Victoria Baths will become home to a pop-up cinema screening comedy and romance classics to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
With the annual day of love only a few weeks away now, independent event production company The Village Screen is returning to Manchester next month to transform this unique and historic venue into a “Cupid-approved pop-up” cinema for Valentine’s – and Galentine’s – with a handful of film favourites on the agenda.
Tina Fey’s 2004 cult classic comedy Mean Girls will be screened first on Thursday 10 February to celebrate Galentine’s Day.
Never heard of of ‘Galentine’s Day’? Coined in 2010, the second season of hit US mockumentary show Parks and Rec included an episode called “Galentine’s Day” where the main character Leslie gathered a group of her closest gal pals on the day before Valentine’s Day for a brunch full of waffles and love – and it’s taken off ever since.
The next flick on the lineup is the 1994 dark, funny, and violent film True Romance, which has a screenplay written by legendary director Quentin Tarantino, and stars Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette.
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True Romance will be show on Friday 11 February to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Victoria Baths will become home to a “cupid-approved” cinema / Credit: Victoria Baths
You can choose to snuggle down on candy-striped deckchairs inside the old Gala Pool, or on the original wooden seating that overlooks the empty pool on the Balcony level.
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There’ll be a delicious selection of independent street food traders on site, as well as a number of drinks and snack options – including hot chocolates, themed-cocktails, Prosecco, freshly-cooked popcorn, and more – and to make your experience that little bit more special, you can even write a love letter to your special someone which will be shown on the big screen before the films begin.
Or you can add a ‘snuggle package’ to your ticket too to make it an extra cosy date night to remember.
The Village Screen – which have been hosting cinematic events at Victoria Baths since 2016 – are a small, independent event production team known for running experiential cinematic events in various cities across the UK for the past six years.
With no expense spared in the design and construction of the building, the façade has multicoloured brickwork and terracotta decoration, the interior spaces are clad in glazed tiles, most of the windows have decorative stained glass, and at the opening ceremony of the venue, the Lord Mayor described it “a water palace of which every citizen of Manchester is proud”.
For 86 years, the baths provided both essential and leisure facilities, with private baths and a laundry housed there alongside three swimming pools and Turkish Baths, and in 1952, the first public Aeratone (Jacuzzi) was installed.
Although the baths were closed in 1993, the Grade II listed building is still intact, with most of the stained glass and original tiling remaining – and now, it’s being transformed into a cinema.
You can find out more information, and grab your tickets here.
Featured Image – Victoria Baths
What's On
More Metrolink disruption expected as further tram strikes have been scheduled
Danny Jones
Further disruption to the Bee Network is now expected during an already full-on time of year, as more Metrolink tram strikes have been scheduled over the festive period.
Put in the simplest terms, members of Unite the Union have said: “The dispute is over driver fatigue and fears that their shift patterns and lack of rest breaks are putting them and passengers at risk.”
As a result, they have now pencilled in protests on 19, 20 and 31 December, holding walkouts from their usual timetable.
A largely empty St Peter’s Square tram stop is a fairly rare sight to see. (Credit: The Manc)
In addition to the other pair of strikes planned for this coming weekend (5-7 Dec), the latest trio have been specifically timed in and around key dates on the city’s calendar.
As well as the return of Manchester’s firework display on St. Peter’s Square, the walk-outs will also coincide with a Manchester City fixture at the Etihad Stadium, as well as notable live music gigs like Jools Holland and Manc band, Doves.
Naturally, tens upon tens of thousands are set to use the Bee Network and trams, in particular, to travel to these events – reiterating just how important properly investing and staffing the Metrolink and other arms of Manchester’s public transport service is.
The most recent update from the union continues: “Unite has repeatedly raised issues with management, but has been told there is no funding available for improvements to working patterns.”
Their General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said as part of the most recent statement: “Driver fatigue is a serious problem. Our members are raising serious concerns about their and their passengers’ safety, but Metrolink management is burying its head in the sand.
“Management must sort this problem out once and for all. It can’t try to fob drivers off by putting profits before safety.”
Here are some of the scenes from the demonstrations earlier this year:
⏰HAPPENING NOW; when Transport for Greater Manchester wouldn't come to the table SO the strikers brought the table (*and chairs) to them! We're ready when you are TfGM. pic.twitter.com/io1OFHED8I
Union members have also clarified their position surrounding ‘fatigue’; it isn’t just the fear of possible risks in operating a tram whilst being “exhausted”, but both the wider mental and physical toll that working the current shift patterns has on workers.
One driver quoted as saying: “My colleagues are tired, but the fatigue is also giving them cold-like symptoms and many have been going off sick with stress, which adds to problems with staffing levels.”
So, if you’re planning on using the Metrolink this holiday season when travelling around for Christmas shopping or even just going home, make sure to keep the strike dates in mind.
Elsewhere, the Bee Network has also provided more information on the designs to bring tram lines to Stockport town centre. Read more down below.
Featured Images — David Dixon (via Geograph)/The Manc Group
What's On
The Tina Turner Musical at Palace Theatre, Manchester – simply the best
Aimee Woodcock
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical has landed in Manchester, with a run of shows at the Palace Theatre taking place all the way into 2026.
And on opening night last week, the show lit up the Palace Theatre with a fierce, emotional and utterly captivating performance that charted Tina’s extraordinary life from her childhood in Nutbush to becoming the queen of Rock and Roll.
The cast delivered a knockout evening, bringing humour, heartbreak and sheer power to a story that truly earns its standing ovation.
Leading in the role of Tina, Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy was nothing short of phenomenal, capturing both the raw vulnerability of teen Anna Mae Bullock and the unstoppable force of the icon she became. Her vocals were electric, presence magnetic – a true tribute to Tina herself.
Opposite her, David King-Yombo’s portrayal of Ike Turner was chilling, layered and deeply impactful, grounding the story in its difficult truths without overshadowing Tina’s resilience.
Strong support from Martin Allanson (Phil Spector), William Beckerleg (Erwin Bach) and Isaac Elder (Roger Davies) rounded out a perfectly balanced cast. Special mention also to Sophia St Louis (young Anna-Mae) who belts out every vocal with ease, a true honour to watch her on the stage.
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical has arrived at Manchester’s Palace Theatre. Credit: Manuel Harlan
The musical beautifully weaves Tina’s life through her legendary discography. Opening with “Nutbush City Limits,” we step straight into her Tennessee childhood before moving through her early performing days with high-energy numbers like “Shake a Tail Feather” and “A Fool in Love.” The tension rises with “River Deep – Mountain High,” a defiant, goosebump-inducing moment that marked the beginning of Tina reclaiming her voice.
Act Two dives into reinvention, beginning with a vulnerable and reflective “Private Dancer,” before ramping up to the hits that defined her solo career. “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and “Proud Mary” was a standout – tender and triumphant all at once, while “The Best” closed the night with every person in the theatre on their feet.
This production doesn’t sanitise Tina’s story – it honours her strength, her fire, and her refusal to break. Emotional, electrifying and delivered with absolute heart, it’s a must-see tribute to a woman who truly was… simply the best.
You can get tickets for TINA – The Tina Turner Musical in Manchester HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
28th January 2022 
