Dave Moutrey, HOME’s Director and CEO, said: “It is exciting to be able to announce details of our fantastic reopening programme of exhibitions and film screenings at HOME just a week after we told everyone about our plans for theatre at our temporary outdoor venue, Homeground. Between HOME and Homeground, we promise a Summer of brilliant film, art and theatre for the people of Manchester.”

Award nominees and films you may have missed

In its opening weeks, HOME will be showing a number of nominees for the Best Picture Oscar – Minari, Sound of Metal and Judas and the Black Messiah amongst them – plus key films previously available to audiences for online viewing only.

Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream, while Judas and the Black Messiah tells the story of Fred Hampton, the gifted civil rights leader who rose through the Black Panther party to became chairman of the Chicago chapter. Sound of Metal stars the mercurial Riz Ahmed as Ruben, whose precarious, nomadic rock life is threatened when he suddenly goes deaf after a gig.

Image: Sound of Metal part of HOME Manchester May 2021 reopening programme

Francis Lee’s Ammonite, which previously had one screening at HOME to close the BFI London Film Festival, is a fictionalised account of the life of the 19th century paleontologist Mary Anning, played by Kate Winslet with Saoirse Ronan as the gentlewoman who falls in love with her while staying in Mary’s beloved Lyme Regis.

Also on the big screen for the first time will be County Lines, Apples, Muscle, Undergods and the brilliant and BAFTA and Academy Award nominated Quo Vadis, Aida? There will also be a chance to see the documentary Poly Styrene: I Am Cliché, examining the life of Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band. Co-directed by Celeste Bell, Poly Styrene’s daughter, the film was previously available to stream via the HOME website.

HOME’s Q&A series will also continue, including a chance to hear Billie Piper talk about her first film as writer-director, Rare Beasts, which opens on 21 May.

Details of all the films to be screened at HOME this May can be found via homemcr.org/reopening2021.

A season of films on filmmaking

From 7 to 30 June, audiences will have their first chance to enjoy a new film season at HOME since FilmFear in October.

The process of making films, with its trials and tribulations, power struggles and self-doubt, has been a rich subject for numerous filmmakers, both established and emerging. The Reverse Gaze: Filmmaking on Screen will look at the act of creating images and more generally the process of artistic endeavour, offering along the way an analysis of the film industry and the personal struggles within it.  

The season will include Wim Wenders’ The State of Things, Atom Egoyan’s Ararat, with a recorded introduction from the director, and David Fincher’s Oscar-nominated Mank, which imagines screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his development of the screenplay for Citizen Kane.

Also in the season will be the 1960 classic Peeping Tom, and Fassbinder’s damming reflection on the process of filmmaking, Beware of a Holy Whore, introduced by Andy Willis, HOME’s Senior Visiting Curator: Film and Professor of Film at the University of Salford.

There will also be a special preview screening of Censor, set in 1985 where after viewing a strangely familiar "video nasty", Enid, a film censor, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister's disappearance, embarking on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and fact. This special preview screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Prano Bailey-Bond.

The full line-up for the season can be found on the HOME website.

All cinema seating will be socially distanced, meaning capacity is limited, and pre-booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

Two new exhibitions

In HOME’s main gallery space, Soul Journey to Truth, presented in association with Koestler Arts, will open on May 17.

The exhibition has been carefully curated by Lady Unchained (Brenda Birunji), who has selected over 130 artworks ranging from drawings and paintings, to pieces of writing and music. All the works are entries to the 2020 Koestler Awards, an annual scheme run by Koestler Arts, the UK’s leading prison arts charity, to promote artistic achievement in the criminal justice system and secure sectors.

Lady Unchained is an acclaimed London-based performance artist and poet, who is the Founder and Creative Director of Unchained Poetry, an artistic platform for artists with lived experience of the criminal justice system. Her mission is to prove that there is life after prison and challenge the ‘ex-offender’ label through creativity.

Admission to the exhibition is free, but tickets should be booked in advance as capacity will be capped to allow for social distancing.

The exhibition, which is sponsored by Timpson, is a trailblazer for the Ripples of Hope Festival presented by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, which will bring together together the arts, business, communities, activists, NGOs and the public to tell a new local and actionable story about human rights - one that is rooted in communities and the everyday.

The festival will take place in Greater Manchester from 15 to 19 September, with Soul Journey to Truth providing an early opportunity to find out more.

An online launch event, Is there Justice in our justice system?, will see Jude Kelly speaking to Brenda Birungi, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC and Nazir Afzal about how people end up jail, the experiences inside, and then what the future holds for ex-offenders.

Elsewhere in the HOME building, the Granada Foundation Gallery, which can be found on the first and second floor of HOME, providing a way to combine art with a social visit to HOME’s restaurant or cinema bar, will feature Sarah-Joy Ford’s Feeling Backward: a quilter’s guide to The Lesbian Archive.

The exhibition uses quilt to look back at lesbian pasts and take pleasure in the return to the images, iconographies and symbols that have been used to invoke lesbian strength, power and community throughout the 20^th and 21^st century: Sappho, the interlocking Venus, the labrys and the Amazon woman. But it is also an act of mourning the disappearance of the lesbian archive, dyke lands, lesbian history walks and lesbian spaces.

Marking Refugee Week this June

Horizons Festival, HOME’s annual celebration marking Refugee Week, will also return from 12 June to 18 June.

This year’s festival embraces the national Refugee Week theme ‘We Cannot Walk Alone’, taken from Martin Luther King’s iconic I have a Dream speech; the speech that called for all people of all backgrounds to join together in the fight for freedom, a rallying call which resonates across time and space.  

Presented by HOME in partnership with Community Arts North West, the festival celebrates the enduring power of creativity and the incredible international artists who have made Manchester their home, with a provocative and stimulating programme of film, theatre, music, performance, and discussion, presented live and online.

Among the many highlights of this year’s festival will be a day of music and spoken work on the Manchester Stage at Homeground, HOME’s temporary outdoor venue, featuring performances from Luma Trio, North West Turkish Community Association Dance Group, Afrocats Youth Showcase, Gazelleband, Bayan Ensemble and Gemima Band.

More details of the festival programme will be announced in the coming weeks.

Restaurant reopening

HOME’s café and restaurant will also reopen on 17 May, with advance table bookings available online from today.

The news of the programme comes just over a week after HOME announced they will be opening a temporary outdoor venue for theatre and culture, Homeground, on Friday, 28 May. The new venue will host a series of events suitable for a broad audience, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Alice in Wonderland as well as collaborations with Contact, Trans Creative and Z-Arts.

The venue will allow HOME to provide theatre in a safe, socially-distanced and enjoyable environment before indoor theatre returns to the building later in the year.

For more information, visit homemcr.org/reopening2021

The Science and Industry Museum has been awarded £4.3m by the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to transform the museum’s environmental sustainability and place zero carbon technology at the heart of the museum’s visitor experience.

The museum explores how ideas can change the world, from the industrial revolution to today and beyond, on a globally significant industrial heritage site. In the 1800s, a well was built (in the lower ground floor of the world’s first railway warehouse, the museum’s Grade I listed 1830 Warehouse) to harness the power of the ground water. This natural resource will now once again be utilised by the installation of a new water source heat pump network including bore holes along with the latest green technologies.

This is a visionary, sector-leading project where the original and modern combine for a sustainable museum of the future.

The funding will enable an annual reduction in CO2 emissions for the museum of 515 tonnes (equivalent to the average C02 emissions of over 30 UK homes per year) on completion of the works, improving every year as the electricity grid decarbonises through increased zero carbon generation. It will support the Science Museum Group’s goal to reach a net zero target of 2033 (announced today as 17 years ahead of the national target) and Greater Manchester’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2038 (12 years ahead of the national target).

£2.6 million will enable the Power Hall (currently undergoing urgent restoration thanks to £6million from the DCMS) to reduce C02 emissions by 60% by 2030 through enhanced roof insulation and glazing to improve energy efficiency, an electric boiler and  water source heat pumps to heat the space and now power the historic engines sustainably, and a new building management system to monitor and control energy use of this iconic gallery.

The funding will place carbon literacy and zero carbon technology at the heart of the museum’s story and visitor experience. It will transform the Power Hall into a landmark symbol of the future, as well as of historic engineering.  As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Manchester and the industrial heritage buildings of the museum (including the Power Hall) were the catalyst for scientific innovation and unprecedented change worldwide. Powered by fossil fuel, past industry has been a major cause of climate change, the most pressing challenge facing our planet. Now, the Power Hall will help prime future progress through inspiring future scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators in developing careers and skills to help achieve a green economy and the next (green) industrial revolution.

£1.7 million investment site-wide will pave the way for total electrification of the entire museum’s heating system, through additional an air source heat pump and a new electricity substation, enabling the museum to increase power to its seven-acre site sustainably (with 100% of electricity already purchased from renewable sources). Additional measures include LED lighting for the historic 1830 warehouse and instant hot water and a new building management system to monitor and control energy use of the New Warehouse which will enable a 65% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 of this key space which houses the main visitor welcome, Revolution Manchester, Textiles and Special Exhibitions galleries and the museum’s shops, café, bistro and conference centre.

Director Sally MacDonald said: “The museum’s site represents where science met industry and the modern world began - what happened here changed the world, triggering a revolution in trade, technology, travel and time. We are delighted that this funding will enable us to continue to innovate as we create an environmentally sustainable museum for the future.” 

Edward Clark, Programme Manager at Salix Finance, said: “We’re really pleased that the Science and Industry Museum has benefited from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. Installing multiple technologies, including air and water source heat pumps, roof insulation and glazing across several sites is a great step for the museum towards reaching their carbon management plans and net-zero target.”

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme was launched in September 2020 and offered grants of up to 100% of the cost of upgrading public buildings in 2021. The £4.3m funding for the Science and Industry Museum follows the £78m Government funding announced to support energy efficiency upgrades to more than 150 public buildings across the city-region in March.

Due to the short deadline, appointments to deliver the project have been made by Direct Award, with approval from the DCMS from existing design and main building contractors, previously secured through competitive tender including building contractors HH Smith and architects Carmody Groarke.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Work originally begun in 2019 to restore the globally important Grade II listed Power Hall, thanks to £6 million from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and additional funding from the Science Museum Group to facilitate urgent and major repairs to the roof and a redisplay of the gallery content to show how Manchester changed the world.

Built in 1855 as the shipping shed for Liverpool Road Station, the Power Hall is one of the most beloved industrial heritage galleries in the country. It houses Europe's largest collection of working steam engines, the majority of which were built in Manchester.

Scaffolding and securing some elements of this historic structure was completed in January 2020. The roof has undergone a critical drying out period, while the museum  worked on renewed sustainability plans to take every opportunity to de-carbonise the building before work starts on the roof and inside the building in the coming months.

Following this additional infrastructure work, scaffolding is due to be dismantled in 2022, internal work is due to begin in early 2022 with the Power Hall now due to re-open to the public in 2023.

In years to come, this multi-sensory gallery, full of the sounds of machines, the whistle and smell of steam and incredible personal stories will show how Manchester provided the power that changed the city and the world—from the way we work to the consumer society we live in. In revealing more about the human skill and ingenuity of the past, the Power Hall will inspire the engineers and innovators of the future.

The decarbonisation project is part of the Science and Industry Museum’s multi-million-pound restoration plan, which will conserve and further open up its globally significant buildings and bring to life the story of the site and past, present and future ideas that change the world. Housing the world's oldest surviving passenger railway station and world's first railway warehouse in the heart of the world's first industrial city, alive with science and technology today, a more sustainable museum is being created to provide inspiring experiences for everyone. Information on all current projects including the restoration of the Power Hall can be found on the We are changing page. 

On Monday 12 April England entered step two of the Government’s roadmap to reopening the economy, which means that some tourism, hospitality, leisure and retail businesses can now reopen. As restrictions lift we’ve compiled a list of suggestions for what you can now safely see and do in Greater Manchester.  

All businesses are following relevant government guidance. Please check if pre-booking is required before visiting. And when you go out, please remember to keep your distance where possible, wear a face covering, wash your hands regularly and seek spaces with good ventilation.  
 

1. You can now enjoy food and drink outdoor 
 

Come rain or shine, we’ve all been waiting for this moment – to enjoy a pint outside with friends, and there’s no better place to do than at The Trackside pub at East Lancashire Railway, where you can enjoy real ale besides a vintage steam engine. 

Restaurants have gone above and beyond to create safe, outdoor dining terraces, and Ducie Street Warehouse is one of our favourites, converting what was a dull unused space into a superb decked and covered dining terrace. Based inside Native aparthotel, you can also book self-contained overnight stays in one of its self-catered apartments.  

Elsewhere, another favourite The Refuge have opened up their tucked away courtyard between the historic Kimpton Clocktower hotel to offer a heated outdoor dining experience, recently refurbished and filled with plants, expect DJs to accompany the usual Refuge food and drink favourites.  

After you’ve visited the now open shops (see below), why not visit one of the restaurants at the Corn Exchange which have outdoor covered seating such as, Delhi House Kitchen, Vapiano or Zizzi, a full list and how to book a table is available here. 
 

2. You can now shop in person 
 

Indoor shopping is now open for browsing and buying, with stores in Manchester Arndale now open including the Arndale Market; and The Trafford Centre welcomes shoppers back with nine new stores, including Tommy Hilfiger, Rituals and Forever Unique, alongside its other well-known major brands. Indoor dining remains closed with some takeaway options at both shopping centres, and visitors are asked to shop with their household or support bubble only.   

The city centre’s Royal Exchange has reopened, including its historic arcade, with shops opening including Lush, Sostrene Grene, and Whittard. A short walk along New Cathedral Street will bring you to designer department store Selfridges who have welcomed shoppers back, also resuming its beauty, styling and gift consultation sessions.   

To support your independent makers and crafters, head to the gem that is Manchester Craft and Design Centre for handmade jewellery, ceramics, glassware, prints and more. The centre will be open every day until 5:30pm. Just around the corner, Oklahoma, Manchester’s favourite gift and homeware store at the edge of the Northern Quarter opens its doors selling an eclectic range of colourful homeware, stationary and curiosities. 
 

3. You can now take in the beauty of our abundant green spaces 
 

Greater Manchester has a surprising amount of green space, and you can easily fill a day hiking, picnicking or cycling in one of the Country Parks and stunning landscapes.  

For an escape to a green oasis in between the cities of Salford and Manchester, take a walk around Peel Park nestled next to the River Irwell, ideal for a socially distanced catch-up with a friend, or for entertaining the kids with a play area, and three Salford Tree Trail’s to spot  25 different varieties of tree. 

 
Visitors of Reddish Vale Country Park in Stockport will recognise it immediately from its famed railway viaduct. Designated as a Local Nature Reserve, Reddish Vale is your go to place for spotting a variety of birds including the Buzzard, Kestrel and Kingfisher, as well as a whole host of wildlife from rabbits to squirrels, butterflies and frogs.   

For panoramic views of Manchester and Liverpool, and over 200 acres of open space for walking, Werneth Low Country Park offers a space to escape and find some peace and relaxation. 

For more inspiration on Greater Manchester’s Green Spaces, be sure to check out our Find Your Space page.  
 

4. You can now join a physical walking tour  
 

Why not be a tourist in your own city? Tours are now available across Manchester if social distancing guidelines are practiced. This week you can join physical tours with guide local tour guides such as Jonathan Schofield, who is taking over the Discover Manchester tour (£12) on 17 and 18 April, offering a fun and informative walk around the city, which uncovers the exciting past, present and future of Manchester with one of the city’s most informed guides. 

From 16 April, Free Manchester Walks will begin offering their ‘just turn up’ tours of the city every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11am at the Alan Turing Memorial, and tour guides Emma Fox and Sue McCarthy from Show Me Manchester are now offering private tours for groups of friends. 
 

5. You can now visit outdoor attractions and events 
 

Whilst we can’t all step aboard a plane to our favourite sunny destinations, we can still marvel at their take off and landing with a day out at the Runway Visitor Park, open every day from 8am – 4pm, expect fantastic views of Manchester Airport’s runway, alongside a children’s play area, aviation shop, and café available for takeaway.  

Admire the beautiful Ordsall Hall Gardens in Salford. Whilst the 15th century Hall remains closed, visitors can wander its landscaped Tudor style knot gardens for free, every Monday, Tuesday and Sunday, with a takeaway café operating from the old Hall. 

For something different, try Trafford Watersports Centre at Sale Water Park, where you can hire a paddle boat, try your hand at canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing or sailing. For a dryer approach to experiencing the outdoors hire a bicycle from Didsbury Bicycle Hire, who provide a pair of vintage bicycles, with options to add on an afternoon tea or champagne hamper which you can enjoy in the leafy suburban parks of Didsbury. 

And if you’re lucky enough to live in Cheshire, you can now visit Chester Zoo and see some of its 35,000 animals. Tickets should be booked in advance on its website, but hurry -weekend tickets are selling out fast! Why not also tag on a visit to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet while in the area. 

Whilst the venue has faced inordinate challenges over the past year, Waterside has delivered a strong programme of online activity, engaging over 38,000 people with multiple digital performances and participatory events such as the Heroes in Motion challenge and a digital version of Pride in Trafford. Waterside has also supported a photography graduate exhibition, First Light, and has helped a number Greater Manchester-based theatre makers to create new work.

Manager of Waterside, Darren Adams says “The entire team at Waterside and I are beyond thrilled to be reaching this momentous milestone and finally re-opening the venue to the public on 17 May. Though we approach this date cautiously, we are busy planning for an exciting re-opening season. Over the past year, like businesses and our fellow cultural organisations up and down the country, we have faced huge challenges, but I am immensely proud of our team who have tackled them head on, with the resilience and good will we are known for. Our heartfelt thanks go to our audiences and friends whose unwavering support has meant so much to us.  We are now reaching out to ask for your continued support as we open our doors again and deliver what promises to be a fantastic summer back at Waterside.”

Kicking off on Mon 17 May to tie in with the venue’s opening week is the borough’s annual Pride in Trafford Festival (Mon 17 – Sat 22 May ‘21). This five day exploration and celebration of identity and LGBTQ+ life in Trafford commences with the raising of the rainbow flag outside Sale Town Hall to mark IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia).  Throughout the week, Waterside will run a small programme of one off comedy, cabaret, storytelling, dance and theatre shows showcasing local and up and coming LGBTQ+ artists and performers. For those who love their LGBTQ+ entertainment to be that little bit “extra” – Thursday night’s Disco Tea Party combining disco and drag is one not to be missed!

Image Credit: DiscoTeaParty-MAC Birmingham, @EmwaJones

Waterside is also thrilled to be one of 40 venues taking part in Here & Now which is a national and local celebration of culture within communities, marking the National Lottery’s 25^th birthday. 40 brand new projects have, or are due take place, in and around 40 arts centres across the country, led by artists and co-created with local people.

We Are Collective will be a multi-media installation in the gallery spaces at Waterside, open from 17 May to 31 July ‘21. This project will promise to be colourful and immersive seeking to connect and reunite the local community through a process of collaboration with the people of Trafford.

In addition to a summer season of family theatre, comedy, live music and exhibitions – Waterside will be running its vibrant flagship ten day arts festival, Refract:21 – from 22 July inviting audiences to see and experience things differently.  Full programme details will be announced later this month, and audiences can expect a colourful, community-focused programme of experiential and celebratory work.

It is Waterside’s utmost priority to keep its audiences, artists, visiting companies and staff safe as the venue re-opens on 17 May.  Robust Covid prevention measures will therefore be in place – including mandatory use of face masks within the building with the exception of performers. In keeping with current Government guidelines, these measures will remain in place at least until 21 June.  During this period, Waterside will operate on a reduced capacity for both ticketed events and general admission to the gallery and venue. Where possible, Waterside will also offer a contingency to deliver some theatre shows online if venue access is suddenly restricted or for those who would remain more comfortable to access content digitally at this time.

A spokesperson for Trafford Council says “Having closed its doors 14 months ago, we know how much the Trafford community will be delighted to see Waterside opening again with a wonderful arts and cultural offer. With robust safety measures in place, and a mix of indoor, outdoor and digital events, we hope audiences and visitors will feel confident in re-engaging with this venue which we are so fortunate to have in the borough.  At Trafford Council, we know the significance Waterside and cultural venues will have in our economic and emotional recovery from the pandemic.”

See full summer season programme information at watersidearts.org

Pride In Trafford runs at Waterside and various venues around Sale from Mon 17 – Sat 22 May ‘21.  Tickets go on sale from Thursday 15 April ’21 at prideintrafford.org

Refract:21 runs from Thu 22 – Sat 31 July ‘21.  Full programme information will be available from Thursday 29 April ‘21.

As life slowly returns to normal in the uk, here’s a full list of where Mancunians can wine, dine and unwind at the Great Northern.

Looking for the best bars and restaurants in the city to celebrate lockdown easing with your pals? Look no further, as the Great Northern Warehouse, Manchester’s ultimate dining and entertainment venue for all the family, has options aplenty.

Platzki

Celebrating its brand-new home on the Great Northern Warehouse square, Platzki is offering the perfect Polish feast for you and your pals this spring.

Serving a range of alcoholic drinks on the new venue’s trendy outdoor seating spot, visitors will also be able to fill up on delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. A firm favourite includes the Pierogi Dyni, famous Polish Dumplings filled with smoked cottage cheese and roasted butternut squash finished with sage butter and roasted pumpkin seeds. You can reserve a table here.

South Manny Flavaz

Following a successful opening earlier this year for food deliveries and pick-ups, South Manny Flavaz has officially opened in its new home on Deansgate.

Taking Manchester chicken fans by storm, the new restaurant will be dishing out everything from finger-licking chicken wings, to mouth-watering loaded burgers and milkshakes. For more information visit.

Alex’s Bakery

Welcome cake fans to its chic outdoor seating area this April, Alex’s Bakery, located on Great Northern Square is making our mornings even sweeter.

Enjoy a coffee and a mouth-watering sweet treat from the talented team of bakers, led by head baker and owner, Alex Furlan. From freshly baked cupcakes and scones, to slabs of gooey chocolate brownies and stuffed cookies, there’s something for everybody.

Impossible

To celebrate the reopening of one of the city’s best outdoor terraces, the ever-stylish Impossible bar will be serving up its famous bottomless brunch with tasty treats and free-flowing drinks, guaranteeing the city starts it week right.

Impossible will also be serving a new delicious terrace-dedicated menu which includes a lip-smacking blue burger – perfect for an Instagrammable moments. You can reserve a table here.

Lane 7

This exciting new addition to Great Northern Warehouse is also new to Manchester and raring to bring a whole lot of laughter and fun to the Manchester again.

While bowling and other gaming entertainment is paused until 17^th May in line with the Government roadmap, the site will kickstart its Manchester arrival with outdoor drinks and food aplenty, including an exciting menu collaboration with Fat Hippo on April 16^th. You can reserve a table here.

Revolución De Cuba

Manchester’s biggest Cuban cocktail bar, Revolución De Cuba, is set to bring the world’s finest cocktails and tastiest rums, along with the funkiest Latin vibes, to the Great Northern Square via its Daiq Shack; a pop-up, airstream caravan that’s set to dish up delicious cocktails including Mojitos, Pina Coladas and, of course, its famous frozen Strawberry Daiquiri.

The pop-up is available for walk-ins, dependant on the weather. For more information, please visit the Great Northern Warehouse website and the Revolución de Cuba website.

Great Northern Beach Club

Located in the Great Northern Square, the brand new Great Northern Beach Club is bringing you the best of the beach this spring, offering chilled feels with a distinctly laid-back bohemian vibe. 

Its undercover spacious terrace allows guests to order cocktails, award winning wines, ice-cold draft beer, kombucha and naturally infused drinks, along with great quality street food from Great Northern neighbours, South Manny Flavaz, Platzki and Alex's Bakery.

From 12^th April the hot-spot will be open Monday – Saturday 12pm until 11pm and Sunday 12pm until 8pm, with times set to change the following week. There’s a table, or beach hut with your name on it… Book a table at the terrace here.

Futon Company 

Find the perfect gift for your interior obsessed loved ones at Futon Company on April 12^th when the homeware shop reopens its doors. We promise you’ll find a bargain, or two!

Dormouse Chocolates

The multi award-winning luxury chocolate shop, Dormouse Chocolates is set to open on Saturday April 17^th ready to feed all of the cities sweet-toothed lovers. With a range of mouth-watering chocolate bars from only £6.00, you won’t want to miss out. Available for walks-ins next week, shop the range online before your visit here.

The Gym Deansgate

Show up to The Gym in Manchester Deansgate and leave feeling stronger and better. The gym’s kit is top-notch, with over 170 pieces of high-tech equipment including cardio and resistance machines, they’ve got everything you need to slim down or bulk up for the summer. For more information click here.

Deansgate Mews

Don’t forget the Mews, the hidden upper-level suntrap nestled up above Deansgate. Home to one of the coolest pubs in the square, Lion’s Den will be opening its sun terrace on April 12^th so the city can kick back, relax and enjoy a refreshing beer, or any other beverage of your choice.

The tastiest deli in town, 3Hands Deli will also be offering outdoor seating area, meaning you can relish in delicious fresh produce with the sun kissing your skin. Choose from incredible sourdough, amazing cheeses and a great selection of pickles and ferments.

And finally, fans of everyone’s favourite Spanish restaurant, Evuna and the tasty loaded burger joint, Almost Famous will need to wait just a little longer to dine outside (although Almost Famous hope to confirm plans shortly), but both are offering food delivery and pick up options including the ever-so-popular Evuna at Home box.

For more information on the Great Northern Warehouse’s mix of leisure, hospitality, and entertainment brands, please visit the website.

Manchester United is pleased to confirm that its Museum & Stadium Tour will reopen to visitors this Spring in line with the UK government’s easing of lockdown measures.

The popular attractions are due to reopen on Monday 17th May after more than a year of closures and disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bookings are now being taken for the Museum & Stadium Tour from 17th May, giving visitors the chance to step inside Old Trafford and experience the history and magic of the Theatre of Dreams.

The Red Café, in the heart of the Sir Alex Ferguson stand, is also due to reopen for food and drink from 17th May and fans will be able to visit the club’s renowned Megastore, which is set to reopen its doors on Monday 12th April.

Collette Roche, Chief Operating Officer, Manchester United, said: “We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to Old Trafford and, while we won’t be happy until fans are in the stands again for matches, the reopening of our non-matchday visitor attractions is an important step towards normalisation.”

A range of measures will be in place across the Museum & Stadium Tour, Red Café and Megastore to ensure that visitors can enjoy their experience of Old Trafford while keeping themselves and staff safe.

Manchester United has received certification from The National Tourist Organisations of Great Britain and Northern Ireland confirming that its attractions follow government and industry Covid-19 guidelines, including measures to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.

The Museum & Stadium Tour provides an enthralling experience exploring the triumphs and tragedy of Manchester United’s 143-year history through thousands of unique exhibits in the club Museum, followed by a tour of England’s largest club football stadium. The tour includes the players’ tunnel, the manager’s dugout and a walk alongside the world-famous pitch.

Groups will be limited to 15 people until 21st June to allow for social distancing. All dates are based on the government’s current timetable for the easing of lockdown measures and are subject to review.

Adult prices are from £25 and juniors/concessions from £18 when booked online, with additional discounts available for education groups. Advanced bookings are strongly recommended and can be made here, or by calling the Contact Centre on +44 161 676 7770.

Northern Quarter  

The Northern Quarter is a hipster haven; a gritty area that’s fiercely independent. It’s overflowing with street art, galleries, cafés, bars, restaurants, boutiques and the unmissable Manchester Craft and Design Centre and Afflecks. 

Altrincham 

A 20-minute tram ride from the city centre, Altrincham has an award-winning high street and is now a foodie hub thanks to spots such as Blanchflower, The Con Club, and the iconic Altrincham Market. 

Chorlton 

A laid-back bohemian suburb, you’ll find a medley of good pubs, independent bars, vegan delis, bakeries, and a strong foodie scene thanks to spots like The Creameries. Weekend strolls along Beech Road and around Chorlton Water Park make it difficult to want to leave. 

Didsbury 

Like Chorlton, the suburbs of Didsbury Village and West Didsbury have a hip, independent feel, full to the brim with restaurants including Volta, Hispi and vegetarian spot Greens, great shops and cafes, plus lush Fletcher Moss Park. 

Castlefield 

This is where the Roman’s settled back in AD79 when they founded ‘Mamucium’. Whilst the remnants of the fort can still be seen, this neighbourhood now makes for a picturesque walking spot, with winding canals, renovated industrial warehouses and waterside pubs like The Wharf. 

Green Quarter 

A growing pocket of green residential space that includes Angel Meadow Park, the Green Quarter is sowing seeds as a neighbourhood to watch. Grub, the city’s sell-out weekend food fair has set up permanent home here, joining existing independents under historic railway arches.  

Levenshulme 

Just one stop on the train out of town from Piccadilly station, Levenshulme has got plenty going on; from the community-run weekly market to the wonderful antiques village and plenty of independent foodie spots. 

Ancoats 

The world's first industrial suburb, Ancoats has slowly been rising, threatening to take the Northern Quarter’s crown as the city’s coolest neighbourhood. It features an impressive list of bars and restaurants including the city’s only Michelin star at Mana. 

New Islington 

Follow the canals into the marina and you’ll find New Islington blending into its neighbourly Ancoats. You can spend the morning wandering the canals, watching wildlife or devouring goods from the locals’ favourite artisan bakery Pollen. 

Salford Central 

There’s been a huge amount of development within the area of Salford that meets the western edge of Manchester city centre, with great bars and restaurants popping up along Chapel Street as well as masses of green space in the form of The Meadow, Peel Park and Kersal Wetlands. 

Salford Quays 

A unique waterfront location adjacent to MediaCityUK, home to the BBC and ITV, Salford Quays is home to the Lowry arts centre with the visually striking Imperial War Museum North opposite. 

Stockport 

A ten-minute train out of the city, Stockport is full of independent businesses and food hotspots as well as some unique attractions, including 1930s art deco theatre Stockport Plaza; Robinsons Brewery Tours; the iconic Hatworks museum; and the Grade II listed 1460s Staircase house. 

The 154-acre garden in Salford, Greater Manchester, is the biggest hands-on horticultural project undertaken in Europe since planning permission was granted in 2017. Around 7.8 million people living within an hour’s journey time of the garden will be able to access world-class horticultural inspiration and expertise at the first ever RHS Garden to be located in an urban area.

Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, says: “RHS Garden Bridgewater is the result of years of hard work by a dream team of designers, gardeners, contractors and many, many others and we are all enormously proud of what we have created. Together with our partners and donors, including Salford City Council and The Peel Group, we are thrilled to finally be able to celebrate this monumental achievement on 18 May.”

Head of RHS Garden Bridgewater Richard Green adds: “A huge thank you must also go to our incredible team of more than 700 local volunteers who freely give their time to pitch in with everything from bricklaying to giving tours, and without whom none of this would be possible. This collaborative approach is what has made RHS Bridgewater such a unique and special project, and we can’t wait to open the gates and share it with everyone.”

Featuring cutting-edge design by RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winners alongside numerous dedicated community spaces, RHS Garden Bridgewater will be a beacon of gardening inspiration, education and engagement in the heart of the North West. More than a quarter of a million plants have gone into the ground ahead of the opening, representing a huge boost for biodiversity in the area.

From 18 May, visitors will discover areas including the 11-acre Weston Walled Garden, the jewel in the crown of RHS Garden Bridgewater, believed to be the largest publicly-accessible working walled garden in the UK. It is home to the spectacular Paradise Garden by Tom Stuart-Smith, showcasing exotic planting inspired by Asiatic and Mediterranean gardens. The nearby Kitchen Garden by award-winning Harris Bugg Studio showcases a cornucopia of productive growing techniques and both familiar and more unusual edibles.

The Community Wellbeing Garden, Community Grow area and Peel Learning Garden, supported by The Peel Group, are just some of the community-focused spaces that can also be found within the Weston Walled Garden, alongside the Orchard Gardens and the first dedicated RHS Trials ground outside of the flagship RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, where garden plants will be assessed for their performance in the northern climate.

Elsewhere, visitors can explore the beginnings of the Chinese Streamside Garden, which will be the first authentic Chinese garden in the UK when complete, and the 4-acre Woodland Play area designed to encourage children of all ages to engage with nature.

The RHS is investing £35m in the creation of the garden, which the charity forecasts will generate around £13.2m per year to the local economy by 2030, and has created over 100 jobs at the site. Salford City Council and the RHS worked together to promote jobs at the garden to local residents and almost 50% of the roles created to date have been filled by people living within five miles of the garden.  All Salford residents will be able to visit RHS Garden Bridgewater free on Tuesdays from 25^th May* for the first year thanks to an arrangement agreed between the RHS and Salford City Council.

Tom Stannard, Salford City Council’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s fantastic that RHS Garden Bridgewater will soon be open to everyone, creating another world class attraction in Salford and contributing towards tourism and economic growth in Greater Manchester. We’re proud to have negotiated an agreement for local residents to visit the garden free every Tuesday. This is the first time the RHS has given free access to the community around one of its gardens so Salford is already making its mark and doing things differently.

“Salford City Council played a pivotal role in making the garden a reality. For every single pound we invest in this we will see several pounds come back into our city. In the last 20 years, Salford has transformed its economy and nurtured major investment projects which have created thousands of new jobs, businesses and homes and put the city on the national and international map.

“In much the same way as its namesake the Bridgewater Canal put Salford on the map in 1761, we expect RHS Garden Bridgewater to do the same in the modern day.”

Steven Underwood, Chief Executive of The Peel Group said: “We’re honoured to be a founding partner of the RHS Garden Bridgewater, which brings a world class horticultural attraction and legacy to the people of Salford and will serve to attract visitors from across the region and beyond, providing a real boost to the local economy.

“As part of our long-term commitment to the RHS Garden Bridgewater, we are also proud to support the Peel Learning Garden which will enable school children to learn how plants grow and survive. Engaging with nature benefits young people in many positive ways and we’re committed to supporting children through life enhancing educational and health and wellbeing programmes in partnership with the RHS Garden Bridgewater.”

RHS Garden Bridgewater is made possible by Salford City Council and The Peel Group. Salford City Council invested £19 million into the project which will bring substantial economic and tourism benefits to the city, its communities and the north west region. The Peel Group are custodians of the former Worsley New Hall estate where the garden has been created.

Located in Cheetham Hill, one of the city’s most culturally diverse areas, Manchester Jewish Museum explores and shares Jewish stories of migration, communities and identities to make universal connections and to bring people together. As well as its brand new exhibition space and restored synagogue, the museum will also launch a season of events and activities from the summer. 

The museum will house over 31,000 eclectic objects from personal letters and photographs to more unusual items such as a Herring chopper, a Russian washboard used as a cricket bat, an English/Hebrew teapot, a suppository mould and even a ceremonial trowel from 1857. Many of these items will go on display for the very first time in the new gallery, bringing to life forgotten and previously untold personal accounts and experiences of Manchester’s diverse Jewish communities, connecting them to the wider world.

The new museum has been designed by architects Citizens Design Bureau in consultation with the museum’s local communities.. At the heart of the new building is a multi-purpose learning studio and kitchen where schools, community groups and local businesses can explore Jewish culture through baking, cooking, eating and sharing traditional recipes. 

Food will play a crucial role in the new museum. Alongside the gallery and shop will be a brand new café serving locally sourced and kosher style vegetarian food. Visitors can experience first-hand the tasty delights of a Jewish diet whilst gaining a greater understanding of Jewish dietary laws. The museum’s programme will also include events and activities that celebrate food and its role in Jewish culture.

Described as a “jewel” by architectural historians, Manchester Jewish Museum houses the oldest surviving synagogue in Manchester. Built in 1874, the synagogue is now a Grade II* listed building, and is at the heart of the only Jewish museum outside of London. The synagogue and museum have been closed to the public since 2019 to undergo this major £6m extension, restoration and redevelopment project, with thanks in part to National Lottery players who made possible a £3m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund . Historic painters and stained-glass experts are amongst many of the specialist contractors who have spent much of the past two years restoring the synagogue to its former glory so that visitors can experience the historic beauty at its original best. Sustainable features have been carefully and sensitively integrated into both the new and the original museum buildings in order to prolong  longevity and reduce carbon intensity, whilst conserving and honouring its listed status.

Manchester Jewish Museum is also thrilled to announce it will be opening from Friday 2^nd July with an exciting co-commission as part of this year’s Manchester International Festival. The museum and the Festival are collaborating on a brand-new visual arts installation. More details on this world premiere to be announced later this April when the Festival reveals its summer programme.

During the museum’s closure and lockdown, the museum has continued to engage audiences through a pop-up museum in Manchester Central Library and a trailblazer digital season including an online drag quiz and an online dining and storytelling experience. The museum can’t wait to finally welcome visitors back through its doors.

Max Dunbar, CEO of Manchester Jewish Museum, comments: “After years of planning, fundraising and consultations, plus a global pandemic to navigate through, we cannot believe we are finally here, ready to show the city and the world our beautiful museum. We really feel we have something special and unique to share with everyone. Our magnificently restored synagogue is a rare gem and is in itself a living artefact telling the story of Jewish migration from the 1870s. It will sit alongside our contemporary extension, the design of which has been inspired by our synagogue’s stunning Moorish architecture. In addition to a new world-class exhibition space, our extension boasts a café and a learning kitchen where Jewish culture can be experienced and shared through food. On behalf of everyone at the museum, I’d like to thank all the incredible funders, supporters, partners and project team for getting us to this important moment, at a time when a museum designed to bring people together is now needed more than ever”

David Renwick, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are thrilled that, thanks to the National Lottery players, we have been able to support the redesign of this magnificent local landmark, and provide opportunities for people to explore and celebrate Manchester’s rich cultural heritage.”

Manchester Jewish Museum will open seven days a week to the public from Friday 2^nd July. Tickets will go on sale for general admission and for the soon to be announced Manchester International Festival collaboration in early May.

• HOME announces Homeground – a brand-new temporary outdoor venue on First Street offering the best in live entertainment across two stages.

• Featuring a 400-seat socially distanced outdoor theatre, and second stage with free live performance.

• Productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Alice in Wonderland with tickets just £10 for adults and £5 for children.

The site on First Street where HOME’s new outdoor venue, Homeground, will be built. Pic credit: Drew Forsyth.

HOME, Manchester’s largest multi-arts venue, are launching a massive temporary outdoor arts space this Summer. The new space, named Homeground will be located on an 80,000ft2 future development site on First Street, just next to HOME. It will feature a 400-seat socially distanced theatre space: the specially designed and purpose built, Covid-safe outdoor theatre. At the heart will be two magical, musical productions of classics: Filter Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a brand-new version of Alice in Wonderland.

The new venue opens on Friday, 28 May, and run throughout the summer.

It will also host work by partners including Frog & Bucket, Contact and Trans Creative, as well as music, cabaret, and comedy.

The site near HOME where Homeground will be built

The project will create 450 new employment opportunities for freelance artists and creative practitioners, supporting the freelance economy which has been so badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Thanks to generous support from partners, tickets for the two HOME productions will be just £10 for adults and £5 for children. HOME will also be offering free performances for school groups.

Dave Moutrey, HOME’s Director and CEO, said: “As we start to emerge from the strangest year many of us have ever experienced, arts and culture play a vital role in the recovery of the country. We all want to bring a sense of hope and joy back to our communities, and to provide more opportunities for an artistic freelance sector decimated by the pandemic. And we want accessibility for all to be at the heart of this project, which is why there is a low-cost or free programme, as well as free performances for schools. People in our city, especially young people, have been deprived of live theatre for the past year – we want this to be a celebration of Manchester’s creativity and resilience.

“I’m delighted to announce Homeground, which will be a safe and enjoyable space for the people of Manchester to have fun, reconnect and celebrate the city’s artistic talent in all its forms.”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will open on Thursday, 3 June and run until Saturday, 26 June. The show is the third successful collaboration between Filter and Sean Holmes, following the success of Three Sisters and Twelfth Night.

Featuring original music from members of The London Snorkeling Team, this remixed and reworked version of Shakespeare’s tale of young lovers and warring fairies is given a unique and irreverent twist.

Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday 20 April, with early booking available for HOME Friends and members.

Then later this summer, HOME presents a brand-new version of Alice in Wonderland – written by Stockroom and directed by Lekan Lewal. It will be presented in association with Stockroom Productions.

An up-to-date take on the family favourite, the show features new and contemporary Manchester songs, it opens on Thursday, 15 July and runs until Saturday, 7 August.

Alongside the main performance programme, there will be a free stage in the food and drink terrace. The Manchester Stage will have a different curator from the city every week, including Manchester Folk Festival, Contact, and DJ slots curated by DJ Paulette.

There will also be food and drink from stallholders including Black Market Espresso, Brazilico pizza, Wolf to the Door cocktails and Tibetan Kitchen.

The site has been designed by Cordelia Ashwell, of Decordia Events.

She said: “The idea behind the overall site design grew from a collaboration with HOME's Curator, Bren O'Callaghan. From the outset, we felt that rather than try to disguise the brownfield nature of the site, we would lean into the detritus that accumulates in pockets of the urban fabric. Influenced by scrapyards, the neon graveyard of Las Vegas and remnants of stories that attach themselves to architectural salvage, we settled upon a method of display popularised by the Victorians and in municipal museums - the Wunderkammer, or Cabinet of Curiosities. In this way, seemingly random and otherwise ordinary objects become extra-ordinary.

“Bren and I have been hunting down key iconic artefacts, some of which we think the public will recognise, and others may come as a bit of a surprise.”

More shows and events will be announced over the coming months.

The project has been made possible thanks to support from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, Arts Council England, Ask Real Estate, CBRE, the Garfield Weston Foundation, B&M Retail and Savannah Wisdom, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Granada Foundation.

For more information, visit www.homemcr.org/homeground

Before the pandemic, The Chiv was alive with clientele, drawn to the pub for its friendly staff, homely atmosphere, and great selection of British craft beers. Full of character, the micropub is charmingly furnished with a variety of board games and décor which subtly references the building’s history. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the pub has had to evolve quickly to meet changing legislation and to continue to safely welcome customers. These changes include launching an online shop, doubling their staff, and creating an app in order to provide table service, which The Chiv did not offer pre-pandemic.

Due to the current lockdown, The Chiv’s doors are closed to customers. But not to be deterred, the pub has adapted to offer a drinks delivery service, aptly named ‘The Chivathome Tap.’ So how does it work? Customers choose from a range of drinks on The Chiv’s online shop, which includes beer, cider, wine, gin, spirits, and soft drinks. Cask and keg beers are freshly pulled and delivered onto the doorstep in a flagon or growler. Once finished, empty containers are then collected by The Chiv and recycled.
 

The Chivathome delivery service has developed a round of regulars, who order at the same time each week. This offers The Chiv a sense of stability, much welcomed by the pub’s landlord and landlady after a year of changing legislation. Bob and Mary are thankful that through The Chivathome, they can keep doing what they love. Whether serving pints from behind the bar or delivering them in the car, Bob says ‘that’s the reason we’ve always been here: to provide good beers to local people.’ Every beer on offer at The Chiv is from a UK brewery, and has been researched and taste-tested by the staff before it is added to the menu. ‘Our ethos has always been about top quality,’ clarifies Bob.

In addition to offering a fine selection of British beers, The Chiv has been busy during lockdown developing a house gin with Made Of Stone Brewery, based at their sister pub The Mounting Stone, in Bramhall, Stockport. Seven Arches London Dry Gin is named after the local Grade II listed Cheadle Hulme viaduct. The gin was developed by The Chiv’s co-owner Andrew O’Shea and Forest Gin distillery. It proved to be popular with customers, selling out quickly during its first run.

The British pub is often seen as the heart of every community, and despite the lockdown, The Chiv are still finding ways to unite local people and businesses. For example, by hosting a virtual ‘Meet the Brewer’ evening on the 12^th of February. The event was held in collaboration with Salford microbrewery Marble Beers, and The Mounting Stone. Participants were offered the chance to chat with Marble’s head brewer, and to taste a selection of beers which were delivered to them prior to the event. Supporting local brewers is a lockdown priority for The Chiv, as Mary remarks: ‘they’ve supported us in good times, we wanted to help them in bad times’.

The Chiv is also proud to be helping local businesses by using their large windows to house the ‘Salvage Gallery’ exhibiting works of upcycled art created by local couple Richard and Marjorie Brown. These pieces would normally be sold at market, but due to market closures, are currently available from The Chiv. Once the pub reopens, it will continue to exhibit work from local artists and businesses on the walls of its newly renovated upstairs space. The Chiv also intend to begin hosting events upstairs, having had success with running them virtually.

Although Bob and Mary agree that the pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone, they are both focussing on the positives of the situation. ‘Hopefully we’ll come out of this stronger and better’ says Mary, reflecting on how they have gained new skills whilst successfully tackling the challenges of the pandemic so far. ‘There’s so much that we’ve taken from this lockdown period that we want to move forward with.’ After lockdown, the pair are keen to maintain The Chiv’s table service, beer deliveries and online retail presence, but are looking forward to reopening as a pub, and having a full cellar again.
 

Bob and Mary are optimistic about the future and are considering their next steps. They hope to relaunch the Chiv’s mobile caravan bar and begin attending events when permitted later this year. In addition, there are plans to work alongside local food catering vans so that the pub can offer food onsite. Restrictions permitting, The Chiv are hoping to welcome customers again to the pub’s beer garden from the 12^th April.

Follow The Chiverton Tap on Facebook for updates and upcoming events, or visit their website: www.thechivertontap.co.uk

Or order from the Chiv’s online shop at: https://chiv.pub/shop/

For information on sister pub The Mounting Stone and Made Of Stone brewery: https://www.themountingstone.co.uk/

To keep up to date with the Salvage Gallery, see: www.reclaimedforart.com

Jackie Towell holds an MA in English (Gothic Studies Pathway) from Manchester Met, and she can be found on Twitter @TowellJackie. She enjoys reading, walking her dogs, baking, and learning languages. All of the photography featured in this article is by Mary Ellis.

Artwork by James McCrea

In increasingly fractured and confusing times, the DDD15 conference seeks to place death as the one intersection that truly touches us all.

The conference will present papers and panels on a range of topics connected to our main theme of ‘Diversity and Decolonisation’. As ever, this 'Social Context of Death, Dying and Disposal' conference is multi-disciplinary and open to all, including artists, academics, professionals and practitioners of all kinds, whose interests and/or practices are related to death and dying.

Due to the ongoing situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will now be facilitated entirely on-line.

Manchester Met and ASDS are delighted to be welcoming keynote speakers Prof Yasminah Beebeejaun (UCL), Dr Kami Fletcher (Albright), Prof Rachel Forrester-Jones (Bath), and Prof Avril Maddrell (Reading).

The event welcome papers and panels on the following (non-exhaustive) list of possible topics, as they relate to death, dying and disposal:

• Animals

• LGBTQIA+

• Race

• Colonialism/decolonisation

• Cultural appropriation

• Environmental emergency and extinction

• Grievability and bare life

• Disability

• Gender

• Intersectionality

• Representation(s)

• Class

• Economies

• Neoliberalism

• Migration

• Inequalities

• The post human

• Radicalism

The conference will be accompanied by an accessible, community co-curated arts and culture programme that will address these themes through audio visual presentations, performance and discussions.

For enquiries about submitting panels please email DDD15@mmu.ac.uk with your proposal by Friday 9th April 2021. You will be given further instructions on submitting the panel if your proposal is accepted.

The final deadline for individual paper abstracts and full panel details is Friday 14th May 2021 at 23:59. The CfP can be found in full on the DDD15 conference website.

For any enquiries please email DDD15@mmu.ac.uk (please do not submit individual abstracts to this address).

- New brands such as Gym+Coffee, Polestar and Chopstix will be joining favourites such as Selfridges, John Lewis and Primark

- Safety measures will continue to play an important part in making the centre a safe place to visit and work

Visitors will be able to safely enjoy The Trafford Centre experience from 12 April, with favourite brands such as Selfridges, John Lewis, Zara and Primark at Barton Square all reopening their doors.

Lots of new brands and promotions will also be joining the centre, including Gym+Coffee, Polestar, Chopstix, Tommy Hilfiger, Pop Specs and Forever Unique.

Dining-in at restaurants and indoor entertainment venues will re-open later, as part of the government’s roadmap. A wide range of restaurants, such as Tampopo, Five Guys, Archie’s, Barburrito and Slim Chickens, will be offering a takeaway service from 12 April - with visitors welcome to enjoy their food and drink on one of the centre’s many outdoor areas.

The Trafford Centre’s strong safety measures will continue to play an important part in making the centre a safe place to visit and work, including one-way systems, frequent deep cleans, hand sanitation stations, regular tannoy announcements and capacity limits. In addition:

• Everyone must wear a face covering on entry and indoors, unless exempt. Trained officers will be engaging with customers at entrances if they are not wearing a face covering.

• In order to adhere to the centre’s capacity limits and allow for social distancing, visitors may be asked to queue to get in, particularly at weekends when the centre can be more popular. People are advised to come prepared for the Great British weather, should they have to queue. 

• Our teams have undertaken additional wellbeing and customer service training, and we ask visitors to be kind and considerate to our colleagues and to others

• People should only visit the centre with people they live with or are in a support bubble with; the rule of six applies to indoor spaces from 17 May.

• A number of car parks and entrances will remain closed to help manage capacity. Visitors can check this information on the website before their visit: traffordcentre.co.uk.

Zoe Inman, centre director, said: “We’re more than ready to give our visitors a big welcome back from 12 April and once again provide people with the Trafford Centre experience they know and love, as well as welcoming some new and exciting brands.

“Our approach to re-opening will be cautious and we have lots of precautions in place as restrictions are gradually eased. We’ve invested in additional training and wellbeing resources for our colleagues, and teams have been working hard to get the centre ready.

“All we ask of visitors is to plan their trip, check our website and social channels for important information, and follow any safety measures in place. Our hardworking teams are here to help keep you safe, so please be kind and considerate if approached by one of our colleagues. Let’s all work together to ensure restrictions can be eased further, and we can go back to a more normal way of life.” 

Centre opening hours will be 10am–9pm Monday – Saturday and 12pm–6pm on Sundays.* From 17 May, the centre will remain open until 10pm. A full list of stores and opening hours can be found here: traffordcentre.co.uk.  

* Primark at Barton Square will be opening at 9am-10pm (excluding Sunday) for the first week of opening, and 10am – 10pm after this. Selfridges will be opening 10am - 9pm.  

Fig.1: Main Façade of The British Muslim Heritage Centre, Whalley Range, Manchester. © Peter N. Lindfield.

Built in 1843 as The Lancashire Independent College (Fig.1) and designed to educate nonconformist Christians that were, until 1871, excluded from attending the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the building predates Owens College (1851), parts of which were integral to Victoria University of Manchester (1880) and now the University of Manchester—I have explored some of this architecture previously, here.

Fig.2: Tom Quad at Christ Church, Oxford. © Peter N. Lindfield.

Fig.3: View of Merton College and Christ Church, Oxford, from Christ Church Meadows. © Peter N. Lindfield.

The Lancashire Independent College building, understandable given its original purpose, is modelled upon traditional university college architecture found at Oxford and Cambridge (Fig.2). These universities, and a good number of their constituent colleges, were founded in the medieval period: either by or for the church. It is for this reason that college architecture, reinterpreted at Owen’s College, and here at the Lancashire Independent College, are Gothic and look like medieval churches and cathedrals (Fig.3).

Whilst this building looks similar to church architecture—with pointed windows, tracery, pinnacles, finials, and towers, they are very different and divided up to provide domestic and educational spaces. It was designed by the architects Irwin and Chester, and it is listed Grade II* by English Heritage, meaning that it is of significant historic value and importance not only to Manchester, but nationally.

Fig.4: View of the Main Façade of The New Building, Magdalen College, Oxford Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0.

The building’s entrance façade is symmetrical with two lower ‘wings’; one each side of the central and tall Gothic tower. This symmetry is very much like Classical pieces of collegiate architecture, such as the eighteenth-century ‘New Building’ added to Magdalen College, Oxford, but given a Gothic ‘skin’ (Fig.4). Like Magdalen’s ‘New Building’, the ground floor of what is now the British Muslim Heritage Centre is designed like a collegiate cloister—this means that it’s possible to walk around the building under cover.

Fig.5: Detail of one of the Wings from the Main Façade of The British Muslim Heritage Centre, Whalley Range, Manchester. © Peter N. Lindfield.

The next floor up (Fig.5)—the main floor or piano nobile—contains the tallest and grandest rooms with double-height windows separated into six separate ‘lights’ with a stone framework of transoms (horizontals) and mullions (verticals) dividing them up. The battlement-like zig-zag pattern above these windows is a continuous ‘string course’ that imitates the appearance of ‘labels’ above each opening: these ‘labels’ prevent water dripping in, and the pattern repeats the roofline’s battlements.

Fig.6: Detail of the Central Tower from the Main Façade of The British Muslim Heritage Centre, Whalley Range, Manchester. © Peter N. Lindfield.

On the whole, save for the labels and the battlements, these wings are externally very plain; the main decoration is reserved for the central tower (Fig.6) that has more than a passing resemblance to Nicholas Hawksmoor’s early eighteenth-century towers added to All Souls College, Oxford (Fig.7). And what a tower: crowned by a two-story octagonal ‘belfry’ with a pair of pierced Gothic windows on each face, a corona of pinnacles decorated with crockets, and grotesques—appearing like gargoyles—projecting out at this level. Below this is a two-story oriel window surrounded by buttresses and pinnacles. Expensively carved medieval-derived ornament, complex geometric shapes, the play of light and shade, and advancement and recession of planes all attract the eye to this: the façade’s centrepiece.

Fig.8: Detail of the Main Entrance on the Main Façade of The British Muslim Heritage Centre, Whalley Range, Manchester. © Peter N. Lindfield.

The extra carving applied to this entrance tower and expense is underscored by the use of pointed arches for each window rather than the far cheaper flat-headed windows on the wings. Further expense was incurred by producing an ornate main entranceway (Fig.8): the doorway with deep jambs and moulding is crowned by a pair of angels holding a shield. Again, this imitated collegiate Gothic architecture, but the plain shield—void of heraldry—matches the nineteenth-century recreation of the Gothic aesthetic.

The interior of this magical, important part of Manchester’s built history, much like the Police and Session Courts on Minshull Street that I explored previously for Visit Manchester (here and here) is also Gothic, and will be examined in a subsequent post. 

Children can create their own laws of football with a series of online activities over Easter.

Three video activities for families will show them how to create their own laws of the game, inspired by the very first Football Association Minute Book.

The handwritten Laws of The Game are contained in a Minute Book which dates to 1863. That book will go on display at the National Football Museum when it re-opens in late May.

Over Easter families are encouraged to consider: Where do football clubs come from? What are the laws? And finally, how do we treat each other?

After completing all three activities children will have the beginning of their very own Laws of the Game book.

The three videos (each 15 minutes long) will be aired on the museum’s YouTube channel at 11am on 5, 7, 9 April.

Monday 5 April - Where do clubs come from?

(suitable for ages 7-11).

Some of the greatest football teams have come from all sorts of unexpected places - schools, factories, pubs, some even from churches! Have a think about your local community and the unlikely places that could be home to the next top team! You’ll need A4 paper and colour pens/pencils for this activity.

Wednesday 7 April – What are the laws?

(suitable for age up to 14)

There were lots of discussions and arguments when the laws of football were written in 1863, which continue today. Does hearing about VAR make you yawn? What would happen to your team if the ref allowed handballs? In this fun, interactive quiz you can decide what is really important about the game we love.

Friday 9 April – How do we treat each other?

(suitable for age up to 14)

What do you think football could do better? Does everyone have an equal opportunity to enjoy the game? Be inspired by some of the amazing objects in the National Football Museum and channel your feelings into your own protest poster.

More details here.

As long as government restrictions allow, the museum hopes to reopen on 27 May 2021, with tickets on sale early April.

For updates on planned opening hours, tickets and safety measures please visit www.nationalfootballmuseum.com. To receive prior notification of ticket sales, sign-up to the museum’s newsletter.

The museum has a new and improved access offer with both a BSL video guide and visual story helping visitors familiarise themselves before their visit.

As a museum where ideas worth fighting for by change makers past, present and future are shared, explored and championed, People’s History Museum is the perfect fit for Open Kitchen, who are committed to fighting for a sustainable and fair food future.  Alongside working with a range of food businesses to source perfectly edible food that would otherwise go to waste, Open Kitchen purchases ingredients from a sustainable food chain - local, seasonal, organic, independent, short supply chains and Fairtrade - supporting other ethical businesses and social enterprises, making it the first of its kind in the UK to take this combined approach.

With a launch to coincide with the reopening of People’s History Museum on Wednesday 19 May, Open Kitchen at People’s History Museum will be a fresh and modern cafe and bar operating from the museum’s Spinningfields home overlooking the River Irwell.  It will celebrate sustainable and ethical produce with an all-day menu that caters for everyone, from museum visitors, to after work socialisers, families and digital nomads.  In the evening, the ambience will switch to offer table service drinks and small plates.

Katy Ashton, Director of People’s History Museum, says, “We are a values-driven organisation and we’re very excited for Open Kitchen to be taking its place within the national museum of democracy.  We share Open Kitchen’s passion, belief and dedication for access to good food for all and look forward to their brilliant food and drink offer being part of PHM. Through this innovative partnership we will continue to place communities at the heart of everything we do, advocating environmental responsibility, inclusion and access, and committing to fair pay as Real Living Wage Employers.”

The menu will be largely vegetarian and vegan, showcasing a smaller selection of meat dishes using Pasture for Life reared, locally sourced meat.  The menu will change seasonally, and Open Kitchen will be working directly with farms to highlight the beautiful sustainably produced veg and fruit that is already grown in the North West.

Sustainability feeds into every element of the cafe, with Open Kitchen at PHM’s fit out using upcycled, recycled and reclaimed materials, staff uniforms will be Fairtrade, organic and locally made and all of its takeaway packaging will be 100% compostable.

Open Kitchen has earned huge respect in the North West over the past few years, evolving from a pop-up operation, to running its pioneering ‘pay-as-you-feel’ waste food restaurant on Oxford Street to becoming Manchester’s leading private and corporate conscious catering company.  All profits subsidise its community-focused work, with Open Kitchen supporting independent food banks and homelessness support charities with meals, food and supplies.  Its support was vital during the Covid-19 crisis, with Open Kitchen adapting its operating model to become part of the Manchester Emergency Food Response Team, producing over 140,000 meals to support local communities.

A Real Living Wage Employer, Open Kitchen is signing up to the GM Good Employment Charter, with the ambition of creating decent, stable jobs in the hospitality sector. By partnering with People’s History Museum, which shares its ideologies and principles, they aim to lead a radical change in the way Manchester considers, buys, eats and talks about food and drink.

Corin Bell, Founder and Director at Open Kitchen, says, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with People’s History Museum on this exciting new venture.  Affordable good food for all has always been something that we’re really passionate advocates for.  To site our new cafe within the museum of democracy, equality, and rights, especially as the debate about the Right to Food rages, just feels like a perfect fit.”

Corin Bell continues, “When you work in a huge environmental problem like food waste, you’re always sort of trying to put yourself out of a job by pushing to fix the broken system, hopefully to the point where food waste stops happening in the first place.  It felt important for us to start to demonstrate how we can change our food system to design out food waste.  We hope that by demonstrating how short supply chains, working directly with producers, buying local and seasonal, etc can reduce food waste, we can inspire people to change their habits around food.”

James Bouchier, Executive Chef and Director at Open Kitchen, says, “2020 has been devastating for the food, drink and hospitality sector, and it felt really important to us to commit to offer decent and stable jobs to good people as the economy recovers.  We know that our ethics around supporting people and communities to be resilient and successful has to start in-house, and it’s one of the reasons we’re so excited about working with People’s History Museum.”

Both organisations will be sharing updates ahead of the opening of Open Kitchen at PHM.  You can keep up to date with the latest PHM news by signing up to receive its e-newsletter, subscribing to the blog, checking its website or following the museum on social media on Twitter @PHMMcr, Facebook @PHMMcr, and Instagram @phmmcr.

You can find the latest information and updates from Open Kitchen at;

www.openkitchenmcr.co.uk

@openkitchenmcr on socials

Although the live events have now finished, there’s still plenty to explore, including the Royal Photographic Society's Science Photographer of the Year and Climate Superheroes online exhibitions.

You can also rewatch the live talks and hear from scientists and experts at the forefront of the fight against climate change, listen to local voices making a difference in our communities and discover practical ways you can help to protect the natural world.

Watch the Festival talks available online now: www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/festival-talks.

Launching at Digital City Festival on 12th April, StreamGM will showcase diverse cultural events and acts from Greater Manchester.

StreamGM builds on the incredible achievements of United We Stream GM, launched on April 3rd, 2020, in swift response to the first UK lockdown. 

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, an early supporter of the project said: “United We Stream GM was an incredible success, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for people working in the culture industry at a time when through no fault of their own they were not able to work, and put smiles on the faces of people in Greater Manchester and across the world when they needed it most.

“Like everyone involved, I’m excited for the next stage of this journey as we launch StreamGM to showcase all the local talent we have right here in Greater Manchester.

“While we are all looking forward to getting back to live theatre, music and everything else our culture sector has to offer, this world class digital platform will play an essential role in our recovery throughout 2021.

“Many venues will not be able to reopen fully until the second half of the year so by prioritising digital development such as this, we can continue to support our culture sector so they can later support us all through our personal recoveries from what we have experienced through the pandemic.”

Andy Burnham Fundraiser DJ set on United We Stream

Through the remarkable legacy of United We Stream, StreamGM will continue to promote the vibrant culture within the region, and create new local, national and global audiences.

The established international collaborations will continue with StreamGM under the international United We Stream umbrella, ensuring the digital platform continues to benefit from the mutually beneficial worldwide partnerships that were established in 2020.

The opportunity to showcase Greater Manchester talent through the international United We Stream network will be a key element of StreamGM's talent pathway strategy.

This will include specialised ‘hands on’ industry experience for young people, in the production and promotion of digital broadcasting.

Poet Tony Walsh performing in Our City Speaks

Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord said: “This time last year we were putting the finishing touches to our very first United We Stream weekend. There is no way we could have known back then, just how hard COVID would affect us all and how long it would last.

“In an incredibly hard year for many, United We Stream Greater Manchester provided moments of escape and joy and I’m incredibly proud of all we achieved. It’s now time to look to the future and, as we start to gradually unlock, how some of the partnerships and projects developed during 2020 adapt to complement live events. 

“StreamGM is a perfect example of this, providing a platform for emerging Greater Manchester talent to perform to global audiences, taking talent beyond venue walls, helping our amazing city-region emerge from the pandemic in the strongest possible position.”

With a desire to get the biggest digital audiences for the best talent, The StreamGM team are driven by a love of local music, art and Mancunian cultural heritage.

DJ Paulette on United We Stream LaDiscotheque

StreamGM  co-producer Marie-Claire Daly said: “We’re a small team driven by an immense shared love of music and culture, and will continue to bang the drum for Greater Manchester.

“Live streaming has been around for years, but worldwide lockdowns and social distancing meant no more in-person events or performances, so it became a source of escapism as audiences transitioned to live streamed experiences, connecting together, virtually.

“Despite the U.K roadmap into reopening, the exponential digital broadcasting boom will continue as we slowly move into recovery from the pandemic, and streaming will play a valuable part in both bolstering and enhancing the culture and live events sector for years to come. 

“It feels very fitting to launch our next chapter with Digital City Festival, an event with digital innovation, excellence and community at its heart. 

“We’re honoured to be part of this brilliant programme of events and can’t wait to see StreamGM come to life.”

Digital City Festival is an annual event series exploring what makes a leading digital city. 

Production for the festival is based at state-of-the-art studios in Salford’s Media City with all events broadcast online. StreamGM will kick off proceedings on April 12 with an explosive audio-visual DJ set themed around Mancunian music and culture.

Digital City Festival Director, Martyn Collins said: “We’re delighted to have StreamGM curating the entertainment for our delegates at Digital City Festival. Despite lockdown, the amazing United We Stream project showed that innovation, creativity, music and performance could still be created, shared and enjoyed by all. 

“Using digital as the core platform and reaching a global audience, StreamGM is perfectly in sync with Manchester’s digital city status and also recognising that people are at the heart of everything we do.”

DJ Woody - United We Stream The Hacienda 24 Hr House Party 

Digital City Festival will launch with DJ Woody, who combines live mixing with a visual storytelling journey. His unique style of DJ’ing made him a firm favourite with viewers on United We Stream GM, with his last performance on the platform as part of the smash hit finale show on New Year’s Eve with The Hacienda, which saw four million global views over the duration of the unique 24-hour online party.

On April 13th Sacha Lord will chair an exclusive StreamGM panel with VIP speakers: Lutz Leichsenring founder of the global United We Stream organisation and Club Commissioner for Berlin, renowned DJ and The Hacienda producer Graeme Park, Tom Besford from English Folk Expo, DJ Rebecca Swarray, Artistic Director of the Met David Agnew and United We Stream/StreamGM’s producer Marie-Claire Daly.

Topics for the half an hour discussion include: United We Stream, StreamGM and the legacy of lockdown live-streaming.

Manchester Jazz Festival

Manchester Jazz Festival, The Hacienda’s DJ Graeme Park, Showhawk Duo and Jodrell Bank’s Blue Dot festival favourites ’Science in the House’ will also be turning in special performances on the StreamGM virtual stage.

The festival finale on April 22 will host the first ever StreamGM talent showcase, platforming the best breakthrough acts from across the region.

This specially curated two-hour show will spotlight Greater Manchester’s hottest bands, singers, performers, dancers, artists and poets.

All Digital City Festival events will broadcast online from state-of-the-art studios at MediaCityUK, featuring a range of keynotes, panels, roundtables, an online exhibition and much more.

The festival aims to unite everyone working across tech, marketing, ecommerce, media and creative as one global community.

The international collaboration between the Greater Manchester and Berlin teams will develop new alliances, curate international live-streamed shows and build best practice models around ethical streaming. 

Berlin Club Commissioner Lutz Leichsenring, who founded the award-winning United We Stream project said: “Only through the perseverance and commitment of nightlife and cultural representatives such as the team from Greater Manchester, has it been possible to create a global platform for music and club culture.

“I am very pleased that we are consolidating the structures in order to build up an international solidarity network for club-cultural issues."

Chair of Berlin’s United We Stream Association, Anna Harnes said: “The birth of the United We Stream global network has enabled cities and their club ‘culturepreneurs’ to support each other through fundraising, engagement and exposure for performers and artists through this international, digital platform. 

“Through the United We Stream Global Association, both the teams in Greater Manchester and Berlin will seize the moment and lead collectively towards the shift from survive to thrive.”

To join Digital City Festival, register for access here.

For more information about StreamGM please go to: www.streamgm.co.uk 

The Lowry has confirmed details of its planned re-opening line-up.

In accordance with Step 3 of the ‘Roadmap out of Lockdown’ the Salford arts centre expects to re-start face-to-face performances week commencing Monday, 17 May - pending the final green light from government on Monday, 10 May.

The first show will be outdoor performances of the critically acclaimed production C-O-N-T-A-C-T at Salford Quays and in Manchester city centre. Delivered in partnership with Aria Entertainment and WEF Productions, it will run from Tuesday, 18 May to Sunday, 27 June.

From Saturday, 22 May, the galleries will re-open at weekends, with two exhibitions on offer: the permanent LS Lowry: The Art & The Artist and a physical display of the online Days Like These exhibition, which tells the story of Salfordians experiences of lockdown using paintings, photographs, films and poetry.

The first indoor, socially distanced performance will take place on Sunday, 30 May as comedian Michael Spicer brings The Room Next Door to the venue’s Lyric Theatre. Following this, Northern Ballet will present Dangerous Liaisons from Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 June.

The Lowry has also announced a major new show for 2022 – with Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical Les Misérables set to run from Tuesday, 29 March – Saturday, 23 April next year. Tickets go on-sale at 10am tomorrow, Wednesday, 24 March.
 

Commenting on the planned line-up, Julia Fawcett OBE, chief executive of The Lowry, said: “Words cannot express how excited we are to be putting plans in place for the re-opening of our building.

“I’m incredibly proud of the online and off-site activity we have delivered during the pandemic – and much of that style of delivery is here to stay for the future – but to be able to welcome people through our doors once again is an important and much-welcomed step in the right direction.”

Already announced for this Christmas, The Lowry will offer three hit shows: Stick Man (Tuesday, 30 November to Sunday, 9 January), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Wednesday, 8 December – Saturday, 15 January) and SIX (Tuesday, 14 December – Sunday, 9 January.)

During lockdown, The Lowry launched #LoveLowry - a virtual theatre, gallery and studio space that presents performances, artworks, exhibitions, tours, workshops, comment and blogs, curated by their creative team and special guest curators.
 

Home to award-winning artisan drinks producer, Manchester Gin, The Spirit of Manchester Distillery is now taking May Bank Holiday bookings welcoming the start of a new term for its much-loved Gin School.

Rated the ‘Number One Thing to Do in Manchester’ on Trip Advisor, like regular schools across the country, The Spirit of Manchester Distillery had to switch to home-schooling during lockdown and hosted virtual tastings for gin-lovers to enjoy, even breaking a World Record for the World’s Biggest Virtual Gin Tasting. 

Now the Prime Minister has announced a roadmap back to normality, the distillery is thrilled to welcome Mancunians and gin fanatics back in the classroom for its immersive sessions and to enjoy a G&T or two. 

Reopening from the 20^th May and available every week, from Thursday to Sunday, the first available slots have been offered to those who had to rearrange bookings due to lockdown, The Spirit of Manchester Distillery is now opening bookings back up to the public for a range of different packages for its visitors to enjoy.

Pop down for a Distillery Tour and Guided Gin Tasting, priced at £20 per person for a 45 minute to one-hour session, and get lost in the world of Manchester Gin with a full tour of the distillery. See your favourite tipples being created and learn about the gin-making process all with a G&T in hand- and put your palate to the test by sampling Manchester Gin’s award-winning range in a guided tasting. 

Or why not see if you’ve got what it takes to become a Master Distiller with the Gin Making Experience. The two-and-a-half to three-hour session, priced at £85 per person, includes all the perks of the Distillery Tour and Guided Tasting, followed by a guided session in the distillery’s state-of-the-art Gin School. Explore the vast array of botanicals to create your own unique flavoured gin, bottle it in Manchester Gin’s iconic glass hexagon bottle and take your fabulous creation home.

Planning a post-lockdown date night? Book in for Gin Making for Two. Available on Thursdays and Sundays for £125 for two, partner up and enjoy everything the distillery and Gin School has to offer, but work as a team and create one bottle of gin to take home and enjoy. 

Manchester Gin co-founder and Master Distiller, Seb Heeley, said: “The Spirit of Manchester Distillery Gin School is one of our proudest achievements. Gin-lovers don’t just travel from across the city, but across the country, to come and try their hand distilling an incredible tasting gin.

“These past 12 months our distillery has looked much different to how our customers will remember. Our gin production switched to making hand sanitiser to support front-line workers at the neighbouring NHS Nightingale North West Hospital and our popular tastings had to take place virtually - a very different year to what we originally planned. We can’t wait to get back in the room with gin lovers and raise a glass to coming through the other side.”

Manchester’s ultimate dining destination, Corn Exchange, is set to reopen its much-loved outdoor dining area this April for Mancunian’s to grab a bite, share a glass and enjoy the spring sunshine. What’s more, there’s even outdoor fun and games to have with another household, or in a group of up to six.

Celebrate the end of lockdown by heading to the Corn Exchange and enjoying its diverse array of brands and their fabulous offerings.

DELHI HOUSE CAFÉ

The latest addition to the Corn Exchange family, Delhi House Café brings the streets of Delhi into the heart of Manchester with its café-meets-restaurant style cuisine. With a modern take on classic Indian street dishes, and a whole host of vibrant cocktails to enjoy, don’t miss out on coming to try this unique dining experience. Many Mancunians won’t have had the chance to enjoy this new independent restaurant yet, so book now to avoid disappointment.

BANYAN

One of the city’s most loved outdoor drinking spots, Banyan is ready to welcome the people of Manchester to come enjoy a springtime sip on its famous terrace. With cocktails, fizz and gin galore, a trip to Banyan is the perfect way to raise a glass to the end of lockdown. Feeling hungry? Check out Banyan’s delicious food menu filled with tasty nibbles and large plates too.

COSY CLUB

Lockdown has been filled with cosy nights in, so now it’s time to enjoy a cosy night out. Head down to Corn Exchange and pay a visit to Manchester’s most snug setting- Cosy Club. With a delightful lunch and brunch menu, excellent evening meal options and an impressive drinks menu to match, come and indulge in what Cosy Club has to offer.

GINO D’ACAMPO

A staple in Manchester’s Italian dining scene, Gino D’Acampo has been feeding the people of Manchester with its takeaway service throughout lockdown and is excited to greet its much-loved customers in person once more. Bask in the sunshine or cuddle up under the outdoor heaters as you indulge in the tastes of Italy with a perfectly chilled glass from its vast wine list in hand.

SALVI’S

Overseas travel may not be option for Brits quite yet so let the authentic taste of Salvi’s exquisite dishes transport you to Italy. With tasty charcuterie boards and delightful pastries freshly made each day from its traditional Italian deli, unwinding with an Aperol Spritz in hand won’t go a miss this April.

VAPIANO

With a delicious array of pasta, pizzas and salads galore, come and relax this April in the laidback atmosphere that Vapiano provides. With its pasta and pizza dough handmade with love each day, these scrumptious Italian classics will be sure to satisfy. Pair your main with a cold sip of beer, wine or a cocktail to round up a perfect post-lockdown meal.

ZIZZI

Last but by no means least of Corn Exchange’s Italian’s restaurants, Zizzi is firing up its stone bake pizza ovens, ready to welcome guests in April. With a tempting menu filled with everyone’s most-loved Italian dishes, spend your springtime dining on a rustic pizza with a prosecco in hand.

ESCAPE HUNT

Fancy some fun before you fill your boots? Manchester’s best escape room is now taking booking for its April Outdoor Adventures. Fun for all the family, Escape Hunt is challenging Mancunians to come and take part Operation Mindfall, where you have two hours to save the planet from a deadly virus, and Magic Portal, where humanity is depending on you to roam the streets of Manchester to locate magical crystals.

ROOMZZZ

Need somewhere to crash after a fun-filled day exploring the bustling city of Manchester? Roomzzz Aparthotel is now taking May bookings for you to come and relax in style. With the luxury of a hotel combined with the convenience of a serviced apartment, come and enjoy the simple pleasures of a super soft mattress, plump pillow and fluffy towels this springtime.

The Corn Exchange’s resident brands are now taking booking from 12^th April onwards and all venues will be following Government guidelines. Simply head to cornexchangemanchester.co.uk for more information. 

The reimagined Octagon has seen the complete modernisation of the entire building with updated performance spaces, brand-new participation facilities, improved front-of-house experience and expanded backstage facilities.

This exclusive inside reveal comes ahead of the finishing touches being made and the reopening later this year, with a date to be confirmed in the coming weeks following the recent announcement of the Government roadmap of when theatres can reopen their doors.

Octagon Chief Executive, Roddy Gauld commented: “After what has been a tumultuous 12 months, we are now excited to be looking to our future as we plan our reopening. The Octagon is an incredible creative and cultural hub for Bolton and we hope these first glimpses inside the redeveloped building will lift people’s excitement as we get ready to welcome the public back through our doors!

“The reimagined Octagon benefits from more internal space; is more environmentally friendly; has vastly improved accessibility; and enhanced customer and backstage facilities for everyone’s comfort. The building needed a new roof and major modernisation of its electrics and plumbing and I’m pleased to say is now fit for generations to come.

“This redevelopment wouldn’t have been possible without investment from Bolton Council and Arts Council England, other funders and the 12,000 donors who have supported us. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has backed us.

“The pandemic has hit Bolton particularly hard, and the Octagon is now ready to play a leading role in our town’s recovery and future. We know people are looking forward to live entertainment and I don’t think the theatre could be more needed or more capable than it is right now!”

Since theatre’s closed on 16 March 2020 the Octagon have continued to connect with the community by moving their programme to digital online platforms.

Audiences have been able to enjoy live performances and events including a live Zoom production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; a broadcast reading of A Christmas Carol; a festive online quiz hosted by Mina Anwar and family StoryMaker’s readings.

Their engagement programmes have continued to provide creative opportunities online with over 3000 participants taking part in workshops, youth theatre, over 50’s Theatre Club and music sessions, as well as delivering Creative Care Kits to support wellbeing for those without internet access.

The venue have also continued to support local freelance artists through its Incubation Residencies, open auditions, participation in the Freelance Task Force and by teaming up with other local theatres to create Greater Manchester Artist Hub.

Thanks to public support their Future Fund public fundraising appeal has raised £84,697.48.

Watch video of the last 12 months at the Octagon

With the roadmap for theatres to reopen now looking clearer, the Octagon prepare to raise the curtain on the exciting next chapter in their story.

Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham added: “Given that it is 12 months since theatres across the country had to close, it is heartening to be able to look back at what we have accomplished in such challenging and exceptional circumstances. From sewing scrubs for the NHS and lending our building to the rollout of the Covid vaccine, to developing projects to support local artists, to keeping our audiences entertained with our online content, we tried never to lose sight of our desire to bring our audiences and our community together.

“After what has been a difficult year we are really excited to now finally share pictures from inside the brand new Octagon which will offer a warm and welcoming environment for the whole community. We promised you we would be back, and now the building is complete we cannot wait to open our doors and welcome you back in person to your reimagined Octagon.”

Leader of Bolton Council and the Greater Manchester portfolio lead for culture, Cllr David Greenhalgh, said: “The new images of the Octagon are fantastic and showcase to residents the excellent facilities waiting for them once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. We are proud to support the redevelopment of one of Bolton’s greatest cultural assets which is a key part of our town centre regeneration plans.

“I am looking forward to visiting once the Octagon opens and seeing the venue flourish with its impressive new design and features.”

Following its redevelopment and modernisation, the Octagon will be fit for purpose for decades to come, and ready to meet people’s hunger for bold, adventurous and popular theatre.

The Octagon is eagerly anticipating when they will be able open their doors for audiences and participants to fully appreciate and take advantage of all the new facilities and enjoy their reimagined Octagon.

]]> stuart.aiken@marketingmanchester.com (Visit Manchester) http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/03/octagon-theatre-reveal-first-glimpse-inside-ps12million-reimagined-building-b1524#comments1524 Wed, 17 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/03/ducie-street-warehouse-announces-new-terrace-plans-b1523 Ducie Street Warehouse will reveal a new urban South-facing terrace for relaxed all day dining and drinking, opening on Monday, 12th April. Native Manchester will also reopen on the same day for all stays, be it leisure or business. Ducie Street Warehouse will reveal a new urban South-facing terrace for relaxed all day dining and drinking, opening on Monday, 12th April. Native Manchester will also reopen on the same day for all stays, be it leisure or business.

The eclectic 24/7 space is home to the new 80 cover terrace and 80 cover restaurant - an all-day kitchen headed up by Manchester-born chef Andrew Green; a bar and lounge that’s a place for work, play and everything in between.

The new heated and covered terrace will open daily for that first sip of tea, to that last cocktail; an all-day bar and kitchen where socialising is the order of the day. The terrace menu will serve a preview selection of dishes from the new all-day dining menu, of food that’s great to share, including signature Focaccia Romania flatbreads, small sharers and large plates.

Ducie Street Warehouse will see a collection of curated takeovers across sounds, inspired arts and cultural pop-ups. The first collaboration will launch in April, with 20k and a dead sheep, the independent Manchester based online shop selling zines, books and rare editions, which is ran by renowned DJs and selectors within the Manchester scene.

]]> stuart.aiken@marketingmanchester.com (Visit Manchester) http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/03/ducie-street-warehouse-announces-new-terrace-plans-b1523#comments1523 Wed, 17 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/03/manchester-camerata-fuses-old-with-the-new-on-bbc-radio-3-b1522 In a vibrant and eclectic fusion of the familiar and the new, Manchester Camerata is delighted to present its brand-new concert on BBC Radio 3 on March 23 rd as part of the station’s Manchester Week series. In a vibrant and eclectic fusion of the familiar and the new, Manchester Camerata is delighted to present its brand-new concert on BBC Radio 3 on March 23^rd as part of the station’s Manchester Week series. Introduced by Linton Stephens and directed by Manchester Camerata’s Leader, Caroline Pether – this one-off concert features music from Schoenberg, Janáček and Mozart alongside music from the acclaimed, experimental and Ivor Novello award-winning composer, turntable artist and broadcaster, Shiva Feshareki.

As a turntablist, the British-Iranian experimental composer, plays her compositions solo and alongside classical orchestras. Born in London in 1987, she obtained a Doctorate of Music from the Royal College of Music and in 2017 she was honoured with the Ivor Novello Award for Innovation (formerly British Composer Award).

BBC Radio 3’s Manchester Week of pre-recorded and live concerts, broadcast as part of the In Concert slot, showcases some of the very best of the city’s orchestras, venues and musicians. The initiative highlights the station’s commitment to connecting listeners and performers with broadcasts of music as performed all over the UK – especially during the current global pandemic, when audiences have been unable to enjoy live concerts and artists have struggled to work. 

Manchester Camerata CEO Bob Riley comments: “We are so thrilled to be back on BBC Radio 3 where we are able to re connect with our regional, national and international audiences with this stunningly versatile and exciting concert. Supporting our freelance musicians and showcasing their extraordinary talents alongside the likes of the very brilliant Shiva Feshareki in a really diverse sums up what we are about as an orchestra – shaking up the classical music world and making it current, vibrant and relevant to musical lovers of all genres and all ages. It is also great to be part of a season which sheds a spotlight on the vast regional talent and all the great music that is available in Manchester”

Manchester Camerata features as part of Manchester Week on BBC Radio 3 at 19.30 on Tuesday 23 March 2021

You can expect a bunch of Refuge classics alongside a line-up of brand spanking new dishes and a cracking new wine list. And not forgetting Sunday Roast - because we all know it's still the platter that matters.

Be the envy of your mates and nab an outdoor table before anyone else. Just a little FYI that you can book online only. Unfortunately, if the slot you're after isn't available, that means it is fully booked. All you need to do now is hit the booking button - we'll see you back at Refuge soon.

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel re-opens

But it's not just The Refuge who's opening their doors on 12 April - Kimpton Clocktower Hotel are taking booking for essential business travel. Working away never looked so stylish.

Book a room here

Alongside their usual extensive by-the-glass menu, the team have curated a new specially selected range of wine flights for the occasion so that guests can enjoy Salut’s famous tasting experience direct to their table. There’s four flights to choose from, with each collection consisting of three different 50ml wines and covering a range of styles including a new natural wine flight. It’s a perfect way to explore Salut’s extraordinary menu and designed for those much missed catch ups over a glass of great wine.

As usual, Salut will be serving great food to compliment from local suppliers like The Crafty Cheese Man & Holy Grain Bakery. The menu will include Salut’s renowned cheese, charcuterie and mezze platters as well as even more  new vegan and vegetarian options.

Beers from Manchester’s best breweries as well as coffees, teas and soft drinks will all be served. Plus a new monthly-changing cocktail special - something the team have been experimenting with and refined during lockdown!

Until the inside can reopen, the seating will be walk-in only.

Salut will be open seven days a week: Monday-Wednesday 10.30am-8.00pm; Thursday-Saturday 10.30am-9.00pm and Sunday midday - 8.00pm.

The Salut Wine Shop is home to an extraordinary collection of over 400 wines, all of which will continue to be available for takeaway, click and collect and delivery nationwide.

Serving up Caribbean sunshine from breakfast until dinner and bringing back its famous 2’4’1 cocktails, Turtle Bay Manchester Oxford Road offers the perfect Caribbean getaway while sun-soaked holidays are still off the agenda. The al fresco space is big on Turtle Bay’s unmistakable island vibes, offering an outdoor dining experience that sets it apart from the average local.

Turtle Bay fans can look forward to a tropical take on that long-awaited catch up with friends, and this time around, guests can also opt for a more casual experience and just enjoy a few drinks from the restaurant’s famous rum cocktail menu (all 2’4’1 during the brand’s much missed Happy Hour). 

Turtle Bay’s all-day food menu boasts a wide selection of Caribbean soul food and grazing options from their island-inspired breakfast dishes to the Jerk Pit BBQ; comforting curries to clean-eating inspired Buddha Bowls; plus an excellent range of burgers, beach salads and sides.

Turtle Bay is also home to one of the biggest vegan collections on the high street with incredible plant-based treats in abundance across the entire menu- from breakfast to mains, desserts and snacks.

The reopening of Turtle Bay will also see the return of their Bottomless Brunch every single day, providing plenty of scope for guests to make their social debut all week long. A two hour long Caribbean cocktail and brunching experience, the Bay’s Bottomless Brunch is a sunshine-filled catch up event like no other and includes unlimited tropical cocktails, mocktails, Red Stripe, bellinis, prosecco or craft beer, all to a soundtrack of laidback reggae beats. It includes any brunch dish from the sunshine inspired Big Kingston Grill Down, to the infamous Vegan Yardbird or their twist on Avocado Smash, all for £27.50 per person.

For those booking for just drinks, enjoying Turtle Bay’s famous Happy Hour is essential. Happening every single day (Sun - Thurs: 10am - 7pm & 9.30pm - close; Fri & Sat: 10am - 7pm & 10pm - close), guests can enjoy Turtle Bay’s Caribbean social experience whilst taking full advantage of the 2-for-1 cocktails and mocktails.

Cocktail highlights include the Reggae Rum Punch (Ve, Wray & Nephew, strawberry, grenadine, lime, pineapple & bitters), Koko Kolada (Ve, Koko Kanu, dark rum, pineapple juice & coconut milk), and the Side Chick Martini (White rum, passion fruit, vanilla, orange juice & prosecco shot), which is also great with vodka.

Turtle Bay Manchester Oxford Road is open for outdoor bookings from 12th April and bookings for 17th May onwards are now being taken for inside the restaurant (up to 6 people):

While indoor areas at Turtle Bay restaurant remain closed, spaces are limited and reservations are required.

TREATS, TIPPLES AND TASTY MEALS; THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERY MANCUIAN MUM TO ENJOY

Mother’s Day will look a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make amazing memories at home with the help of the Corn Exchange Manchester. Treat mum to amazing offerings from the city’s ultimate dining destination to ensure that this Mothering Sunday is truly magical.

And though we may not be able to dine out this year, this doesn’t mean you can’t dine in with these fantastic takeaway options that provide you a restaurant experience from home.

PIZZA EXPRESS

Give your mum the first-class treatment she deserves by treating her to a delicious At Home DIY Pizza Kit. Starting from just £14 for two people, these deliciously crispy, thin-based pizzas are available in either Margherita, American Hot or 50/50. Let mum put her feet up whilst your pizzas cook to perfection for the ultimate Mother’s Day feast.

SALVI’S

For mums with a sweet tooth, Salvi’s Cannoli Treat Boxes will make the perfect gift. Tuck into the crunchy pastries filled with a silky-smooth mascarpone filling for the most satisfying Mother’s Day treat. Made fresh each day in Salvi’s famous deli, these heavenly pastries won’t disappoint.

Still on the hunt for the perfect gift to put a smile on mum’s face? Corn Exchange’s amazing brands have you covered.

MOWGLI STREET FOOD

Feed mum’s passion for amazing, authentic cuisines with Mowgli Street Food’s cookbook, available for £25. Take a trip through the streets of India and learn about the delicious dishes found in the restaurant so that they can be recreated at home. Want to leave it to the professionals? Mowgli Street Food also offers gift cards so mum can be wined and dined when doors reopen.

ESCAPE HUNT

Bring the thrill of Escape Hunt home this Mothering Sunday with its Fizz & Fun package. Created in collaboration with Princess Prosecco, the package consists of a gift-wrapped bottle of rosé prosecco and comes complete with an Alice in Wonderland themed virtual game for the family to enjoy. Have fun falling down the rabbit hole trying to figure out the exciting puzzles, whilst enjoying a sip, for just £25.99.

Though your annual Mother’s Day meal at mum’s favourite restaurant may be cancelled this year, Corn Exchange’s is fantastic array of restaurants are offering gift vouchers so that mum can tuck into her favourite dishes when doors reopen.

Vouchers are also available at a range of different prices from several of the Corn Exchange’s other brands including Banyan, Cosy Club, Delhi House Café, Gino D’Acampo, Pho, Tampopo, Vapiano and Zizzi – so you can pre-purchase mum’s favourite dinner in advance, whatever her ideal meal.

GET LOST IN THE AROMA OF MUM’S FAVOURITE TIPPLE WITH GIN-INSPIRED SCENTED CANDLES AND GIN GIFTSETS

Manchester Gin has released a range of botanical-scented candles in time for Mother’s Day, to match their award-winning gins. Pair mum’s favourite tipple with a beautiful scented candle inspired by stunning gin botanicals - the perfect gift set that’ll be a sure-fire hit with mum.

The perfect gin excites both the palate and the nose, with a combination of flavours and aromas from a delicate blend of botanicals. Whether you prefer bursts of citrus, smooth and smoky scents of sage, or the freshness of raspberries, these tantalising top notes can all now be released with the strike of a match.

Created by fellow Manchester artisan company, Booze and Burn, these hand-crafted candles capture the essence of four of Manchester Gin’s most-loved tipples, Signature, Raspberry Infused, Wild Spirit and Blackberry Infused.

The eco soy wax, with 70 hours burn time, is beautifully encased in the same recycled glass used in Manchester Gin’s famous hexagon bottles, meaning that these homewares won’t just look beautiful on Mum’s mantel piece, but are also environmentally friendly.

For a sophisticated scent, choose Signature and enjoy the warming aura of dandelion and burdock mixed with liquorice and cassia this Mothering Sunday.

For Mum’s with a sweeter side, opt for Raspberry Infused to fill your home with the fresh fragrance of these delicious fruits.

Prefer a deeper, bold scent? Treat Mum to Blackberry Infused and indulge in the juiciness of this rich candle.

For the most homely of fragrances, Wild Spirt makes the perfect gift for those who love the savoury scent of almonds and sage.

For the ultimate Mother’s Day gift, these beautiful home accessories can be purchased along with a 500ml bottle of your Mum’s favourite gin for £55. Simply head to Manchester Gin’s website and enter the code mothermayi at checkout. Or purchase individually for £25 (and £35 for 500ml Manchester Gin).

Manchester Gin co-founder and Master Distiller, Jen Wiggins, said: “When our customers taste our award-winning gins, they don’t just experience the delicious flavours but also the smell of them. Smell is a powerful sense with the ability to bring back some amazing memories, so what better time than Mother’s Day to release Manchester Gin candles.”

NEW SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS GALLERY AT THE SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY MUSEUM REVEALED

A spectacular new 725 metre square flexible gallery is now complete and ready to originate and host some of the world’s best science exhibitions and experiences in the North, thanks to a generous £3.8 million grant from the DCMS and additional support from other funders.

Designed by award-winning architectural practice Carmody Groarke, working alongside Manchester building contractor HH Smith & Sons, the transformation of the lower ground floor of the museum’s Grade II listed New Warehouse reveals grand industrial beauty with stunning modern and sustainable design. It opens-up public access as a gallery space to this part of the much-loved museum’s globally significant site for the first time.

Director Sally MacDonald, says: “We are dedicated to inspiring audiences with ideas that change the world. This year has brought home to all of us how fundamentally science shapes our lives. As we all rebuild personally, socially and culturally, and look forward to better things in 2021, we can’t wait to share this phenomenal new exhibition space. Our new Special Exhibitions Gallery will deliver a real step change in increasing access to incredible science exhibitions and collections. It is the first project in our long-term multi-million pound restoration programme to conserve our historic buildings, open up new spaces for all to enjoy, play and learn in and to generate vital skills opportunities to support our innovators of the future. “

The New Warehouse was built in 1882 from brick, cast and wrought iron and sandstone to provide storage for the Great Western Railway and designed to support the weight of goods wagons entering the building and unloading cargo (which would have been moved through to the lower ground floor through ceiling hatches still visible today). Used as museum stores until recently, the historic fabric of the lower ground floor has been revealed and restored, allowing visitors to experience the grandeur and scale of the original warehouse space while enjoying new exhibition experiences.

The original and the modern have been combined to pave the way for a sustainable gallery of the future, setting a new design standard for the rest of the masterplan of the museum to follow in years to come.

Key features include beautifully restored Victorian industrial architecture, including thick red brick walls with blue brick detail, steel and brick “jack arch” ceilings, including a focal high section beneath the historic platform above (now the Textiles Gallery on the upper level).  These historic features have been enhanced with high quality contemporary materials and design including signature illuminated fibreglass panels (hand-cast by Streamline Fibreglass in Trafford Park) in the external and front of house areas which light the space with a warm glow.  In the gallery, new walls house all necessary services for the space and are a blank canvas for exhibitions.

An improved outdoor welcome area in the lower courtyard of the museum is fully accessible and provides stunning vistas under the historic Viaduct (also known as the Pineapple Line) with its monumental round cast iron and square sandstone pillars infilled with brick jack-arching. This beautiful Colonnade and area of the site will be incorporated in years to come in new connections and entrances between the Science and Industry Museum, The Factory and the developing St John’s and Castlefield neighbourhoods as this vibrant area of the city comes alive together.

This new gallery with its generous ceiling heights and apertures, dedicated object preparation and handling facilities, secure access routes and first-rate environmental controls will enable the museum to display larger collection items and set works as well as provide a better visitor experience and visitor facilities for audiences to explore science in all its forms.

The £5 million Special Exhibitions Gallery is being generously funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Wellcome and Garfield Weston Foundation, with further support from the Kirby Laing Foundation and The Zochonis Charitable Trust.

Carmody Groarke’s recent projects include the critically acclaimed Windermere Jetty Museum, and a temporary museum for Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House near Glasgow. Andy Groarke, Director, Carmody Groarke, says “we were inspired by the powerful presence and character of the Victorian engineering and architecture when designing the new Special Exhibitions Gallery. By counterpointing the carefully restored historic building fabric with bold new materials, our architectural interventions reframe and repurpose the already wonderful spaces within the New Warehouse as a backdrop for exhibitions and visitor welcome.”

Culture Minister, Caroline Dinenage, says: "This new gallery opens up a wealth of opportunity for the Science and Industry Museum and demonstrates the importance of not only the heart of Manchester but the whole of the North West. This exciting space will educate and inspire visitors from their local community and beyond and I am pleased that with DCMS funding the museum has been able to complete this important expansion. I can't wait to see what fascinating exhibitions they have in store."

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, says: “The impact of this transformational project on our city will be immediate. The incredible new experiences that this spectacular gallery will bring will be integral to the cultural and skills recovery of our city through science, arts, technology and innovation for everyone.”

The museum remains temporarily closed and will re-open its doors when it is safe to do so in the coming weeks. The inaugural exhibition hosted in the Science and Industry Museum’s new Special Exhibition Gallery will be Top Secret: From Ciphers to Cyber Security, curated by the Science Museum Group with the help of expert advisors, GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and cyber agency.

Visitors will uncover the remarkable world of codebreaking, ciphers and secret communications by exploring over a century's worth of communications intelligence. From the First World War to the latest in cyber security, fascinating stories will be explored through hand-written documents, declassified files and artefacts from the Science Museum Group's and GCHQ's historic collections. Manchester is also home to GCHQ’s newest avowed office located in the heart of the city, Heron House in Albert Square.

Discover more about the new gallery and sign up to the museum’s mailing list to be one of the first to explore it when the museum re-opens here.

By Alice Durocher, PhD Candidate at The Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies

If eeriness is found in the unknown, lockdown, social distancing, and face masks might be too much a part of everyday life to be truly unsettling anymore. Yet, while we are all waiting for Manchester to buzz with life again, the emptiness and quiet of the city remains a stark reminder that life as we know it has changed. The work of photographer Sara Porter demonstrates that creativity does not stop, and that art and photography are resilient: when movement sits still, art goes on. She captures the eeriness of everyday life, the uncanniness of the dark, and where these feelings meet in lockdown. Where the ‘new normal’ is full of contradictions, in the interview below Sara reflects on a year like no other where the weird, the new, and the strange blend in the everyday.

Sara Porter is an award-winning photographer living in Liverpool and working all over the UK and Europe. Her portfolios display a wide range of specialties, from portraits to architecture and drone photography – Sara has been CAA approved for drone photography since October 2020.

Your night-time photographs always have an eerie quality to them: no one in sight, a single streetlight, wet pavement…. Do night-time pictures and lockdown pictures (perhaps those even taken during the day) share a similar eeriness?

Eeriness comes with a sense of the unknown, which I think is more easily portrayed at night-time. Dark spaces in an image allow your mind to fill in the gaps and as a result create that sensation of unease. With lockdown, there have been empty spaces where there was once a lot of life; but during the day, empty cities, for me, have more of a dystopian feeling. It’ll be interesting to see how lockdown images are viewed in a few years after we have hopefully returned to some degree of normality. At the moment, they are too much of a record of daily life in the city to feel eerie.

Did lockdown, and all the changes it implies to everyday life, change the way you view mundane objects, activities and places and the way you want to capture them in your work? I’m thinking for example of ‘bin night’ on your Instagram (@saraporterphoto): are bin nights or the streets at night always strange in a way or did lockdown make them more eerie?

Mundane objects tend to be seen as mundane because we don’t take the time to look at them in any other way. Lockdown has provided the time and space to be able to look at everyday things differently. With limitations in where you can go to, you start to pay more attention to the things you pass daily, and you notice slight differences that come with the changing light and weather conditions. I’ve always liked the idea of creating a different view within an image to that which a viewer would normally expect. With the streets being especially quiet at night, they have certainly had an eerier feel to them.

You photograph the beach in Liverpool a lot. You must be used to photographing a quiet beach in Britain, but how did a quiet city change the way you photograph the space of the city? On one caption under a photograph of Spinningfields in Manchester, you write, ‘I can’t get over how quiet it is’. Other photographs capture the idea that the city is shut down and we are merely waiting for it to reopen… Do you think a quiet city is contradictory, almost impossible to capture?

I have been so extremely lucky to be living by the beach during lockdown. Perversely, the beach has probably never been so busy in complete contrast to the city. I don’t think quiet cities are impossible to capture; I think it just needs to be treated in the same way as any other photograph in that you need to know your subject and plan carefully how you are going to photograph it. Saying that, an empty city is not an easy thing to capture. With early mornings before shops and businesses open, you tend to be confronted by a range of delivery drivers. In the evening you have people out and about in theatres, bars and restaurants. If you spend some time getting to know an area, you start to pick up on when areas in the city are quiet. One example that comes to mind is a trip we made to London a few years ago. We chose to stay in the financial area of London over a weekend. In my mind, I had thought with it being London everywhere would be busy but, of course, with all the commercial offices closed for the weekend, it was like a ghost town.

With the Spinningfields image what struck me was the time when I was there and took that photograph; it would normally be a time when Manchester is bustling. It was midweek, lunchtime and just a few weeks before Christmas. If it was early Sunday morning then it wouldn’t have struck me as unusual. This perhaps highlights the importance of providing some textual context to an image when it is displayed. 

I find that we often don’t notice the architecture of the city because we are always moving; we are too busy getting to wherever we are going – and you capture this feeling in a couple of your photographs. I have noticed that you have started using drone photography this year, and that it gives a greater distance, and therefore greater space to capture the bigger picture of the city. Do you think the lockdown brought back attention to the buildings, the spaces of the city without people?

Lockdown gave us the time to be more observant but I’m not sure that we necessarily take advantage of it. People are so often caught up with looking at their phones or trying to find the nearest coffee shop. We also have a tendency to look at things at eye level, which, of course, is the space that tends to be occupied by shops and businesses. There is some amazing architecture in Manchester and a mix of architectural styles but you need to remember to look above the shops to take in a lot of it. Some of the best views are actually from the high floors of the city’s car parks. There are also some interesting alleyways and small quiet roads tucked away in the city and these are always worth a look.

The drone photography has been great for gaining a different perspective, especially in terms of seeing the bigger picture, and it allows us to see how the new architecture sits with the old. I’ve been photographing the Manchester skyline for many years and each time I photograph it, there are changes to it.

On your Instagram, there is a photograph of Manchester in February 2020: we were blissfully unaware of what would happen then, and what struck me were the movements you captured in this photograph. There are several more photographs of Manchester and Liverpool before lockdown: did the pandemic slow down your work like it ‘slowed down’ the city – metaphorically and literally?

Just as the pandemic struck, I’d been really busy with a number of projects. In December I had just finished an eighteen-month project photographing musicians for the 50 Portraits exhibition at Stoller Hall. I went straight from that into a corporate rebranding commission and we had a pretty full diary for the remainder of 2020 and then we got to March. From a commercial point of view everything stopped. Commercial work went on hold. I am not very good at doing nothing so I have been working on some personal projects: working with different cameras and techniques, teaching myself video editing. When the weather has been good, I’ve been out with the drone. I’ve had the opportunity to really explore the area where I live. So whilst commercial work has really slowed down, I’ve not stopped with the personal work.

For more information on Sara Porter, you can visit her website and her online print store. You can also visit her Instagram @saraporterphoto.

From a Spanish feast to a mouth-watering Afternoon Tea bundle - both delivered straight to her doorstop – the Great Northern Warehouse has lots on offer to inspire your homage to Mum.

ALEX’S BAKERY

Let mum indulge in a selection of sweet treats from Alex’s Bakery. For Mother’s Day the bakery, thanks to its home to mouth-watering brownie boxes, is spreading the love with a delectable afternoon tea basket which can be collected or delivered locally. 

With a selection of tasty sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, brownies, blondies, quiche Lorraine and that all-important cup of tea all for just £29.90, it’s a real feast and guaranteed to impress on her special day.

EVUNA

Transport mum to sun-drenched Spain with Evuna’s heat-to-eat, ‘Evuna at Home’ meal box experience.

Evuna has hand-picked a selection of its favourite Spanish dishes to feature on the collectable feast, with plenty of veggie options including a delicious paella packed with a mixture of tasty vegetables.

Don’t forget the booze on mum’s special day! Evuna has a fantastic ‘Mother’s Day Trio’ deal to help her celebrate in style which features three bottles of fizz including the award-winning Navaren Cava. The trio is currently on offer for £35.00 – saving you £4.50 from the original price of £39.50.

Finally, as an extra special treat this year, Evuna is adding an extra £5 onto any gift cards purchased with £35 or more on! Perfect for when restaurants open up again

DORMOUSE CHOCOLATES

Let’s face it, nothing quite says, ‘I love you’ like Manchester’s most luxurious and indulgent Chocolatier’s Dormouse Chocolates. Your Mum will be in Chocolate heaven with an award-winning range that makes a perfect gift, she might even share! 

The Anatomical Heart chocolate is a unique gift she’ll simply love. Cast in a selection of our bean to bar chocolate origins and dusted with an edible shimmer. For a present that will last, grab her a Podmouse Pin. The small enamel pin badge with a glitter finish, will give mum 10% off all purchases when wearing in the shop, she will also receive a discount code valid for 1 year online.

THE LIFE CENTRE

Mums definitely deserve some time for self-care and a break away from the mayhem. The perfect gift this Mother’s Day is brought to you by The Life Centre who are offering a whole month of unlimited virtual yoga for £39, or treat to her a one-off drop-in session for only £5. 

Get in your Mum’s good books and treat her to this absolute gem of a deal that will add positive yoga vibes to the rest of her month.

3Hands Deli

The tastiest deli in town and the perfect place to buy delicious, fresh produce in preparation for the big day (not to mention grabbing yourself one of its famous toasties whilst you’re there!).

With the incredible sourdough, amazing cheeses and a great selection of pickles, ferments and home-baked goods, you can’t go wrong this Mother’s Day.

Forever Manchester

For every Mancunian mum there’s a perfect Mother’s Day gift from local charity, Forever Manchester. With a full range dedicated to all things Manchester and all proceeds going to support local communities across Greater Manchester, what more could mum want?

There’s a wonderful selection of gifts to choose from including a unique collection of 11 iconic designs of landmarks, buildings and spaces across Manchester, including Northern Quarter, Fallowfield and Hacienda.

Why not also grab the Great Northerners Postcard collection by Stanley Chow featuring a range of Manchester icons, all voted for by Great Northern Warehouse visitors, including Liam Gallagher, Caroline Aherne, Tony Wilson, Alan Turing, Emmeline Pankhurst and more. 

The set of 14 postcards, featuring all of the Stan Chow's 'Great Northerners' designs, retail at just £14.00 and all profits go to Forever Manchester.

The wonderful portraits also form a permanent exhibition at the Great Northern Warehouse.

PLATZKI

Spoil mum with a £25 gift card to Manchester’s favourite Polish eatery, Platzki’s, which she can enjoy now with collection or just save until Government restrictions are lifted so she can fully enjoy the delicacy.

She can choose from a range of tasty treats including a mouth-watering Polish baked cheesecake to the sweet pierogi, Polish dumplings filled with cottage cheese and blueberries topped with butter and village sugar – both superb as desserts and available for collection now.

For more information on the Great Northern, including updates on individual brand opening dates and safety procedures, please visit: www.thegreatnorthern.com.     

]]> stuart.aiken@marketingmanchester.com (Visit Manchester) http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/03/mothers-day-gifts-from-the-great-northern-warehouse-b1513#comments1513 Mon, 08 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/03/manchester-literature-festival-spring-programme-announced-b1512 Manchester Literature Festival Spring Programme Announced with Kazuo Ishiguro & Jackie Kay in conversation and a series of exclusive new writing commissions to be performed at the Festival Manchester Literature Festival Spring Programme Announced with Kazuo Ishiguro & Jackie Kay in conversation and a series of exclusive new writing commissions to be performed at the Festival                                              

Manchester Literature Festival’s Spring digital programme launches with Kazuo Ishiguro and Jackie Kay in conversation about his new novel, Klara and The Sun alongside new writing commissions by poets Roger Robinson and Caleb Femi.

Kazuo Ishiguro & Jackie Kay in Conversation

19 – 26 April 2021

This event will be first broadcast at 7.30pm on Mon 19 April 2021 and available to watch for 7 days. The event will be pre-recorded and captioned.

‘Do you believe in the human heart?’ In his magnificent new novel Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro asks whether humans are unique and, if we are, what makes us so? A story of connection, understanding and hope, seen through the eyes of an Artificial Friend, it is Kazuo Ishiguro at his finest. Manchester Literature Festival is thrilled to welcome Kazuo to the Festival to discuss his work, his characters, and his love of music with poet and MLF Patron Jackie Kay. Kazuo is the author of eight previous books including The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, both of which have sold over a million copies and were made into acclaimed films. His work has been translated into over fifty foreign languages and he has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize four times, winning in 1989. In 2017, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for novels which ‘uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world’.

Tickets for this event are available on a Pay What You Can basis: £6 (low income / concession), £12 (standard ticket) or £20 (per household). Any ticket revenue received will help Manchester Literature Festival survive this challenging time and deliver its annual festival in October 2021.

Roger Robinson

Hosted by Malika Booker

25 March – 1 April 2021

This event will be first broadcast at 7.30pm on Thursday 25 March 2021 and be available to watch for 7 days. The event will be pre-recorded and captioned.

One of the most prominent voices in the Black-British writing canon, Roger Robinson is a celebrated poet and musician who has performed around the world. His 2019 poetry collection A Portable Paradise, which included heart-wrenching poems about the Grenfell disaster, being Black British in the UK, and fatherhood, won the T.S. Eliot Prize and the RSL Ondaatje Prize. He has previously created commissioned work for The National Trust, London Open House, BBC, The National Portrait Gallery and Theatre Royal Stratford East where he also was associate artist.

In a new commission written especially for Manchester Literature Festival, Roger will explore the idea of Black Lives Matter and how it pertains to the Black British experience. Roger will perform his new poems for the first time, followed by a conversation about his work with poet Malika Booker.

This is one of a series of New Commissions supported by an award from the DCMS Culture Recovery Fund and presented in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester.

Caleb Femi

Hosted by Vanessa Kisuule

8 April – 15 April 2021

This event will be first broadcast at 7.30pm on Thursday 8 April 2021 and be available to watch for 7 days. The event will be pre-recorded and captioned.

A rising star on the British poetry scene, Caleb Femi’s debut collection Poor considers what it is to be a young, working class Black man, living in South London in the 21^st Century. One of two poets shortlisted for the 2021 Rathbones Folio Prize, Max Porter describes him as ‘a poet of truth and rage, heartbreak and joy.’ Caleb is a poet and director and has previously been commissioned by organisations including BBC, Channel 4, Tate Modern and The Guardian. From 2016 – 2018, he was the Young People’s Laureate for London.

In a new commission written especially for Manchester Literature Festival, Caleb will explore the impact of solitude during the pandemic, touching on themes of the inner and physical self, friendship, imagination as a coping tool, and joy. Caleb will perform his new poems for the first time, followed by a conversation about his work with fellow poet and host Vanessa Kisuule.

This is one of a series of New Commissions supported by an award from the DCMS Culture Recovery Fund and presented in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester.

Jhumpa Lahiri & Kamila Shamsie in Conversation

20 May 2021

This event will be first broadcast at 7.30pm on Thursday 20 May 2021 and available to watch for seven days. It will be pre-recorded and captioned.

‘I’m both ablaze with energy and sapped of it.’ In Whereabouts, Jhumpa Lahiri’s stunning new novel, an unnamed woman, in an unnamed Italian city, assesses her daily life. Her friends, her work, her lovers, and the shadow of her father’s unexpected death. Jhumpa will be in conversation with novelist and MLF Patron Kamila Shamsie discussing her first novel to be written in Italian and translated into English by the author herself.

Jhumpa is the author of four works of fiction, including Unaccustomed Earth, Interpreter of Maladies and The Lowland which was shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She is also the editor and one of the translators of The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories which brings together forty writers that reflect over a hundred years of Italy's vibrant and diverse short story tradition. Kamila is the acclaimed author of seven novels including Home Fire, which won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The event is presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester.

Natalie Diaz

Hosted by Mary Jean Chan

22 April 2021

This event will be first broadcast at 7.30pm on Thursday 22 April 2021 and available to watch for seven days. It will be pre-recorded and captioned.

In a new commission written especially for Manchester Literature Festival, Natalie will present Radixes and Formations: a series of poetic sensualities exploring the words ‘origin’, ‘migration’, ‘freedom’ and ‘love’. A deeply lyrical poet, she will create linguistic maps of these words in English and Mojave, diving deep into their roots and the ways in which they echo in physical connection.

Natalie will perform her new poems for the first time, followed by a conversation about her work with poet Mary Jean Chan. Mary Jean is the author of Flèche, which was shortlisted for multiple awards and won the 2019 Costa Book Award for Poetry. This is one of a series of New Commissions supported by an award from the DCMS Culture Recovery Fund. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester.

‘Natalie Diaz is a poet who calls out to us in so many ways, who reaches out to embrace her lover, her people, and her country.’ Her most recent collection Postcolonial Love Poem explores body and land as sites of desire and longing, but also pain and erasure. It was shortlisted for the National Book Award and the Forward Prize in Poetry. Born and raised in the Fort Mojave Indian Village in Needles, California, on the banks of the Colorado river, Natalie is Mojave and an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Tribe. She has received fellowships from The MacArthur Foundation, the Lannan Literary Foundation, the Native Arts Council Foundation, and Princeton University and was recently appointed to Academy of American Poets.

Tickets for these events are priced as pay what you can: £6 (low income/concession), £12 (standard ticket) or £20 (per household) plus some free for those without the means to pay. Any ticket revenue received will help Manchester Literature Festival survive this challenging time and deliver its annual festival in October 2021.

Tickets are available to book via the Manchester Literature Festival website from midday on Friday 26 February or via the MLF Eventbrite page

Join the conversation: #MLF21 @McrLitFest

With so much to look forward to we’ve chosen 21 of the best things to get excited about across the rest of 2021 and beyond, including new outdoor experiences, rich new cultural developments, new and refurbished hotels, diverse food and drink offering, and some truly world-leading events.

1. Opening of Europe’s largest garden project in Salford

At the top of many visitor’s lists for 2021 will be The Royal Horticultural Society’s first new garden in 17 years, which is set to open in May in the lost historic grounds of Worsley New Hall in Salford.

RHS Garden Bridgewater will be a 154-acre garden and is currently the largest gardening project in Europe. When it opens it will feature a Weston Walled Garden (one of the largest in the UK), a visitor centre and café, community teaching allotments, a Kitchen Garden, orchards, a woodland play area, and a Chinese Streamside Garden, alongside Ellesmere Lake, woodland and other garden spaces.

What’s more, if you’re lucky enough to be a resident of Salford, you’ll be able to visit for free every Tuesday.

2. UK’s largest urban farm and eco-park set in 160-acres of land

Sticking with the outdoors theme after we all found a much greater appreciation of nature in 2020 is Northern Roots. You might not have heard of this 160-acre green space being developed in Oldham yet, but you’ll be hearing a lot more about it in the coming years.

Offering woodland, moorland and seasonal wetlands, the site is home to an abundance of native and migrating birds, plants and animals and has plans to grow into the UK’s largest urban farm and eco-park. It will also include hands-on community projects such as beekeeping, animal husbandry, forestry, as well as mountain biking, performances and frisbee golf. 

One of the other reasons we love Northern Roots is that it plans to generate its own renewable energy, become a ‘carbon farm’ that sucks carbon dioxide out of the air and into the trees and they also have a plan in place to support biodiversity, hoping to see a 25% increase in wildlife. Truly the antidote to 2020 that we need!

3. New Special Exhibitions Gallery at the Science and Industry Museum

This new gallery will reveal striking historic spaces on the lower ground floor of the Science and Industry Museum’s Grade II listed New Warehouse. It has been designed by award-winning architects, Carmody Groarke, and will originate and host some of the world’s best science exhibitions, helping to establish the museum as a beacon for contemporary science and a major cultural destination for years to come.

The Special Exhibitions Gallery will open in May in line with Government restrictions being lifted. It will launch with a free exhibition called Top Secret which will explore over a century’s worth of communications intelligence through hand-written documents, declassified files and previously unseen artefacts from the Science Museum Group's and GCHQ’s historic collections – time to channel your inner James Bond!

In summer 2021, the museum will also open a highly anticipated exhibition that’s been rescheduled from last summer. Use Hearing Protection: The early years of Factory Records will tell the story of Manchester’s famous Factory Records, and the distinctive voices that came out of the early years of the record label, featuring previously unseen items from the Factory archives, including creations from Joy Division, New Order, and Peter Saville. And if you want to prepare yourself and brush up on your Manchester music knowledge beforehand, make sure you watch the free documentary, Manchester Music Then and Now: Music Worth Fighting For.

4. An extended, more interactive Manchester Jewish Museum

Another attraction that you might not know much about yet but will do soon, in summer 2021, Manchester Jewish Museum will re-open its doors following an extensive makeover and extension. The museum, which is housed inside a former synagogue built in 1873, will double in size complete with a brand-new gallery, learning studio and kitchen, shop and café, alongside the majorly renovated synagogue which will also double up as a performance space

The new building will launch a new programme for the museum, with a commitment to using Jewish stories to connect to the world and to our society. The museum has over 31,000 eclectic objects and personal histories in its collection, telling stories of Jewish Manchester as well as broader stories of migration, communities and identities that are a key part of Greater Manchester’s diverse make-up.

5. Fashion Gallery to open at Manchester Art Gallery

A new dedicated Fashion Gallery is set to open at Manchester Art Gallery in November 2021 as part of a permanent shift of the costume collection from Platt Hall Gallery of Costume, which closed a few years ago and is set to take on a new to-be-confirmed use – watch this space.

The first exhibition at the new fashion gallery will focus on male image and the ‘dandy’ style fashion, made popular in the late 18^th and early 19^th century. Bringing together fashion, art and photography, Dandy Style will meld the historic with the contemporary and will include approximately 75 extravagant outfits from the Platt Hall collection.

Another highlight at Manchester Art Gallery to watch out for is the postponed and highly anticipated exhibition Derek Jarman Protest! which will now open in May 2021 and will be accompanied by a programme of Jarman’s films at art centre HOME. It joins Grayson’s Art Club which has had its run extended until October, featuring works selected by Grayson during the popular Channel 4 TV series.

6. New building for one of the region’s best-loved theatres

After being closed for three years to allow for a major refurbishment, Octagon Bolton, one of the region’s best-loved theatres, will finally welcome audiences back for socially distanced performances in 2021 – keep an eye on their website for imminent programme announcements.

The refurbished theatre includes new seating in the auditorium, a two-floor café/bar, a purpose-built studio and classroom for community drama lessons, greater accessibility for improved wheelchair access and a larger, fully accessible rehearsal room for performers.

7. UK’s leading youth theatre transformed in building revamp

Another venue that’s undergone a complete transformation project, the UK’s leading youth arts organisation Contact is set to reopen in autumn 2021 and will feature the country’s first dedicated space for art, health and science in a UK theatre.

Contact has been making news by appointing the UK’s first-ever young chair to board at a major performing arts venue as part of their decision to ensure that 50% of the board would be made up of young people. 

Ahead of its opening, Contact will be running a series of online virtual performances including Queer Contact, the organisation’s annual LGBTQ+ festival which will take place in April and will be headlined by prolific British screenwriter and television producer Russell T Davies.

8. Manchester’s oldest music venue will expand

Band on the Wall has been entertaining Manchester for generations with a history stretching far back to the 19^th Century and beyond; then a small corner pub called the George & Dragon, it has borne witness to more of Manchester’s musical history than arguably anywhere else in the city.

Fast forward to September 2021 and the venue will have expanded into the Victorian Cocozza building that has been derelict to the rear of the venue for decades, taking the venue’s total gig capacity from 340 to 540 people.

The expansion project will also see a new learning suite for the next generation of musicians created, as well as an enhanced archive and visual exhibition documenting the rich social and musical history of the building and the surrounding Northern Quarter neighbourhood.

9. Biennial arts and culture festival MIF returns for the summer

A major highlight in the cultural calendar will be the return of eighteen days of dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking new work as part of the biennial Manchester International Festival in July 2021.

Following a successful 2019 outing which featured work from Yoko Ono, Idris Elba, Skepta and David Lynch, this summer’s event will be a Festival for our times with work by some of the world’s most exciting artists responding to the moment we’re in – the full programme will be announced soon. In addition, Festival Square will return in a new city centre location – expect fun-filled days of food, drink, and free entertainment.

10. North of England’s biggest LGBT+ Pride festival returns

Following the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 festival, The Manchester Pride Festival weekend will return in 2021 with more colour and energy over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Thirty years since the first bar with windows, Manto, opened on Canal Street in 1991, refusing to be hidden away, Manchester Pride Festival will hold extra special significance as people from all walks of life come together once again for four days of events including the Pride Parade, Manchester Pride Live, The Gay Village Party, Superbia (LGBT+ arts festival), Youth Pride MCR and the Candlelight Vigil.

Events for 2021 may look slightly different to the usual programme, but you can expect the city to be celebrating in full rainbow colours across the weekend.

11. The Rugby League World Cup finals come to Greater Manchester

And now one for the sports fans, and it’s not all about football, although the return of fans to live matches will undoubtedly be a massive draw for visitors again in 2021.

In this case Old Trafford Stadium, usually home to Manchester United, will be playing host to both the Rugby League World Cup and Women’s Rugby League World Cup finals as a double-header event on 27 November 2021, making it one of the biggest UK sports events of the year.

The world cup will also see two Greater Manchester towns take part in the competition – Bolton will host the Men’s Quarter Final and England v France games at the University of Bolton Stadium and will be the home training ground for the France team whilst visiting. Elsewhere, Leigh Sports Village in Wigan will host three Men’s rounds featuring Wales, Ireland, Lebanon, Jamaica and the Cook Islands.

12. BrewDog to open England’s first beer hotel in Manchester

Scottish beer brewing giants BrewDog have announced that they will open their first hotel in England in June, following the success of the DogHouse brand in Scotland and the USA. The 18-bedroom hotel, bar and restaurant will be centrally located just off Manchester’s Market Street.

Not shy of innovation, plans suggest that the hotel will feature Punk IPA on tap in every room, beer fridges in the showers, a rooftop terrace with fire pit, and will allow guests to bring their pets. At reception, guests will receive a welcome beer on arrival from one of the 28 unique beers on tap

13. Environmentally friendly green hotel opening on Deansgate

Climate conscious brand Qbic are bringing their fourth European hotel to Manchester, with pre-configured rooms made from largely recycled materials taking home in a former office block.

Opening in May, the hotel is all about sustainability, rewarding guests with free drinks for choosing green and not having towels or linen changed, using organic mattresses made in the UK, and reducing plastic use by providing filtered water in rooms.

The on-site bar and restaurant Motely has a goal to keep all food low-mileage, sourcing from the local area, and offering a large selection of vegetarian and vegan food, paired with local craft beers and signature cocktails. Like DogHouse above, the hotel is also a big fan of pets, allowing guests to bring their four-legged friends on a stay!

14. New Kimpton hotel embraces the Spirit of Manchester

Kimpton’s fourth hotel to open in the UK, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel (formerly the Principal Manchester) has recently brought the international brand’s cosmopolitan style, cool culture and luxury service to Manchester.

The iconic Grade II* star listed hotel began life in 1895 as The Refuge Assurance Building, and in homage to the origins of the building the hotel’s on-site restaurant The Refuge will continue alongside Kimpton to be one of the most popular restaurant spaces in the city.

Kimpton Clocktower might be the latest hotel to rebrand and refurbish, but it’s not alone. Other hotel’s that have taken the opportunity to refresh during the Covid-19 crisis include The Midland, Manchester’s ‘grand old dame’ and 5-star The Edwardian, which has gradually developed with new spa facilities, a highly praised restaurant, Peter Street Kitchen, which brings a fusion of Mexican and Japanese, and a new bar/lounge partnership in The Library curated by Assouline.

15. First dedicated poetry library in the North West to open

Manchester has a rich history as home to award-winning poets; with the likes of Tony Walsh and his famous This is The Place inspirational poem about Manchester, Salford-born John Cooper Clarke, Dame Carol Ann Duffy DBE, Lemn Sissay MBE, and Jackie Kay MBE, all calling the city-region home.

Building on Manchester’s UNESCO City of Literature status, awarded in 2017, the Manchester Poetry Library will open in summer 2021 adding to a rich literary tourism trail that includes places like the iconic John Rylands and Chetham’s Libraries and The International Anthony Burgess Foundation.

Part of Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University, the library will welcome the public to access poetry featuring texts and audio recordings, reflecting Manchester’s diverse culture in over 200 languages, and will encourage new creative writing with workshops and events.

16. Celebrated author’s bedroom added at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

May will see the opening of a new chapter for Elizabeth Gaskell’s House with the public launch of the celebrated author’s bedroom; recreated to reflect how it would have looked when she lived at the property.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s bedroom will add a new dimension to the visitor experience, revealing more of her character and life as an author in Victorian times.  The Grade II* listed property was restored in 2014, enabling visitors to discover how Elizabeth lived, where she wrote some of her most famous novels, where she entertained guests, including Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens, and the gardens she cherished. 

While in the vicinity of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, you can also make a beeline for nearby The Pankhurst Centre – the birthplace of the suffragette movement – which will reopen its doors in summer 2021 with a new permanent exhibition At Home with the Pankhurst Family.

17. Iconic Wigan Pier waterfront brought back to life

Wigan Pier – made famous by George Orwell’s 1937 book, The Road to Wigan Pier – will be given a new lease of life when the long-vacant 18^th Century industrial buildings are transformed into a new neighbourhood waterside attraction.

Expected to be ready in 2021, the former icon of the industrial North will become a gin-distillery, micro-brewery and food hall, and will hold weddings, events, exhibitions and conferences, with the former education centre set to be used as a cultural hub.

18. Tasks and trials from new I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge attraction

A brand-new family entertainment attraction celebrating ITV’s popular show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is set to open at the new The Watergardens development at MediaCityUK.

The I’m A Celebrity… Jungle Challenge attraction will bring an exciting mix of tasks and trials based on the hit show, including jungle zip lines, treetop ropes course and vertical climbing walls in summer 2021. ‘Campmates’ will experience a specially created jungle to navigate a series of obstacles and challenges.

The new experience follows ITV’s sell-out tours of Coronation Street – also at MediaCityUK – which shows visitors around the set of the world’s longest-running television soap that turned 60 in December 2020, with behind-the-scenes access to the live production studio.

19. First World War poppy tribute to take permanent home at IWM North

Following the success of Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window, which toured Imperial War Museum London and North during the final year of the First World War centenary and encouraged millions of people across the country to reflect on their own links to the First World War as a shared experience, from November 2021 the poppies will be displayed permanently within the Air Shard of the architecturally renowned Imperial War Museum North.

20. A deluge of new food and drink spots to look forward to

Anyone will tell you that the number one thing they’ve missed most in the last year is eating out and having drinks with friends. Throughout lockdown we got used to seeing some of our favourite places do meal kits and takeaways, but we can’t wait to get back into bars and restaurants.

Pre-Covid, Greater Manchester had one of the most varied and buoyant food and drink scenes in the country and it now looks raring to go with plenty of new places to try.

There are a host of brand new venues and operators that either opened during the pandemic – see vegan spots Four Side Pizza and What the Pitta – or that are due to open as soon as they can from May. In the latter camp are places like Ramona which will be serving up Detroit style pizza in a former M.O.T garage, new underground food halls Society and Hello Oriental, and cocktail bar Schofield’s.

And that’s just in the city centre. Thanks to homeworking and a greater appreciation of the suburbs and local areas that we’ve been confined to over the past year, a raft of new openings are peppered throughout neighbourhoods across Greater Manchester. From new bakeries like Bread and Long Boi’s Bakehouse in Levenshulme to new bars BrewChimp in Stretford and Draft in Sale.

21. Sprawling party venue continues to evolve

By far the runaway success of venues that launched during the Covid-19 crisis was Escape to Freight Island when it opened in summer 2020 as a 600-seat open-air venue, with live music and events alongside street-style food and drink from independent traders.

The site will be further developed in 2021, taking over the cavernous inner parts of the former Mayfield Station, with more traders, independent shops and long-term plans for live music and club nights, making it one of the must-visit places for those looking to party and reconnect with friends in 2021.

The Kantina Weekender has been announced for the late May Bank Holiday and promises an incredible line-up of chef and restaurant takeovers including Simon Martin from Manchester’s Michelin-starred restaurant Mana, Mary-Ellen McTague of The Creameries and Where The Light Gets In's Sam Buckley.

Beyond 2021…

There’s also much more to look forward to in Greater Manchester beyond 2021.

Highlights include a transformation at Manchester Museum to add a South Asia Gallery and a new China Gallery, due to open in August 2022 followed by the highly anticipated opening of The Factory, a world-class cultural space designed by Rem Koolhaas’s architects Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in late 2022. At 13,300 square metres, The Factory will be ultra-flexible, enabling large-scale artistic work of invention and ambition that isn’t made anywhere else in the world.

Then in 2023 Manchester’s first new city centre park in over 100 years, Mayfield Park, is set to be open, as well as the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort Therme, a new large-scale music venue, Co-op Live Arena, and Modern Surf Manchester surf lagoon, from the same company behind Surf Snowdonia.

Owner of Salut, Sara Saunby and her team have created the box to put the spotlight on all the talented women who produce wine within an industry where women are underrepresented. 

The box, available for delivery nationwide, is available with either three (£58.00) or six (£110.00) bottles plus a ticket to a virtual wine tasting event “Trailblazer: A Toast to International Women’s Day”. This will take place live over Zoom on International Women’s Day, March 8th at 7pm and will feature some of the most exciting and important female voices in wine covering the full spectrum of the industry from production to sales and wine writing.

Attendees will hear from:

• Jancis Robinson: Voted the world's most influential wine critic in polls in the USA, France and around the world in 2018, Jancis views herself as a wine writer rather than a wine critic. She writes daily for JancisRobinson.com and weekly for the Financial Times. She is founder-editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine, co-author with Hugh Johnson of  The World Atlas of Wine (4.7 million copies sold just before the 8th edition was published in October 2019) and co-author of Wine Grapes, each of these books recognised as a standard reference worldwide. The 24-Hour Wine Expert (2017) is a slim paperback guide to the practical essentials of wine. She has traveled all over the world to conduct wine events – often for the global literacy initiative Room to Read and in 2018 launched her own hand-made, dishwasher-friendly, ideal wine glass. In 1984 she was the first person outside the wine trade to pass the rigorous Master of Wine exams and in 2003 she was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen, on whose cellar she now advises. In one week in April 2016 she was presented with France's Officier du Mérite Agricole, the German VDP's highest honour and, in the US, her fourth James Beard Award. She now has six, including being the only wine writer elevated the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame. She loves and lives for wine in all its glorious diversity, generally favouring balance and subtlety over sheer mass.
• Samantha O’Keefe from Lismore Estate Vineyards, South Africa: The Californian female wine trailblazer who moved to South Africa, set up her own vineyard and now makes some of the best wines in the world.
• Marinette Garnier from Jaffelin, France: A young, Burgundy native, Marinette is making  incredible, hand-made wines in one of the smallest and most magical of the great Burgundy wine houses.
• Myriam Ambuzer from Lyrarakis vineyard in Crete: Myriam creates stunning  Greek wines with a philosophy that emphasises precision, purity and supple texture of the fruit. She argues it is all about expressing authenticity, achieving harmony and that every variety needs to be worked in its own special way.  

The event will be hosted by Katy Ashton, Director of People’s History Museum, who will share some of the stories told at PHM about the fight for women’s equality; and Sara Saunby, owner of Salut, who will talk about her own business and introduce the wines and winemakers in the box.

With female wine trailblazers beaming in from around the globe, it will be an exclusive chance for those who have bought the box to hear from some of the winemakers for a live tutored tasting and celebration of women in wine.

The box also contains a QR code which reveals access to the museum’s 3D Tour and an exclusive discount code for People’s History Museum’s shop.

Book a table.

The open air independent neighbourhood is also set to welcome a series of outdoor events this summer including Candlelight Jazz on 9th and 23rd June.  Musicians will be paying tribute to American icons including Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra whilst the whole of Hatch Jazz Club  will be bathed in gorgeous candlelight. 

Book tickets.

Contact Theatre’s beloved celebration of queer culture returns for 2021

Originally planned for February 2021, Contact can now reveal the new dates for the festival - 29 April – 1 May.

Queer Contact began over a decade ago and has since become a staple of Manchester’s queer arts scene. The annual Vogue Ball, is a riotous head-to-head display of skills from Vogue houses across the North West, has become a legendary event. In February 2020, Vogue Ball was the last live event to be produced by Contact before the pandemic forced theatres across the UK to close down.

Tickets are already on sale for one of the highlights, a conversation with legendary TV writer Russell T Davies (It’s a Sin, Queer as Folk, Doctor Who) and It’s A Sin actor Nathaniel Hall. Nathaniel has already made waves in recent month around his activism on HIV, and together he and Davies will be discussing portrayals of HIV and AIDS on stage and screen.

As the Vogue Ball can’t return in physical format, Contact will be taking the party online. Cheddar Gorgeous, star of Channel 4’s Drag SOS, will be hosting an interactive cabaret featuring a diverse range of acts and faces, followed by a party with Manchester-based DJ collective RebeccaNeverBecky. Meanwhile author Dean Atta, named as one of the most influential LGBT people in the UK by the Independent on Sunday, will be reading from and discussing his Stonewall Book Award-winning debut novel Black Flamingo.

Contact Theatre is well known for its commitment to young and early-career artists, and Queer Contact’s line-up is no exception. Several films by young, queer Manchester-based artists will premier during the festival, each exploring different elements of queer identity. Meanwhile, writer, poet and performer Ella Otomewo will be hosting a spoken word event, and musician Deanz will chat to vogue performer Oskar Marchock about queering dance hall music.

All events are on sale from 12pm, Tuesday 23 February.

We are so grateful to the many people who recently helped to secure People’s History Museum’s immediate future through a Crowdfunder. The future looks a lot brighter thanks to the support, kind words and solidarity people have given.

Unfortunately, due to the national lockdown, the museum must currently remain closed, which has added to the pressures we face.  If you share our vision for a fairer society where people’s voices and actions can make a difference and believe in a museum that inspires with the stories of ideas worth fighting for, please consider a one-off donation, or Join the Radicals to give regularly.

Find out more: https://phm.org.uk/support-us/.

The learning experience is brought to life through the examination of original artefacts and documents, the use of specially commissioned illustrations and animations, and the opportunity to watch compelling historical testimony and speeches – some dramatised for the first time.  The sessions are led by expert archivists, curators and historians.

Taking place on the FutureLearn platform Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the 19th Century’ takes four weeks, requiring five hours of weekly study.  For further information visit: futurelearn.com/courses/peterloo-to-the-pankhursts-radicalism-and-reform-in-the-nineteenth-century

Discover all the Ideas Worth Exploring at home and online activitiesat home and online activities.

]]> stuart.aiken@marketingmanchester.com (Visit Manchester) http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/02/peterloo-to-the-pankhursts-radicalism-and-reform-in-the-19th-century-b1506#comments1506 Thu, 18 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/blog/read/2021/02/create-the-space-national-football-museum-talks-b1505 The National Football Museum is running three online events about representation, identity and mental health in football.

ONLINE EVENTS LOOK AT REPRESENTATION, IDENTITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

The National Football Museum is running three online events about representation, identity and mental health in football.

Create The Space sessions are free to attend. Join footballers, journalists, curators and experts as they explore key issues within the game.

The museum is working with Kick It Out and Football v Homophobia on the talks which are available to watch on Crowdcast.

Friday 19 February, 7pm

LGBT+ IDENTITY IN WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Hall of Fame inductee Lily Parr is one of LGBT+ History Month's Faces of the Year. In the first of our Create the Space talks, the National Football Museum teams up with Football v Homophobia to discuss LGBT+ identity in the women's game, how it has changed through the decades, and our collective responsibility to tell the stories of those players.

Panel: Sky Sports presenter Jess Creighton (host); England and Aston Villa defender Anita Asante; Crystal Palace goalkeeper and Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Goal Diggers FC, Chloe Morgan; National Football Museum Curator of Women's Football, Belinda Scarlett; Director of Pride Sports, Lou Englefield; co-chair of Proud Lilywhites, Chris Paouros.

Register to watch here

Monday 8 March, 12pm

UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN FOOTBALL

Football is one of the most popular (and lucrative) sports in the world, creating roles and opportunities on and off the pitch. So why do women often find themselves consigned to the sidelines? We discuss the historical and modern issues in two panel talks with Kick It Out.

Looking Back Panel: Kick It Out Raise Your Game Co-ordinator Crystal Davis; Leicester City Women captain Holly Morgan; National Football Museum Curator of Women's Football, Belinda Scarlett.

The Present Panel: Kick It Out Game Changers Zuleikha Chikh and Maria-Jose Martinez; freelance journalist Renuka Odedra; National Football Museum's Jessica Furness.

Register to watch here

Thursday 11 March, 8PM

TWELVE MONTHS FROM THE TERRACES

It's almost been a full year since the pandemic forced clubs to close their turnstiles. Players are plying their trade in front of little more than cameras and club staff, while supporters remain unable to share the matchday experience in person. Our panel discusses the effect on the mental health of footballers and fans alike, the game's response to events, and what more can be done within the game.

Panel: Heart's Emil Franchi (host); Crystal Palace Women forward Amber Keegan Stobbs; FSA Chief Executive Kev Miles; Get Your Head in the Game author Dominic Stevenson; cognitive behavioural therapist and writer Saiqa Naz.

Register to watch here

Create The Space more details.