Manchester’s Victoria Baths is gearing up to host its first-ever ethical and sustainable markets next month.
Held on the second and third weekends in June, the markets will boast a range of sustainable and ethical stands selling food treats, home crafts, sustainable household creations, recycled jewelry and more.
Traders confirmed to attend so far include Manchester’s Eighth Day co-operative, sustainable living company Rootstock, colourful recycled plastic creator Plastic Shed, and ceramics and macrame maker Studio Dawn.
Stallholders will be dotted around the Gala Pool and Sports Hall, whilst the yard outside will be transformed into an entirely vegan street food festival, complete with a vegan-friendly bar.
On top of this, there’ll also be a vegan selection of drinks and cakes on offer in the Victoria Baths Tea Room
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Inside the Female’s pool at Victoria Bath, where visitors will be able to see two newly restored large stained glass windows / Image: Geograph.org
“Victoria Baths’ Vegan & Ethical Markets have been designed with the feel-good factor in mind, we want people to enjoy their time here, meet up with family and friends, discover some great local makers and creators and enjoy some fantastic food and drink,” said Elizabeth Sibbering, Operations Manager at Victoria Baths>
“We’ll be making the most of the areas that make up Victoria Baths and for the first time using the yard outside as part of the occasion, which is going to be a terrific location for food, drink and relaxing.”
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Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore a permanent exhibition that tells the story of Victoria Baths, Manchester’s very own water palace.
They’ll also get chance to see two newly restored large stained glass windows in the Females Pool.
Entry to the markets is £4, or free for Friends of Victoria Baths and under 16s. They will take place on 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th June from 11am to 8pm.
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Booking in advance is required via the website, with entrance staggered in order to maintain social distancing. All money raised by the event will go towards the upkeep of the building.
Feature image – Wikimedia Commons.
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Manchester’s new £2.5m indoor activity park is offering 50% off tickets over half term
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s newly-opened indoor activity park is offering families the chance to visit for half price this spring holidays.
In case you missed it, Salford was chosen by Oxygen Activeplay as the location for its next venture, an officially opened the doors to its newest state-of-the-art equipment facility above bustling food hall Kargo MKT, inside the former site of I’m a Celebrity Jungle Challenge down at Quayside MediaCity in mid February.
Since opening to the public, Oxygen MediaCity has already been helping lots of local families stay active and have fun at the same time.
Following a £2.5 million investment, the new park features more than 30 trampolines, a mega-air bag, a high ropes course, a ‘Rollglider’ aerial ride which flies over the facility, and Oxygen’s signature illuminated sensory experience ‘Excite Tunnel’, along with even more “epic” activities.
A series of optional games and dance parties are also on offer during each play session, and the new Manchester park also hosts ‘Peaceful Play’ sessions designed for neurodivergent guests, who prefer a calmer and quieter playing environment, as well as there being a ‘Toddler Venture Zone’.
A cafe serving drinks, snacks, and meals also overlooks the park, so once you’re all bounced out, you can recharge with a full feast from the new menu before heading home.
Manchester’s new £2.5m indoor activity park is offering 50% off tickets over half term / Credit: Jamie McPhilimey
And thankfully, once schools are out for the spring holidays in a couple of weeks time, families can get themselves one of Oxygen at MediaCity’s Easter Holiday Pass, which gives pass holders the chance to visit the park on any five days of the two-week break – including on weekends and bank holidays – for 60 minutes of ‘Open Play’.
For a limited time only, you can save some pennies and take advantage of a half price offer and get your hands on an Easter Holidays Pass for only £30.
Little Simz announces biggest-ever Manchester gig ahead of new album
Danny Jones
The queen of British rap, the one and only Little Simz, is coming back to Manchester for what will be her biggest headline show in this city to date.
A whole three years on from her last album No Thank You, the rapper from Islington is heading back out on the road after wrapping up the recording of her sixth studio LP, Lotus.
The first single ‘FREE’ has already dropped, and despite the release date itself being pushed back, news of a new Little Simz tour later this year more than makes up for it, if you ask us.
Little Simz already has two NME Awards to her name for Best British Solo Act and Best British Album, not to mention a BRIT itself for Best New Artist in 2022; oh yeah, and she won the Mercury Prize as well as a BET Hip Hop Award over in the States for ‘Best International Flow’ – all before she turned 30.
With that in mind, you can understand why so many are frothing at the mouth to hear her new record when it does finally drop.
There doesn’t appear to be any problems with the album itself: Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, to use her full name, is simply busier than ever and has just booked a role in a film because, yes, she acts too.
Lotus will now drop on Friday, 6 June, just in time for fans to get learning the lyrics ahead of festival season, which we have no doubt she’ll play a big part in.
You can hear the first taste of the next chapter down below:
Little Simz returns to Manchester for a Co-op Live debut on 16 October with tour supports still yet to be announced.
Pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, 9 April from 10am for official Co-op members and general admission will be available from the same time on the following Friday (11 April).
Georgina Pellant -
30th May 2021 
