AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO MANCHESTER
FLANNELS ESCAPES:
Planning a trip to Manchester? FLANNELS has you covered with this definitive guide to the city c/o writer and native Kemi-Olivia Alemoru.
By now we’ve probably all heard the quote from The Stone Rose’s frontman Ian Brown that asserts that Manchester has everything but a beach. But despite an abundance of action, it can be really hard to know where to head if you’re in the city for a weekend. To help, writer and Manchester native Kemi-Olivia Alemrou has rounded up some hyped openings, local favourites, and underground secrets for those looking to sample all the different sides of a city with so much personality.
Consider this your essential guide to Manchester’s hotspots, courtesy of someone who knows…
WHERE SHOULD WE EAT IN MANCHESTER?
IMAGES: MACKIE MAYOR
For an informal day feast with friends who all have different tastes, you could satisfy your group with the Mackie Mayor food hall. Home to nine independent kitchens and bars; you can get ramen, fried chicken burgers, pizza, churros and a frozen margarita all under one roof.
For other dine-in options in the city, head to The Refuge (located in the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel) for a menu of small plates with international influences. Think everything from sambal seabass to Jerusalem artichoke bravas with aioli.
WHAT SHOULD WE SEE IN MANCHESTER?
There’s no need to hibernate this autumn/winter as Manchester welcomes Aviva Studios. From the 18th October, the city can finally see Aviva Studios in its full glory. The grand opening sees inaugural immersive show Free Your Mind come to life. Crafted by Danny Boyle – the mind behind 28 Days Later, The Beach, Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire – the details of the show have been kept secret, however the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International, John McGrath, tells FLANNELS that “it uses the Matrix as its underpinning mythology” and includes over 50 street dancers, costumes by fashion designer Gareth Pugh, and is scored by Olivier award-winning Boy Blue.
If you’re looking for something a bit more off the beaten path than the above 150,000 square foot behemoth, then there’s some more DIY gems to be found. Edgy former garage The White Hotel, which sits in Strangeways shadow in Salford, will play host to Being Purple Aki, a “supercharged drama of love, pursuit, and that idea which our culture has done its best to empty of meaning – ‘identity.’”
Afflecks
If you can’t get into that hot ticket, there’s a wheelchair-accessible micro gallery that has opened up in Afflecks on the ground floor, by the Tib Street entrance. It’s run by Happening in MCR, a local art collective wanting to give more opportunities to budding artists.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO IN MANCHESTER?
IMAGE: THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT
Part-grungy basement, part-civilised communal space, Partisan have put community at the centre of their Cheetham Hill Road home for a while and recently earned themselves kudos from The Guardian for their underground events that are “run by the city for the city”. On 16th September they opened up another space in Salford to be used for live music events, a free library and workshops. Every other Sunday you could get involved in their Political Reading Group or join their RISO Club and print your own original work or follow their creative prompts.
The Warehouse project winter line up is always guaranteed debauchery for those who stay up until sunrise. This season has huge names like Black Coffee, Overmono and DJ EZ on the line up, and December has a nostalgic Hacienda special with DJs that brought that iconic club to life.
WHERE SHOULD WE HANG OUT IN MANCHESTER?
IMAGES: THE WASHHOUSE
Sit and lounge at Ducie Street Warehouse. There’s 50% off for students, a range of tasty cocktails and organic wines, and a seasonal menu that you can enjoy in the bar and restaurant or on the sunny terrace.
To experience some greenery in the concrete jungle, head to the newly created Mayfield Park, a 6.5-acre project that has rejuvenated the formerly barren industrial space.
Sale Water Park and Chorlton Water Park
If you’re looking for something that feels even more rural, a favourite route of mine is taking a sunny day to walk from Sale Water Park to Chorlton Water Park. You can sit and take in the views of the water, have a picnic on the route or wait until after your little trek to head to Beech Road in Chorlton for some pub drinks, a roast or some cocktails as a reward.
After dark you could head to The Washhouse - a laundrette which is actually a clandestine speakeasy adventure for your unsuspecting friends. Fun.
If you want to get high (above the city, not chemically) you could dress in your finest wares and sip cocktails at 20 stories, one of Manchester’s only rooftop bars.
WHERE TO SHOP IN MANCHESTER?
IMAGE: FLANNELS
You can’t go to Manchester without looking at Afflecks palace at least once. A goth haven and refuge for misfits, the multi-story emporium on the corner of Manchester’s trendy Northern Quarter hosts independent traders, sex shops, eclectic designers, and more.
You should - of course - head to Spinningfields to check out FLANNELS Manchester shop. A curated mix of contemporary and new luxury brands for the shopper who wants a wardrobe with a difference.
WHERE SHOULD WE STAY IN MANCHESTER?
IMAGE: KING STREET TOWNHOUSE
If you’re looking for a luxury experience, stay at King Street Townhouse. Revered for its gorgeous parquet flooring, luxe free-standing baths and jaw-dropping infinity pool with a view of the city, it’s no wonder The Telegraph dubbed it “the antithesis of a chain hotel”.
This one is a chain hotel, but with lots of personality. With the aforementioned The Refuge in its dining room, and a banging location on the bustling side of town, it’s a must-stay. Think big industrial ceilings, lots of tiles, lots of wood panelling and four-poster beds.