hazardous to all personnel. Because of its listed status, agreeing a method of repair with the various agencies interested has not been easy or quick and was still not resolved at the end of the reporting year."
The report adds: "The long promised installation of security windows has still not started and the difficulties in agreeing a scheme of repair for the central tower has meant that an area of the grounds cannot be entered for safety reasons. This area has become a collecting point for litter and other debris and no doubt a breeding ground for rats and other vermin."
The prison, which has room for 727 inmates, has undergone a major change in the last 12 months, switching from a local prison with a category A demand facility to a category B long-term training prison, whilst retaining the category A remand function.
The report says the prison’s main function is to prepare prisoners for progression to category C and resettlement prisons, through training, education and reducing risk. But during the last year a significant number of category C prisoners have remained at HMP Manchester because of Covid-19 restrictions.
The prison had a steady decrease of self-harm in the early part of 2021, with prisoners apparently feeling safer under lockdown conditions.
"This reduction mirrored trends shown across the prison estate throughout Covid as prisoners reported feeling safer with less conflict as a result of not having to mix with others in places such as the workshops and on the exercise yards," the report says.
"Covid restrictions and isolation meant many of the drug/debt/bullying issues that had caused stress to prisoners previously had been removed. Self-harm rose sharply in September 2021 and has remained higher since then. This rise coincides with the regime opening up more with prisoners being allowed to return to mixing in larger bubbles, more gym sessions, visits recommencing etc.
"This may have impacted on how safe prisoners felt. This rise in self-harm also coincides with increased Covid-related staff shortages. "
HMP Manchester had the fifth highest rate of assaults on staff in the long term high security prisons in the country pre-Covid, yet currently it is ninth, "showing a marked improvement" compared with other jails, the report found.
The report adds: "The reasoning cited by prisoners for violence in four months out of 12 was issues with staff. HMP Manchester is embarking upon various initiatives to improve this issue."
Meanwhile, the prison is a project to remove razors and replace these with electric shavers to reduce the risk of bladed attacks, making Strangeways one of a few prisons in the country to be ‘razor free’.
However staffing levels are a concern. "It is the view of the Board that under normal regime prisoners do not currently feel safe in the prison but we note the various actions and initiatives the prison is putting in place to address this.
"The biggest obstacle to fair and humane treatment of prisoners in this reporting year appears to be inadequate or fluctuating staffing levels.
"This has caused unfair and inhumane treatment in various ways ranging from category A, segregation, and CSC prisoners not being able to attend medical appointments to inconsistency and delay in the key worker programme."
The waiting times for dental treatment was described as' completely unacceptable' 70 days. "The delay for dental treatment has been caused by Covid restrictions but the Board would hope to see it addressed and reduced in the next reporting year," the report says.
Meanwhile, inspectors found the biggest source of complaints from prisoners was delays in transferring property from other jails.
A Prison Service spokesman said: “We are pleased this report recognises the efforts of staff to improve safety and reduce violence at HMP Manchester.
“Repair work is due to begin in early 2023 and we recently announced a generous pay offer of 4% for frontline officers, with an extra £3,000 for some of the lowest paid, helping us to recruit and retain thousands more staff to protect the public and rehabilitate offenders."
A government spokesperson said that in 2021, the Ministry of Justice commissioned an extensive programme of repairs to address the issues around the fabric of the prison, which includes a partial roof repair of the main buildings, replacing cell windows and refurbishing a tower block.
They also revealed that all prison staff, except for the very highest paid, will receive a pay award of at least four per cent. Lowest paid staff will also receive up to £3,000 depending on their grade. This will take effect from Autumn."
The prison service says HMP Manchester changed the local process for cell clearance and handling prisoner property over summer, adding, "early feedback on the new process has been positive to date."
HMP Manchester's landmark tower functions as an extraction tower for the heating and ventilation system. It was constructed between 1866-68 and designed by Alfred Waterhouse, famed for Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
The structure was first listed in 1974 for its "special architectural or historic interest." Made from red brick with sandstone in Minaret style, according to Historic England it has "an arched recess in each side, a perimeter gallery with brick balustraded parapet on stone corbels, and a domed cupola with louvred openings in the sides and cast-iron cresting to the roof. A very prominent landmark in this area of the city."
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