I worked in the Millyard for several years, in a software development company. Most of the buildings in the Millyard are owned by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway.
The main street was dead back when I worked there (late '80s - early 90's), and it didn't look any livelier as of 6 months ago. One of the restaurants they mention, "Cotton", unfortunately replaced a better Italian restaurant.
The brick row houses near the Millyard originally were worker's homes. Now they're mostly split up into tiny apartments.
The illegal gambling goes on in the private "ethnic" clubs, such as the Franco-American clubs. Used to be lots of French-Canadians in Manchester; haven't heard that accent in years.
I also know ex-mayor Bob Baines (Democrat) from our previous lives as teachers.
Don't go out of your way to visit Manchester. Nothing special and slightly run down. However, there are some very nice homes in adjoining Bedford. And I love the convenience of Manchester Airport.
>>Millyard
As a radio buff, I noticed a year or two ago that 96.5 FM
(now classic rock) re-dubbed themselves "The Mill"
Seemed to me like there were at least some good restaurants and some nightclubs, and it's good that Verizon Arena seems
active (they were supposed to have some Disney on Ice
show there yesterday). I noticed "Cotton" while driving
and walking.
>>Used to be lots of French-Canadians
While I was eating at Strange Brew Tavern, I noticed one TV had sound down (may have mentioned this) and it was apparently a Canadian TV station via cable or satellite
(from Sherbrooke--graphics in French. What's the weather
in "l'Estrie"--the Eastern Townships...?)
As for being run down, maybe so in spots (some old mill buildings haven't been rehabbed yet) but it looks like
some signs of life. I enjoyed a Fisher Cats game there last year. And my one time using Manchester Airport worked out
well ($8 a night to park!). It was a hour's drive from
Beverly MA where I lived, and I caught a cheaply priced
Southwest flight to go to Nashville (and then drove to
Memphis). Easier to deal with (and cheaper parking)
than Logan.
>>and it didn't look any livelier as of 6 months ago
and now that you mentioned it I went into an indoor mall
on Elm St. (connected to a building with IRS, etc.) and while there were some shops and a post office, there _were_ a lot
of empty shops. But maybe Manchester can get some more
businesses in. Who knows; it was a nice sunny day yesterday
and I was in a good mood, so maybe I had rose-colored-glasses on if you know what I mean. But still kinda funny how the
sarcastic "ManchVegas" nickname came about, and some could
hope that maybe with time there will be more reasons to
visit the Queen City...