Bury

Bury FC’s Gigg Lane put up for sale by administrators

The 12,500 capacity venue - which is one of the oldest professional football stadiums in the world - has been put on the market six months after the club entered administration.

The Manc The Manc - 11th May 2021

Bury FC’s 136-year-old stadium Gigg Lane is officially up for sale.

The 12,500 capacity venue – which is one of the oldest professional football stadiums in the world – has been put on the market six months after the club entered administration.

No competitive Bury FC fixtures have been played at the ground for two years – with the club being expelled from the football league in 2019 after falling into financial ruin.

Owner Steve Dale remained in possession of the club and Gigg Lane itself following the club’s ejection from the pyramid, whilst a group of supporters splintered off to form a new side: Bury AFC.

Pressure is now being placed on Bury Council to purchase the stadium for themselves.

https://twitter.com/smidycent/status/1392051914314035200?s=20

Administrator Steven Wiseglass, of Inquesta Corporate Recovery and Insolvency, has appointed agent Fleurets to make the sale.

The 6.4 acre site includes the stadium itself along with the ticket office and club shop.

Mr Wiseglass said: “As part of the administration process, I have been liaising with the secured charge-holder over the stadium and have now appointed Fleurets to actively market the stadium for sale.

“My role is to secure the best possible outcome for all stakeholders of The Bury Football Club Company Ltd.

“Bury FC is a club with a rich history and a loyal and enthusiastic fan base, and I do hope that a suitable buyer will be forthcoming to secure the future of football at Gigg Lane.

“All expressions of interest should be submitted directly to Fleurets.”

Graeme Bunn, managing director of Fleurets, said: ““Fleurets is delighted to have been appointed by Inquesta to bring to the market the stadium at Gigg Lane.

“This is a unique opportunity to purchase a freehold stadium, with an all-seating capacity of over 12,000.

“The marketing of the stadium presents a variety of buyers and occupiers with the prospect of securing the landmark property.

“Offers will be invited on an unconditional basis. We encourage all interested parties to contact Fleurets as soon as possible, as we anticipate significant local and national interest.”

Bury

Gig review | Catfish at Heaton Park, Manchester – are the Bottlemen properly back?

Danny Jones Danny Jones Catfish and the Bottlemen gig review Heaton Park Manchester 2025

10 months on from their last gig and more than a year since they officially ended their hiatus, Catfish and the Bottlemen finally returned to Manchester for a sold-out show at Heaton Park, and while the reviews online have been mixed, we had a blast heading back to the fields again.

Making their Manc comeback just hours before this year’s Parklife Festival got underway, the beloved Welsh band had stirred lots of worry leading up to the day itself and, in truth, even in the moments leading up to (and after) their stage time.

Apart from their huge headline slot at Reading and Leeds, 2024 was the year of cancellations and controversy, so their fans had plenty of reason to be concerned. Nevertheless, we had faith and kept our spirits high, especially with the weather holding out.

Local legends and indie rock veterans James certainly helped on that front, delighting both die-hards watching from up on the hill and younger gig-goers who may have only heard a few of the big hits like ‘Sit Down’ – though they certainly didn’t heed that message, there was merely jumping up and down.

james catfish and the bottlemen heaton park support set
Some great computer-generated imagery backdropped the set.
catfish heaton park reviews
We watched this thing like a hawk.
You can read our recent interview with them HERE. (Credit: Audio North)

Once the main support act had wrapped up their pretty perfectly timed set, we’ll admit, standing on that grass felt like an eternity, especially considering Catfish had us waiting an extra 15 minutes beyond their expected arrival at Heaton Park.

You could call it fashionably late, but in this case, it saw several people around us uttering, ‘they’re not coming on any time soon’, and some even beginning to walk off.

However, they did eventually arrive just over a quarter of an hour past schedule, and the eruption of cheers from the crowd and a fair few screams from those nearest the barrier signalled what summed up the entire night: we were just so happy to have them back.

Even more notably, in fact, the boys themselves looked to be equally as buzzing, with bassist Benji Blakeway and ever-charismatic frontman Van McCann embracing each other before the opener and the latter flashing that familiar grin all night long.

We’ve heard people debating the sound quality and taking issue with parts of Van’s performance, but we’ll just leave this here and let you decide for yourselves:

One thing’s for sure: the energy was immaculate from start to finish.

From kicking things off with ‘Longshot’ for a limb-worthy intro, to hearing a fully acoustic version of ‘Hourglass’ as the lead singer stood alone on the dramatically lit main stage, soon to be followed up by a plethora of Parklife acts, we’d wager you they’ll remain a tough act to follow all weekend.

Other highlights included an entire park’s worth of people belting every word to ‘Kathleen’, ‘Fallout’, ‘Pacifier’ and pretty much every track they played, as well Van having the crowd repeat the chorus of ‘Cocoon’ as he hung up his guitar from the stand to deliver an ice-old mic drop.

We would’ve loved to hear a fuller set filled with the extended live versions of ‘Oxygen’, ‘Heathrow’ and ‘Glasgow’ too, especially given how many sections of pure instrumentation felt like they were going to transition into another track, but you can’t have everything, I guess.

manchester and the bottlemen flag
Inflatable crocodiles and cracking flags
van mccann manchester heaton park
Credit: The Manc Group
catfish and the bottlemen photos
Eyes and arms wide open
We’re here to urge you not to be drawn in by TikTok reviews – as far as we’re concerned, Catfish were made to headline Heaton Park.

Sure, there might have been a few minor fluffed vocal notes and slightly over-lengthy solos here and there, but after all, it’s a rock show: we want a bit of mess.

The same goes for Van McCann himself, too; we worry that people are starting to forget what a proper rockstar is, and we’re not talking about contriving some kind of Hollywood lifestyle, but certainly getting lost in the music and trashing your guitar so hard that your face is draped in nothing but hair and sweat? Absolutely.

All in all, we think Catfish and the Bottlemen‘s massive outdoor show at Manchester’s Heaton Park and de facto ‘comeback after the last comeback’ was a triumph and even when they’re not absolutely 10/10, they’re still bloody good value live.

As for the question of ‘are they back?’ We think so and certainly hope that ‘Showtime’ wasn’t just released as a way of signalling fans to come along for one last ride before the final curtain call.

Read more:

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Featured Images — Audio North

Bury

Wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The popular wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer.

The school summer holidays are just over a month away now, and that means East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is back with a whole host of immersive events that give curious Mancs the chance to step back in time by hopping on one of the historic Pullman-style steam train carriages through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.

Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig, and seasonal themed train rides are just a few of the events that have been entertaining families in the region over the last few years.

But by far two of the best-loved experiences on the lineup each year have to be the chance to go on a wizard or dinosaur-themed adventure… and thankfully, both are back yet again next month.

Wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: ELR

ELR’s Wizarding Adventure sees little Mancs come together for a magical day of sharing spells and getting stuck into lots of magic-themed fun, as aspiring witches and wizards of all ages are invited to enrol in the spellbinding school of sorcery.

They’ll go on a ‘wacky and wonderful whistle stop tour’ of the Wizard Academy and learn to become a master of mystery and magic during their interactive 90-minute journey through the ‘Irwell Valley of wonders’ hauled by a genuine steam – and spell – powered train.

If the Jurassic period sounds more up your little one’s street though, then the Dino Adventure is the one as it’s ideal for all budding dino enthusiasts.

Steam train
This is your chance to take your little Mancs on an adventure / Credit: ELR

Step onto a specially dino-proofed steam train and journey into a prehistoric world, as you’ll get to meet ELR’s expert dino wranglers, come face-to-face with adorable baby dinosaurs, and enjoy a hands-on experience packed with discovery, excitement, and fun for the whole family.

“Whether your little ones are excited to meet dinosaurs or learn wizardry, there’s an unforgettable adventure waiting for everyone at ELR this summer,” commented Mike Kelly, who is the Chairman of the East Lancashire Railway.

“We’re proud to host events that ignite imaginations and create lasting memories, all set amidst the beautiful scenery of the Irwell Valley”.

Read more:

The Wizarding Adventure and the Dino Adventure are coming to ELR next month on 20 and 27 July, respectively, as well as later dates in August, and you can find out more and get tickets from £17.50 online here.

Featured Image – ELR

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