We know it’s absolutely been said before by now, but 2020 has been a bit of a let down.
But after a challenging year for tourism globally, Greater Manchester is positioning itself as a strong contender to bounce-back quickly thanks to a long list of tourism developments coming up next year and through to 2023, so the region’s official tourism board Visit Manchester – the organisation that promotes Greater Manchester on the national and international stage – has revealed 21 exciting new tourism developments for visitors to look forward to as we head into the new year.
It means that visitors to our beloved city and region will have plenty of places and events to incorporate into their visit, no matter when they choose to travel.
Speaking on the release of the brand new list, Sheona Southern – Managing Director of Marketing Manchester – said: “Like many destinations globally, Greater Manchester’s visitor economy has felt the devastating effects of COVID-19, however, the city region is in a strong position for recovery, and we are now looking ahead to the future with exciting developments on the horizon offering visitors a plethora of reasons to plan a trip here in 2021.
“The team at Marketing Manchester have chosen 21 of the top things to look forward to across the year and beyond, including new outdoor experiences, rich new cultural developments, refreshed and refurbished hotels, diverse food and drink offering, and some truly world-leading events, all of which expand on Greater Manchester’s already vibrant visitor offer.
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“Visitors can be confident they will be safe whilst enjoying a visit to Greater Manchester, and we are excited and ready to offer our famous warm welcome once again.”
Although 2020 was a year that most of us would rather forget, Greater Manchester is ready for a rollover year in 2021 packed with an array of unmissable moments ?
The Royal Horticultural Society’s first new garden in 17 years will open in May in the historic grounds of Worsley New Hall in Salford. The 154-acre garden is currently the largest gardening project in Europe and will feature one of the UK’s biggest Walled Gardens, a Kitchen Garden, orchards, and a Chinese Streamside Garden amongst other spaces.
The widespread greater appreciation of outdoor space during 2020 will surely have people flocking this 160-acre space in Oldham that plans to become the UK’s largest urban farm and eco-park.
In Manchester city centre, a series of expansions at well-loved cultural venues will complete throughout 2021, starting with a new Special Exhibition Gallery at the Science and Industry Museum, which will open in March with Top Secret – a free exhibition that will explore over a century’s worth of communications intelligence through hand-written documents, declassified files and previously unseen artefacts from the Science Museum Group’s and GCHQ’s historic collections.
Housed inside a former synagogue built in 1874, the Manchester Jewish Museum has been overhauled to double its original size and will feature a brand-new gallery, learning studio and kitchen, shop and café, alongside the majorly renovated synagogue which will also double up as a performance space.
In November 2021, a dedicated Fashion Gallery is set to open at Manchester Art Gallery, with an opening exhibition focused on male image and the ‘dandy’ style fashion which was made popular in the late 18th and early 19th century.
The Octogon in Bolton is one of the region’s best-loved theatres set to welcome visitors back in early 2021 after two years of redevelopment work to the town centre building.
The UK’s leading youth theatre has also undertaken a complete transformation over three years and will reopen in autumn 2021, with the first dedicated space for art, health and science in a UK theatre.
Manchester’s oldest music venue has too been working to expand into a derelict Victorian building to the rear of the venue, and will start hosting gigs for up to 540 people from September 2021.
Among the major highlights of a collection of high-profile events making it onto the list of things to look forward to in 2021 will be the return of eighteen days of dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking new work as part of the biennial MIF in July. Following a successful 2019 outing – which featured work from Yoko Ono, Idris Elba, Skepta and David Lynch – the first event announced so far for 2021 comes in the form of an epic theatrical journey The Walk, which will take Little Amal – a 3.5-metre puppet of a young refugee girl – 8,000km across Europe before arriving in Manchester on the opening weekend.
After a year without many of the city’s most iconic events in 2020, it’s arguable that all events in 2021 will hold a special significance with residents and visitors this year, however, Manchester Pride in August and Manchester Day in June both capture the very spirit of the people of Manchester – warm, diverse and proud communities – and promise to be unmissable events.
Towns across Greater Manchester will be playing a key part in the two tournaments throughout October and November, with both finals taking place back-to-back at Old Trafford on 27th November.
Manchester’s hotel scene has boomed in recent years and will be joined by some exciting new additions in 2021, as Scottish beer brewing giants BrewDog has announced it will open its first hotel in England, following the success of the brand in Scotland and the USA. No opening date has been fixed yet, but the 25-bedroom hotel is aiming to be open before the end of 2021, featuring Punk IPA on tap in every room, beer fridges in the showers, a rooftop terrace with fire pit, and it allowing guests to bring their pets too.
Also new for 2021 will be climate conscious brand Qbic, bringing its fourth European hotel to Manchester in March, with rooms made from largely recycled materials and a series of quirky sustainable initiatives and rewards for guests.
Alongside these new brand hotels, several of the city’s existing hotels have undergone dramatic refurbishments, including The Midland Hotel and The Edwardian Manchester, however, the most noticeable change comes from the former Principal Manchester, which has re-emerged as Kimpton Clocktower Hotel.
Building on Manchester’s UNESCO City of Literature status, awarded in 2017, Manchester Poetry Library will open in early 2021 as part of Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University, and the new library will add to a rich literary tourism trail that includes the iconic John Rylands and Chetham’s Libraries.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House will have a new reason to visit from spring 2021 when a recreation of the celebrated author’s bedroom is added to the property.
Wigan Pier will also build on, or rather reshape, its literary connection – made famous by George Orwell’s 1937 book,The Road to Wigan Pier – when the long-vacant 18th Century industrial buildings of the pier are transformed into a new neighbourhood waterside attraction in summer 2021.
A brand-new family entertainment attraction celebrating ITV’s popular show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me out Of Here! is set to open at the new The Watergardens development at MediaCityUK. The I’m A Celebrity… Jungle Challenge attraction will bring an exciting mix of tasks and trials based on the hit show, including jungle zip lines, treetop ropes course and vertical climbing walls in 2021.
Over the other side of the water at MediaCityUK, a poignant moment in November 2021 will see the iconic POPPIES structures return to Greater Manchester, being displayed permanently for the first time within the Air Shard of the architecturally renowned Imperial War Museum North.
Escape to Freight Island was a rare success story from 2020 when it opened as a 600-seat open-air venue, with live music and events alongside street-style food and drink from ten independent traders, and the site will be further developed in 2021, taking over the cavernous inner parts of the former Mayfield Station, with more vendors and long-term plans for events, working in a holistic way with music partners such as The Warehouse Project.
Escape to Freight Island will be one of the must-visit places for those looking to party and reconnect with friends in 2021.
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There is also much more to come in Greater Manchester beyond 2021, which tourism bosses are hoping will sustain increased visitor numbers over the coming years.
Highlights include a transformation at Manchester Museum to add a South Asia Gallery and a new China Gallery due to open in August 2022, followed by the highly-anticipated opening of The Factory – a 13,300sq ft arts centre designed by Rem Koolhaas and set to host a 365-day programme of arts in late 2022. Then in 2023, Manchester’s first new city centre park in over 100 years, Mayfield Park, is set to be open, as well as the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort Therme, a new large-scale music venue, Co-op Live Arena, and Modern Surf Manchester surf lagoon, from the same company behind Surf Snowdonia.
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How brilliant is all of this?
Things are really looking up Manchester, so hang in there.
You can find more information about tourism across the region via the Visit Manchester website here.
What's On
Busted vs McFly’s Manchester arena shows – tickets, times, setlist and all you need to know
Thomas Melia
UK boybands Busted and McFly are going head-to-head for three whole nights of pop-rock bangers as they play out together at BOTH of the premier music arenas in Manchester.
It’s a real-life battle of the bands, as mainstream pop-punk boy bands Busted and McFly go up against each other to win over the crowds, not just AO Arena in Manchester, but at Co-op Live, too.
Known for smash singles like ‘Year 3000’ and ‘What I Go To School For’, pop-rock boyband Busted have amassed a cult following of fans since debuting in 2002.
Equally impressive noughties boyband McFly also have a fair few hits under their belt, dropping music since 2004 with the dreamy ‘Star Girl’ and serenade-twanged ‘All About You’.
The lineup of one of these UK bands may look a little different, as singer and guitarist James Bourne of Busted has had to pull out of this 2025 tour due to health issues, as revealed in a recent Instagram post.
Now, Matt and Charlie of Busted, as well as Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry of McFly are laying all their cards on the table for a face-to-face music battle like no other.
Air guitars at the ready…
Busted vs McFly in Manchester – gig guide
Busted vs McFly is taking over the AO Arena in Manchester for two nights of head-to-head music (Credit: Supplied)
Busted vs McFly UK tour dates
Fri 10 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Sat 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Sun 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Tue 14 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Wed 15 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Sat 8 November – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Are there tickets left for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
If you want a dose of this boyband rivalry, there are two shows for you to choose from, and luckily for you, there are a handful of tickets left for both dates at the AO and the Co-op.
Anyone looking to ‘Shine a Light’ on day one of the Busted vs McFly tour can catch them live in action on Friday 17 OctoberHERE.
Fancy reliving the early 2000s alongside two of the biggest British bands from that very decade? You’re ‘Not Alone’ and you can do so on Saturday, 18 October HERE.
Busted last visited the AO Arena in 2023 to commemorate their 20th anniversary (Credit: Supplied)
Busted vs McFly setlist 2025
McFly tracks
Where Did All the Guitars Go? (McFly)
Star Girl (McFly)
That Girl (McFly)
One for the Radio (McFly)
I’ll Be Ok (Mcly)
Obviously (McFly)
Room on the 3rd Floor (McFly)
All About You (McFly)
Twist and Shout (McFly cover)
Transylvania / Lies (McFly)
Red (McFly)
The Heart Never Lies (McFly)
Busted songs
Crashed the Wedding (Busted)
You Said No (Busted)
Meet You There (Busted)
Dawson’s Geek / Britney / Nerdy / Why (Busted)
Loser Kid (Busted)
Who’s David (Busted)
Sleeping With the Light On (Busted)
Everything I Knew (Busted)
Thunderbirds Are Go (Busted)
What I Go to School For (Busted)
Back and forth…
Hate Your Guts (McBusted)
3am (Busted)
Not Alone (McFly)
Air Hostess (Busted)
5 Colours in Her Hair (McFly)
What Happened to Your Band (McBusted)
Shine a Light (McFly)
Year 3000 (Busted)
It feels mad to think it’s been a decade since we first got this crossover.
What are the stage times for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
Both AO Arena and Co-op Live have curfews of 11pm, meaning you can time-travel to the ‘Year 3000’ and not have to worry about getting home during the early hours.
There is no confirmed support act as of yet; however, it looks like this will remain as they have fronted this tour independently across the UK.
Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and both bands are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for close.
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
How to get to Co-op Live
Busted vs McFly are doing a clean sweep of Manchester arenas. (Credit: Audio North)
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
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Car and parking info
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Once again, the Beryl app is available for those looking to bike over to the venue; there are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Five fantastic freebies and offers for the 2025 Manchester Half marathon
Danny Jones
It’s nearly time: not just for the Manchester Half but, more importantly, the freebies and offers you can get for running it.
Let’s be honest, not everyone loves running for literal miles just for the sake of it; a lot of people need motivation, and besides an inspiring cause, you’d be surprised how many people will get out of bed for something as simple as free stuff.
You might be one of them – you are here reading this, after all.
There’s no long-winded preamble or intro needed to set this up, so let’s just crack on. Here are five brilliant freebies you can get with a 2025 Manchester Half Marathon medal.
What freebies you can get with a Manchester Half finisher’s medal
Now, you’ll be glad to know that most of these are completely gratis, but we thought we’d mention some others that stuck out to us as well.
1. Free fizz on The Refuge
First up, how about some free fizz? Well, that’s exactly what you can get this Sunday, 12 October, if you’ve just run the 2025 Manchester Half-marathon.
Participants can head to The Refuge inside the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel after the race to claim a well-earned glass of prosecco – available to the first 100 finishers on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Complimentary food and drink at Circolo Popolare
Next up, it doesn’t get much better than a free pizza and a cold one; that’s what Circolo Popolare in Gary Neville’s stunning St. Michael’s building are offering.
Just show your medal and enjoy a free margherita pizza plus your choice of either an ice-cold beer or a refreshing virgin cocktail. Prego!
3. You’ve got to be quick to get House of Social’s freebie
Speaking of free drinks, the first 50 runners who use the last of their energy to dash over to House of Social this Sunday and enjoy a pint on the house.
All you have to do is present your medal when ordering to snap up a beer at absolutely no cost. So we’ll see you there, basically.
Self-explanatory, really. The student favourite that used to be the old Footage pub on Oxford Road is offering up a limited amount of free pints to runners, just make sure you show your medal at the bar.
To be honest, even if it wasn’t free, we’d still probably spend a good few hours here sinking affordable pints because it is absolute VIBES at this gaff.
Last but not least, if you’re looking for a lovely carby reward in the city centre, you’re obviously spoilt for choice, but Italiana Fifty Five are offering a free starter when booking and presenting your 2025 finisher’s medal upon arrival.
Available at all Greater Manchester locations, the Italian eatery formerly known as Cibo always delivers good offers, and race day for the MCR Half is no different.
🏃♀️ Running the MCR Half this Sunday?
Celebrate your finish line moment at Italiana Fifty-Five, Manchester 🇮🇹
Show us your medal and enjoy a FREE starter with your meal! 🍝✨
Oh yeah, it might not be a freebie per se, but as one of the busiest post-marathon celebration spots anywhere in Greater Manchester, The Wharf is obviously getting involved beforehand as well.
This year, the canalside Castlefield favourite is serving up sausage and bacon butties from 10-11:30am before the usual Sunday roast service kicks in as normal from 12pm. Now we’ve just got to pray for good beer garden weather.
We hope you get to make the most of these freebies and others Manchester Half offers after your race is run, because let’s be honest, running 13.1 miles (21 and a bit kilometres for you metric heads) is a fair bit of effort, so you deserve a treat.
It goes without saying that there’s probably plenty more SWAG to be snapped up in and around the city that we’ve missed, so make sure to let your fellow runners know about them down in the comments.
Finally, if you’re still feeling uncertain about anything to do with the race itself, you can find our full Manchester Half Marathon guide down below.
Emily Sergeant -
18th December 2020 
