As FAC51 The Hacienda rounds off a huge year of 40th-anniversary celebrations, the team behind Hacienda Classical has announced it will be making a return to Castlefield Bowl in 2023.
The live party, which sees a full orchestra perform reworked renditions of iconic club classics, will mark a huge return to the open-air amphitheater as it returns to the Castlefield ‘Sounds Of The City’ event for its seventh year.
The annual homecoming is one of the city’s events of the year as The Hacienda’s crowd, DJ Graeme Park, Manchester Camerata, and special guests come together for what is now becoming a legendary Manchester party.
Image: FAC51 The Hacienda
Image: FAC51 The Hacienda
Sold out year after year, Hacienda Classical sees Tim Crooks lead the collective of artists and musicians on stage in performing well-known favourites and new versions of club classics all mixed continuously into one non-stop set.
All of its Castlefield events have previously fully sold out, and next year is likely to be no different with tickets going on sale this Friday 4 November at 9am.
The announcement coincides with BBC2’s transmission of the much-awaited documentary The Hacienda: The Club That Shook Britain, set to air this Saturday 5 November 2022 at 10.15pm.
This unique documentary tells the incredible story of a revolution that rose up from within the walls and dancefloor of a former shipbuilding warehouse.
It will chart The Hacienda’s cultural legacy and combine rare and unseen archive footage with first-hand insightful testimony from those involved during The Hacienda’s heyday, some of the key players in the club’s history and famous regulars.
Speaking on Hacienda Classical’s return to Castlefield for the seventh year, Peter Hook commented: “I’m so happy to be coming back to ‘Sounds of The City’ in 2023. I can’t believe this will be our seventh year! Amazing! Without a doubt The Hacienda and its crowd know just how to light this city up and party like there’s no tomorrow. Tony and Rob would be so proud.”
Graeme Park added: “Seven appearances at Castlefield Bowl? Really? This show is always very, very special and I really can’t wait to return for another epic evening in July.”
2022 marks four decades since FAC51 The Hacienda first flung open its doors back in 1982, transforming the run-down Central Manchester yacht showroom into what has become one of the most iconic and influential nightclubs in history.
Considered the UK’s cathedral of house music and then epicentre of the “Madchester” scene, The Hacienda continues to inspire generations new and old, producing world class events that remain true to the ethos and integrity that guided the original club.
Tickets for the 2023 Castlefield Bowl show will go on sale this Friday at 9am and can be purchased here.
Feature image – FAC51 The Hacienda
News
New data reveals a third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday
Emily Sergeant
Surprising new data has revealed that a third of Brits admits to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday.
After a long and tiring week, most of us would love the chance to clock off work a little earlier than usual on a Friday, but for a lot of workers, this isn’t always a possibility – and for some, they even have to work longer at the end of the week to make sure everything has been finished off and tied up before the weekend arrives.
But since there has been a noticeable rise in remote working and working from home, a new survey has revealed that working attitudes have changed.
Virgin Media has released new broadband data that reveals a drop in traffic on Friday afternoons during the summer months – with as much as an 8% dip between 3-5pm compared to the winter, as remote workers clock off early.
A third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday / Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
The Friday traffic drop-off comes from Virgin Media’s broadband network analysis, which it says is a ‘reliable indicator’ of the connectivity habits of the British public.
Alongside the network data, Virgin Media also asked Brits about their work policies and working habits ij a bid to fully understand the trend.
Nearly a third (30%) of Brits say they have a formal early Friday finish in place during the summer, but despite almost half of UK adults (48%) saying they’re not authorised to finish early on a Friday, 32% have admitted to regularly logging off with or without official permission.
Surprising new data has revealed Brits’ working habits / Credit: Chuttersnap (via Unsplash)
Many Brits have also confessed to working ‘on the move’ on a Friday afternoon too.
15% admitted to having worked from the train station as the weekend creeps nearer, as well as 14% from the park, 10% from the pub, and many as 30% of 18-24-year-olds worked from the car while travelling for the weekend.
“Our network traffic analysis is revealing changing workplace habits in real time as the nation takes advantage of long summer Fridays,” commented Jeanie York, who is the Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2.
“We’re continuing to boost our fixed and mobile networks so whether Brits are working from their local park, or finishing their work at home, we’re ready to keep them connected.”
Featured Image – Israel Andrade (via Unsplash)
News
Tiny Manchester pub brilliantly condemns ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech
Daisy Jackson
A micropub in Manchester city centre has spoken out about an ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech.
The Victoria Tap, a tiny little boozer at Manchester Victoria train station, strongly condemned any racist, homophobic or sexist conversations taking place in its venue.
The pub said ‘there is absolutely no room for it’ within its walls.
In a statement – which has been met with praise from customers and followers – they added that anyone bringing hate speech to the pub ‘can let the door kick you on the way out’.
The Victoria Tap wrote: “We’ve noticed an alarming rise in racist, homophobic and sexist slurs/comments/conversations lately and we just want to say that there is absolutely no room for it here.
“This is a safe space for everyone.
“If you, or someone in your group, want to disturb this philosophy, you can let the door kick you on the way out.”
The Victoria Tap has brilliantly condemned ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech
Praising their statement, one person wrote: “Great to read this. There is NO place for this. All public spaces should be welcoming.”
Another said: “Pubs should be welcoming environments for people of all walks of life. There’s no room for misogyny, racism or discrimination of any kind. Those who espouse those thoughts need a good hard look in the mirror.”
Someone else commented: “That’s how I see the Vic Tap. Great place for a safe quiet pint. Keep up the great work guys as it’s a fantastic venue.”
The Victoria Tap opened at Manchester Victoria back in 2023, completely transforming a space that was previously a bin store.
As well as its cosy interior, it has a small beer garden which overlooks the tram tracks in and out of the train station.
It’s operated by the same team behind the Piccadilly Tap and the even newer Oxford Tap.
We know exactly where we’ll be heading for our next pint now. Good work, Victoria Tap.
The Manc Audio -
1st November 2022 
