The transformation that’s taken place in parts of Manchester in recent years is staggering, from huge skyscrapers to ultra-modern office blocks – but it’s part of the old university campus that’s gone undergone the most impressive makeover of all.
Kampus has taken part of the old Manchester Metropolitan University campus and turned it into a bustling neighbourhood that prides itself on its lifestyle offering.
There’s obviously the restaurant and bar scene that’s taking shape around the central garden, which shows off some of the city’s best operators.
But residents of the beautiful and modern apartments also have access to a gym that rivals the commercial gyms in town, a cinema room, private dining spaces and terraces.
The food and drink scene at Kampus
Nell’s at Kampus. Credit: The Manc GroupPollen at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
Kampus has already drawn on some seriously big local names from around Greater Manchester, with plenty more to come.
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Nell’s – the New York-style pizzeria from the team behind Common & Co – was in first, with its huge, glass-fronted restaurant and bar.
Then came more – Yum Cha, with its incredible menu of dim sum; Beeswing, where it’s all about the wine and the small plates; Pollen, the award-winning bakery with giant loaves and perfect croissants.
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Most recently, Great North Pie joined the Kampus neighbourhood, serving its incredible pies that are stuffed with ingredients from around the north west.
And the hoardings are up for others still to come, like queer cocktail den Red Light and the new ‘creative destination’ Maker’s Quarter.
The amenities at Kampus
The cinema at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
Renting a flat at Kampus doesn’t just get you a flat (though, those are pretty special) – it also gets you access to all the amenities built here by developers Capital & Centric and HBD.
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Residents can rent out the private cinema room for movie nights or to watch major sporting fixtures with friends and family.
There are also private dining spaces to help you step up your dinner party game (we all know the struggles of trying to host a big dinner in a one-bedroom apartment), which has a high-spec kitchen as well as huge dining tables.
The lounges and terraces around Kampus are there for residents to socialise and relax together, including rooftop spaces.
At ground level, it’s all about the canal-side garden that’s open to all and surrounded by restaurants, bars and cafes. Huge green plants pour out over the footpaths and benches and in summer, the garden is always hosting some sort of pop-up event.
And there’s Little David Street, a once-forgotten cobbled street that was closed completely for over a decade, but is now restored to even-better-than-its-former glory and steadily filling up with cafes.
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The Kampus apartments in Manchester
Inside Kampus in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Kampus has five pet-friendly buildings centred around the garden, each one offering something a little different.
The Grade II-listed Minshull Warehouse was once a Victorian shipping warehouse, now turned into an apartment building that still shows off its original features. There are similar homes in the Minto & Turner historic red-bricked warehouse.
The original 1960s tower block has been upgraded – ‘a tamed brutalist beast’ – with modern interiors but still original touches like exposed concrete and original waffle ceilings.
Then there are the North and South blocks, the former topped with a rooftop village of Dutch houses that have transformed the skyline.
To find out more about Kampus and to book a viewing, visit kampus-mcr.co.uk.
Featured image: The Manc Group
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Inside The Black Friar as Salford pub unveils incredible floral display
Daisy Jackson
Spring has really sprung in Salford – legendary pub The Black Friar has just revealed a sensational makeover, with gigantic flowers sprawled across its frontage and a new seasonal menu to go with it.
The historic pub is celebrating the changing of the seasons with both a striking floral installation and a menu that celebrates spring and Salford in equal measure.
Most Mancs will by now have spotted the 4,000 flower-strong installation that now adorns the front of The Black Friar, with bright pink, yellow and purple flowers spilling from a gigantic pink tap.
And all those florals continue inside, with the pub’s Tavern – previously a cosy winter hideaway – now filled with trailing blooms and woodland installations, just off their award-winning garden.
Cheshire-based artist Kelly Louise Chapman is the woman behind this sensational transformation of the much-loved gastropub.
As for the pub’s kitchen, they’ve crafted a new very seasonal and very British menu, with plenty of nods to Black Friar’s Salford roots.
There are dishes like a Boddingtons braised ox cheek (the pub still proudly displays its Boddingtons sign outside), aged beef tartare, butternut squash and ricotta tortellini, and pan-roasted cod fillet.
Spring small plates at The Black Friar pubDelicious spring drinksInside The Tavern at The Black Friar
A popular item from the Valentine’s Day menu – the Cornish crab vol-au-vent – will be sticking around on the spring menu, along with an enhanced grill section that includes a lamb Barnsley chop cooked over coals.
Then for desserts, you’ll be spoilt with a banoffee knickerbocker glory, and passionfruit panna cotta.
And for drinks (because this is a pub, after all), The Black Friar has put together a range of seasonal drinks like a rose sangria sharer, and non-alcoholic sodas like kaffir lime and coconut.
Ben Chaplin, head chef at The Black Friar, said: “This new menu is all about celebrating the best of spring produce.
“We’ve carefully crafted each dish to highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold flavours, adding new depth to our offerings while still delivering the comfort that will always be associated with The Black Friar.
“My top recommendation and personal favourite dish is the Slow-Cooked Boddingtons Braised Ox Cheek.”
Neil Burke, owner of The Black Friar, commented: “We wanted to bring a taste of spring to The Black Friar, inside and out. This floral installation will transform the space and bring sunshine and smiles, whatever the weather!
“My top recommendation on the new menu is the Cumbrian Spiced Lamb Scotch Egg. It’s EXCEPTIONAL.”
To find out more about The Black Friar and to book a table, visit HERE.
You can get a mobile massage treatment in your office – just like us
Thomas Melia
We’d like to introduce you to the pioneering personalised service offering massage treatments on the move at practically any location including direct from your office– including to those of us here in Manchester.
In a world where you can get practically anything delivered straight to your door, it wasn’t going to be long until some genius invented a way to get a massage from the comfort of your own office.
Named ‘London’s first digital beauty concierge’, Ruuby have been pampering the nation’s capital for almost a decade before branching out to further locations.
The gorgeous set up provided by RuubyLook at that lovely branding on the towels.They did wonders with our otherwise plain downstairs office space. (Credit: The Manc Group)
In October 2024, the company expanded beyond its domestic reach in the likes of the capital, the Cotswolds and Surrey into Europe, making its first mark Switzerland: the perfect country for both luxury and essential beauty treatments with a tailored experience.
The month following saw the group moving up North and all the way to Manchester, where people can now book professional treatments best suited to them, right on their doorstep.
If you’re feeling scepticalstill, you can take it from us here at The Manc; we couldn’t tell you how relaxing and comforting these massages are.
There are a range of treatments available and we opted for two bespoke massages, a sports massage and a deep tissue massage.
Each experience is suited to your personal needs meaning each massage therapist will be able to fine-tune their relaxation abilities to what benefits you best.
After choosing the bespoke massage that I felt would work best for me, I went into this with no prior massage experience and I came out feeling taller, broader and more refreshed. Highly recommend.
Mid-day office massage? Yes, please.How relaxing. What a shame you have to go back to work after!Credit: The Manc Group
My masseuse guided me throughout the whole process and we soon discovered that I was able to tolerate much harder pressure than I thought which helped release tension I didn’t even know I had!
The same applies to how firm you’d like your session to be, as the masseuse can help with a brief overview of your time together, but the amount of pressure you like is down to personal preference.
It’s not just massages either: there’s everything from waxing, nails and hair to physio and IV drips; how about getting Marbella ready in less than an hour with a spray tan service set up wherever you are?
As Ruuby is a mobile and remote work environment, there are a number of at any time up and down the country, meaning your next beauty slot could be as little as an hour away, find out more HERE.