Long layover in Manchester
 

I will arrive Manchester, England at about 7am on a Sunday morning and depart at about 7pm. So, what would you recommend I see or do or, at least, where I should I eat luch?

As with most cities in the U.K. they roll up the sidewalks early on Sunday. If you get to city center during the middle of the day head to the Triangle area. There are two pubs where you can sit outside, have a pint, and people watch. The Zinc Bar has decent food, and across the street is a huge gutted warehouse that has been converted to a theater complex with a Hard Rock, and various bars. If you like BBQ the exception to the normally mediocre English style is Nandos, a company started in South Africa. For about 10 pounds you can get a half chicken, 2 sides, and a beverage. Not cheap, but then what is over there?

You can walk the city, it's big for them, but is about the size of Des Moines downtown. You can shop of course, but given the weak dollar there isn't anything over there you can't get here less expensive. The people are very nice, a lot like our midwest, like London is a lot like New York. Enjoy your stay.

Head downtown on the train to Piccadilly Station and then catch a tram out to Salford Quays and visit the Imperial War Museum North, very interesting. :)

And next to the IWM North is The Lowry - if you are there on the 31st July you'll see the Salford Triathalon

Other possibilities are stadium tours of either Manchester United's or Manchester City's grounds

See http://www.visitmanchester.com for a few more ideas

Not a problem for OP as he has to be back fro 7:00pm

Bigger problem for OP is that nothing much will be open until about 11:00am, he may as well get the train to Manchester then have a long leisurely breakfast at the station whilst reading the Sunday Times

If you like shopping you should check out the Trafford Centre, which is close to the Stretford Metro station.

Mind you, you may prefer something other than visiting a city. I always enjoy Manchester, but it's the evenings that makes the place, I find. However... There are direct trains from Manchester Airport to Southport, which is a classic British seaside town, and also to Huddersfield from where you can get a bus to somewhere such as Holmfirth, a town in the Pennies, with good walking, farmer's market, decent pubs for Sunday lunch, etc.