White plastic hard hat reportedly used at the opening of the National Cycling Centre, home of the Manchester Velodrome.

The National Cycling Centre opened in 1994 on the site of the demolished Stuart Street power station. It houses the UK’s first Olympic-standard indoor velodrome track. The development was a keystone in the city’s ambitious plans to regenerate East Manchester. It spearheaded a scheme that has gone on to create Sportcity, one of the largest concentrations of sporting venues in Europe, including the City of Manchester Stadium (also known as the Etihad Stadium) and English Institute of Sport. It has played host to countless international competitions, including the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The velodrome’s unique community comprises of every ability from Britain’s elite cyclists to novices and youth riders. It claims to be the busiest venue of its kind in the world, and it continues to grow and improve. It was extended in 2010 with the addition of the UK’s first indoor BMX Centre, in July 2021 it was announced that £26 million was going to be spent on the site in order to maintain its reputation as one of the world’s most accessible velodromes.