A read back through the last few hundred pages would probably answer the questions however:
Border control is the Home Office's area (whatever they are calling themselves these days) - length of queue is usually directly related to how many staff they choose to put out. I imagine the airport would be delighted if they upped the numbers, but especially in these times of austerity (unless we are talking Heathrow when the Olympics are on) can't see it happening.
Not a big fan if the shopping walk in T1 myself, but it's hardly a MAN exclusive - increasing numbers of airports do it. They need to find revenue from somewhere since the locos screwed them into the ground on passenger fees.
Sounds like you departed from the bussing gates - went from there myself a couple of months back. Not particularly salubrious I agree, but not much different to most airports who use bussing.
To misquote Basil Fawlty: "What were you expecting from a Manchester Airport terminal window? Sydney Opera House? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest surging majestically across the plain?"