The Manc is thrilled to announce that we’re the official media partner of Manchester’s largest entertainment venue.
The arena recently rebranded to the AO Arena as part of a sponsorship deal with the Bolton-based online electricals retailer AO, marking a period of regeneration for the iconic venue – which last year celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Now, as well as the famous green smile, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive money can’t buy experiences as well as on the spot ‘surprise and delight’ activations on the concourse, courtesy of the retailer.
As the UK’s most engaged local digital publisher with a total audience of over 1.5 million across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok, our media partnership with the AO Arena is a great fit – especially as we’re the only Manchester publication with a devoted music platform, The Manc Audio.
In a fitting celebration of the fact that Manchester’s music and its venues are unrivalled, we will use our reach to showcase this to the rest of the city and way beyond.
ADVERTISEMENT
The partnership also highlights our commitment to supporting Manchester’s music scene on all levels.
The Manc is the new official media partner of the AO Arena / Credit: AO Arena | The Manc Group
Speaking on the partnership, Anna Gledson – Managing Director of The Manc Group – said: “We’re absolutely made up to be the official media partner for the AO Arena. The AO Arena is such a huge part of our city’s entertainment and leisure landscape and attracts over a million people through its doors every year thanks to its unrivalled calendar of shows.
ADVERTISEMENT
“To have the opportunity to collaborate and partner with the Arena is super exciting and we can’t wait to work with them to shine a very bright spotlight on the incredible music we have in Manchester.”
James Allen – General Manager of the AO Arena – added: “This is an exciting partnership [and] we look forward to working collaboratively with The Manc on a variety of projects that will help accelerate Manchester’s recovery process.
“We have a packed calendar of events, with some real show-stoppers to look forward to and a first class platform to promote them on.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Known as ‘the people’s voice of Greater Manchester’, The Manc publishes content seven days a week, online and across a number of social media platforms, and has become a widely-recognised brand across the city for its news coverage, viral content, its various social channels, and its support of local Manchester businesses.
The Arena has welcomed the best bands, singers, musicians, and DJs from across the globe / Credit: The Manc x AO Arena
The Manc team has extensive experience and expertise in news, social media, content creation and publishing – with founding members of the team working for some of the country’s biggest social publications.
This experience has enabled The Manc to work on a number of city-wide campaigns with some of the biggest names in the hospitality, business and entertainment sectors in and around Greater Manchester.
The Manc Audio was launched in the summer of 2020 as the dedicated music branch of The Manc family, with the goal is to shine a spotlight on Manchester’s vibrant, world-renowned music scene, and the established and emerging talent to come from it.
By covering a wide variety of music genres, events, club nights and venues, The Manc Audio celebrates Manchester’s rich music heritage, as well as representing the very best of the city’s music offerings past, present and future.
ADVERTISEMENT
As The Manc Audio has grown, it has also launched a live music series – Frequencies.
Since the pilot episode back in February 2021, the series has received thousands of views on IGTV, and in September 2021, a live version of the event was held in front of an audience for the first time to huge success.
The Manc has worked on a number of city-wide campaigns with some of the biggest names in the hospitality, business, and entertainment sectors / Credit: The Manc Group x AO Arena
The arena has become an integral part of Manchester’s music scene since first opening its doors in 1995, and in its 26 years of operation, the venue has welcomed the best bands, singers, musicians, and DJs from across the globe to the heart of the city.
With a capacity of 21,000, the AO Arena has the highest capacity of any indoor venue in the UK.
And with more than a million people visiting the arena every year, it has landed itself the title of the busiest arena in the world on numerous occasions.
ADVERTISEMENT
Find more information about what’s happening at the AO Arena in 2021 here.
35% of all children in the North West are currently living in poverty, some heartbreaking new figures have revealed.
Some new research carried out to understand regional levels of child poverty, conducted by Loughborough University for the End Child Poverty Coalition, has sadly revealed over a third (35%) of all children in the North West are living in what is called ‘relative poverty’, after the cost of housing is considered – which is higher than the national average standing at 31%.
Over in the Lancashire authority of Pendle, this figure reaches 45%, making it the second highest rate of all local authorities in the country.
In Greater Manchester, both Oldham and Manchester join Pendle in the list of the 10 council areas with the highest child poverty rates in the UK, as well as Blackburn with Darwen, and Hyndburn, and to make matters worse, the North West features on the list more times than any other region nationwide.
Rusholme was identified as the Manchester area with the highest percentage rating – with more than half (51.3%) of all children there living in poverty.
88% of constituencies across the North West have a quarter of children in poverty.
This could lead to things like families being forced to use food banks, children going without warm clothes in winter, or living in cold or unsafe housing.
As a result of these shocking statistics being revealed, the End Child Poverty Coalition – which represents more than 135 organisations across the UK – is calling on the Government to meet its manifesto commitment to address these high levels of child poverty, not just in the North West but also across the rest of country.
“These figures should demonstrate to Government just how important it is to quickly address this so to prevent another generation of children from growing up in low-income families,” commented Rachel Walters, who is the End Child Poverty Coalition Manager.
“The Government’s strategy to tackle child poverty must invest in children in areas with higher levels of poverty, like the North West.”
Graham Whitham, who is a End Child Poverty Coalition spokesperson and the Chief Executive of Resolve Poverty, added: “No child should go without the things they need to be healthy and happy.
“The Government’s forthcoming national Child Poverty Strategy must demonstrate a clear ambition to ending child poverty in this country, backed by specific targets and immediate investment in social security.”
Featured Image – RawPixel
News
Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road to close for annual safety checks this weekend
Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road is set to close this weekend while annual safety checks are carried out, it has been confirmed.
As Manchester City Council looks to maintain and improve what is, by far, one of Manchester’s busiest and most-used roads, given the fact it is the main thoroughfare in and out of the city centre, it has been confirmed that Mancunian Way is set to close overnight this weekend for its annual inspection.
Carried out every year, the Council explains that these closures ensure that ‘vital’ safety inspections can be conducted to allow the major road to continue operating as normal.
The overnight closure will take place from 7-8 June.
From 5am on Saturday (7 June), Mancunian Way will be closed in both directions along its entire length, including all slip roads, between the Chester Road roundabout and Fairfield Street, and this will last until 7pm on Sunday (8 June), after which the road will be open to traffic again as normal.
In the meantime while the closures are underway, the Council assures that a signed diversion route will be in place via the north and eastern ring road sections – Trinity Way and Great Ancoats Street – and a local diversion route will be signed via Bridgewater Street, Whitworth Street West, Whitworth Street, and Fairfield Street.
Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road Mancunian Way is closing for annual safety checks this weekend / Credit: Pixabay
During this period there will also be a lane closure east/westbound at the Deansgate Interchange between 6:30-9:30am, and the inbound lane of Princess Road (heading towards Manchester) between 6:30am and 11:15am.
As is to be expected with these kinds of tasks, Councillors say they are preparing for a ‘level of disruption’ but are intending to keep it to a minimum.
“The annual inspection of the Mancunian Way is a vital job which ensures that the tens of thousands of daily users of this road can go about their journey in safety,” explained Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport.
“We do expect a level of disruption throughout this process so wherever possible we’d advise people to travel via public transport, or plan an alternate route ahead to avoid the work locations.
The Manc -
2nd November 2021 
