MCR15 by Marketing Manchester

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FIRST WORDS Alice in Wonderland celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Penned by Lewis Carroll, it’s an illustrious and otherworldly tale that has become symbolic of new experiences; a voyage into the unknown. It’s therefore quite an appropriate metaphor for everything that Manchester has in store for its visitors this year. At High Tea in Wonderland, audiences will be led behind the scenes of the museum, where an extraordinary edible world awaits them. Each room provides a new adventure as part of a most delicious trip. In addition to exploring MIF15, this latest edition of MCR will also guide you into the city’s lesser known museums and galleries, which have grouped together to form the new ‘HiDDEN’ consortium. Other highlights include a look at how Greater Manchester often gives Hollywood a run for its money, and we travel to Altrincham via the Metrolink tram for a trip that will have any food lover delighted. Of course I can’t guarantee that you’ll see any White Rabbits, Cheshire Cats or Mad Hatters on your visit. However, if you land in Manchester between 2-19 July the odds are more stacked in your favour. That’s because this summer sees the return of the Manchester International Festival (MIF15), the city’s biennial showcase of original new work and special events. Amongst the many highlights over these enthralling two weeks is Damon Albarn’s wonder.land, a new musical interpretation of Carroll’s classic for today’s digital generation. To celebrate the show, MIF15 has also commissioned acclaimed chef Mary-Ellen McTague to create an enchanting culinary event at the Manchester Museum.

Marketing Manchester Churchgate House, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU T. +44 (0)161 228 1111 marketingmanchester.com visitmanchester.com Cover quote: Roughguides.com, March 2015 Designed & Published: Marketing Manchester, April 2015 Photography: David Lake, Ben Page, Craig Easton, Joby Catto & VisitEngland

The voyage into the unknown continues with an overview of what to expect from Manchester’s latest cultural attraction HOME and a few ideas on how to connect your stay in the city with some of the cultural highlights offered by our closest neighbours (think country pubs, Romans, witches, Beatrix Potter and the Beatles). Whatever you’re looking for, we hope this issue will inspire you to visit Manchester soon. Enjoy the read! Andrew Stokes Chief executive, Marketing Manchester April 2015 marketingmanchester.com | @marketing_mcr

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy in this publication, Marketing Manchester cannot accept liability for any loss or damage arising from its use. As changes often occur after publication date, it is advisable to confirm the information given. The information contained within this guide is copyright and no part of the guide may be reproduced in part or wholly by any means, be it electronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of the publishers. Marketing Manchester is the agency charged with promoting the city-region on a national and international stage, and is part of the Manchester Growth Company. Visit Manchester is the Tourist Board for Greater Manchester and is a division of Marketing Manchester. They are funded by 360 commercial members and the organisations below.

Part of Manchester Growth Company part of MGC

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

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CONTENTS FEATURES

p42

04 – 07

What’s new?

14 – 18

HiDDEN

20 – 22

Saved for the City: All Souls, Bolton

24 – 31

#MIF15

42 – 46

Cultural Collections

50 – 53

HOME: the wait is almost over

58 – 60

SS15: Style Tips

71 – 75

Manchester Sets the Scene

86 – 90

All eyes on Altrincham

News and updates from the greatest city in the world. Manchester’s fantastically varied small heritage organisations have been brought together under a new brand HiDDEN. Hayley Flynn finds out more. Andrew Suter, director of All Souls Bolton reflects on the building’s significance and steps taken to restore it for the community.

After another two year absence, its back; eighteen days of extraordinary events and world premieres. Our museums and galleries are full of collections that tell a story of invention (and reinvention) of Manchester. From funfairs and surreal theatre to silent films set to new scores, HOME is almost here and Susie Stubbs finds eclectic times ahead. Manchester’s personal shoppers reveal their top style tips. Greater Manchester is increasingly being used as a filming location for both big and small screen. By David Prior. Five years after it was labelled a ‘ghost town’ Alty is back on top as its famous market turns 725 years old.

97 – 101

108

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@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Cultural itineraries for Manchester and its neighbouring counties.

The Last Word

Nick Brooks-Sykes on his new role as director of tourism.

WHAT’S ON 10 – 12

Exhibitions

36 – 38

Music and theatre

62 – 63

Expos and fairs

66 – 68

Festivals

More Next Door

The Greater Game, The Innovation Race and Safe. Take That, Kafka’s Monkey and The Buzzcocks.

Comic Con, classic cars and Soccerex Manchester After Hours, Dig the City and Manchester Jazz Festival.

LGBT

Sparkle, Great British Bear Bash and Manchester Pride.

76 – 77

Sport

82 – 84

Greater Manchester

Great City Games, Ironman UK and Revolution Series. Generation AIR, The Lost Carnival and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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CONTRIBUTORS Kate Feld

Kate Feld is a writer and journalism lecturer. Her cultural writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Independent and Art World magazine. manchizzle.com | @katefeld

Hayley Flynn

Hayley Flynn is a researcher, tour guide, author and city curator. She is the creator of Skyliner; an award-winning blog about unusual art, architecture and histories. theskyliner.org | @theskyliner

David Prior

David Prior is the editor of Prolific North, the leading media and creative news website. He is also editor and publisher of Altrincham Today, a hyperlocal news website. @dmhprior

SNAPSHOTS Manchester, as interpreted by local amateur photographers. 8–9 40 – 41 54 – 55 80 – 81 94 – 95

Elle Brotherhood Matthew Taylor Andy Rouse Joe Roper Mark Jennings

MCR VOICES 32 – 34

Alex Poots

48 – 49

Will Beckett

64 – 65

Andrea Zapp

78 – 79

Mark Cuteo

92 – 93

Steven Desykes

Founding CEO and artistic director at Manchester International Festival. Co-owner of Hawksmoor restaurants. Internationally exhibiting media artist. Sale and former England and British & Irish Lions professional rugby union player. Art lead at Pixelbomb Games.

USEFUL STUFF 103 104

Manchester Map

Transport information

Use our handy city centre map to navigate your way around the city. A guide to Greater Manchester’s transport network.

106 – 107 Airport information Direct flights from over 210 destinations around the world. Save time, fly direct!

Susie Stubbs

Susie Stubbs is the director of creativetourist.com. A former Time Out editor, she has written for The Guardian and The Independent, and has published eight non-fiction books. creativetourist.com | @susie_stubbs

SNAPSHOTS Throughout this issue you will find double page snapshots taken by emerging Manchester based amateur photographers, capturing their individual interpretation of our vibrant city.

Elle Brotherhood

Elle is an experimental and creative freelance photographer, working in both digital and analogue photography. ellebrotherhood.com | @ElleBrotherhood

Mark Jennings

Mark Jennings is a Manchester born photographer, currently studying at the University of Northampton. markjenningsphoto.co.uk | F: mjenningsphotography

Joe Roper

Joe is an amateur photographer from Cumbria who will start his studies at Manchester Metropolitan University in September. joeroperphotography.blogspot.co.uk

Andrew Rouse

Andy is a self-taught amateur photographer with a passion for cityscapes and landscapes and in particular his native North West. andyrousephotography.co.uk | @andrew_rouse

Matthew Taylor

Matthew is a Manchester based Street Photographer. matttaylorphotography.co.uk | @MCRStreetTog | F: Manchester Street Photography

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

WHAT’S NEW?

HOME opens in May HOME, Manchester’s new purpose-built centre for international contemporary art, theatre, film and books will officially open its doors in May as part of the First Street North development (opening weekend 21-25 May). From gallery to screen via café bar and bookshop, HOME is set to redefine the contemporary arts centre, creating a space where ideas, hopes and moments of wonder ricochet off walls and lodge themselves in the headspace of audiences old and new. Plans are gathering pace for HOME’s recently announced first season of productions (see page 50), which will include an intriguing selection of work, devised and curated by artistic directors, Walter Meierjohann (theatre), Sarah Perks (visual arts) and Jason Wood (film). homemcr.org | @HOMEmcr

Manchester Pride 2015 celebrates 25 years

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

2015 is an incredibly special year for celebrating LGBT life in Manchester and the Manchester Pride year-round events calendar will reflect this important anniversary. Manchester Pride has spent many years campaigning for equality, challenging discrimination, creating opportunity for engagement and participation and celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life. The Manchester Pride Festival takes place throughout August with the ‘Big Weekend’ running from Friday 28 - Monday 31 August this year with Texas headlining - the band is also celebrating 25 years in the music industry. The event is set to be the biggest and best yet following on from 2014’s fantastic year which saw acts and appearances from Orange Is The New Black’s Lea DeLaria; All Saints; Anastasia; Pixie Lott; Foxes; Neon Jungle and Marcus Collins. manchesterpride.com | @manchesterpride

The return of the Whitworth The Whitworth officially reopened this year. A £15 million development has transformed the gallery, integrating it into the park it calls home. An art garden by Sarah Price, sculpture terrace and orchard garden, alongside new spaces that embrace the park, such as a landscape gallery and a café in the trees, all reflect its beautiful setting. With double the room, and having launched with exhibitions by Cornelia Parker, Cai Guo-Qiang, Sarah Lucas and Johnnie Shand Kydd alongside the Whitworth’s own historic collection, 2015 sees the welcome return of one of the most remarkable galleries in the north (more on page 42). manchester.ac.uk/whitworth | @WhitworthArt

The Manchester Walking Tour App

Manchester Arena turns 20

Developed by Magnetic North, Manchester City Council and NOMA in partnership with some of the city’s official tourism guides, the new Manchester Walking Tour app combines audio and visual content to give visitors a unique way to experience the city. Simply download the app from iTunes then select your preferred tour, choosing from an in-depth exploration of the Northern Quarter, a comprehensive guide to some of the city’s best architecture or an enlightening journey through Manchester’s rich cultural heritage. The app directs visitors to the start point and gives directions and commentary to help uncover the city, with access to a map of the route and stops at key points for in-depth content. New tours will be added over time and there are plans to launch an Androidfriendly version further down the line. visitmanchester.com/walkingtourapp | #MCRwalkingtour

Manchester’s biggest live entertainment venue celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015 and as part of the celebrations the venue is drawing on its standing within the city’s rich musical history and has been renamed Manchester Arena. Over the last 20 years Manchester Arena has staged some of the biggest names in live entertainment including The Rolling Stones, U2, Beyonce and Lady Gaga. It has also showcased events by local bands Oasis, Elbow, New Order, James, Happy Mondays, M People, Doves, The Courteeners and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Highlights from the venue’s anniversary year have included a fifteen night residency of Peter Kay’s Phoenix Night’s Live, with shows by Take That, Simply Red and Madonna’s return to Manchester still to come. manchester-arena.com | @mcrarena | #WeAreManchester @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Corn Exchange turns foodie Manchester Corn Exchange is currently undergoing a major transformation from retail to restaurant and café hub, establishing a whole new dining destination for Manchester. With at least twelve new restaurants – including London based Mexican street food eatery, Wahaca and casual Italian restaurant, Vapiano, plus a re-imaginging of Manchester favourites Salvi’s Deli and Tampopo – the redevelopment will bring one of the city’s best-loved Grade II listed buildings back into permanent use. The first restaurant is set to open in June 2015 and future plans are also in place to open an 86-room boutique hotel on its upper floors. cornexchangemanchester.co.uk | @cornexchangeMAN

Britain’s capital of football makes a substitute for the day England rugby fans will make their way to Manchester City Stadium on 10 October 2015, when the host nation takes on play-off winners Uruguay under the floodlights in their final pool match of Rugby World Cup 2015. Twelve years after bringing home the Webb Ellis trophy from Australia, England will be looking to go all the way again and in the process put on a dominant display in front of the Mancunian faithful. Fans unable to attend the game itself will be able to enjoy the match at a special Fanzone in Manchester city centre. rugbyworldcup.com | @rugbyworldcup | Etihad Campus If instead you’re a fan of the 13-man code then you’re also in luck, as the First Utility Super League Grand Final continues its long held residency at Old Trafford stadium on the same day. The season climaxes with both teams running on to the pitch at Old Trafford to bursts of fireworks and the sound of 70,000 passionate fans, before they battle it out for the ultimate prize in rugby league. superleague.co.uk | @SuperLeague | Old Trafford or Exchange Quay

Discover Manchester tour goes daily From now until 30 September 2015, walking tour group Manchester Guided Tours will run their popular Discover Manchester walk every day of the week, starting at 11am from the main entrance of Central Library. The walk lasts approximately 1.5 hours and costs £8 per person. New Manchester Walks, another of the city’s walking tour groups, will also be offering frequent tours on a number of topics and themes; from “The History of Manchester in 20 Objects” to their popular Coronation Street location tours. manchesterguidedtours.com | @MCRGuidedTours | newmanchesterwalks.com | @NewMcrwalks 6

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Hotels room boom Greater Manchester’s much awaited ‘room boom’ is finally taking off with almost 800 new hotel bedrooms set to be delivered across the region in the next 12 months. Hotel Football (138 rooms) opposite Old Trafford and five-star Hotel Gotham (66 rooms) on King Street are already open. Joining them will be Innside by Melia (208 rooms), opening opposite HOME in May and King Street Townhouse (40 rooms) and Motel One (330 rooms) which will open on Booth Street and at Piccadilly respectively this summer. In addition many of the city’s existing hotels are also undergoing refurbishment and upgrades to their facilities, most notably at The Midland Hotel, Radisson Blu Edwardian and The Lowry Hotel. hotelfootball.com | bespokehotels.com | kingstreettownhouse.co.uk | innside.com | motel-one.com

Hotel Gotham

Manchester, the complete guide to the city Well-known Manchester tour guide, writer and broadcaster, Jonathan Schofield, has recently written an expansive and authoritative guide to the city for visitors or residents. Manchester, the complete guide to the city looks at Manchester’s past, present and future, it describes the main monuments, museums and galleries whilst also giving the lowdown on where to stay, eat, drink, dance, watch sport or shop. There are four walking itineraries around the city and recommendations for where to take excursions. Biographies of key citizens and episodes in Manchester’s lively history are also revealed. You can buy the book from Waterstones, Blackwells, WH Smith, the People’s History Museum or from Jonathan direct on one of his many tours. myguideto.co.uk | @JonathSchofield @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Snapshot by Elle Brotherhood

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

WHAT’S ON: EXHIBITIONS

Emily Allchurch: In the Footsteps of a Master

The Greater Game: Football and the First World War

Manchester Art Gallery Until 8 June 2015

National Football Museum Until 6 September 2015

Emily Allchurch uses complex photographic images, taken in present urban environments to recreate old master paintings and prints; fusing contemporary narratives with a sense of history through seamless digital collages. She has recently been commissioned to make a new work for Manchester Art Gallery based on the painting Albert Square, Manchester, 1910 by French Impressionist Adolphe Valette. This will be the centrepiece of her exhibition, which is her first UK solo show in a public museum. The exhibition also showcases Allchurch’s celebrated Tokyo Story and Tokaido Road series, which pay homage to the 19th century Japanese printmaker Utagawa Hiroshige. manchestergalleries.org | @mcrartgallery

Revealing for the first time the extraordinary story of football and footballers during the conflict, this moving exhibition brings together personal mementoes and first-hand accounts from the players, alongside rare objects from the museum’s collections and from the major regimental museums. Separating the fact from the fiction of the famous Christmas truce matches and uncovering the courage of footballers on the front line, the exhibition commemorates the sacrifices of players from clubs across the land. nationalfootballmuseum.com | @footballmuseum

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Making Monuments on Rapa Nui: The Statues from Easter Island Manchester Museum Until 6 September 2015 The monumental stone statues of Rapa Nui (named Easter Island by European explorers) in the Pacific are some of the most widely recognised archaeological objects in the world. This exhibition features one of the statues, Moai Hava, on loan from the British Museum. Making Monuments on Rapa Nui: The Statues from Easter Island takes a fresh look at these impressive statues, or ‘moai,’ based on research by Professor Colin Richards, an archaeologist at The University of Manchester. manchester.ac.uk/museum | @mcrmuseum 1. The Greater Game: Football and the First World War 2. Making Monuments on Rapa Nui: The Statues from Easter Island; © Adam Stanford 3. The Innovation Race

WithDraw IWM North Until 6 September 2015 Depicting everyday life in Afghanistan, a new display of artworks by journalist and reportage illustrator George Butler will be unveiled for the first time at IWM North, part of Imperial War Museums, in Manchester. Butler’s art works were drawn live in situ, in locations throughout Afghanistan, in the weeks following the withdrawal of the combat troops of the International Security Assistance Force, who have been present in the country since 2001. iwm.org.uk/north | @I_W_M | MediaCityUK

The Innovation Race Museum of Science and Industry Until 1 March 2016 What connected sprinklers, shells and scientists to put Manchester’s makers on the map in Britain’s attempt to win the First World War? Uncover the answers to this and other surprising facts in the Museum of Science and Industry’s war exhibition. Featuring over 30 unique and original artefacts, images and documents from its extensive paper archive, this timely exhibition – opening to tie in with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Munitions – brings to life the largely untold stories of Mancunian innovation which helped to turn around the outcome of the First World War. mosi.org.uk | @voiceofmosi

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Show me the money: The image of finance, 1700 to the present

Bedwyr Williams The Whitworth 8 August 2015 – 10 January 2016

People’s History Museum 11 July 2015 – 24 January 2016

The Starry Messenger was first shown in Venice in 2013, when Williams represented Wales at the 55th International Art Exhibition, Venice Biennale of Art. There it received strong critical acclaim and was listed amongst the top 10 exhibitions to see by leading British critics. Showing installation, sound and film, visitors navigate The Starry Messenger as an all-embracing experience that explores the relationships between stargazing and the individual, the cosmos and the microcosm, and the role of the amateur in a professional world. manchester.ac.uk/whitworth | @WhitworthArt

This exhibition asks: what does ‘the market’ look like? What does money really stand for? Who is finance for? It charts how the financial world has been imagined in art, illustration, photography and other visual media over the last three centuries in Britain and the United States. It also investigates how artists have grappled with the increasingly intangible and self-referential nature of money and finance, from the South Sea Bubble of the 18th century to the global financial crisis of 2008. phm.org.uk | @PHMMcr

Safe

Darkness and Light: Exploring the Gothic

HOME 14 November 2015 – 3 January 2016

John Rylands Library 17 July – 20 December 2015 Darkness and Light, co-curated by volunteers and community groups - each sharing their passion and personal connections - seeks to unearth the many meanings of Gothic. Set amongst the stunning carvings and stained glass of the Library’s suitably Victorian neo-Gothic interior, the exhibition explores Gothic through tales of history involving architecture, literature, film, fashion, music and more. manchester.ac.uk/library/rylands | @TheJohnRylands

Imagine becoming allergic to everything you enjoy. This major new group exhibition takes Todd Haynes’ influential understated masterpiece Safe (1995) as a starting point for a series of new commissions in moving image, sculpture, print, writing, and performance from Clare Makhlouf Carter, Chris Paul Daniels, Camilla Wills, Yoshua Okon and 2014 Turner Prize nominee James Richards. Safe is one of a series of exhibitions coming up at HOME that takes a classic or influential film as inspiration. homemcr.org | @home_mcr

1. Darkness and Light: Exploring the Gothic; © University of Manchester 2. Bedwyr Williams

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

HiDDEN By Hayley Flynn

This year Manchester heralds the return of some its biggest cultural institutions. From the newly reopened and renovated Whitworth Art Gallery to the fifth Manchester International Festival this July. Add to this the opening of arts centre HOME, the revamped Central Library, and the recent announcement of a £78 million investment into a planned multi-use arts space The Factory, and Manchester is shaping up to be an impressively robust city of culture. But there’s more. Alongside these reincarnations, revitalisations, and bastions of the cultural scene, some of the more unique museums, libraries, and galleries have joined forces to launch HiDDEN. HiDDEN is a consortium of smaller museums and galleries throughout the city who established themselves as a group during 2014 in order to create a brand new heritage offer. After a period of research, and a test event, HiDDEN officially launched in March this year, combining their collective knowledge and experience to help make themselves known to new audiences. Individually the institutions that form HiDDEN all stand apart as unique. Where else could you read an alien register in Victorian police cells, or see a circumcision chair whilst inside the oldest synagogue in the city? There’s even the chance to inspect the supposed hoofprint of the Devil left behind after he was summoned by Elizabethan alchemist John Dee; an extraordinary man who became enraptured by magic and was celebrated in Damon Albarn’s opera - Dr Dee. The draw of HiDDEN’s eclectic collection is twofold - firstly it lies in the narrative of its objects and archives, and secondly in the story of its architecture - not only visually remarkable but often complete with a history of its own; from the oldest public library in the English speaking world through to the home of the suffragette movement. Chetham’s Library

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

The consortium is made up of eight partners: Greater Manchester Transport Museum, Manchester Jewish Museum, Chetham’s Library, Working Class Movement Library, Greater Manchester Police Museum, Victoria Baths, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, and Pankhurst Centre. The Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives, although located in the heart of the Northern Quarter, is tucked away down a street less travelled. Perhaps it’s the very fact that it’s surrounded by such unusual bedfellows as minimalist Scandinavian cafes and hip new bars, that it manages to hide within plain sight. Transport yourself momentarily to the Manchester of 1910, to a police station recreation room where an impressively moustached policeman lifts a barbell whilst outside one imagines the smoky city of heavy industry, street gangs and nefarious underworlds. The museum boasts an impressive archive that will help to recreate this historical city for you. The museum has limited opening hours so you’ll need to plan ahead to discover this hidden gem.

1 1. The Jewish Museum 2. Greater Manchester Police Museum, © Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives 3. The Working Class Movement Library

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

The Jewish Museum, ten minutes walk from Victoria Station, is an impressive Moorish influenced building from the Victorian era. It’s the oldest synagogue in the city, but no stranger to both modern and vibrant interpretations of its collection. In 2014 the museum exhibited paintings by Emmanuel Levy. The show - ‘Made in Manchester: The Art of Emmanuel Levy’, not only extensively showcased the works of the Mancunian artist for the first time in 30 years, but his paintings, which were on loan to the museum, led to the discovery of a lost Levy portrait that had been in the museum’s permanent collection all along. The portrait of Mark Bloom was finally credited as Levy’s work when a museum curator spotted the likeness between the anonymous, unsigned portrait in their possession and that of the work on display. Until then it had been presumed lost. The Working Class Movement Library houses a vast collection of material relating to political and cultural institutions of the working class, such as the trade union, the co-operative movement, and political and social campaigns. The origins of the Working Class Movement Library is itself a story rooted in the people, having begun when the founders Ruth and Eddie Frow met at a summer school for the Communist Party. The pair went on to actively amass enough material for their library, at this time in their semi-detached home, that the house was almost

consumed by books and pamphlets. In 1987 the library moved to its current home on The Crescent in Salford - fifteen minutes walk from the centre of Manchester. The venue host a varied line up of events from a recent talk revealing the little known Basque community of Manchester through to an upcoming musical event this May that will ‘test the echo’ of the library. Its supporters include actresses Maxine Peake and Sheila Hancock. In order to test the waters the HiDDEN network ran their first joint event as part of Manchester Histories Festival last year. Creative Threads was a heritage bus route that led visitors from attraction to attraction for a day of tours, theatre and music. It was during Creative Threads that the consortium were able to measure the desire for more unusual venues in the city. Max Dunbar who chairs the consortium said of the visitor feedback “It was very clear that people wanted more events in the more unusual venues around the city, it’s what people are interested in. People are looking for that alternative offer”. Max believes that the consortium will help to tell a more unified story of the people - “I think that there is an interest in the city’s history and the story of the people of Manchester - it’s not all about cotton mills and industry. There are really interesting stories of Mancunians”. @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Victoria Baths

There is a shared aim amongst all the members of HiDDEN to collaborate, to look at the common threads within their collections and their buildings in order to bring together the stories that unite them. The HiDDEN members are bound together by their independence, their diversity, and their vast collections and archives that lay in wait of investigation by curious minds. With close to 800,000 pieces in the collection, from photographs to buses, and over 300 events a year you’ll be guaranteed to find something for you - no matter how niche your interests may be.

HiDDEN encourages us to seek out our cultural heritage, and although the eight venues are scattered across the city, it’s possible to visit several in one afternoon. To help make the most of your time tackle it geographically; The Greater Manchester Transport Museum, the Jewish Museum and Chetham’s are the most northerly of attractions, and from Chetham’s you can chose to continue on to the Working Class Movement Library in the west, or to the Police Museum in the east. Conversely Victoria Baths, the recently renovated Elizabeth Gaskell House, and Pankhurst Centre all occupy the southernmost zones, and are found in conveniently close proximity of one another. thehidden8.com | @8hidden

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Saved for the City: All Souls, Bolton Andrew Suter, Director at All Souls Bolton, who joined the charity in February 2014, talks about the conversion of a disused church into a thriving multi-purpose community hub, reflecting on its significance and the steps taken to restore it to its rightful place at the heart of the community.

Built in 1881, All Souls, a grade II listed church in the heart of Bolton, was born from a vision of local mill-owners, the Greenhalgh brothers, to serve their millworkers and the local community. Their strong belief that everyone was equal under the eyes of God and should have the same view in church, no matter what their status in society led to the development of a unique church, one without pillars obstructing views and used RSJ girders clad in timber to create the largest uninterrupted church roof in the country. All Souls remained at the heart of the local community for over a century until changing lifestyles and population led to its gradual decline and ultimate closure in 1986. The once magnificent building quickly fell into neglects to the despair of many locals. It was shortly after that time that Inayat Omarji, a key figure in the community, decided to do something about it and galvanized local people and organisations to come together to save the building from permanent ruin. In 2005, the group approached the Churches Conservation Trust to support their radical plans and, although the Trust had only previously funded projects to stop churches falling into disrepair, they agreed to support the vision to use the premises for alternative uses. All Souls became the first church to receive approval for such dramatic plans, leading the way for other churches across the country to follow suit. In 2009 the group registered as a charity, All Souls Bolton, to better oversee the project and ultimately run the building. With the Trust’s support a £5 million contribution was gained from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £650,000 from the North West Regional Development Agency, £150,000 from Bolton Council and £120,000 from the Tudor Trust. And, whilst the early planning stages were lengthy, complicated and subject to frequent changes, after a great deal of searching we appointed architect Nick Berry of OMI Manchester to design the building. The ground breaking ceremony with TV presenter, Lloyd Grossman, marked the beginning of the building work and took place in August 2013. Conservation guidelines have meant the walls, roof, flooring and windows all had to be restored to their original state and substitute materials had to match although there was more freedom inside to design something contemporary.

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Several other hurdles had to be overcome along the way too, most notably the retraction of a significant grant due to funding cuts. Building regulations also required that a fire exit had to be tunnelled under the protected walls. Slowly but surely the project moved towards completion. The new centre opened on 6 December 2014 with 400 people attending the public ceremony. Since then we’ve won the English Heritage Angels Award for the development and are also shortlisted for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Awards. Our ambition is to ensure that this dynamic heritage centre sits at the heart of the local community, bringing people together from different backgrounds, cultures and religions. And, although All Souls remains a consecrated venue, we’ve limited the number of services to one a month to encourage wider use across the community. Everyone’s welcome to drop in, walk around, meet friends, have a coffee in the café or use the free Wi-Fi. There’s a History Wall with touchscreen displays bringing to life the local community and its people, including Bolton during the war and the local area today. While the building is home to several local businesses 22

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

it is also a flexible multi-purpose venue and focusses on community projects such as skills, workshops and training, film screenings and other family friendly activities to bring people together. Our ‘Grow Your Own’ initiative uses plants grown in church borders to provide seeds to local people who in turn grow their own and pass on cuttings and seeds to others. Schools are also encouraged to use the building as a learning resource to find out about heritage, local communities and culture. All Souls is also inspiring other similar projects across the country as there are lots of empty churches currently sitting unused which could be utilised in the same manner as All Souls Bolton. We’re even gaining a reputation further afield with fact finding visits from residents of places such as Sweden. There is still a lot to do, but we now have a fantastic building, and more importantly, a centre that brings together the local community in so many different ways.

For more information: allsoulsbolton.org.uk | @allsoulsbolton

THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN TAKES CENTER STAGE Manchester’s Hotel Gotham has been magnificently restored for an exciting future. Opening Rates from £179 (quote MM001)

HOTEL GOTHAM, 100 KING STREET, MANCHESTER, M2 4WU T: 0843 178 7188 EMAIL: RESERVATIONS@HOTELGOTHAM.CO.UK WWW.HOTELGOTHAM.CO.UK

The leading 5 star hotel in the north west The Lowry Hotel offers 165 bedrooms, six suites and a Presidential Suite. The hotel is contemporary, luxurious and comfortable. The River Restaurant offers a Modern Grill menu whilst the Bar and Library offer a modern, light menu throughout the day. The luxurious Lowry Spa, offers a range of treatments from Carita and Elemis, a gym, sauna and relaxation lounges. Room rates from £160 including breakfast. Special menus from £19.50 per person for 3 courses from our daily menu. To make a booking, call us on 0161 827 4000

The Lowry Hotel

50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf, Salford, Manchester, M3 5LH Telephone +44 (0) 161 827 4000 Fax +44 (0) 161 827 4001 enquiries@thelowryhotel.com www.thelowryhotel.com

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The Skriker: photography by Jonty Wilde

#MIF15 Manchester International Festival (MIF) returns for its fifth outing this summer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; presenting an eclectic and truly innovative programme of new commissions, revised and reworked classics, unique concerts and special, one-off events.

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‘Manchester is probably the most radical and important arts festival today.’ The New Yorker, July 2013

The biennial festival is celebrating ten years in 2015 – growing out of a series of pre-festival commissions in 2005/6 into one of the most highly-regarded cultural events in Europe – and this will be the last festival for founding CEO and festival director, Alex Poots (see his Manchester Voice interview on page 32). It should come as no surprise then that the 2015 line-up features some of the world’s greatest artists, encouraged by Poots and his team to foster unique and often unexpected connections and collaborations. Interdependence between art forms and creative disciplines is a key theme of MIF15 – putting together people who, on the surface, do not seem to have much in common, but in fact have a deep rooted artistic compatibility.

There are also some familiar faces returning for MIF15; drawn back by the exclusive opportunity to develop brand new, cutting edge work in a city well-known for invention and innovation. Over the following pages we outline all major commissions in this year’s festival. They add to a prestigious canon of work by artists as varied as Steve McQueen, Damon Albarn, Marina Abramovic, The xx and Kenneth Branagh.

Thursday 2 – Sunday 19 July 2015 mifestival.co.uk | @mifestival

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Richter / Pärt

The Immortal

The Whitworth 9 – 19 July

The Bridgewater Hall 4 July

A remarkable project, several years in the making, brings together two of the world’s most influential and enduring cultural figures. Gerhard Richter and Arvo Pärt have made works inspired by and dedicated to each other, after being introduced by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Alex Poots in 2013. Richter created a suite of four new works, Ashes (2015) and Doppelgrau and Pärt composed Drei Hirtenkinder aus Fátima. The two will be united in the newly renovated landscape gallery at the Whitworth with Pärt’s composition being performed live in front of Richter’s works by celebrated Estonian choir Vox Clamantis (9 – 11 July).

Mark Simpson, one of Britain’s brightest young composers, presents the world premiere of his first large scale commission, The Immortal, performed by the BBC Philharmonic, EXAUDI and Manchester Chamber Choir with solo baritone Mark Stone. This new work for orchestra and choir has been written with librettist Melanie Challenger and explores the obsession with death that lies at the heart of the human experience. The Immortal will be completed by Mozart’s Requiem, the composer’s poignant and prescient anticipation of his own death.

Tree of Codes

wonder.land

Manchester Opera House 3 – 10 July (preview 2 July)

Palace Theatre 2 – 12 July (previews 29 June – 1 July)

Choreographer Wayne McGregor will create Tree of Codes for MIF 2015; a contemporary ballet inspired by the book of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer. Soloists and dancers from The Paris Opera Ballet alongside Company Wayne McGregor will form the company, performing in an environment created by visual artist Olafur Eliasson to a score composed by Mercury Prize-winning producer/composer Jamie xx.

wonder.land is a new musical for the digital age inspired by Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice In Wonderland, with music by Damon Albarn and book and lyrics by Moira Buffini. This co-production with the National Theatre will be directed by NT’s incoming director Rufus Norris and follows Aly, 12 years old, and her journey into the virtual world of wonder.land. The show will premiere at MIF before transferring to London as the NT’s major winter 2015 performance.

FKA twigs Old Granada Studios 9 – 15 July One of the most exciting artists of the last ten years, FKA twigs will be making her MIF debut with a residency at Old Granada Studios, Soundtrack 7. Alongside collaborators FKA twigs will make seven short films, with small-group audiences invited into the studio to encounter and observe the process as it unfolds. The first cut of these films will be screened exclusively for MIF audiences.

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Neck of the Woods HOME 10 – 18 July Turner Prize-winning artist Douglas Gordon and celebrated pianist Hélène Grimaud will create Neck of the Woods, a portrait of the wolf brought to life in a startling collision of visual art, music and theatre. On the stage of HOME’s intimate new theatre, legendary actor Charlotte Rampling will recite and perform the story of the wolf as never before. Further collaboration with New York-based novelist and playwright Veronica Gonzalez Peña will weave together this lyrical and beguiling work whilst Sacred Sounds Women’s Choir, who first formed for MIF13, will perform as part of the soundscape to the production.

FKA twigs: photography by Dominic Sheldon

Neck of the Woods: image by Douglas Gordon Photo of Hélène Grimaud by Mat Hennek Photo of Charlotte Rampling by Peppe Tortora

FlexN Manchester

Björk, plus guests

Old Granada Studios 11 – 12 July

Castlefield Arena 5 July

FlexN Manchester sees Brooklyn-based Flex dance pioneer Reggie ‘Roc’ Gray and a specially assembled team of Flex dancers making their European debut as part of MIF15. In the run up to the festival, the Flex team will make a series of trips to Manchester seeking out like-minded Manchester dancers and crews to work with. This unique transatlantic collaboration will unite the best of street dance from Brooklyn and Manchester to create a final special show at Old Granada Studios.

Four years on from her ground-breaking Biophilia residency, Björk returns to MIF for a spectacular one-off gig at the outdoor amphitheatre of Castlefield Arena. This will be Björk’s first European show since the release of her acclaimed new album Vulnicura which serves as an exploration into the themes of love and heartbreak – a stark contrast to the abstract context of Biophilia.

High Tea in Wonderland Manchester Museum 5, 12 and 19 July To celebrate the new musical wonder.land and the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland acclaimed chef Mary-Ellen McTague will create High Tea in Wonderland, a magical food event. Audiences will be led behind the scenes of the Manchester Museum, where an edible wonderland awaits them. Each room will provide a new culinary adventure – sight, sound, touch, smell and especially taste will be engaged on this most delicious trip.

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Ed Atkins Manchester Art Gallery 4 – 19 July Artist Ed Atkins will lift the veil on the production of digital art with Performance Capture at Manchester Art Gallery. This installation will provide a unique and reflexive insight into the production of a computergenerated moving image work as performances by MIF artists are captured onto computer, digitally modelled, cut and soundtracked, and then screened in a perpetual cinema of the ever-accumulating rushes of the footage. Ed Atkins will be in conversation with curator Hans Ulrich Obrist on 11 July.

Arvo Pärt

The Skriker

The Bridgewater Hall 12 July

Royal Exchange Theatre 4 – 18 July (previews 1 – 3 July), then continues 20 July – 1 August

Arvo Pärt, Manchester Camerata’s music director Gábor Takács-Nagy and MIF have curated a special evening of orchestral and choral works that perfectly demonstrates the overwhelmingly spiritual quality of his music. This one-off concert celebrates Pärt’s first visit to Manchester and the extraordinary project that brings together the work of Gerhard Richter and Arvo Pärt at the Whitworth as part of MIF15.

Maxine Peake and Sarah Frankcom will return to MIF with The Skriker at The Royal Exchange Theatre. Following their electrifying collaboration on The Masque of Anarchy at MIF13, this landmark revival of Caryl Churchill’s clash of ancient fairy story and portrait of a fractured England will feature specially commissioned music by Nico Muhly and Antony (Antony and the Johnsons).

High Tea in Wonderland: photography by The Mancorialist & Hemisphere

Arca & Jesse Kanda

10x10

Hallé St Peter’s 4 July

Mayfield Depot 17 and 18 July

One of the most innovative and inspired musical voices of his generation, the 24-year old Venezuelan artist began turning heads in 2012 with his Baron Libre, Stretch 1 and Stretch 2 EPs and the blistering &&&&& mixtape the following year. Working with his long-time collaborator, visual artist Jesse Kanda, this show will see Arca building on his handful of live appearances to date to create something that reflects the all-encompassing artistic vision expressed in his recorded work.

At time of going to print, little is known about this festival closer which celebrates a decade of both MIF and the Manchester clubbing institution, The Warehouse Project. From young pretenders to regular fixtures, expect two special nights of live music and DJs at the iconic Mayfield Depot, which is set for demolition in the not too distant future.

The Age of Starlight See mif.co.uk for further details

Interdependence Full programme announced in May (mif.co.uk) 4 and 5 July A two-day event of discussion, debate and inspiring thinking with a chance to join some of the world’s leading artists, performers, scientists, writers and technologists in Manchester. The event takes place at a pivotal moment for Manchester, with a record amount of investment flowing into the city to support innovation across artistic and scientific endeavors. But how can you define innovation? Can you teach creativity? What do great artists and scientists need to not just survive but flourish? Participants will include Olafur Eliasson, Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, Jeremy Deller and Alex Poots.

The Tale of Mr Tumble Manchester Opera House 11 – 19 July CBeebies’ Justin Fletcher, known to millions of children through his show Something Special, will bring The Tale of Mr Tumble, a very special new show for children and their families, to the glorious and intimate surroundings of the Manchester’s Opera House. Mr Tumble will be joined by his friends and family, including Grandpa Tumble and introducing Tootsie. Featuring songs new and old and a choir of Makaton signing stars, there will be plenty of opportunity for audience participation in this high-energy event.

The Tale of Mr Tumble: photography by Jonty Wilde

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The Age of Starlight is a world-first show about the origin of the universe and everything within and without it, set to be brought to life by incredible new cinematic reality technology pioneered by Magic Leap. One of the most technologically advanced and high-risk commissions that MIF has ever undertaken, as the project has progressed since its announcement in late 2014, it has become clear that work will need to continue beyond MIF15 to fully realise it. While the creators work to produce the show, MIF will stage a presentation at MIF15 to share the progress made so far and the compelling ideas behind what will be a truly breakthrough project. Details about the presentation will be announced and tickets released in late spring.

Image: Rob Martin

FESTIVAL SQUARE Throughout MIF15, Manchester’s Albert Square becomes Festival Square, home to the Pavilion Theatre, Festival Pavilion, The Glass House and MIF Box Office. As well as hosting a programme of club nights and free DJs, innovative comedy, guided walks and exclusive talks, Festival Square offers a place to eat, drink, relax, socialise and soak up the MIF experience. Two big club nights at Festival Square open and close MIF. We Only Happen at Night presents two of Manchester’s greatest club nights – Drunk at Vogue and Cha Cha Boudoir – for one sensational opening package combining DJs, dancing and drag. Yellow is the traditional MIF finale where guest DJ Erik Rug (Silencio, Paris) joins Manchester legend Dave Haslam for a soul-stirring night of classic funk and house. Through the festival a hand-picked selection of Manchester’s finest DJs will be spinning tunes. A late night programme of comedy curated by The Invisible Dot Ltd for the Pavilion Theatre will including the world premiere of The Crocodile adapted by Tom Basden (14 – 18 July), Adam Buxton’s latest work (3 – 5 July) and a late-night line up from The Indisible Dot’s most celebrated jokers (9 – 11 and 15 – 17 July).

A hand-picked selection of food traders will be on the square daily, including Honest Crust Pizza’s wood-fired oven on wheels, local ice cream expert Ginger’s Comfort Emporium, Hungry Geko’s vegetarian delights and Leeds-based fish and chip legend Fish&. Meanwhile celebrated local chef Paul Heathcote will serve up Lancashire picnics, Sunday roasts and late night snacks; Blackburn’s finest brewers Thwaites will pull pints of Festival Ale, craft beer and old faithful Wainwright; local wine merchants Boutinot supply red, white, rose and fizz. All will be soundtracked by live daily music on the MIF Acoustic Stage. Finally, Blue Badge guide Jonathan Schofield has produced a bespoke city walking tour for the festival, Radicals, Pioneers and Rabbit Holes, which will which help walkers explore some of the themes of the festival over ninety minutes (3 – 5, 9 – 12 and 16 – 19 July).

For full listings and information: mif.co.uk | @MIFestival @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

MCR VOICE

Alex Poots

Founding CEO and artistic director at Manchester International Festival.

The festival was set up ten years ago with the objective of creating an international festival that was unlike any other. To try and do that we looked at the city’s history to find some traits that could inform the idea and then looked around us nationally and internationally to see what we could do differently. We put all of that in a pot and out came the idea of the world’s first festival of original new work – a festival of all premiers – something that didn’t exist anywhere else and that would be exciting enough to bring people to the city. Peter Saville’s ideas about Manchester as the original modern city were significant. Manchester is a risk-taking city and world-premiers are risk-taking. Whether the risks were to do with social justice, such as with the suffragettes or to do with the Peterloo Massacre when people were trying to get worker’s rights; there are all kinds of historical precedents where Manchester has fought for people’s 32

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rights so that seemed to be an element that needed to be incorporated into the festival. We’ve reflected that by telling urgent stories of our time, such as when Steve McQueen wanted to do a piece about soldiers in the Iraq war, or the Masque of Anarchy, Shelley’s powerful response to the Peterloo Massacre. It’s our tenth anniversary, and my last festival, so there’s a certain sense of trying to push things as far as they can go. The biggest risk we’ve ever taken is with the Age of Starlight. It involves technology that is so advanced that it is still being invented and we are beholden to how that develops - we will definitely be staging a presentation from the creative team which looks at the progress made so far and the ideas behind this amazing project. Our commitment is that we will do it one day, but I feel like we’re now established enough to take on that kind of risk.

The whole digital world has been something that I’ve been eyeing with envy and intrigue for a while and there hasn’t been that much work that’s been made of that kind in the festival so far. I don’t know why, but I’m very pleased that in this festival there are a number of projects that have been developed where the artist are working with a digital medium: Ed Atkins, the brilliant British visual artist; The Age of Starlight; a phenomenal emerging talent FKA twigs, who is coming to do a residency with us; and of course, our opening show, wonder.land about a young girl called Aly who disappears down the rabbit hole of the internet and creates her online character called Alice. We are not a one night stand festival. When we start working with an artist we often bring them back to do more work because when you get a short-hand with someone, the work only gets better each time you do something new. To that end, there is a choir in Neck of the Woods called the Sacred Sounds Women’s Choir, who had their premier at MIF13 after a five year development period. The choir brings together women from every single faith including non-believers and they are an integral part of the new show. That’s an important element of MIF creative - where major works are made with community members at the core. I think there is a proud history in Manchester of being an important city, and to be an important city you’ve not only got to have good business and good universities; you also need good football teams that interest people in staying in the city and breed loyalty; centres of excellent that bring the world’s greatest talent

to Manchester on the pitch; and you also need a cultural centre that is not some provincial afterthought. One that takes itself seriously and is taken seriously. That final bit has been invested in considerably in the last ten years in Manchester. Not just with MIF, but with HOME, the Whitworth, countless other cultural institutions and now The Factory, a unique, ultra-flexible arts space which will become permanent home for MIF when it emerges in four or five years’ time. I thought I would come to Manchester for perhaps five years and do two or three festivals, yet I’ve been here ten years simply because I loved it and wanted to see it through. I think it’s time for someone else to come and run the festival now. I think for things like a festival or a theatre, it’s good to achieve what you need to achieve and then let someone else have a go. The experience of building something from scratch, as we did with MIF, led to the logical conclusion of our shows being co-commissioned with international presenters; a co-investment that would mean sharing costs but that would also mean that shows would have a life after Manchester, which was and is very important to us. This led to the partnership with the Park Avenue Armoury in New York, and I could see the power of a show like Massive Attack v Adam Curtis or Macbeth with Kenneth Branagh opening in Manchester and then going to New York. Both cities benefited: New York from the skill that MIF has of making a really good show, getting it right and then giving it its final tweaks before it gets to that super bright light that you get in New York; and Manchester by having a window in New York.

1. MIF13: Macbeth 2. MIF15 wonder.land

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There’s a lot I would recommend to do in Manchester. If you like music, The Bridgewater Hall has probably got one of the best acoustics in the country and has three very fine resident orchestras. There’s HOME opening soon. There is important and good work happening at Contact theatre. The two main galleries, Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth are on fire with Maria Balshaw running them – you have to see the phenomenal transformation of the latter and the way the team have integrated the park and the gallery. Go and see a football match, it doesn’t matter which team, the atmosphere at both stadiums is electric and the surge of emotion and energy is amazing. I recommend non-football lovers to go, just like I recommend football lovers to go to the arts. Visit the Northern Quarter, which is very much about independent businesses – lovely cafes like Fig and Sparrow on Oldham Street and Oklahoma.

MIF07: Monkey, Journey to the West

Asking which is my favourite show from the last four festivals is like asking which is your favourite child. I don’t have any favourites. There were some shows which seemed to be very important to a lot of our public like Steve McQueen, Queen and Country in our first festival. There was a lot of resistance to that project being made by various public sector organisations and we, with the support of the city, ploughed on. I can’t describe how meaningful it was to some of those families who came to see it that had lost family members in the war. Monkey: Journey to the West, which launched our first festival with such hutzpah and jaw-dropping ambition. The Elbow and the Halle gigs were dear to many people’s hearts at MIF09. Bjork premiering her brilliant and innovative Biophilia for MIF11 with audiences from 56 countries proved that by the third festival, we really were an international festival. The Life and Death of Maria Abramovic (MIF11); It Felt Like a Kiss (MIF09); Kraftwerk (MIF09); Macbeth with Kenneth Branagh (MIF13); Martha Argerich (MIF13); Maxine Peake performing The Masque of Anarchy (MIF13); Massive Attack v Adam Curtis (MIF13) – that’s just a few highlights, not by any means a list of favourites.

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There are pockets of activity all around the city and now the dots are joining up. If you think about Manchester’s city centre in the 70s, no one lived here, so it was a tough starting point but look at how it is thriving now. It’s a great problem to have but I’ve read articles where journalists ask, ‘well why is Manchester getting everything?’ ‘Why is Manchester getting an arts centre like The Factory?’ And I can tell you why. Last year the Chancellor asked every city – especially the Northern cities – to come up with its best ideas and if some of them were good and could be afforded, he said he would do his best to help realise them. I’ve been asked to be the founding director of Culture Shed in New York and there’s already a synergy in terms of intent: Manchester being home to the festival of premiers and new work and Culture Shed being a centre of innovation, which is about developing new work. So I would very much hope that there would be shared projects that we develop and present together in the future. It couldn’t be better that The Factory will be opening about a year after Culture Shed, with a facility that is absolutely compatible with the one being built in New York. And I don’t think there is any coincidence as to why that has happened.

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31 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 August 2015 Dig the City is back. From King Street to the Cathedral. Seven days of gardens galore, music, markets and masses to do and dig for kids â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is how Manchester does urban gardening. digthecity.co.uk / @digthecitymcr

WHAT’S ON: MUSIC &THEATRE

The Ghost Train by Arnold Riley

Nils Frahm

The Royal Exchange Theatre 14 May – 20 June 2015

Albert Hall 23 May 2015

A group of passengers are left stranded at a remote railway station and are facing the prospect of a night in the waiting room. But when the old stationmaster warns them about the phantom train that haunts the tracks after dark, the evening starts to take one chilling turn after another. A ghostly driver, sudden deaths and a travelling parrot make this 1920s thriller an unnervingly hilarious exploration of our capacity for belief in the supernatural. Told By An Idiot return to the Royal Exchange, bringing their trademark wit, flare and theatrical invention to this blisteringly funny take on the classic ghost story. royalexchange.co.uk | @rxtheatre

A pianist and composer from Berlin, Nils Frahm is a neo-classical sensation who was taught piano by Nahum Brodski, a student of the last scholar of Tschaikowski. Through his production and melding of introspective piano material and synth-led club sounds, Frahm has built a firm reputation as one of the most innovative acts in electronic music today, just as comfortable playing a concert hall as a summer festival. His 2013 album ‘Spaces’ gained worldwide critical acclaim and his upcoming performance inside the Grade II listed Albert Hall will undoubtedly be something special. alberthallmanchester.com | @Alberthallmcr

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Take That

Noises off

Manchester Arena Dates throughout May and June 2015

Octagon Theatre Bolton 4 June – 4 July 2015

Manchester’s biggest live entertainment venue celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and who better than Take That, the UK’s most successful live act ever, to mark such an occasion. Mark Owen, Gary Barlow and Howard Donald will return to Manchester Arena for a phenomenal nine night residency. The band is known for putting together spectacular live productions and their upcoming tour will be no exception. Special guest for all shows will be rising star Ella Henderson. manchester-arena.com | @McrArena

Revealing the backstage shenanigans of a theatre company in the throes of ‘putting on a show’, Noises Off is a riotous comedy following the cast and crew as they tour their cheeky farce ‘Nothing On’ and whatever happens, the show must go on! Noises Off received Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Comedy, playing in both the West End and Broadway. First produced in London in 1982, it was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play in 1983, and adapted for the silver screen in the 1992 film version starring Michael Caine. octagonbolton.co.uk | @octagontheatre

Wicked The Lowry 3 June – 25 July 2015 In a brilliantly witty re-imagining of the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. Packed with thrilling technical wizardry, stunning costumes and showstopping songs (by Academy Award® winner Stephen Schwartz), Wicked is an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. thelowry.com | @The_Lowry | MediaCityUK

Kafka’s Monkey HOME 17 – 27 June 2015 The 2009 sell-out Young Vic production featuring Olivier Award winner Kathryn Hunter comes to HOME after a hit world tour. Brutally imprisoned and desperate to escape, an ape-man reveals his rise through the ranks of the beasts to become a master of the ‘civilised world’ – a walking, talking, spitting, smoking, hard-drinking man of the stage. A witty, heart-rending and ironic tale of forced assimilation into an alien culture, Kafka’s Monkey places a startling mirror in front of a modern day audience. homemcr.org | @HOME_mcr

1. Take That 2. Wicked

©The Lowry 2

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Contact Young Company (CYC): The Shrine of EverydayThings

Illyria Open-AirTouringTheatre: TheThree Musketeers

Contact 22 – 25 July 2015

Tatton Park (Old Hall) 15 August 2015

An immersive, interactive journey through domestic spaces under transformation, played-out in an empty row of houses set for demolition and regeneration. The artistic team from Sao Paulo and Manchester, are back to conduct a voyeuristic investigation of how we live and who we are on a Brunswick housing estate. Nothing is as it seems as you are invited to twitch behind the net curtains. contactmcr.com | @ContactMcr

All for One; One for All! Young D’Artagnan is desperate to join Athos, Porthos and Aramis as an elite Musketeer of the King’s Guard. But are his swashbuckling credentials sufficient? Find out as the fearless four survive the schemes of Cardinal Richelieu and cross swords with the deadly Milady de Winter. This production, specially adapted by international award-winning Illyria, is sumptuously costumed, fast-moving, and suitable for all ages. tattonpark.org.uk | @tatton_park

Eyam Oldham Coliseum 22 – 25 July 2015 The true story of a small Derbyshire village that was hit by the plague in the autumn of 1665. The new rector William Mompesson persuaded the villagers to stay cut off from the world in order to stop the plague spreading throughout the county, and over the next 13 months 267 of the 350-strong community died. Within this story of sacrifice and heroism we see how the self-imposed isolation affected the community’s individuals. Despite the enormity of the tragedy, this is a life-affirming and still relevant drama, set to a powerful soundtrack. coliseum.org.uk | @oldhamcoliseum | Oldham Mumps

The Buzzcocks Manchester Academy 10 October 2015 Manchester Academy marks its 20th anniversary this year with a number of special performances across October. The celebrations begin with Greater Manchester natives and godfathers of punk, The Buzzcocks on 10 October. Genuine punk rock superstars and innovators of the independent record scene The Buzzcocks have been cited as inspirational by bands as diverse as REM, Nirvana and Green Day and are still doing punk rock better than anyone. manchesteracademy.net | @MancAcademy

The Buzzcocks

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Snapshot by Matthew Taylor

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The Whitworth; ÂŠ David Levene

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Cultural Collections Manchester’s museums and galleries are full of collections that are not only nationally acclaimed – they tell the story of the invention and reinvention of the city they call home, writes Kate Feld. Manchester’s always been known for its cultural treasures, but these days you could forgive the city for being just a little bit extra proud of them: the Whitworth has just reopened after a £15 million renovation. Built on a park by Victorians determined to open up cultural pursuits to the workers, the gallery now makes the most of its location with a stunning glass extension that brings the outside in – while sculptural works have been installed in and around the park. But arguably the most exciting improvement is more exhibition space: double the previous square footage, which means more works from the gallery’s one-of-a-kind permanent collection can be exhibited. “The Whitworth has an international collection; it has some of the best textiles, wallpapers, British watercolours, works on paper and collections of modern art anywhere in the country,” says director Maria Balshaw. “And those collections are very particular to the Whitworth. They reflect the gallery’s history, and quite often they reflect the history of Manchester.”

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Balshaw points to the textiles collection, which features items brought here from all over the world to educate mill workers. Similarly, its stunning watercolour collection began life as the private collection of Guardian newspaper founder, John Edward Taylor, who bequeathed more than 200 works by the likes of Turner, Blake and Cozens to the gallery. “The problem that we faced was that until our development we didn’t have the spaces to match our collections – now, MUMA’s extension of the gallery, and its refurbishment of the existing, 19th-century building, has given us a building that befits our collections.” The Whitworth is the kind of place people come here just to see – a uniquely Mancunian cultural experience. But what else can you see in Manchester that you can’t see anywhere else? Head first to Manchester Museum, also part of the University of Manchester and just down the (Oxford) Road from the Whitworth. Originally founded in 1890 - along Darwinian lines, which put it in direct opposition to London’s Natural History Museum – it cares for over six million objects, among them a series of stunning Egyptian artefacts and its Living Worlds gallery, the animal life displays that were sleekly redesigned by fashion producers Villa Eugénie a few years back.

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2 1. The Whitworth; © David Levene 2. Manchester Art Gallery 3. Mural by Ford Madox Brown, Manchester Town Hall 4. Central Library

Heading further into town brings you to another one-off institution: Manchester Art Gallery, whose collection of Pre-Raphaelite art is world famous. Hunt, Millais, Rosetti and Burne-Jones hold court here alongside a wealth of lesser known artists, all of whom showcase the breadth and range of this fascinating school of art.

Across St. Peter’s Square, the Alfred Waterhousedesigned Manchester Town Hall may be a work of art in its own right, but within its walls a series of 12 spectacular murals by Ford Madox Brown depict important moments in Manchester history; they’re free to view and open to the public. Right next door is Manchester Central Library, which last year reopened following a £50 million overhaul that gave the neo-classical building a new lease of life. We value our libraries here: the elegant Portico, medieval Chetham’s Library and ornate John Rylands Library are three more beautifully preserved historic libraries to visit in the city centre – with the latter’s collection of written works spanning a staggering five millennia.

importance of culture has enabled organisations like HOME, the new Whitworth, Manchester International Festival and upcoming arts space, The Factory, to come to life.” The city’s universities have also played an important role in Manchester’s cultural revival –Manchester School of Art at MMU has just unveiled a £34 million new building. And hidden quietly away in a nearby university library is MMU’s Special Collections – a treasure trove of Victorian ephemera, art books, children’s books and prints that date back nearly 200 years which, again, is open to all visitors.

Having been blessed with so many cultural treasures, it’s heartening to see that Manchester’s civic leaders are committed to taking care of them. “The city has a wealth of history in the arts and boasts multiple festivals, theatres, galleries and museums,” says Dave Moutrey, chief executive of the £25 million new multi-arts space HOME, which opens this spring. “Civic understanding of the economic and social 3

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Out at Salford Quays, The Lowry houses a performance space that’s regularly home to the greats of dance, theatre and music. But it’s also an art gallery bearing the name of Salford’s most famous artistic son – L.S. Lowry – and houses the world’s biggest collection of his art, from the paintings of ‘Matchstick Men’ that made his name to his lesser known but no less impressive seascapes and portraits. Further north, heading into Greater Manchester, the welcoming Bury Art Museum is home to the Wrigley Collection, which includes oil paintings by Constable and Landseer. It recently opened a new Sculpture Centre and is the main hub for the 33-mile Irwell Sculpture Trail, the longest route of its kind in the country. Another unique experience can be found down the road at Rochdale Pioneers Museum, which explores the history of the co-operative movement on the site of the original 1844 shop. With the Whitworth attracting record crowds, HOME just opening and The Factory in the works – to say nothing of this summer’s eagerly anticipated Manchester International Festival – it seems you 46

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2 1. Market Scene, Northern Town, 1939; © The Lowry Collection, Salford 2. The Irwell Sculpture Trail

can’t move for culture in this town. But that’s how we like it, as Balshaw explains: “Manchester invests in culture, whether that’s Manchester City Council’s investment in HOME or MIF, or the University of Manchester’s investment in our development. Manchester is unrecognizable from twenty, even ten, years ago. We have reached a tipping point. People outside of the city see it differently. And culture and collaboration has played a large part of how Manchester has changed and continues to change.”

Take the tour, walk the cobbles New sets, new stories. Throughout 2015

Take a tour behind the scenes of the world famous Coronation Street set. Walk in the footsteps of your favourite characters and see where the iconic soap was filmed for over 50 years before production moved to its new home at MediaCityUK. We’ve added exciting new elements for the ultimate Corrie experience, throughout 2015. Book online today. www.ticketmaster.co.uk/coronationstreet. New sets and stories for 2015 W The Kabin interior set has been added to the studio tour, a

familiar sight to viewers since it first appeared over twenty years ago in 1990. W Out on the cobbles Websters’ Garage has been opened up so you can take a look inside Kev and Tyrone’s workshop, complete with oily rags and socket sets. W Round the corner on Victoria Street you can now step inside Prima Doner and stop for a selfie in front of the counter or sitting at the food bar. W Take a Street Tour; a 20 minute guided tour where you can discover how they went about filming on the cobbles, check the daily tour times on the blackboard outside the Kabin and meet outside Roy’s Rolls. #corrietour

Left: Huw Gott; right: Will Beckett

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Will Beckett

MCR VOICE

Co-owner of Hawksmoor restaurants My first day in the industry was the first day Huw and I opened a bar together when we were 26. We both grew up in food and drink families, but somehow ended up getting ‘proper jobs’ (as our grandparents suggested), which neither of us liked or were very good at. In the end we did what many people who start their own business in the hospitality industry do; we begged and borrowed from friends and family, then in 2003 we opened a 1,200 sq ft bar on Redchurch Street in East London, paying £13,500 a year in rent for a space, which was essentially opposite a public toilet. If you ask Huw, he’d say he does all the interesting stuff to do with food and drink and I do all the boring stuff - although he has no idea what that is. If you ask me, Huw swans around eating all day and discussing leather samples while I do all the exciting stuff involved in the actual running of the business. We’re both pretty fanatical about food and we try to be a great place to work, which I think really rubs off on how our staff treat customers. We’ve been thinking of opening a restaurant in Manchester for years, for no better reason than that we really like the city and feel like the kind of thing we do will fit in here. We waited for a long time until the right site came up and we’re now in the beautiful Victorian Courthouse building on Deansgate, which is ideal for us. We stumbled across the Courthouse on one of the trips to Manchester where we were trying to find ‘just the right thing’, but it was already under offer to someone else. Fortunately for us, the other party dropped out and I think it took us about four seconds to say yes when someone got in touch to ask if we wanted it. It feels like the right part of town for us, but we love heritage buildings, so it’s perfect. We really wanted the restaurant to feel distinctly Manchester, not just a copy and paste of what we do in London. We wanted it to look and feel like it belonged in the building and in the local area. We’ve used lots of reclaimed materials: the parquet floor is from a courtroom in the midlands (it felt like fate when we found it!); we’ve got lots of reclaimed glazed bricks from a factory in Nottingham which we’ve used to surround an exposed kitchen pass; a series of copper light doors from a 1910 university building; and VERY large oak panelled doors and 1920’s oak panelling salvaged from Birmingham’s Sandwell College.

It’s difficult to say where Hawksmoor will fit in in Manchester, as I think that customers really make that decision for you, as much as restaurateurs might try to dictate it. If it’s anything like London then hopefully we’ll manage the same trick of being a special occasion restaurant for some people while also being the kind of place others go to regularly. We’re a really relaxed restaurant and we genuinely want people to have a good time when they come here, and that’s still not the norm amongst high end places, many of which can be quite stiff or formal. It’s about finding that the balance between really high standards but being a comfortable place to spend time. Hawksmoor follows a simple formula: steaks cut from the best possible quality British beef; simply cooked on a real charcoal grill. We’ve got a few new dishes for the Manchester restaurant including shortrib macaroni, veal rump with fried oysters, Cottage Pie potato skins and maple bacon and a special Montreal-meets-Manchester sandwich. In terms of food heroes, Huw loves Jiro Ono, an 85-year old sushi master. Huw’s weirdly obsessive and he loves how after all those years Jiro is still finding ways to improve (his sushi restaurant is amongst the best in the world) and how obsessed he is with tiny details. I’m a big fan of Danny Meyer. I really like the idea of running a business with strong ethical principles and I learned a lot of that from him. Manchester dining scene has definitely stepped up a gear in recent years. Obviously Tim [Bacon] and Jeremy [Roberts] from Living Ventures are the Kings of Manchester’s dining scene and have loads of great places across the city, but I personally really like the independent restaurant and bar scene in Manchester. So far I’ve enjoyed places like 63 Degrees, Solita, Gorilla, Sam’s Chophouse and Kosmanaut, but I think there are plenty more to be discovered.

Hawksmoor Manchester is now open. For more information: thehawksmoor.com | @HawksmoorMCR

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

HOME: the wait is almost over HOME has announced its opening programme â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and from funfairs and surreal theatre to silent films set to new scores, Susie Stubbs finds eclectic times ahead.

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

1. Celluloid History Songs 2. 5 SOLDIERS - The Body is the Frontline; © Tim Cross

It all begins in April 2015. One of the world’s leading choreographers stages a trailblazer that sums up in three acts the entirety of HOME’s artistic programme. Taking place a few weeks ahead of the opening, Hofesh Shechter & Friends features an incoming, internationally respected artist, a world first, and the blurring of lines between high and pop culture. It premieres a new commission (The Bad, a dance piece set to a dub step soundtrack), and includes a gig from 72% Morrissey, a band who are, according to critics, “making a name for themselves in the UK underground scene.” And it ends with a form of audience participation that is peculiarly Mancunian: a DJ set and dancing in one of HOME’s new theatre spaces. Hofesh Shechter & Friends promises to be a complex and joyous start to HOME, and an apt introduction to the sort of work we are set to see more of. When the new arts centre opens in May, for example, it does so with another world premiere. This time, however, it is not dance but theatre, as HOME stages a fresh adaptation of Kasimir and Karoline. “Written in 1932 and set against the backdrop of the world economic crisis, this is a play I have loved for many years,” explains Walter Meierjohann, the organisation’s artistic director for theatre.

The HOME version of the play has, however, been rewritten as The Funfair. The work of double Olivier Award-winning dramatist Simon Stephens, at first glance it tells a simple tale - the story of two lovers who break up one night while at the fair. Yet its whirling backdrop of the fairground adds an element of the surreal to proceedings, while the play itself, written during the dark 1930s, chimes with the present-day politics of fear, economics and distrust. “It is very dark, very political and a very funny piece,” says Meierjohann. “That’s a rare combination.” @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Curated by artistic director for visual arts, Sarah Perks and senior visiting curator, Omar Kholeif, it features work from artists as diverse as Douglas Coupland, Jeremy Bailey and Declan Clarke (last seen at Cornerhouse as the curator of 2013 exhibition, Anguish and Enthusiasm). A parallel film programme includes work from HOME patrons, Rosa Barba and Phil Collins.

2 1. The Funfair; © Graeme Cooper 2. The heart is deceitful above all things 3. La Mélancholie Des Dragons

Rare it might be, but The Funfair provides the jumping off point for much else. HOME’s first exhibition, The heart is deceitful above all things, riffs on those same themes of lost love, confusion and uncertainty. It is a group show that, in other words, explores the darker side of all the fun of the fair. 52

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

While we’re on the subject of film, HOME’s opening programme does, of course, contain a fair smattering of the cinematic arts. One of the first film events is Lonesome, a 1929 silent movie with parallels to The Funfair (the romance follows two lonely people who meet at a busy, fourth-of-July beach, only to lose each other in the crowd); its new, live score is written by the Dutch Uncles’ Robin Richards and performed by him and musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music. “There will be several occasions per season when the art forms intersect, with a play or performance the thing that makes everything come together,” says Sarah Perks. Yet while The Funfair provides the glue that binds the early programme together, HOME won’t work across art forms all of the time. In between, runs a week in, week out schedule of film, art and theatre.

HOME’s five cinemas screen, for example, will provide the mix of indie and international film that Cornerhouse regulars have come to expect. Old favourites, such as ¡Viva! returned in March and will do so again in June and autumn, completing three “weekenders” of new Mexican and Spanish cinema. Lonesome is also the first in the Music and Film series, which sees other archive classics set to scores by musicians such as Josephine and Mercury Award nominees, GoGo Penguin.

This is what HOME brings to Manchester: acclaimed work by some of the best theatre, art and dancemakers out there – including, in October, the UK premiere of La Mélancolie des Dragons. The work of Philippe Quesne, artistic director of one of France’s most respected theatres, it’s a surreal play that focuses on a group of metallers on the way to a gig. Snowbound and stuck in their car, they decide to create their own amusement park (snow spray, a bubble machine and giant plastic bags all feature).

After The Funfair, the theatre settles down to showcase everything from Kafka’s Monkey to Dead Dog in a Suitcase – the latter brought to Manchester by Cornish company, Kneehigh.

There are other unexpected highlights, too, such as 5 Soldiers, a site-specific dance piece performed at the Rusholme Army Reserve Centre and, of course, HOME’s part in Manchester International Festival with Douglas Gordon’s Neck of the Woods (see page 26).

We say settle down but we mean nothing of the sort: throughout 2015, HOME works with companies and performers variously described in the national press as “the sexiest in town” and “the brightest and most entertaining”. Kafka’s Monkey is, for example, a Young Vic production and stars Kathryn Hunter – whose performance in it has been rated as staggering, remarkable, exhilarating and extraordinary.

The wait is now almost over and there’s more than enough to be reading, thinking and dreaming about until it does.

For more information: homemcr.org | @HOME_mcr

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Snapshot by Andy Rouse

SS15: STYLE TIPS A city with style in abundance, Manchester’s fashion conscious residents are always eager to adorn themselves in the upcoming season’s key trends. Known for doing things differently, it comes as no surprise that there’s a diverse mix of styles on show and individualistic looks that really turn heads. Manchester continually stands out as hotspot for those in need of some retail therapy; there’s a shop for everyone, from vintage and retro to luxury designer brands, so you can hit the streets in confidence of finding that perfect outfit. Here we get the thoughts of some of Manchester’s leading fashionistas, employed by the city’s top shopping destinations to style their dedicated customers.

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Deborah Hatfield

Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre The biggest SS15 trend that has got everyone talking is 70s fashion. What’s really exciting about this trend is that it is so versatile for individual styles. Instead of full-on seventies, try softer looks such as florals, white-wash and floaty sheer dresses. For current SS15 trends one of my favourite retailers in the Arndale Centre at the moment has to be Topshop; it offers something for everyone regardless of your age. It’s all about how you put it together and having the confidence to make it work for you. Style comes from your personality and as long as you feel confident the rest is easy. I am so proud to call myself a Mancunian, I think as a city we have such amazing diversity when it comes to style and different areas of the city reflect this. You can be in the Northern Quarter and surrounded by vintage looks, distressed denim and leather, then move over to Spinngfields and see smart tailoring and high glamour. Having the fashion universities on our doorstep is also a huge credit to Manchester; the students definitely bring an edgier, bold look to the city.

Mya Elgarice

Graeme Smythe

This season’s pieces are a modern take on the 70s look but in a more sophisticated way.

The big trend for SS15 is suede.

Think simple, sleeker and clean lines combined with the ease of bohemian silhouettes. A great pair of flares is a definite must; we especially love the styles from Paige and Stella McCartney and you can pair them with a fringe or drawstring bucket bag, such as the Proenza Schouler satchel. Denim is a huge style statement this season too; double denim, dungarees, even denim shoes were spotted on the catwalk.

Etro, Brunello Cucinelli, Saint Laurent; in fact almost every designer brand has featured it in their collections. My favourite brands in store at the moment are Brunello Cucinelli, who brings out classic, beautifully made every day wear; Balenciaga which always maintains cool, sophisticated and modernist looks and Chloé which is very feminine with amazing embroidery and fringing.

In store, Isabel Marant is a long standing favourite of mine, her pieces are so instinctive and effortless and they work so easily with your wardrobe. Aquazurra and Gianvito Rossi are leading the way in shoe styles with very elegant designs, updated with new colours and fabrics each season. Also be on the lookout for new quirky styles from Charlotte Olympia and statement monochrome pieces from Karl Lagerfeld this season.

All of my clients are very fashion aware and know what’s current. They know what suits them but also don’t mind me pushing their boundaries a little! Over the years I have become really good friends with most of them, I go to their houses and have dinner and go to events and fashion shows down in London with them. They are definitely the best thing about my job.I think Manchester has always been a stylish city and is becoming even more so. There’s a sense of individuality amongst our shoppers, as well as a knowledge and awareness of trends. We’ve seen the addition of some exciting new brands here in store, including Balenciaga and Celine and they’re doing extremely well, so it’s safe to say the people of Manchester are very fashionable!

Harvey Nichols Manchester

Our complimentary service attracts a diverse range of customers; from those looking for trend advice to someone picking a complete new look or enquiring about bespoke gifting for family and friends. It’s a great feeling knowing you’ve dressed your clients for that special occasion, especially when pushing them outside their comfort zone to try something new and receiving huge compliments about how fantastic they feel.

Selfridges Exchange Square

I’m fortunate to count my clients as genuine friends and be able to pass on my expert knowledge to them, and their years of loyalty explain my obsessive and unhealthy love of fashion! @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Linda Burns

House of Fraser, Manchester 70s fashion will be back in a big way for SS15 and will carry through to autumn. I’d suggest buying a couple of staple pieces that can be combined with your current wardrobe for a nod to the trend if you don’t want to go all out. A pair of culottes is a must-have for every woman this season; they are the ultimate transitional piece, teamed with a polo neck and tights for spring and a camisole and sandals in summer. Looking at the new SS15 collections I am particularly drawn to Untold, Biba, Whistles and Oui. Untold has some fantastic A-line midi skirts which are perfect for all body shapes and can be dressed up or down. As the personal shopping service is completely free I get a mixture of customers; those who want one outfit for a particular event or who need some new work clothes to those who want me to pull outfits for a fortnight’s holiday. Typically, it is women in their 30s or 40s who want me to revamp their whole wardrobe and want me to help create a style they are comfortable with. Every customer is different which is what makes the job so special and for me there’s nothing better than seeing my customers leave with a big smile on their face with clothes they look amazing in and wouldn’t have picked themselves. 60

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Navy tailored blazer £125 Navy scalloped edge culottes £79, both Biba White stripe sheer shirt £59, Pied a Terre Large white tote £310 Lauren Ralph Lauren at House of Fraser

SS COLLECTION // 2015

TED B AK ER R EI SS

for the

STYLE HUNTERS Between the vibrant cities of Liverpool and Manchester, you’ll find designer brands for up to 60% less at Cheshire Oaks. With 145 stores including Barbour, French Connection, Furla, Reiss and many more - plus cafés, restaurants and tax-free shopping available - we’re the region’s must-visit destination for style hunters and label lovers.

T HE IDEAL LOCAT IO N Located just north of the picturesque Chester, we’re easily reached from Manchester by coach, car, train or bus. Find us just off Junction 15 of the M56 from Manchester.

SPRING MUST HAVES Update your look with this season’s key pieces leather sandals, a floral dress and a classic denim jacket.

WE ’ V E G OT IT ALL From international designer brands to high street fashion and homeware, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for at Cheshire Oaks. But it’s not just about the shopping – with ample free parking and family-friendly facilities, you can enjoy the perfect day out with us.

marc jacobs at WATCH STATI ON

CHESIREOAKSDESIGNEROUTLET.COM Products featured are subject to availability.

O S P R EY L O ND O N

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

WHAT’S ON: EXPOS AND FAIRS MCM Manchester Comic Con

Soccerex Global Convention

Manchester Central 25 – 26 July 2015

Manchester Central 7 – 9 September 2015

Following the incredible success of last year’s show, in which 23,000 enthusiasts attended the first day alone, MCM Manchester Comic Con’s is set to return in 2015. Manchester Central will again play host to the North West’s number one popular culture show, with special guest appearances from movie and sci-fi stars; an e-sports arena; the colourful competition of the cosplay masquerade; and countless dealer stalls, giving you the chance to buy that old action figure or hard to find trading card. mcmcomicon.com | @mcmexpo

Passion for Power Classic Motor Show

The Soccerex Global Convention is the world’s largest football business event, bringing together global leaders in the business of football to debate, network and do business. The convention is attended by the game’s leading administrators, legends and business leaders from around the globe and is the perfect platform to engage the global football industry on the game’s latest developments. A new format for 2015 will provide an enhanced networking and learning experience, allowing for more senior club representatives, brand directors and industry specialists to deliver insight and best practice expertise into the key sectors of football business. soccerex.com | @soccerex

Tatton Park 22 – 23 August 2015

Buy Art Fair

This year there will be around 2,000 classic cars on show, 90 Top Class Car Club displays and a new supercars paddock. The popular Passion for Power Dream Cars pavilion, a large under cover display area for the finest high performance, competition and super cars will appear once more; which will be crammed with the latest models from the world’s most exclusive car manufacturers including: Rolls Royce, McLaren and Bentley. The usual 200 plus auto jumble, specialist and general trade stands will also be at Tatton, including the collectors’ carmart which attracts excellent cars for sale. tattonpark.org.uk | @tatton_park

1. Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2. Passion for Power Classic Motor Show

Old Granada Studios 24 – 27 September 2014 Taking place over the three days at the Old Granada Studios with only original art work and limited editions for sale, 80 galleries representing 500 artists and prices from £50 to £5000+ there really is something for everyone’s budget to take home and enjoy. There are also guided tours of The Manchester Contemporary, with the chance to meet artists and see them painting live, music and a fantastic café bar. Buy Art Fair is the largest contemporary art fair outside of London and welcomes 8,000 visitors. buyartfair.co.uk | @BuyArtFair

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF) Old Granada Studios 8 – 11 October 2015 The GNCCF is recognised as one of the leading selling events for contemporary craft in the UK, attracting over 6,000 visitors annually. It showcases contemporary craft to buy from over 160 selected designer-makers in: ceramics, glass, jewellery, interior and fashion textiles, wood, paper, silver, metal, product design, print-making and more. The GNCCF shows work from new and established makers, from emerging graduates to high end makers. Visitors can chat to the makers and buy or commission work directly from them. greatnorthernevents.co.uk | @GNCCF

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Andrea Zapp

MCR VOICE

Internationally exhibiting media artist I’m from Germany but not native to Berlin, I’m originally from the South West, a small town close to Luxembourg. I lived in Berlin for six years before I came to Manchester teaching in the film academy and also working with new media but I moved to Manchester for family reasons in 2000; it was life taking me over. At the time when I moved I definitely saw similarities between Manchester and Berlin. There was still an improvised feel to Berlin in the mid 90’s into 2000 after the Wall had come down. There were a lot of creative spaces and ideas popping up, especially in the former East, most of these being temporary as the city had such a fast developing infrastructure. Everything was very much word-of-mouth and tucked away in hidden spaces and Manchester’s development and restructuring did feel a bit similar. Manchester on the whole has been very good for my career because there has always been lots of support for what I do, as a media artist and curator - where I did quite a few large scale shows at the Museum of Science and Industry, the Cornerhouse, and Cube Gallery (before it closed) - and now also as a designer. I had fantastic support from the university from the very beginning, including the Vice Chancellor. The AZ. fashion label has grown into a company from within the research environment at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), so I think it is a great place to make things happen. We launched AZ.andreazapp Fashion and Media Label in Manchester Art Gallery in November 2014 but this October we have our eye on showcasing at Paris Fashion Week. The idea is that we are a brand that will always have an art component, even in the way we present, so I would love to launch in a gallery again. We are quite hybrid in that we aren’t a typical fashion brand; it is very limited edition and exclusive, built around artistic and conceptual ideas. It might feel slightly spontaneous, but the actual design process evolved through my work in general. There has always been a thread of visual storytelling in my art practice; hence the focus on photography for garment design now, which for me is quite a natural

progression and a new challenge. Working with new media and digital tools can be a rather fleeting context and I wanted to explore more analogue methods - I missed the physical making of things. I started experimenting with textile print and Google imagery at an early stage, which I embroidered digitally to create artefacts of online life. The idea is very analogue and photorealistic, the specifics of the image define the garment initially, creating intriguing effects and shapes and then it is digitally printed onto fabric. I am not distorting the pictures, the design is not meant to be hyper-real or strictly pattern orientated. Direct inspirations are architecture, cultural landscapes, evoking memories and indirectly sharing places and spaces with the wearer. Garment designs are minimalist but with attention to detail, form and colour codes, with different photographic narratives, providing story and abstract texture equally. I hope it’s a strength in the future, that we are a ‘made in the UK’ brand. Currently the printing is done in Macclesfield and the garments are manufactured in Leicester; all made in the UK. We also just received funding from the regional Textile Alliance and Growth Programme, whilst getting great advice on development from New Economy to begin work on the next collection. There are also some interesting local design projects alongside the business as well. It started with a limited edition dress for Manchester Art Gallery for which I used photography of curious design objects in their special collections. Those were also displayed in Selfridges until February 2015, as part of a Whitworth residence. The scarves from the launch collection are currently available at Manchester Art Gallery. People can also get in touch via our website where they can find an overview and prices. Otherwise we are currently introducing the range to larger retail outlets following the Selfridges art campaign, so we have to see where this takes us but feedback has been very good so far. For more information: andreazapp.com | @Azandreazapp

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

WHAT’S ON: FESTIVALS Sounds from the Other City (SFTOC) Chapel Street, Salford 3 May 2015 Held over the May Bank holiday SFTOC is the perfect remedy for anyone looking to escape the usual, corporate summer festival circuit. Celebrated for unearthing and showcasing emerging talent, SFTOC is now a highlight of the Manchester calendar, with up to 2,000 revellers enjoying more than 60 acts performing in churches, art galleries, cafes and old mills up and down Salford’s historic Chapel Street. soundsfromtheothercity.com | @sftoc

Manchester After Hours Various venues 14 May 2015 Nocturnal shenanigans return to Manchester on 14 May with Manchester After Hours – a one night festival of odd couplings and musical mayhem in places and spaces that you don’t often get to visit after dark. Poet laureates and soundscapes; video jamming with steam engines; secret gigs amongst medieval book stacks; traditional Warli art and contemporary music are just some of the activities taking place in venues as varied as Chetham’s Library, IWM North, Manchester Museum and the Northern Quarter. creativetourist.com/manchester-after-hours | #mcrafterhours

Manchester Day Manchester city centre 14 June 2015 Celebrating the creativity and diversity associated with the city, this year’s Manchester Day promises to be even bigger and better. Over 2,400 participants get involved each year all with the intention of wowing the 50,000 residents and visitors who line the streets of the city centre. As well as the parade through the heart of the city, Manchester’s city centre squares will feature a dazzling array of performances, decorations and mouth-watering food and drink throughout the day. manchesterday.co.uk | @mancitycouncil

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

The Flare International Festival of New Theatre Various venues 13 – 18 July 2015 Flare aims to provide support for new international theatre artists with the potential to define the theatre of the future, to establish Manchester as an international hub for new radical theatre makers, to capitalise on the international profile of the city established by the Manchester International Festival, and to galvanise the contemporary theatre audience. Flare will welcome 20 of the best new theatre groups and artists selected internationally to present a range of theatre experiences the like of which many will never have witnessed before. flarefestival.com | @flarefestival

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 22 – 26 July 2015 Set in magnificent parklands the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is a celebration of the best in gardening with a vibrant carnival atmosphere. A spectacular day out, not just for keen gardeners, but for friends and family too. The show is laid out in three zones, each with a distinctive theme. The “Grow” zone is a plantlovers paradise, the “Inspire” zone will fire imaginations with the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition and a spectacular set of show gardens based on light and “Feast” celebrates every aspect of growing your own. rhs.org.uk/tatton | @The_RHS

24:7 Festival: The Big Weekend The Martin Harris Centre, Oxford Road 24 – 26 July 2015 This year, 24:7 will host a full-on Big Weekend of eclectic events in and around the Martin Harris Centre in Manchester: plays, rehearsed readings, monologues based on well-known local people and a site specific family friendly show. There will be acting workshops, a writing hothouse and social events all in celebration of emerging new talent on the Manchester theatre-making scene. 247theatrefestival.co.uk | @247theatre

Manchester Day Parade

20th Manchester Jazz Festival Various venues 31 July – 9 August 2015 Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2015, Manchester’s longest-running music festival promises a programme of new works, surprise collaborations and live music from the very best local, national and international jazz artists. Ten music-filled days in the heart of the city, Manchester Jazz Festival is all about great music in great venues, come and join the party. manchesterjazz.com | @ManJazzFest

Manchester Literature Festival 1

Dig the City Various locations 31 July – 6 August 2015 Britain’s biggest, boldest and most ambitious urban gardening festival is back. Dig the City will return to the streets of Manchester with the unique opportunity for professional and novice garden designers to exhibit a garden or creative display. Last year’s Dig the City festival was recognised as ‘Outstanding’ at the 2014 RHS Britain in Bloom Awards and plans for the Dig the City 2015 are already well under way, with organisers working alongside festival partner the National Trust to deliver a world-class gardening event that is both inspirational and interactive. digthecity.co.uk | @digthecitymcr

Various venues 12 – 25 October 2015 Manchester Literature Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary with an exciting programme of special events, new commissions, in conversations, debates, workshops and live performances across the city. Meet your favourite authors and discover the rising stars of the future. Enjoy stories from other cultures and countries in the world literature strand and feed your imagination listening to authors, poets and thinkers. Follow in the footsteps of some of the city’s greatest writers on a Literary Walk and revisit classic and cult authors with the literary reputations events. manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk | @McrLitFest 1. 20th Manchester Jazz Festival 2. Dig the City

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Owned and designed by Eamonn and Sally O’Loughlin, Eclectic Hotels Collection boasts four properties within Manchester, with a fifth, King Street Townhouse, due to open its doors this summer. Each hotel is individually styled with interiors that both reflect and celebrate the building’s history and its surroundings with each bedroom having a personality of its own, giving the guest a unique experience every visit. King Street Townhouse is the most recent addition to the Eclectic portfolio. A baby grand hotel that will include 40 bedrooms and suites, King Street Tavern, afternoon tea rooms, conferencing and event space. Amongst the most distinctive features to the new hotel will be a south facing rooftop infinity spa pool, with views of the spires and clock tower of Manchester’s iconic town hall. The hotel will also have a separate south facing roof terrace available for private hire. Great John Street hotel is a converted Victorian school that has been transformed into a luxury townhouse hotel. Tucked away but absolutely in the heart of the city, it is both old-style charm and elegance. The unique atmosphere may charm and bewitch you from the moment you step inside, with striking features and 30 individually designed bedrooms and suites. There are a variety of room and terrace combinations to hire for exclusive events and weddings that can be tailored to suit individual needs with a south-facing rooftop terrace that provides a glamorous setting with scenic skyline views. Didsbury House and Eleven Didsbury Park are beautiful Victorian villas situated in Manchester’s cosmopolitan Didsbury area. Rich in history with carefully selected furnishings and decor, Didsbury House provides the perfect venue for a range of exclusive events such as weddings, Summer BBQ’s, client entertainment dinners and family celebrations, with a total of 27 bedrooms and suites offering comfort and style. Just a short walk away is Eleven Didsbury Park, a 20 bedroom Victorian home from home with a picture-perfect walled garden and covered terrace. A statement of Eclectic design, Eleven Didsbury Park provides an idyllic haven where you can enjoy spending time with loved ones. Eclectic Hotels also operate On The 7th; a sleek and exclusive private members lounge in the heart of MediaCityUK. The waterfront location is designed in the iconic Eclectic style and provides a range of flexible spaces for meetings, conferences, events and wedding celebrations, with panoramic views, a lavish bar and sumptuous surroundings. For more information please visit www.eclectichotels.co.uk Join Eclectic’s social story and tweet @eclectic_hotels

WHAT’S ON: LGBT Sparkle Gay Village 10 – 12 July 2015 The Sparkle Weekend has been celebrating the Trans community for the last 10 years and in July 2014 Sparkle welcomed over 4,500 people, making it the largest free Trans event in the world. Taking place around Sackville Gardens in the Gay Village with dedicated events all weekend, for all areas of the Trans spectrum. This year Sparkle in the Park is over both days, with a full programme of live music, events and stalls and 2015 sees Sparkle host an all new fringe event from 8 – 14 July which promises to entertain, educate and thrill. sparkle.org.uk | @Sparkleweekend

Great British Bear Bash 18 (GBBB18) Gay Village 1 – 4 May 2015 It’s their 18th birthday and the bears are back for four days of furry, friendly fun. The bears come out of hibernation and the Gay Village comes alive with club nights, karaoke, pool parties and events catering for bears, cubs, daddies, chasers and chubs. The majority of programmed events and club nights will take place in the Gay Village, with all official post-club after parties taking place at The Eagle and plenty of other events to keep bears busy throughout the weekend. manbears-manchester.co.uk | @manbears

Manchester Pride Big Weekend25th Anniversary Gay Village 28 – 31 August 2015 The award-winning Manchester Pride turns 25 in 2015 and to mark this special occasion, the Pride Big Weekend returns across August Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate LGBT life in Manchester and it promises to be the best yet. Following on from 2014’s fantastic year which saw acts and appearances from Orange Is The New Black’s Lea DeLaria, Anastasia, Marcus Collins and Pixie Lott; this year sees the multi-platinum selling band Texas headlining the festival with many more stellar acts yet to be announced. A carnival atmosphere will fill the streets of Manchester on the Saturday as the fabulous Pride Parade snakes its way through the city centre; meanwhile inside the Big Weekend site, expect performances from national and international artists in the Main Arena; a chilled out programme of music and entertainment in Sackville Gardens and high-profile DJ’s in the Dance Arena. The weekend comes to poignant conclusion on Monday night with the George House Trust Candlelit Vigil. Sackville Gardens is turned into a sea of flickering candles as all present take a moment to remember those lost to the HIV virus and show solidarity in fighting the disease. manchesterpride.com | @manchesterpride

Manchester Pride Fringe Various Locations August 2014 Manchester Pride Fringe is a citywide programme of LGBT arts, music, culture, comedy and community events spanning the month of August. This year’s Pride Fringe will be as vibrant and varied as usual, with something for everyone and the majority of events are free to attend making it as accessible as possible. Highlights from last year’s festival included a Q&A with original members of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), who supported striking British miners during the strike of 1984–1985; Queer as Folk actress Denise Black hosting Hazel’s Karaoke and Coronation Street creator Tony Warren discussing characters ‘coming out’ with actress Brooke Vincent and writers Jonathan Harvey, Damon Rochefort and Debbie Oates. manchesterpride.com | @manchesterpride

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Peaky Blinders, on location at Le Mans Crescent, Bolton © Caryn Manaback Productions Ltd and Tiger Aspect

Manchester Sets the Scene All the world’s a stage, Shakespeare once wrote, but Greater Manchester increasingly seems to have all the best parts, writes David Prior. In recent years Manchester’s had Sherlock Holmes and Frankenstein in the Town Hall, Colin Firth and Jude Law on King Street and Captain America dodging exploding cars on Dale Street. When the world’s biggest production companies need to do a convincing impression of London in the late 1800s or Manhattan in the early 1900s, its Manchester they turn to. But that’s just the star-studded tip of the iceberg: from A Taste of Honey and Cold Feet to Queer as Folk and Life on Mars, the list of productions to be located in Greater Manchester is a roll-call of some of the most iconic and talked-about television of the last 60 years. According to the latest figures from Creative England, 2014 saw 1,254 filming days in Greater Manchester on a total of 177 productions.

“I think it’s without question the second centre of TV production in the UK,” says Kieran Roberts, ITV’s creative director of drama in Manchester. “Outside of London, there isn’t another city or city region in the UK that rivals it for volume of production, scale and quality.” Greater Manchester’s heritage as a filming location stretches back to the 1930s, but it was the arrival of Coronation Street in December 1960 that really announced the city’s arrival on the small screen to the masses. Within six months it was the nation’s most-watched programme, set in fictional Weatherfield but unmistakably Mancunian with its terraced houses, textile factory and Rovers Return pub. That year saw the public’s yearning for kitchen-sink Northern realism further satiated by two films now regarded as cult classics: Hell is a City (depicting Manchester as “a dangerous, dark and insecure

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place”) and A Taste of Honey. Both remain hugely evocative, soot-blackened period pieces, the former bringing star quality in the shape of Stanley Baker whose precarious chase scene on the rooftops of the Refuge Assurance building (now the Palace Hotel) provided the film’s memorable climax.

Through the 1990s and 2000s, Manchester became an ever more reliable backdrop for primetime television, particularly with the likes of Jimmy McGovern’s Cracker, for which internal police station scenes were filmed in the old Daily Mirror offices, now The Printworks retail complex. Life on Mars, another ratings winner, decamped to Stopford House in Stockport for its police station scenes while the glorious Victoria Baths in Chorlton-on-Medlock doubled as a mortuary.

The growing importance of Granada Television helped to further embed Manchester on the televisual map. Once described by the New York Times as “the best TV company in the world”, it won a reputation for innovation and quality through the likes of Brideshead Revisited, Jewel in the Crown, World In Action and Seven Up, while University Challenge, The Krypton Factor and Stars in Their Eyes were also filmed at its Quay Street studios, home of the iconic red neon Granada TV sign. The tale of one of Granada’s most influential figures, Tony Wilson, was brought to the big screen in 2002’s 24 Hour Party People. Even if scenes inside the Haçienda nightclub had to be located inside a recreated set on the other side of the city - the legendary Whitworth Street West venue having been sold to property developers four years earlier - it still offers a convincing guide to Manchester from the punk scene of the late 1970s to ‘Madchester’ in the early 1990s. 72

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Red Production Company has built its considerable reputation largely on Manchester-set dramas, from Paul Abbott’s Clocking Off (filmed in Alderley Edge) to hit ITV detective series Scott and Bailey, which uses a former Barclays Bank in Bury as one of many Greater Manchester locations. It’s perhaps best known for Channel 4 drama Queer as Folk, whose depiction of life around Manchester’s Gay Village caused a tabloid fury when first broadcast 15 years ago but is now seen as groundbreaking. Red worked again with writer Russell T Davies on trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu, which aired earlier this year and whose scenes around Manchester and in particular the Northern Quarter supplied the vibrant and cosmopolitan setting that the city in 2015 can now boast.

“For Banana in particular we specifically looked to film in the Northern Quarter,” said Red producer Emily Feller. “It’s so cool, so young and looks so beautiful. It’s aged well and has the history and the period features, alongside the wonderful bars, flats and restaurants.”

Kaye Elliott, its head of production services, points to the full range of support it provides to give productions everything they need. She adds: “Our film friendly partnerships across the county means productions can hit the ground running and make the most of what Greater Manchester has to offer.”

The Northern Quarter has proved a versatile location for film and TV crews generally. Five years ago Dale Street hosted the full entourage of a Hollywood blockbuster for Captain America: The First Avenger, while Genius, starring Colin Firth and Jude Law and released later this year, used Mangle Street and Harter Street to portray 1930s New York (and also doubled King Street as Fifth Avenue). TV productions to use the Northern Quarter have included From There to Here, The Driver and Boy Meets Girl, the BBC’s first transgender sitcom.

Locations regularly facilitated by Creative England include Manchester’s gothic Town Hall, which has doubled for the Houses of Parliament in The Iron Lady, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes and even the original House of Cards. Scenes featuring Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy were also filmed there last year for the remake of horror classic, Victor Frankenstein, due out in October.

Facilitating Greater Manchester’s burgeoning reputation for film and TV production is Creative England, the go-to agency for everything from filming permissions to local crew facilities. 1. Cracker 2. Cucumber 3. Captain America set, Dale Street

Kieran Roberts, who has run ITV Studios’ Manchester drama department for the past decade, says Manchester’s appeal lies in a winning combination of resources, location and accessibility. “We can crew up the most challenging productions with the very best producers, production designers, make-up artists and whoever, all within a short distance of the centre of Manchester,” he says.

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“There’s also the fantastic writing and acting talent, and a wonderful mix of locations that are accessible. “Everything you hear about London is how difficult it is to film there and how congested it is. Here there’s the perfect blend: it’s big enough to offer very contemporary inner city backdrops - with a variety of architecture, skyscrapers, trendy bars and the like but very quickly you are out in the suburbs and then the proper countryside of Cheshire and Lancashire.” Outside the city centre, the magnificent Le Mans Crescent in Bolton has hosted Peaky Blinders and Last Tango in Halifax, Europa Way in Trafford Park witnessed John Simms’ spectacular escape from a police van in ITV’s Prey, while Stockport Plaza was the setting for BBC2’s Eric and Ernie among others. There are plenty of other relatively untapped locations, too, such as Salford’s Lowry Mill, Haigh Hall in Wigan and the simply stunning Gorton Monastery. As well as being located in Greater Manchester, more and more productions are being filmed here, too. Recent years have witnessed an explosion in studio space, with the opening of the Sharp Project and the

Space Project north of the city centre and dock10 and The Pie Factory at the great new creative hub at MediaCityUK, in Salford Quays. A host of flagship BBC programmes are now located at the latter, including Match of the Day, The Voice, BBC Breakfast and Blue Peter, with all BBC Children’s programmes now originating from Salford. You can see the sets for yourself - the BBC runs daily MediaCityUK tours. There are even the productions that film in Greater Manchester but are set elsewhere - such as The Trials of Jimmy Rose, ITV’s new primetime thriller starring Ray Winstone, which was filmed in its entirety in the region, despite it being set on the outskirts of London. Manchester-based Title Role Productions has filmed everywhere in the region from Manchester Museum to Castle Street police station in Bolton, which managing director Helen Tonge describes as “a little gem”. “The councils around Greater Manchester are very accommodating,” she notes, “if they can make it work, they make it work.” Manchester’s versatility as a location is perhaps best emphasised by reconstruction scenes Title Role filmed in the city - for its documentary series Crimes That Shook Australia!

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Five productions to look out for: The Trials of Jimmy Rose Ray Winstone takes the title role of the notorious armed robber in a three-part drama that was filmed over seven weeks in Manchester and North Cheshire late last year. It’s likely to air on ITV later this year.

A Monster Calls Starring Sigourney Weaver and Liam Neeson, this fantasy book adaptation has already filmed a car chase sequence in Ramsbottom and scenes in the back garden of a Victorian terrace on Claremont Grove in Didsbury. You’ll have to wait until late next year for the results, however.

Car Share

1 1. John Henshaw in The Rochdale Pioneers (2012) 2. Last Tango in Halifax 3. Filming of ‘No Offence’ © Ryan McNamara

With many productions in the pipeline, Manchester’s stock as a location is set to soar even further. And according to Kieran Roberts, there’s another critical reason for its success. “It’s a cliché but the people are very friendly and welcoming,” he says. “If I could make an observation on the difference between filming in London and Manchester, it’s that people in Manchester haven’t got to the stage yet of taking it for granted. On shoots there is a real sense of people going that extra mile for visiting producers and actors and pulling out all the stops.” Creative England’s Production Services Department is the agency that facilitates film and TV enquiries for Greater Manchester. The team is always looking for potential new locations: whether a country pub or large hotel, modern office or manor house; and anyone can register a property for free online.

For more information: creativeengland.co.uk/production | @CEnglandProdn | production@creativeengland.co.uk

Peter Kay’s long-awaited six-part sitcom, about two colleagues who have been thrown together in a company car share scheme, will air on the BBC iPlayer first before airing on BBC1. Scenes have been shot in Salford, Bolton and Altrincham.

No Offence A gritty new drama from Shameless creator Paul Abbott, this eight-part series for Channel 4 filmed across Greater Manchester late last year, including Temperance Street and Hoyle Street by Piccadilly train station, and Castlefield.

Midwinter of the Spirit Another ITV commission, this three-part “crime drama with a supernatural twist” is again set outside the region - Hereford - but is being filmed mainly in rural Cheshire and Lancashire from April.

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WHAT’S ON: SPORT

Great CityGames

Great Manchester Cycle

Manchester city centre 9 – 10 May 2015

Across Greater Manchester 28 June 2015

The Great Manchester Run has now grown into a weekend festival of sport, including the Great CityGames Manchester; a unique elite event that brings world class athletics to the city’s streets. The event takes place on the Great CityGames track on Deansgate in the heart of the city and at the purpose built athletics arena in Albert Square where a crowd of 20,000 gathers to see many of the greatest athletes in the world compete. greatcitygames.org

Thousands of cyclists will take to the streets on Sunday 28 June for the UK’s largest timed distance cycle ride. The fourth Great Manchester Cycle offers three separate distances of 13, 26 and 52 miles for all abilities, around a 13-mile city-based circuit within Manchester and the neighbouring borough of Trafford. Miles of Manchester’s roads will be completely closed to all other vehicles, with the start line, lapping point, and finish located in the Etihad Campus. greatrun.org/great-manchester-cycle | @Great_Cycle

Morrisons Great Manchester Run Across Greater Manchester 10 May 2015 Europe’s leading 10K running event has seen more than 250,000 enthusiastic runners take to the streets of Manchester since it was established in 2003. It is one of a few running events with the IAAF Gold Label and has raised over £22 million for charity. Televised live on BBC, the run comes to the streets of Manchester on Sunday 10 May and takes in landmarks such as the IWM North and Old Trafford, as it snakes out of the city and back before finishing beside the Beetham Tower on Deansgate. greatrun.org/manchester | @Great_Run 76

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Ironman UK Bolton 19 July 2015 The UK’s premier long distance triathlon returns to Bolton for the sixth time. The course features breathtaking views and a spectator-friendly course, including a lake swim in Pennington Flash, a 112-mile bike ride through fantastic countryside and a full marathon through Bolton with a spectacular finish in Victoria Square in front of Bolton Town Hall. ironmanuk.com | @Ironman_UK

Sainsbury’s School Games Various venues 3 – 6 September 2015 With such a rich sporting heritage Manchester will once again host the Sainsbury’s School Games. The multi-sport event will be staged across Manchester World Class facilities, fitting as the games aims to nurture young and upcoming talents. The Sainsbury’s School Games has seen many an Olympic medallist work their way through the programme including Ellie Simmonds, Sophie Oldham and Jonnie Peacock. yourschoolgames.com | @YourSchoolGames

Royal London ODI SeriesEngland vs Australia Emirates Old Trafford 8 and 13 September 2015 Australia’s 2015 summer tour of England culminates with a series of four, one day international matches, two of which are going to be played at Manchester’s Emirates Old Trafford stadium on 8 and 13 September. Just off the back off the hotly contested Ashes series, England will be aiming to improve on their recent one-day record against Australia, before setting off on their winter tour of South Africa in December. lccc.co.uk | @EmiratesOT | Old Trafford

1. Great City Games 2. World Taekwondo Grand Prix 3. Revolution Series

World Taekwondo Grand Prix Manchester Central 16 – 18 October 2015 Returning to Manchester for the third year in a row, the Grand Prix attracts Taekwondo’s top athletes from around the world. The British Taekwondo team, who train here in Manchester, will be out in full force in a bid to win on home soil and score points ahead of Rio 2016, including Olympic Gold Medallist Jade Jones who won Sliver at last year’s Grand Prix. taekwondogp.com | @TaekwondoGP

Revolution Series National Cycling Centre October 2015 - January 2016 The Revolution Series is the world’s biggest elite track cycling series that combines world-class racing and thrilling entertainment. Three rounds will take place at The National Cycling Centre in Manchester as part of the 2015-16 season with Olympic Champions such as Laura Trott, Jason Kenny and Ed Clancy competing in the build-up to Rio 2016. cyclingrevolution.com | @RevolutionUK @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

MCR VOICE

Mark Cueto Sale and former England and British & Irish Lions professional rugby union player. My old man played rugby, so when I was about four or five he took me down to his local rugby club and got me involved there. I wasn’t massively passionate about rugby growing up and when I was a kid the professional game we know now wasn’t professional, it was an amateur game. So it wasn’t as if you could set a goal of becoming a professional rugby union player like you could a footballer. It was never really a target; it was something that evolved through later years at school and university. I enjoyed my time at Manchester Metropolitan University, but it was a different experience compared to most students as I was always busy with rugby. I was involved with Sale and also at my local club which was Altrincham Kersal. I was training six days a week after university and I also had two games in those six days. It was pretty flat out so I didn’t have the typical student life as most do. I loved Manchester when I first arrived and I still love it now. I’ve lived here for 15 years and although I don’t live in the city centre (I live in Altrincham), I think it’s a brilliant part of the country; there’s so much to do, the people are friendly and it’s a cool place. There’s been a lot of investment over the years, new areas such as Spinningfields contribute to a thriving city and once you know the city centre, it isn’t actually a big place. Odd things are scattered about and sometimes you might have to jump in to a cab for five minutes but it’s a relatively compact city which is nice.

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I’ve had a long career at Sale Sharks; 15 years now but I’ve loved every minute of it. We’ve had some good years, we’ve had some bad years and there have been a lot of players across the rugby world that have come through the club during my time. One theme that always comes across from them is what a good club it is, what a great environment there is and what a good set of lads there are here. Most people speak very highly of the club. Winning the premiership with Sale in 05/06 would have to be a career highlight, as well as the amount of caps I got for England by playing in two World Cups and obviously playing for the British and Irish Lions. Outside of rugby I mainly spend my time with family. I’m married with two young kids so they keep me pretty busy outside of work - two boys of four and one so it’s flat out. I’m retiring at the end of the season and I’m in talks with a club about sorting out a role for me, but it will be good to have more time to spend with my wife and kids. I’m a big Manchester United fan and I try and get to Old Trafford when I can. I think I’ve only been once this year though as it varies with our own fixtures. I normally get a handful of games a season, I’m lucky as I’ve been sponsored with Nike for so long and they’re with Nike so I get looked after when I visit. I think England’s chances in the upcoming Rugby World Cup are good. We’ve got a really strong pack which will always make us competitive and the fact that they’re at home is a massive added bonus. The reception should be great, and the fact that it’s a World Cup means they could have potentially sold it three or four times, so I think it will be a really good atmosphere. Fingers crossed they go all the way. I’ll be pretty busy over the World Cup with corporate engagements and I have a few things lined up for the England v Uruguay match so I should be at the City of Manchester Stadium for that. I think travelling supporters will be able to find somewhere decent to go in most areas of the city. My pick would be Spinningfields as there are loads of bars and great places to eat, particularly in the summer as there are a lot of outdoor spots such as the lawn area with the big screen. There will probably be a dedicated fanzone somewhere in the city – Manchester is pretty good for that sort of thing.

England play Uruguay in the Rugby World Cup 2015 at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday 10 October 2015. For more information about the Rugby World Cup: rugbyworldcup.com | @rugbyworldcup @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Snapshot by Joe Roper

WHAT’S ON: GREATER MANCHESTER

The Gallipoli 100 Weekend and Six VC’s before breakfast Fusilier Museum, Bury 25 April 2015 – June 2016 On 25 April 2015 it will be 100 years exactly since the Lancashire Fusiliers famously won ‘Six VC’s before breakfast’ as part of the Gallipoli landings. To commemorate this major milestone the Fusilier Museum will be hosting a weekend of special events to remember this astounding feat. On Saturday 25 there will be a commemorative concert at Bury Parish Church, with a debut performance of a new suite of music to commemorate Gallipoli written by Martin Ellerby and performed by the Royal Marines Band. On the same day the museum’s new exhibition will open, which will include all six Victoria crosses for the first time (until the 16 May) and tell the story about what happened to The Lancashire Fusiliers during Gallipoli. fusiliermuseum.com | @FusilierMuseum | Bury

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Generation AIR Central Art Gallery, Ashton-under-Lyne 2 May – 4 July 2015 Giant inflatables mimicking human body parts will feature in a unique family friendly exhibition at Ashton’s Central Art Gallery. Created by artists Spacecadets, Generation AIR exhibition is inspired by human biology and the cells and organisms inside us. It features a giant tunnel shaped like a human bone and moveable cushions in the form of giant blood cells. Visitors will have a multisensory experience, with magical sound and lighting and opportunities to handle parts of the soft sculptures. The exhibition is designed to be enjoyed by young children and just as much by adults. generationtour.org.uk | @TamesideCouncil | Ashton-under-Lyne 1. The Gallipoli 100 Weekend and Six VC’s before breakfast 2. Season’s Best

Victory in Europe: 70th Anniversary Weekend Staircase House and Stockport Market Place 8 – 10 May 2015 Enjoy an action packed 1940s weekend in Stockport Market Place, Staircase House and Stockport Museum with stalls, costumes, vintage vehicles, events and entertainment. Be transported back in time with a home front canteen, singing and music of the period; see a street party and a fireworks finale. For the first time see the magnificent structure at the rear of historic Staircase House open for public view, decorated as 1945 and bursting with music, entertainment, vintage stalls and lots of fun and laughter. Get into the spirit and come dressed in your best ‘40s finery. stockport.gov.uk/museums | @SMBC_Museums

The Lost Carnival Burrs County Park, Bury 22 – 25 May 2015 In May 2015 The Lost Carnival will appear for a few short nights in Burrs County Park; an ambitious, large-scale immersive theatre experience that invites families to step into a world unlike any other. The content of the event will remain shrouded in mystery until the audience step inside the big top but families can expect spellbinding theatre, circus, music and visual trickery. Produced by the teams behind the award winning family arts event Just So Festival and Ramsbottom Festival this promises to be an incredible family arts event for Greater Manchester. thelostcarnival.org.uk | @thelostcarnival | Bury

Season’s Best Gallery Oldham 23 May – 3 October 2015 It is sometimes said that Oldham’s weather allows you to experience all four seasons in one day. This display will do the same thing, using Gallery Oldham’s spectacular collections of art, natural history and social history. Take a journey from spring through to winter in this celebration of the rhythms of the year. You might choose to pause before Charles Potter’s painting of a Christmas dawn or learn about the cuckoo that is so strongly associated with Spring. Find out more about summer Wakes Weeks or stroll amongst the autumn woodlands depicted by artists such as James Watts and Alfred East. galleryoldham.org.uk | @GalleryOldham | Oldham Central

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Ordsall Hall Museum, Salford 21 July 2015 The HandleBards do Shakespeare differently, performing with eight very sore legs, and using their bikes to power various surprises and contraptions on-stage described by none other than Sir Ian McKellen as ‘uproariously funny’. After hugely successful tours in the summers of 2013 and 2014, The HandleBards are back on their bikes in 2015 returning to Ordsall Hall with Shakespeare’s madcap tale of fairies, true love and all-out farce. salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/culture/ordsall-hall | @SalfordCulture | Exchange Quay

Festival Oldham Oldham Town Centre 23 May 2015 This year’s festival takes place in the heart of Oldham town centre on Bank Holiday weekend, celebrating the very best art and entertainment the town has to offer. Check out the best street theatre, music and dance – including a unique street ballet with shopping trolleys. Dine with the dodgy Liver Cottage chefs and be entertained by our comedy waiters. Also look out for giant pigeons and the colourful Jelly Roller music machine. visitoldham.com | @Oldham Council | Oldham Central

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Blackpool Rocks Manchester

Ramsbottom Festival

Various locations 8 – 9 August 2015

Ramsbottom Cricket Club 18 – 20 September 2015

A Blackpool themed weekend which will involve Blackpool Trams operating in Heaton Park, Seaside Special trains on the East Lancashire Railway and seaside activities including Punch and Judy at the Bury Transport Museum. The X60 Manchester to Blackpool bus service will be recreated for the weekend to link up the various sites. The People’s History Museum will also take part and there will be a display at the Bus Museum in Cheetham. eastlancsrailway.org.uk | @eastlancsrly | Bury

This award winning boutique music festival now in its fifth year features an eclectic mix of indie, rock, folk and reggae music; specialist stalls from local restaurants and street food vendors offering a variety of grub and wide variety of family entertainment. ramsbottomfestival.com | @rammyfestival

Bolton Food and Drink Festival

The land of the pharaohs comes to the Museum of Wigan Life with a fabulous new exhibition about the Ancient Egyptians. This exhibition will explore the famous death customs and mystical religious beliefs of the Egyptians, alongside their everyday lives. Wigan Borough’s spectacular gold mask will be on display for the first time in over 40 years. wigan.gov.uk | @WiganCouncil

Ancient Egypt Exhibition Museum of Wigan Life 18 – 31 October 2015

Bolton 28 – 31 August 2015 As one of the must-see events in the North West’s food calendar, Bolton Food and Drink Festival is not to be missed. The four day 10th birthday extravaganza will be bursting at the seams with cooking demonstrations, speciality markets, live music and exciting family fun. Last year’s event attracted over 150,000 visitors and featured celebrity chefs James Martin, Gino D’Acampo, John Torode and CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth. boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com | @BoltonFoodFest

1. Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2. Ramsbottom Festival

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We put the sparkle into a great day out

Mesmerisingly beautiful and outrageously cool. With the UK’s best shopping, dining and leisure all under one stunning roof, a trip to intu Trafford Centre makes the perfect day out, whatever they’re into. Shopaholics will go silly for the spectacular shopping including Selfridges, John Lewis, Debenhams and M&S plus stores like Victoria’s Secret, Hamleys and a brand new Lakeland – with tax free shopping for visitors from outside the EU in most of our stores. While foodies will be delirious over delicious dining from around the world and thrill seekers will go loopy for the likes of SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre and Aerial Extreme high ropes adventure course. To start your adventure, just hop on an X50 bus from the city centre. Find out more at intu.co.uk/traffordcentre.

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All eyes on Altrincham By David Prior Five years after The Sun infamously labelled it the UK’s “ghost town”, Altrincham is undergoing a resurrection that even Stone Roses frontman - and local resident Ian Brown would be proud of. From the gleaming new £19 million interchange to a state-of-the-art community hospital, serious investment and regeneration is all around the town that lies eight miles south of the city centre. But to locate the heartbeat of Altrincham’s rebirth, visitors need only take the 20-minute Metrolink ride from Manchester city centre and walk the few hundred yards to Greenwood Street, the present site of the very thing that was responsible for “Aldringeham’s” arrival on the map back in the late 13th century: the market.

2015 will mark 725 years since Edward I granted a Royal Charter to the town, so establishing it as a market town whose fortunes have remained inextricably linked to the market ever since. As such, with the market rapidly asserting itself as one of the finest outside of London, there’s currently a tangible sense of optimism in the air. The turning point in the market’s recent history came two years ago. Altrincham resident Nick Johnson, who had spent a career working on regeneration projects in the North West with Urban Splash, determined that perhaps his most complex renewal project yet lay on his own doorstep. Trafford Council bought into his bold vision for a modern market, and in late 2013 work began on overhauling the market experience and refurbishing the run-down Market House.

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“My proposition was that Altrincham was an original market town and that it should keep that part of its history very much alive - but reinvent itself as a modern market town,” says Johnson.

One of those independents is Kate Goodman, owner of Reserve Wines and resident wine critic for the BBC’s Food and Drink programme. For her, Market House is “a magical place”.

“People were writing the town off, and it was in the nation’s consciousness as the town with the highest vacancy rate of any in the country.

“From a conceptual point of view it’s something quite different,” she says. “There are similar places in London but in the North West I would say it’s unique.

“My take on it was very different. On paper, the town has an awful lot going for it. It has a great infrastructure in terms of the tram and trains, it’s close to the airport, it’s got fantastic schools and it’s got a very wealthy population. All of the things that should have made Altrincham an incredibly successful and vibrant town in its own right.”

“The people who are doing it are driven by delivering a great service and a great experience, and aren’t great experiences what we all live for?

The beauty of Johnson’s vision lay in its simplicity, something neatly summed up by the market’s strapline: “Passionately regional. Fiercely independent. Not available online.” It continues to provide a captivating reason to visit Altrincham on a weekend, especially a Sunday, when the traders rotate around weekly themes - including vintage fashion and furniture, food, and handmade, design and contemporary craft - and the general mood of artisanal creativity is further enhanced by acoustic live music and a range of fresh food stalls. The whole market experience has been further revolutionised by a £600,000 facelift Trafford Council has given to Market House, a Victorian building transformed last summer from spillover area to the throbbing hub not just of the market, but of Altrincham itself. Several permanent traders now reside there, including Honest Crust Pizzas, Blackjack Brewery and Sam Joseph Chocolates; and it’s open and intoxicatingly bustling every day except Mondays. “All I am is a curator of talent and an encourager of enterprise,” says Johnson. “Each of these people are the best at what they do. You put them all in one room together and what you are left with is quite an amazing experience that isn’t available anywhere else but Altrincham.” An astonishing 6,000 people a week now eat amid the up-cycled vintage lights, reclaimed timber tables and maple flooring (the latter all the way from the Chelsea Barracks) of Market House, with the various independents collectively turning over a weekly £70,000. 88

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“In a world of technology when we’re on our phones all the time, it’s great to see a load of people get together, drink and eat and laugh and have a great time. It’s special.” Richard Carver, whose Honest Crust wood-fired pizzas were described by The Guardian as “jawdropping”, sells up to 1,500 pizzas in a week in Market House. “It’s far surpassed our expectations from the very beginning,” he explains. “It’s a beautiful old building, which helps, but it’s the communal atmosphere, somewhere for people to come and meet and bring their families. I think the informality of it helps - you can just stop by and have a coffee or grab something to eat, you don’t have to worry about booking or anything.”

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restaurant Yara (which boasts the undeniable attraction of a simple £1 corkage charge for bring-your-own alcohol), and for vegetarians The Greenhouse on Oxford Road is something of an institution. Coffee-lovers, meanwhile, should head for Rhode Island Coffee or the easily missed King’s Café. The Goose Green conservation area is well worth seeking out, too. A small but delightful square and something of a haven from the hustle of the town centre, it’s now home to a smattering of venues that could easily sustain you all night, with real ale bar Costello’s, House Restaurant (a favourite in summer with its lovely terrace), Traders Tiki Bar, The Green Room and long-established French bistro, Franc’s. Altrincham is working hard to shed its reputation for vacant units, and the restoration of Stamford House is testament to the progress that has been made. This simply stunning building now houses a number of independent start-ups, including cycle-themed Velo Espresso café, Bumkin Designer Kids children’s fashion and the Hummingbird Flowers and Vintage Angel Design two-in-one shop.

One of the particular joys of Market House is that it’s entirely possible to spend several hours there, drinking in its heady mix of fine food, choice beverages and the general hubbub of a contented crowd. But within stone-throwing distance are a number of other cracking drinking and eating establishments. Pi Bar offers real ale and sumptuous Pieminister pies, Riddles Bar is an evocative take on the Speakeasystyle bars of Prohibition Era America, while the warming Le Trappiste will keep you in odd-shaped glasses and fruit-flavoured Belgian beers for a good few hours. A simply unmissable stop should be Mort Subite, however. This extraordinary subterranean bar which translates as ‘sudden death’ in homage to its former purpose as the hospital morgue - delivers a splendidly authentic experience that simply oozes back-street Continental Europe. Other perennial favourites within the town centre include Oxford Road Cafe (a good choice for breakfast), Phantong Thai, Lebanese and Syrian 90

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More quality independents can be found by way of recently expanded ladies’ fashion specialist Laundry Boutique, interiors shop With Decorum (opposite perhaps the most beautiful corner of Altrincham, the Old Market Place), designer treasure trove Elite Dress Agency and the musicians’ music shop, South City Music. Altrincham’s ladies (and increasingly gents) are well served by an impressive selection of day spas right in the town centre. Oxford One Spa and Lido’s Spa (recently shortlisted for a national Professional Beauty award for beauty salon of the year) are based on Oxford Road, while Ki Day Spa is tucked away on King’s Court. Neighbouring attractions, such as the upmarket village of Hale and the fine gardens and hall at National Trust-owned Dunham Massey, serve to confirm just what riches lay in store at the end of the tram line. The Sun would be surprised – and visitors will definitely not be disappointed.

For more information: altrincham.org.uk | @AltrinchamFWD

Opens June 2015

Extraordinary discoveries, every day

Islands is a brand new experience at Chester Zoo. Your group can embark on a unique expedition to discover six South East Asian islands. All included in your zoo ticket. Group bookings of 15+ save over 30% Less than an hour from Manchester! Free coach parking. Guided tours for groups are available.

www.chesterzoo.org/ islandsgroups 0870 720 1507 groups@chesterzoo.org

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Steven Desykes

MCR VOICE

Art lead at Pixelbomb Games Pixelbomb Games is a Manchester indie games developer. Our studio was founded in 2011 as a small collective of developers looking to do one thing: make awesome games. Since then we’ve grown into a strong team of designers and developers, driven by beautiful visuals, challenging mechanics and adrenaline-inducing experiences.

I got my computer arts degree at Abertay University and then I worked hard at improving my portfolio, applying for jobs in the industry. I eventually got my break working as a junior environment artist at TT Games and then, after almost six years, I decided I wanted to expand my skills further and I am now excited to be the art lead at Pixelbomb Games.

Beyond Flesh and Blood is a third person shooter set in a war-torn, post-apocalyptic Manchester. The game is set two hundred years in the future after mankind has evacuated to a space station known as the ‘Tree of Life, and is trying to re-colonise the Earth. The player controls various mechs (called Tactical Combat Frames) to traverse the ravaged Manchester streets and defeat dangerous inhabitants. The game is starting to come together quite quickly and it’s looking great. We are hoping to release the game in autumn 2015.

Manchester is a very creative city with a lot of cultural diversity. There aren’t a lot of big games companies in the North of England, and the games industry can be very competitive for work, so it’s great to see more indie games companies setting up here, creating more job opportunities. Being part of Manchester’s rapidlygrowing digital community is something I’m very proud of and with the infrastructure that is now in place, I think there’s scope for Manchester to emerge as a key player in the games industry.

We chose Manchester as the location partly due to the lack of games set in the United Kingdom - most of which are set in London. But also with Pixelbomb Games being based in Manchester, and the city having such a wealth of fantastic architecture and locations, it seemed like the most logical choice for the game’s setting. For anyone who has visited or lived in Manchester, they may recognise some locations such as the iconic Beetham Tower, Great Northern Warehouse and Manchester’s Town Hall in Albert Square.

Growing up I have been interested by the strange and the surreal and some of my favourite artists Salvador Dali, Roger Dean and H.R.Giger - are great examples of this. Also from a young age I have been fascinated by Japanese animation and studios such as Studio Ghibli and Studio 4°C have inspired me greatly with their use of colours and imaginative designs. I have been inspired by a lot of concept artists and illustrators such as James Paick, Marko Djurdjevic and Dave Rapoza but my list of artistic inspirations is ever expanding as I’m always finding new artists that impress me.

Manchester has such a great wealth of interesting and diverse styles of architecture and we have looked at what we considered to be quite iconic buildings to develop the visual style of the city; from the Tudor designs of Sinclair’s Oyster bar and the Old Wellington Inn, the Victorian neo-gothic designs of the Town Hall and John Rylands Library; to the more modern, glass designs of Urbis and the Manchester Civil Justice Centre to name just a few examples. It’s this variety of architecture that has been one of the main inspirations when designing the visuals in Beyond Flesh and Blood and something we felt was important to keep in order to get the feel of Manchester when creating a futuristic version of the city.

There are some great places in Manchester for people to draw inspiration from. Just walking around the city alone can help when developing artistic ideas. I find the Manchester Art Gallery a great place to be inspired, as it has a great collection of paintings and sculptures. Manchester is such a lively, fun, cultural and creative city with plenty to do. I’m a big fan of Oriental cuisine so I would definitely recommend going to Chinatown; I really like sushi and would especially recommend the Wasabi restaurants. When I’ve a bit of free time I occasionally like to unwind with a beer, so I would suggest a visit to the Port Street Beer House which has an incredible selection to choose from.

For more information: pixelbombgames.com | @gamespixelbomb @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

Snapshot by Mark Jennings

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Step into the Orient...

Just one of the things to do at Tatton Park. Discover many more in the mansion, farm, gardens, shops and restaurants. Visit www.101tatton.org.uk to find out what else you can do.

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East Lancashire Railway

More next door Manchester isn’t alone in offering great cultural attractions, with our neighbouring regions providing their own unique appeal. Here we suggest some ideas on how to spend a weekend travelling between Manchester and nearby counties.

LANCASHIRE Old Nick, legendary ghost stories, delightful home brews and life-affirming scenery always make for a memorable visit when it comes to Manchester and Lancashire. It’s an early rise for this trip as there’s plenty to pack into the next 24 hours or so. You’ll need a hearty breakfast to set you up for the walk later on and don’t forget to bring a pair of sturdy hiking shoes.

If you’re staying in Manchester during the week, start off the day with a visit to Chetham’s Library and School of Music, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world. Notice the mark on the refectory table that was purportedly the hoofprint of the devil, summoned by Doctor Dee, the warden of the nearby collegiate church in the 16th century. This should prepare you for some more satanic revelations later. @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

From Manchester, take the Witchway bus to Nelson, where you can catch the Witch Hopper bus to Barley, where the trail to Pendle Hill begins. You can take lunch and sample the local ales on offer in the Barley Mow.

1. Pendle Hill 2. Chester Cathedral 3. Roman Wall, Chester

The walk up Pendle Hill is five miles and includes some steep paths. The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous in English history. The twelve accused lived in the Pendle Hill area, and were charged with ten murders by the use of witchcraft. Of the eleven who went to trial – nine women and two men – ten were found guilty and hanged.

After enjoying the sites, hop back on the local Pendle Witch Hopper bus to Burnley, where you can connect with the Witchway bus to Rawtenstall. In Rawtenstall, call in at Fitzgerald’s Temperance Bar, the oldest original temperance bar in the UK which has been has been selling remedies and non-alcoholic drinks such as sarsaparilla and dandelion & burdock since 1890.

After your walk, relax in front of a log fire at the Pendle Inn which offers good quality Lancashire food and local ales as well as self-catering cottages where you can rest your weary limbs in preparation for the next day.

Rawtenstall is at the northern end of the East Lancashire Railway, which operates a 12-mile route using a range of vintage steam and diesel locomotives to haul passengers through the scenic Irwell Valley.

Following breakfast, take the local bus to Clitheroe, where you can visit Clitheroe Castle, a motte-andbailey castle built on a natural limestone outcrop. There is a legend that the Devil threw a boulder from Pendle Hill and hit the castle creating the hole visible in its side today. 98

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Board the steam train to Bury, where you can choose from a great selection of craft beers at the Trackside Bar, enjoy an early dinner and more local ale at the Clarence, and perhaps take in a show at The Met, Bury’s award-winning arts centre. After a long day, take the Metrolink tram for the short journey back to Manchester.

CHESHIRE With a rich heritage spanning Roman occupation and the Industrial Revolution, Manchester and Cheshire have a great deal between them to offer a historically minded explorer. Start your trip on the right foot by visiting the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). Based on the site of the oldest passenger railway station in the world, MOSI is a must visit attraction for those who want to find out about Manchester’s proud role as the epicentre of the global Industrial Revolution. Once you’re done, it’s only a short walk over to the site of Mamucium in Castlefield, where you can get a taste of Manchester’s very beginnings through the reconstructed remains of an ancient Roman fort. Continuing the Roman theme take a train over to Chester, where you can take a gentle stroll along Chester City Walls, the most complete Roman city walls in the country, also passing by the country’s largest stone-built Roman Ampitheatre. To give you a full taste of the city’s archaeological and architectural legacy, be sure to take a Chester Heritage Tour, which operate continuously through the day on a vintage open top bus.

Have dinner and check in at Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, a classical boutique hotel first opened in 1650. Before bed, and if you’ve got the stomach for it, join a Chester Ghost Tour to hear an alternative take on the historic city. Returning north from Chester, head to Ellesmere Port on the banks of the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal where the National Waterways Museum provides a peaceful setting to learn about the nautical history of the region. The main displays are housed in a handsome Victorian building, while outside you can walk around the lock, docks and warehouse and visit its forge, stables and workers’ cottages. In the afternoon, travel east to Stockport, where the award winning Hat Works Museum takes you through the history of the area’s once thriving hatting industry. The UK’s only museum dedicated to hats and headwear is home to a recreated hat factory, in addition to a collection of over 400 hats.

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LIVERPOOL Infamous as incubators for unique northern sound, Manchester and Liverpool attract music fans from around the world. Start off your day in Manchester’s bohemian Northern Quarter, a hive of activity with a round-theclock music-influenced atmosphere. Have brunch at Teacup Kitchen, part owned by legendary DJ Mr. Scruff, visit local sound emporium Piccadilly Records and then be sure to join a Manchester Music Tour. Guided by Inspiral Carpets drummer Craig Gill, you’ll be whisked around the city either on foot or by minibus to see the landmarks that shaped the music of The Stone Roses, Oasis, The Smiths and Joy Division. Tours must be arranged ahead of time and usually leave from Dry Bar, which is something of a musical monument itself, first opened by Factory Records and New Order in 1989. When you’re done, grab a train to Liverpool, where the Baltic Triangle offers a unique glimpse into the city’s modern music scene. With a similar atmosphere to the Northern Quarter, bars and venues now inhabit a space that was once an abandoned industrial wasteland. Stay until the evening when the area comes alive, with lively warehouse space Camp and Furnace, urban garden Constellations and bustling social hub Elevator Studios amongst the must-visits. If you’ve still got the energy, get a taxi to Mathew Street, where the Cavern Club offers a different atmosphere altogether. World famous as birth place of The Beatles, the venue holds regular late night gigs in a rousing underground setting. When you’re ready for bed, hop over to the ‘Fab Four star’ Hard Days Night Hotel, where elegant Beatles-inspired rooms will prepare you for the following day. The next day, grab breakfast at the hotel while you book a Fab Four Taxi Tour. This guided black cab tour will pick you up from the hotel to visit the Beatles landmarks throughout the city and suburbs of Liverpool, including Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, and the childhood homes where John Lennon and Paul McCartney grew up. Tours come in a variety of packages and have the option of including a visit to the Casbah Coffee Club, site of the first ever Beatles booking.

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LAKE DISTRICT Two destinations steeped in literary heritage, a weekend exploring Manchester and the Lake District will bring out the book worm in anyone. Start the morning off at Manchester’s cherished John Rylands Library. This masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture is a wonder to behold, inside looking more akin to a cathedral than a library. Grab a quick bite at Café Rylands and then spend some time viewing the world class collection, including illuminated medieval manuscripts, a 1476 William Caxton edition of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and the oldest known piece of the New Testament. From Manchester you can join a train to Windermere in the Lake District, where Beatrix Potter took the inspiration for her works. At The World of Beatrix Potter you can meet all of the cherished children’s writer’s most beloved characters, including Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Jemima Puddle-Duck, in their own personalised exhibitions. Across Lake Windermere, pay a visit to Hill Top, Potter’s 17th century farmhouse beautifully preserved as a timecapsule of her life. Just next door, stay for the night at Sawrey House Hotel, a beautiful Victorian country house offering an intimate combination of comfort and elegance. Have dinner in the romantic candle-lit restaurant, unwind in the lounge bar, then rest for the night.

3 1. Performer at the Cavern Club, Liverpool 2. The World of Beatrix Potter, Windermere; © Cumbria Tourism 3. Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s 17th century farm house; © Charlotte Wearden / Cumbria Tourism

Have breakfast at the hotel, before making your way north to Dove Cottage, the former family home of renowned poet William Wordsworth. The national treasure spent most of his life amongst the picturesque countryside of the Lake District, from which he drew his inspiration. At Dove Cottage, visitors can see the quaint English cottage preserved with many of the family’s own belongings. Next door, the Wordsworth Museum tells his remarkable life story, along with the greatest collection of Wordsworth letters, journals and poems in the world. Make your way back to Manchester in time to visit Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, the historic home of the writer of Cranford, Mary Barton and Wives and Daughters. Reopened last year following a 16 year restoration campaign, the house has been returned to its 19th century glory. Thanks to extensive research into the designs and furnishings of the original house, visitors can now pull up a chair and relax in the atmosphere which inspired the historic author. @visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

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Your free digital guide to the city The latest addition to the series is Manchesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cultural Walk, voiced by BBC DJ Mary Anne Hobbs

Download the app from iTunes today

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MANCHESTER MAP To Heaton Park, Bury, Oldham & Rochdale approx. 10, 20, 23 & 47 minutes by Metrolink from Victoria

(August 2013)

- FREE

1 Angel Square No trams call at Victoria, reopens by the end of 2014

ANGEL SQUARE

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art

Manchester Craft & Design Centre

Job Centre

Urban Exchange

To Etihad Campus (approx 1/2 mile), Droylsden & Ashton approx. 8 & 20 minutes by Metrolink from Piccadilly Station

To The Quays, Chorlton, MediaCityUK, Altrincham, Eccles & East Didsbury approx. 15, 15, 21, 25, 28 & 31 minutes by Metrolink from Manchester city centre

(open Spring 2014)

HOME

All Saints Business School & Student Hub

Manchester City Centre Manchester’s compact city centre contains lots of exciting things to see and do. To help, we’ve colour coded the city’s diverse districts and included listings on the back. Explore and enjoy.

NOMA A new neighbourhood of shops, restaurants, homes, public spaces, hotels & offices.

Central Retail District Featuring the biggest names in fashion, including high street favourites.

Northern Quarter Manchester’s creative, urban heart with independent fashion stores, record shops and cafés.

The Gay Village Unique atmosphere with restaurants, bars and clubs around vibrant Canal Street.

Petersfield Manchester Central Convention Complex, The Bridgewater Hall and Great Northern.

Piccadilly The main gateway into Manchester, with Piccadilly train station and Piccadilly Gardens.

Spinningfields A newly developed quarter combining retail, leisure, business and public spaces.

Chinatown Made up of oriental businesses including Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Korean restaurants.

Castlefield The place to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life with waterside pubs and bars.

Oxford Road Home to the city’s two universities, a host of cultural attractions and nightlife.

Manchester Business School West

Whitworth Building Whitworth Hall

University of Manchester Students Union

The Academy

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

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TRANSPORT INFORMATION Manchester is one of the most accessible cities in the UK thanks to its location and level of connectivity with national transport infrastructure. Once you have arrived in the city, getting around couldn’t be easier thanks to a fleet of buses, trains and trams. TRAVELLING TO MANCHESTER

GETTING AROUND MANCHESTER

By Air

By Metrolink

There are flights to Manchester Airport from over 210 destinations worldwide where on arrival you can choose the train, Metrolink or taxi to transport you to the city centre. manchesterairport.co.uk | @manairport

By Train

Manchester is well connected by train with direct services running between London and Manchester every 20 minutes, and frequent services from many other major UK towns and cities. There are four main stations in the city centre: Piccadilly, Oxford Road, Victoria and Deansgate. Piccadilly is the main arrival point for those flying into Manchester Airport or travelling up from London. nationalrail.co.uk | @nationalrailcom T. 08457 48 49 50 to find train times.

By Coach

National Express provides services from all over the country into Chorlton Street Coach Station in the heart of the city. nationalexpress.co.uk | @nationalexpress

By Road

Manchester is well connected to the rest of the UK via excellent motorway links. The M60 ring road connects the city to motorways north, south, east and west. In the city, NCP has over 13,000 car parking spaces across 43 sites, including a number of exclusive parent and child bays and green bays for vehicles with low emissions. Parking with NCP in the city centre starts from just £1.60 an hour. ncp.co.uk | @ncpcarparks

Metrolink is Greater Manchester’s tram system and offers easy travel into the city centre. Trams run frequently so you don’t need a timetable, just turn up and travel anytime from early morning until late in the evening. With services every six to twelve minutes, it is great mode of transport to get you right across the city. Tickets should be purchased from the machines on the platform before boarding. metrolink.co.uk | @MCRMetrolink The Metrolink network is developing and expanding, and a new line through the centre of Manchester is currently under construction and due to open in 2017. For information on network changes visit transformationinformation.co.uk

By Bus

Manchester is at the heart of the region’s bus services providing an effective means of getting to the heart of the city. For bus service and timetable information visit tfgm.com | @OfficialTfGM

By Metroshuttle

The Metroshuttle is a free bus service linking the main railway stations to the shops, restaurants and businesses in the city centre. There are three routes to choose from making it an ideal way to get about. tfgm.com/metroshuttle

By Bike

If you have a bike, cycling is a low cost and healthy way to travel. Transport for Greater Manchester can help you plan your route, including options using cycle lanes and quieter roads. tfgm.com/cycling

By Foot

Manchester city centre is easy to get around on foot – you can cross from one side to the other in 20 minutes Transport for Greater Manchester can help you plan your journey online but also provide you with up-to-date travel information about local public transport and ticketing. tfgm.com | @OfficialTfGM | T. 0871 200 22 33 104

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Go places with Metrolink Manchester already boasts the largest tram network in the UK with nearly 60 miles of track and 92 stops. Over 30 million journeys were made on Metrolink last year and we opened a brand new line to Manchester Airport in the Autumn, giving customers greater access to our tram network and all that Greater Manchester has to offer. But we’re not stopping there. We’re continuing to expand our network and work is already underway on our ‘Second City Crossing’ in the city centre. This expansion will increase our capacity to run more frequent services through the city and out to the wider Greater Manchester locality. Who says bigger isn’t better? Travel on Metrolink for easy access to many of Manchester’s popular attractions. We run a frequent service from early morning to late at night so it’s an ideal way to get out and about. Travelcards offer great value enabling you to travel anywhere on Metrolink, all day or all weekend. Available at ticket vending machines on all stops, just remember to buy your ticket on-stop before boarding. For more information on our network, tickets and services, visit www.metrolink.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @MCRMetrolink

MANCHESTER AIRPORT – part of MAG With three terminals handling over 22 million passengers each year, Manchester Airport is the global gateway to the North of England. Sixty-five airlines ensure Manchester Airport is directly connected to over 210 destinations and no more than one-stop away from anywhere in the world. Whether travelling for business or pleasure, Manchester Airport offers a host of facilities and services to help ensure hassle-free travel:

Airport shopping and dining Join the vast number of savvy shoppers already taking advantage of exclusive tax and duty free savings at the airport. Then make the most of the wide selection of food and drink options available across all three terminals.

Escape Lounges For those looking to start their holiday in style, or simply some peace and quiet to complete last minute business, the Escape Lounges in Terminal 1, 2 and 3 offer a tranquil environment. Here you can also enjoy a host of complimentary refreshments and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi.

For the kids If you need to keep the kids entertained or use up some of their excess energy before a long flight, there are now two free soft play areas. These are located in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. 106

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Disabled access A pioneering new access guide has been designed, which provides disabled customers with all the information they need to plan their journey from door to door.

Free Wi-Fi Stay connected to the outside world with free Wi-Fi for up to 60 minutes across all three terminals.

The Manchester Airport App For the perfect travel companion download the Manchester Airport app, it’s your one-stop guide for flight and airport information. Even better it’s completely free to download on your smartphone.

Airport Parking There is a parking option to suit every need, from great value Long Stay parking to the ultimate convenience of Meet & Greet parking. For the latest information visit manchesterairport.co.uk or follow @manairport on Twitter.

Direct Connectivity There are direct flights from over 210 destinations worldwide including: Europe Aberdeen Amsterdam Athens Barcelona Berlin Bilbao Billund Bruxelles Budapest Cologne Copenhagen Cork Dublin Dusseldorf Frankfurt Gothenburg Glasgow Hamburg

Hanover Helsinki Isle Of Man Knock Krakow Lisbon London Lyon Madrid Marrakech Milan Moscow Munich Murcia Naples Nice Oslo Paris Pisa

Prague Rennes Reykjavik Rome Shannon Stockholm Tel Aviv Turin Venice Vienna Warsaw Zurich

New York Philadelphia Toronto Vancouver Washington Middle East Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Jeddah

North America Atlanta Charlotte Chicago Las Vegas Miami

Asia Hong Kong Singapore

For a full list of direct flights please visit manchesterairport.co.uk

System One £5.20 DaySaver Off Peak

£5.60 Peak

System One £7.50 £11.00 Group DaySaver Group DaySaver +1 DaySaver

ONE TICKET EVERY BUS* all over Greater Manch ester

System One £10.00 Weekender† 1 person

£15.00

2 person

Train & tram tickets also available

Find your perfect System One travelcard now by visiting www.systemonetravelcards.co.uk Accepted on all bus operators including...

*System One Travelcards are accepted by all bus operators in the System One network. See systemonetravelcards.co.uk for full list. Prices and information correct at time of going to press. March 2015. Information produced by Greater Manchester Travelcards Limited (GMTL). †System One Weekender can only be used from Friday 6pm to Sunday midnight. Can be purchased in advance via the website and PayPoint shops.

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

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wonderfully located People’s History Museum and further decorated by nearby cocktails bars, upmarket restaurants and picturesque outdoor spaces. Beyond the city, it seems only yesterday that The Lowry stood in splendid isolation on the site of The Quays. A bold pioneer of the regeneration story. Visit today and in addition to those splendid theatres and galleries, there is now the IWM North, the northern home of the BBC, a shopping centre and bars, restaurants and hotels; all nestling comfortably nearby the sporting homes of Manchester United and Lancashire County Cricket Club.

THE LAST WORD I’ve recently landed England’s best job in tourism.

In fact with new openings aplenty, I truly believe this is the year that Manchester will come of age as a tourism destination. What makes me confident of this claim? Well, how about: - 800 new bedrooms coming to market in 2015, making the region’s hotel offer the fastest growing in Europe. - The fabulous extension and development at the newly re-opened Whitworth Art Gallery.

Having spent the last three years in the gorgeous city of Bath, as chief executive of its tourist board, I’ve returned to my home city to become director of tourism for Marketing Manchester - the tourist board for Greater Manchester.

- HOME. A new Manchester neighbourhood is born, with its showpiece being the new centre for international contemporary art, theatre and film.

Now before there are any concerns of disloyalty from my former colleagues, I must go on record and state that Bath is fabulous. It’s a city built (literally) for its visitors. Easy on the eye and beautifully compact; a quality product and a real success story.

- Birthday celebrations for Manchester Pride (25 years proud this summer) and the Manchester Arena (20 years young).

“Promoting Bath must be the easiest job in the world”, was a comment I frequently received, making little of our gargantuan efforts of maintaining media profile, delivering finely tuned marketing campaigns and honing our diplomatic skills to create partnerships for the benefit of the city’s tourism economy. But I jumped at the chance to return North. Moving back home, the challenges for Manchester are vastly different in one sense, yet also reassuringly similar. And they’re certainly very exciting. After a three-year absence, I am immediately struck by how much Manchester has changed. Whole new areas have sprung up, with the latest bars, restaurants, shops and apartments creating newfound communities in previously derelict localities. Take Spinningfields as an example. It doesn’t seem long ago that much of the area was considered a backwater. Now it’s thriving, with people referring to it as ‘the Canary Wharf of the North’; a hub for the financial services sector that is given balance by the 110

@visit_mcr | visitmanchester.com

- Manchester International Festival – another extraordinary 18 days of original, new performances.

- An explosion of new restaurants with the redeveloped Corn Exchange launching as a new home for food lovers. Indeed Manchester’s growth continues apace, supported by the extending tentacles of the Metrolink tram system and the city’s ever-increasing global connections via Manchester Airport. If you’re still not convinced, don’t take my word for it – instead look to the influence of the critics: The New York Times placed Manchester in its top 52 destinations to visit this year, ahead of the beaches in Rio and the Italian capital Rome. Similar praise has followed from Conde Nast Traveller, Rough Guide and countless national and international media outlets. If you haven’t booked to visit yet, what are you waiting for! Nick Brooks-Sykes is director of tourism for Marketing Manchester. marketingmanchesterblog.wordpress.com | @nickb_s

10,000 seats still available 3 weeks before travel

Book in advance at virgintrains.com

Tickets released 12 weeks in advance. Number of seats shown correct as of 17 February, based on average availability over a 6-week travel period. T&Cs apply, see virgintrains.com/terms-conditions. Planned improvement works are taking place Easter 2015, see virgintrains.com/spanner for details.