Dippy on Tour is set to welcome visitors in Rochdale once again when it reopens to the public at the start of next month.
It’s been quite some time since Dippy last saw the people of Manchester.
It’s now been confirmed though that the Dippy on Tour exhibition – featuring the world-famous dinosaur cast from the Natural History Museum – is back at Number One Riverside and Touchstones Rochdale on Monday 7th September.
The Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure opened in Rochdale as the only North West stop on its national tour back in February this year and it proved a star attraction with almost 115,000 visitors coming to see the dinosaur cast, before lockdown was put in place.
Dippy On Tour was originally supposed to close in Rochdale on 28th June, but due to the months that visits were unfortunately halted amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Dippy’s stay has now been extended until 12th December 2020 to allow for as many people as possible to visit safely before moving to the next location.
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The exhibition will then travel Norwich for its final stop, before returning back home to London.
Dippy on Tour, Rochdale Council and Visit Rochdale have confirmed that a number of additional measures have been put in place at both venues in order to keep visitors safe.
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Cleaning will be significantly increased, numbers will be restricted to allow people to maintain a safe distance inside, hand sanitisers will be available throughout the venues, and ‘hands-on’ parts of the exhibitions, including the sensory room and the dino discovery lab, have been removed.
Visitors can drop in and see Dippy at Number One Riverside, but the Dippy exhibition at Touchstones will need to be booked in advance.
— Rochdale Borough Council (@RochdaleCouncil) August 27, 2020
Councillor Janet Emsley – Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Community and Culture at Rochdale Borough Council – said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome visitors once again and connect audiences across the region with this incredible piece of natural history.
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“We’ve made some changes to the exhibition to keep everybody safe, and both Number One Riverside and Touchstones Rochdale have been awarded the ‘We’re Good to Go’ COVID-19 industry standard and consumer mark by Visit Britain.
“The fact that the Dippy experience will be with us until December also gives people plenty to time to see him, so we can support social distancing and keep everybody safe – people absolutely don’t need to come at once.
“To help keep people safe, we’re also asking visitors to only attend with members of their own household, as per government guidelines currently covering most of Greater Manchester, and for visitors to follow government guidance on face coverings.”
Opening Hours – Dippy at Number One Riverside from 7th September:
Monday to Friday – 9am to 5pm
Saturdays – 9.30am to 5pm
Opening Hours – Dippy Exhibition at Touchstones Rochdale from 7th September:
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Monday to Saturday – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Freya Stannard – Head of National Programmes at The Natural History Museum – added: “We are thrilled that Dippy on Tour is now able to welcome back visitors [and] we have worked with Rochdale Borough Council to implement new measures and extend the exhibition to allow plenty of time for people to visit when they feel confident in doing so.
“We look forward to Dippy doing what he does best once again, inspiring people and encouraging a love for the natural world that we hope people will carry with them long after their visit.”
You can find more information and book in advance for the Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure via the Visit Rochdale website here.
What's On
The UK’s biggest weekly artisan market with 100+ indie traders is landing in Manchester next weekend
Emily Sergeant
The UK’s biggest weekly artisan market with 100+ indie traders is landing in Manchester from this weekend.
After a hugely successful first six months for the historic market hall, welcoming more than 50,000 visitors through its doors since opening for the first time in 100 years last summer, Campfield Market is set to expand as part of its partnership with GRUB and St John’s to create the biggest weekly artisan market in the UK.
Launching next weekend for the first time, Campfield Market at St John’s will extend beyond the iconic Campfield building and out onto Grape Street, transforming the area into a one-kilometre loop of market stalls, street food, and independent retail.
Each week, visitors can expect more than 100 independent traders to line the hall and streets, spanning street food, local produce, artisan goods, and makers, alongside an expanded food and drink lineup.
The UK’s biggest weekly artisan market with 100+ indie traders is landing in Manchester next weekend / Credit: Supplied
Just some of the indie traders you can expect to see at the weekly market include Oi Polloi, Sticky Fingers, Suzume, Rack, Joe & Co, Divine Dumplings, Salvis, Mouse Kingdom, and many more.
The expansion marks a major milestone not just for Campfield Market, but for the wider St John’s neighbourhood.
It’s hoped that the new weekly market will bring increased footfall, new opportunities for independent businesses, and just become a regular destination to the city centre.
“This is more than just a market expansion, it’s a reimagining of what a city centre market can be,” organisers declared.
Speaking ahead of next weekend’s launch, Jason Bailey, who is the founder of GRUB, added: “It is absolutely fantastic to see the market go from strength to strength, we’re so lucky to have the best of the best when it comes to traders in this magnificent setting and that Manchester has embraced it.
“This summer, we expect St John’s to become a huge hotspot for day trippers and locals alike.”
Campfield Market at St John’s will take place every Saturday from 10am to 4pm, starting 18 April 2026.
Offering a constantly evolving mix of operators, flavours and experiences, there’ll something new to discover each week.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
AO Arena are hosting an ‘Evening 4’ Ricky Hatton in memory of the legendary Manchester boxer
Danny Jones
Manchester is set to host a night of remembrance and celebration in honour of the late, great, local boxer, Ricky Hatton.
Coming this summer, the AO Arena – where Hatton enjoyed so many of his iconic moments – will be holding the first-ever ‘Evening4Ricky’ later this year.
Held at the legendary sports and live entertainment venue just in time for summer, we still know very little about what the actual event will entail.
Sharing the news on social media, AO Arena said: “Join us for an unforgettable night of entertainment as Manchester comes together for Evening4Ricky.
“This will be a spectacular, unique celebration of the life, spirit and legacy of one of the city’s most beloved icons – Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.”
With seats priced at £25, fans are being encouraged to join the early bird sign-up to secure access to discounted tickets.
They go on to add: “Hosted at the legendary AO Arena, home to so many of Ricky’s big fights, featuring a superstar cast of legends from the worlds of boxing, music, comedy and entertainment.”
So, we do at least know there’ll be some famous faces coming along to help make it a memorable Manc moment, just a few months on from the city and beyond uniting for his public funeral procession.
Ricky was beloved not only by the Greater Manchester community but was a popular figure and friend to many in the sporting and showbiz industries.
The homegrown ‘Pride of Hyde‘ tragically left us on 14 September 2025 at the age of just 46, but his passing has once again helped reassert the importance of having more conversations around wellbeing, suicide prevention, and most specifically, men’s mental health.
You can find more information and see how to grab tickets right HERE.
This isn’t the only charitable in memoriam event happening across the region in the coming weeks, either, as Mancs will be gathering to pay tribute to another fellow inspiring sportsman.
Emily Sergeant -
27th August 2020 
