Greater Manchester is set to become home to the UK’s first indoor Nerf activity centre once it opens in just a few weeks time.
It’s been a long time coming, after it was revealed that plans for the new immersive experience were submitted back in 2021, and construction was subsequently put on hold, but it’s now been confirmed that the UK’s – and Europe’s – first official NERF Action Xperience is opening its doors at Trafford Palazzo next month.
A joint venture by Manchester-based leisure group Rocafella Leisure, and entertainment discovery platform Fever, the new NERF Action Xperience is the first of its kind in the continent and is sounding set to one of the region’s best days out for all the family.
UK’s first indoor Nerf activity centre to finally open in Greater Manchester next month / Credit: Supplied
No matter whether you’re a superfan or a NERF newbie, visitors of all ages will get the chance to “live out their ultimate NERF adventures” at the new purpose-built activity centre.
The exciting new attraction will be made up of five different themed arenas.
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The ‘Sports @ NERF AX’ is a dedicated active play zone where players can “get their hearts pumping” with seven different sports-inspired games, while the ‘Training Ground’ is a zone where players can test their NERF blaster skills with eight digital target games, and ‘Chaos City’ is described as being a “post-apocalyptic urban city blaster adventure”.
‘Mission X’ is set to be a cargo bay or marooned spaceship blaster arena, while the final themed arena rounding out the five is ‘Project Stealth’ – a “classified testing bunker blaster” arena.
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The activity centre itself is only half of the experience too, as the new opening will also include the UK’s first dedicated NERF retail store – which will be an 8,000 sq ft shop selling hundreds of NERF products, as well as bespoke NERF AX merchandise.
The exciting new attraction will be made up of five different themed arenas / Credit: Supplied
NERF Action Xperience Greater Manchester will officially open its doors on Friday 25 August.
Trafford Palazzo’s newest addition is the first location in a UK-wide rollout of NERF Action Xperience venues over the next five years, and is creating 50 new jobs – with a recruitment process currently underway, and a number of roles available to apply for.
Tickets will set you back £20 each (including protective goggles), and the waitlist has now gone live if you’re keen to grab them as soon as they go on sale.
James Arthur to play massive Manchester show on UK arena tour next year
Emily Sergeant
James Arthur is the latest act to announce a massive UK arena tour, and he’ll be paying a visit to Manchester next year.
On the day that Manchester’s newest live entertainment arena,Co-op Live, is set to welcome one of the world’s current biggest pop star, Sabrina Carpenter, another major pop act is set to take to that very same stage around this time next year, as James Arthur has today announced a huge arena tour.
The former X Factor winner is heading out on an 11-date tour of the UK in early 2026, and that includes a visit to our city in mid February.
After performing in some of the UK’s biggest cities in the days prior – including London’s O2, the bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, and shows in other northern cities such as Sheffield and Liverpool – the will 37-year-old singer-songwriter will stop off Manchester to close out his impressive tour.
He’ll be performing at Co-op Live on Saturday 21 February 2026.
The announcement of next year’s UK tour next year’s coincides with the upcoming release of Arthur’s highly-anticipated next studio album, PISCES.
In recent years, Arthur has cemented himself as one of the biggest names in contemporary pop and soul, amassing 11 Platinum hit singles, more 38 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and two UK number one albums along the way – including his most recent release, Bitter Sweet Love, which was celebrated with a sold-out UK and Europe arena tour, culminating in a historic performance in his hometown of Middlesbrough to an audience of 25,000 fans.
James Arthur UK arena tour dates 2025
3 February – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
4 February – Glasgow OVO Hydro
6 February – Newcastle Utilita Arena
7 February – Aberdeen P&J Live
10 February – Birmingham bp pulse LIVE
11 February – Bournemouth International Centre
13 February – Sheffield Utilita Arena
14 February – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
16 February – Cardiff Utilita Arena
18 February – London The O2
21 February – Manchester Co-op Live
James Arthur is playing a massive Manchester show on his UK arena tour next year / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
With the upcoming release of PISCES on 25 April, Arthur is said to be ‘diving deeper into his personal struggles’ to create a collection of songs that is ‘as introspective as it is sonically adventurous’.
Tickets to James Arthur’s 2026 UK arena tour, including the Manchester Co-op Live gig on Saturday 21 February, go on pre-sale next Wednesday 19 March at 9am, and then on general sale on Friday 21 February at 9am.
Find out more and get tickets when they go on sale here.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Popular Manchester comedy festival returns with impressive lineup of local talent and ‘cult sensations’
Emily Sergeant
A popular comedy festival is returning to our city with yet another impressive lineup of local talent and ‘cult sensations’.
That’s right… some of the UK’s best comedy names are coming to Manchester.
Following the success of events held the last two years, renowned production company, A Lovely Time, has once again put together an absolutely jam-packed lineup of television names, internet sensations, hotly-tipped newcomers, and even critically-acclaimed comedians for a weekend full of comedy shows in the heart of the city centre.
Taking place at Fairfield Social Club – which is tucked away down at the Green Quarter – the weekend-long festival, aptly called A Lovely Weekend, will kick off on Friday 6 June.
You can expect three full days of laughter at the hands of an expertly-curated lineup, who’ll mostly be staging ‘work in progress’ shows and sets.
Popular comedy festival A Lovely Weekend is returning to Manchester this summer / Credit: Kristyna Baczyna | Caro Ferretti
This year’s festival is bringing 19 new shows to the mix, including the likes of Edinburgh Comedy Award winners John Kearns and Jordan Brookes, and local talent done-good Rachel Fairburn and Josh Jones, as well rising stars Sharon Wanjohi, Ayoade Bamgboye, and Molly McGuinness.
Plus, you can also catch cult sensations like Mark Silcox and the formidable Frankie Monroe, making for a truly unmissable weekend of comedy.
“It’s such an honour to bring this amazing lineup of comedians to Manchester, which is quickly becoming the most exciting city for comedy in the UK,” commented festival organiser John Stansfield ahead of this summer’s event.
Co-organiser Chris Cantrill, who is also a comedian himself, added: “As a comedy fan I have to say I cannot wait for this year’s festival. It feels positively decadent.”
A Lovely Weekend 2025 will take over Fairfield Social Club from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 June, and tickets are on sale now – with tickets to individual shows, and specific day and weekend-long passes all available to get your hands on.
Emily Sergeant -
10th July 2023 
