Whether you believe in things that go bump in the night or are just fascinated with gory histories, Greater Manchester’s got plenty of spooky places to explore.
From the pub that’s said to be one of the most haunted in the UK to stately homes still occupied by former residents, there are allegedly haunted buildings all over the region.
This interactive map shows where to find the 10 most haunted places in our corner of the north west, and even the descriptions are enough to give you chills.
Now a fancy hotel with stunning interiors, the map warns of ghostly goings-on in room 261, where guests have reported hearing the sound of children playing in the middle of the night.
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Kimpton Clocktower is said to be one of the most haunted places in Greater Manchester. Credit: Unsplash
One of the hotel’s ghosts is said to be a grieving war widow who threw herself down one of the hotel’s main stairways.
The Peveril of the Peak pub is another city centre venue named on the haunted list, where spooky but weirdly helpful happenings include shattered glass clearing itself up and glasses taking themselves to the glass-wash.
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There are stately homes like Ordsall Hall (where a jilted bride roams the halls and the ghost of a young girl plays with visiting children), Wythenshawe Hall (haunted by Mary Webb, or the Lady in White, who sobs around the hall in a long white dress) and Ryecroft Hall (expect sudden changes in temperature, unexplained smells and objects such as cigarette stubs mysteriously falling from a balcony).
One of the actors who performed at Oldham’s Coliseum Theatre is said to have never left in spirit.
Harold Norman was accidentally stabbed to death during a sword fight scene in a performance in 1947, and now audiences still report cold sensations and moving seats.
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It’s been created by Salford-based web design agency Supremo, whose art director Elly Cordy said: “There’s no better place to visit than Manchester during the month of October.
“It’s the perfect place to celebrate Halloween and so we wanted to map out some of the most iconic and spooky spots.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
Boroughs
New Mayor Bev Craig announces FREE bus travel for 11 to 16-year-olds in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Thousands of high school children across Greater Manchester are set to benefit from free bus travel next year.
That’s because Greater Manchester’s newly-elected Mayor, Bev Craig, set out plans on her first official day in office yesterday (3 August) to help families with the rising cost of living by extending the already-popular ‘Our Pass’ scheme to give 11 to 16-year-olds free bus travel on the Bee Network from January 2027 onwards.
The move is expected to benefit nearly 200,000 young people across Greater Manchester – saving families up to £500 per child every year.
Applications will open later this year, so families can apply for their pass in advance.
Bev Craig has announced free bus travel for 11 to 16-year-olds in Greater Manchester / Credit: TfGM
Greater Manchester’s successful ‘Our Pass’ scheme was introduced in 2019 and already gives 16-18-year-olds free bus travel to make getting to education, training, and opportunities easier.
But this new extension means that, for the first time, all children between 11 and 18-years-old will be able to travel for free on the region’s buses.
On top of this, in further support for families, Bev has also confirmed that previously-agreed plans to give free bus travel for children in temporary accommodation will be implemented from this September – with this extra support set to be administered by councils and be in place for the new school term.
First day as Mayor of Greater Manchester. I promise to work for everyone, in every town, village and city.
— Mayor of Greater Manchester (@MayorofGM) August 3, 2026
“During my campaign, I promised that I would apply a simple test to every decision I take as Mayor – will it make life better for the people of Greater Manchester? That’s why on day one I’m announcing the extension of Our Pass to give free bus travel to 11 to 16-year-olds,” commented Bev Craig as the move was announced this week.
“This is exactly the kind of decision that passes our test.
“It will put more money in the pockets of thousands of hard-working families, and gives those young people a ticket to all the brilliant opportunities our city region offers.
“Families across Greater Manchester are struggling with the cost of living and I’m using my first day as Mayor to do something practical to make life a bit easier. By launching in January, young people will be boarding the Bee Network for free as they head back to school.”
Featured Image – TfGM
Boroughs
‘I will fight for a better life for all’ – Bev Craig’s speech in full as she’s named the new Mayor of Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Labour candidate Bev Craig has been named the new Mayor of Greater Manchester.
As the polls closed across the region on yesterday’s (30 July 2026) mayoral by-election, it has been announced that Bev Craig is the new Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Craig won with a combined total of more than 300,000 votes, taking into account first and second preferences, beating out Reform UK’s candidate, Sian Astley, who came in second places with just over 157,000 votes.
The final result didn’t come in until close to 11pm last night, but in the end, Craig’s win was described as being a ‘decisive’.
The new Mayor of Greater Manchester has been elected! Bev Craig will take up the role from Monday.
A full table of votes from the 10 districts and the Greater Manchester result will be available on the GM Elects website#GMElectspic.twitter.com/fERMwv7pyT
— Greater Manchester Combined Authority (@greatermcr) July 31, 2026
The new Mayor has been elected after Andy Burnham was required to stand down from the role following his victory in the crucial Makerfield by-election last month, winning 24,927 votes (54.8% vote share) and a majority of 9,231.
The role of Greater Manchester Mayor also holds Police and Crime Commissioner powers, so as an elected MP, Burnham was disqualified from holding the office of Mayor.
Of course, since that Makerfield by-election win, you might recall that Andy Burnham has then gone onto become Leader of the Labour Party, and therefore, Prime Minister, so it would probably have been tricky for him to balance two major roles at the same time anyway, even if he could.
Craig’s election to Mayor also means that she will no longer serve as the Leader of Manchester City Council – with further updates to be provided on that in due course.
Bev Craig’s first speech as Mayor of Greater Manchester in full
“I never believed as a girl growing up in a council estate that one day I would have the chance to stand for the place that I love, the place in this world that I’m proud to call home, and to offer my service to make our city region better.”
“Because Greater Manchester is special.
“We talk a lot about our history. We talk about the role that we’ve played from the birth of the Industrial Revolution to the trade union movement and Peterloo. From the suffragettes through to modern inventions and splitting the atom and the invention of the modern computer. We’ve changed the world in many ways in the past, but Greater Manchester’s potential lies in its future.
“And when Westminster walked away from us, when we were struggling as a deindustrialized city region, it was the people in this place that began the journey to rebuild.
“People often ask me, what is it that I feel makes Greater Manchester so special? And it’s our people and our communities. And during this campaign, I’ve got to see that firsthand in every single corner of this city region.
“In every pride, village, town, and both our cities, I find fantastic people doing incredible things against the odds every single day. Rejecting the politics of hate, but standing with their neighbours, looking out for each other. The spirit of a place that their neighbours will give their final pound in their pocket to help their struggling friend do the right thing.
“But for too many people across our region, life is simply too hard. The generational belief that we had that if you work hard and you did the right thing, then your life would be better, and the life of your kids would be better, is something that many people just don’t feel at the minute.”
“And that is the challenge that we in politics have to face up to. And it’s why I set myself a simple test, and I make that commitment to you today, that every single decision I take as your mayor of Greater Manchester will pass the test of making your life better.
“It will put more money in your pocket, and that was one of the reasons that my first pledge was around free buses for eleven to eighteen year olds to put five hundred quid in the pockets of families and give a message to our young people that they could be anything they wanted to be and go anywhere they wanted to go.
“That everyone in our city region deserves a good quality home that they can afford in a safe neighbourhood, and that everyone has to feel the benefits and successes of growth. You have to feel it in your pocket with good jobs in every corner of our city region, and you’ve got to see it on your high streets and when you walk out your front door, restoring pride into our, our high streets and town centres.
“But it can’t just be about building the basic fundamentals of a good life. It’s creating a good life. It’s letting people make those decisions where they plan with optimism and hope for the future. Things like spending time with friends and family with enough money in your pocket to do it, to plan for your holidays, to plan for your trips, to be able to think of the life you’re creating for your kids.
“And that’s what we can do here in Greater Manchester. And the final thing I’ll say is that this is about the city region that we want to be. This is the Greater Manchester that we can be. And that has to come with the belief that we can build things that make life better.
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“And I’ll say this really plainly. To those that voted for me, thank you. To the Labour support that’s in doubt, thank you. To those of you that lent me your vote, thank you. And for those of you that didn’t vote for me, I will still be your mayor because I will defend this city region with every bone in my body, and I will fight for a better life for all of us.
“So the hard work begins. I’ve done this with a promise and a plan, and my promise and commitment to you is that I will make this city region better, but I will work for everyone. I will be a greater mayor for everyone. And we have to heal.
“We have to move away from divisive politics that try and pit neighbour against neighbour, and we’ll work together.
“We’ll do it together, we’ll deliver it together, and we will build a Greater Manchester that works for all of us, that we’re all proud of, where everyone feels welcome and everyone has a chance to succeed. Thank you.”
Daisy Jackson -
28th October 2022 
