It’s officially happening – Therme Manchester, the new £250m wellness resort near the Trafford Centre, has been granted planning approval.
With it comes a set of brand new images showing how the luxury facility will look, from its multiple swimming pools to its slides to its multi-sensory saunas.
Therme Manchester will have warm water lagoons, adults-only zones, botanical gardens, urban farms, immersive art, water-based fitness classes, and loads more.
The much-anticipated development is forecast to contribute more than £4.5 billion to the UK economy and provide a huge boost to the local economy and tourism industry.
With work set to begin later this year, we’re looking at 2025 before it officially welcomes its first visitors.
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Its latest design, which has received approval from Trafford Council, features a pavilion-style concept in a natural landscape.
The artist impressions released today show huge white waved rooftops, with enormous glass windows and skylights.
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The inner garden, or Garden of Wellness, at Therme Manchester
Inside is an urban oasis where palm trees tower above sunbeds.
And outside, it looks like Therme Manchester will have lush gardens and swimming ponds, and amphitheatre-style seatiManchester’s Science and Industry Museum reveals ‘special’ 40th birthday events lineupng looking over the canal.
Therme Manchester has now also appointed its CEO, Professor David Russell, whose background includes major ventures like the London 2012 Summer Olympics, The Rugby World Cup in Japan 2019 and the $8 billion Expo 2020 in Dubai.
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An aerial view of Therme Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Russell said: “Therme Manchester will be the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort. Our ambition is to make a positive difference in millions of people’s lives whilst creating a new wave in urban living.”
James Whittaker, executive director of development at Peel L&P said: “After five years working in partnership with Therme, we are delighted to hear planning permission has been approved for this incredible, high-quality health and wellbeing resort in TraffordCity.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with the whole of the Therme team to deliver something truly unique and iconic in the UK, that is not only world-leading for health and wellbeing, but will also create a significant number of new jobs and have a huge positive economic impact for North West England.”
Therme Manchester as viewed from Bridgewater Canal
Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: “I am very pleased that the planning committee supported this application. This wellbeing resort is a huge £250m leisure development which is the first of its kind in the country and we are delighted it is being built here in Trafford.
“The resort will attract millions of visitors each year and will add significantly to the local economy during construction and once operational. It will also create more than 1,500 person-years of construction jobs and 600 permanent full-time jobs.
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“The development sits a short walk from the latest Metrolink extension and supports several of our key commitments by improving health and wellbeing, providing connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians, creating a new public realm, and regenerating a vacant brownfield site in a sustainable location.”
Based in the Walshaw area of Bury, just a nine-minute drive from the town’s centre, the family-owned Meadowcroft Farm is run by couple Deb and Deano, who have turned their land into a home dedicated to letting alpacas live their best life – and this includes regular visits from the Greater Manchester public keen to learn all about them.
If you’re looking to swap the hustle and bustle of city life for rolling hills and views as far as the eye can see, then Meadowcroft Farm’s already-popular alpaca walking experience offers just the reset you need.
Oh, and you can make friends with alpacas and other adorable animals too, while you’re at it.
This is Meadowcroft Farm Alpacas / Credit: The Manc Group
The interactive experience starts off with a talk from Deb about everything they do at Meadowcroft Farm, and then you’ll get introduced to each of their 12 fluffy alpacas.
As alpacas are pack animals, this means you need to have at least three living together at one time by law in the UK.
Then each person gets paired up with an alpaca for the walk – with The Manc Group team members, Aimee and Emily, getting to look after the farm’s two new babies, Woody and Buzz.
Once everyone is paired with their alpaca, it’s then time to go for a short walk around the landscape of the farm, with some really gorgeous views to take in along the way.
At this family-run farm in Bury, you can walk a herd of adorable alpacas in the countryside / Credit: The Manc Group
While you’re walking around the flat, grassy route (the walk is suitable for most people, but it’s advised that you dress in correct clothing for the weather and surroundings), Deb takes the time to check in with all the walkers, even stopping to take pictures of everyone with their alpacas before heading back to the farm to feed them.
After working up an appetite, you’ll then get to feed the alpacas, alongside the other animals Meadowcroft takes care of – including baby goats, polish chickens, and rabbits.
Inside Levenshulme Antiques Village, Manchester’s three-story treasure trove of vintage finds
Daisy Jackson
If you’re the sort of person who gets a real kick out of saying ‘Thanks, it’s vintage’, then you probably already know of Levenshulme Antiques Village. But if not, allow us to show you around a little.
This three-story hypermarket has been trading out of the former Levenshulme Town Hall for decades, filling the 127-year-old building with items potentially even older.
It’s a vast antiques centre where every twist in the maze reveals vintage furniture, collectibles, artwork and curiosities from every era imaginable.
The building itself still carries plenty of charm and history from the building’s past as the local council offices, and thankfully very little of its personality was stripped away in the process of transforming the building into the Levenshulme Antiques Village.
Today, visitors still climb the grand staircase beneath soaring ceilings and pass through hallways lined with original wall-to-wall ceramic tiles.
There’s free parking outside (which is good, because you’re likely to leave with a boot-full of treasure), and once inside, the scale of the place quickly becomes apparent.
Friendly traders fill the building, many of whom are more than happy to chat, share stories behind their stock, or guide visitors towards hidden gems tucked away in quieter rooms. And there are plenty of gems to uncover.
A room packed with mid-century furnitureLevenshulme Antiques Village is a treasure trove of vintage findsJust look at this lot…
From antique furniture and oil paintings to jewellery, records, ceramics and shelves overflowing with nicknacks, the village rewards slow wandering. One moment you might stumble across a beautifully carved temple door; the next, a collection of vintage signs or a perfectly preserved mid-century cabinet.
The top floor is perhaps the most striking space of all. Once a ballroom, the enormous room still retains a sense of grandeur, with high ceilings and huge windows flooding the space with natural light, but is now transformed into a densely packed emporium of antiques and collectibles.
Outside, the experience continues with artist workshops and creative studios, among them is craftsman Kip Kaboli, known for producing handcrafted Japanese knives and even hosting oyster events. It’s an unusual but fitting addition to a place that celebrates both heritage and craftsmanship.
Old ceramic tiles still line the hallwaysThe on-site tearoom at Levenshulme Antiques Village
Halfway through exploring, many visitors end up at the affordable tearoom on the first floor, serving comforting classics like salad sandwiches and afternoon teas.
What makes Levenshulme Antiques Village special is not simply the volume of antiques packed inside, but the atmosphere, the warm welcome from traders, and the weird and wonderful history of the place.
Daisy Jackson -
14th September 2023 
