City Centre

A pop-up ‘immersive nature experience’ has taken over one of Manchester’s busiest streets

The #InOurNature pop-up shop has arrived at St Ann's Arcade for one week only.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 13th October 2021

Have you seen that an “immersive nature experience” has arrived on one of Manchester city centre’s busiest streets this week?

The #InOurNature pop-up shop in St Ann’s Arcade is a beautiful space that turns a typical shop front into one that’s been taken over by greenery, so visitors can take a well-earned break from a hard day at work or a busy shopping trip to relax among the plants, the smells of nature, and projections of some of the best-loved green spaces from around the city.

At the centre of the experience is a sound installation that features “the sound of Manchester’s nature” with tracks created in collaboration with sound artist and composer Jason Singh, and Manchester’s spoken word collective Young Identity.

The tracks have been created by transforming ‘biodata’ generated from plants around Moss Side and a mix of voices from local residents.

Those who stop by to visit the pop-up shop will be given the chance to vote on their favourite.

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So, why has this unique experience popped-up in Manchester then?

Well, as recent research from Natural England has shown a positive link between feeling connected to nature and behaving in a way that is better for the environment, the pop-up will not only help people connect with nature, but will also suggest things they can do to help the environment in their local area.

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The shop is part of the ‘In Our Nature’ programme – which is led by Hubbub, Manchester Climate Change Agency and Partnership, Manchester City Council, Amity CIC, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and Commonplace.

The programme works with communities in Manchester to find creative solutions to the climate crisis by using nature as a gateway to inspire positive climate action, with a big focus on removing barriers for those facing barriers to spending time in nature, and works alongside other current local projects including greening concrete alleyways, and working with community groups such as Mothers Against Violence to get nature projects off the ground.

The #InOurNature pop-up shop in St Ann’s Arcade is a beautiful space that turns a typical shop into one filled with greenery / Credit: In Our Nature

“We all feel better after spending time in nature, and this is exactly why we’re bringing this innovative experience into central Manchester,” said Gavin Ellis, co-founder of Hubbub.

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“We hope people will leave feeling boosted by the power of nature and be inspired to get involved in projects and take action across Manchester.”

Sound artist Jason Singh added: “People and nature are an endless source of inspiration for me [so] this project has been a wonderful exploration of poetry, technology, landscape and nature.

“Manchester is huge part of my life and I truly love both the wide range of people that inhabit all parts of the city, as well as the landscape that makes Manchester what it is, [and] this new installation celebrates peoples’ connection with nature as well as thinking about the surroundings in which we live, work and play.

“It has been an absolute pleasure working on In Our Nature.”

Visitors can relax among the plants, the smells of nature, and projections of the city’s green spaces / Credit: In Our Nature

In Our Nature

  • Address: St Ann’s Arcade, 10-12A St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7HW
  • Times: Weekdays 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm | Weekends 10am-8pm
  • Open until: 17 October 2021

Featured Image – In Our Nature MCR

City Centre

The best rooftop bars and terraces in Manchester city centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones Best rooftops bars in Manchester city centre

It doesn’t matter whether it’s spring, pure summer heat, or even on a crisp autumn/winter’s day; whenever the sun breaks out in Manchester, part of our brain immediately turns to going for a pint – ideally on a rooftop bar, if possible.

Yes, beer gardens are great, but sunlight often gets blocked out by the rising number of tall buildings going up around the city centre.

Unless you’re up top in one of those buildings…

It’s not an absolute science, nor is it for everyone, but those of you who do like a few scoops up high on the odd occasion, here are some of the best rooftop bars and drinking terraces in Manchester.

The 10 best rooftop and ‘sky’ bars in Manchester city centre

1. YES

First up, whenever someone asks you the question, “Do you want to go and sit on a sun-soaked rooftop terrace with some bevs?”, the answer is simple: HELL. YES.

So many members of our team, both past and present, have called this their favourite outdoor drinking spot or bar in town full-stop, whether they spent their uni days here or love those cheap discounted Aperol spritzes every summer. Yes, it gets busy sometimes, but it’s for good reason – the place is mint.

2. Sora

Number two is more of a bar and restaurant, in truth, but we do love it a lot. Located above Malmaison’s Deansgate location – dangerously close to our office, by the way (like, literally next door) – Sora specialises in Pan-Asian-inspired dishes and drinks, including some very good sushi.

It’s well worth going along to try their ‘oriental afternoon tea‘ if you’re so inclined, but even if not, it’s just a very cool place to sip away.

3. Chotto Matte

Our third choice is one of Manchester city centre’s newest and fanciest additions, situated within the ever-growing St. Michael’s complex, developed by Gary Neville.

A number of recent openings have popped up in here, including Grind Coffee, which also benefits from the rooftop setting, but ‘Claude’s Skyview Bar’ inside Chotto Matte’s Manchester site is something very unique, indeed.

Inside Chotto Matte, the glittering new rooftop restaurant with staggering views of Manchester
Boujee but brilliant.

4. Terrace NQ

From the high end to the downright legendary for our money, in most people’s books, it doesn’t get much better than the likes of Terrace in the Northern Quarter, which has the benefit of having not only three floors but multiple outdoor areas and patios.

The best of the lot, however, is undeniably the rooftop area, which stretches nearly the entire square footage of the Thomas Street venue, and itself has multiple sections – each with a slightly different feel.

5. 20 Stories

Back over to the posher side of things now, and 20 Stories is one of those places that people literally travel into Manchester for to grab a great new profile picture with their tipple, and it is an undeniably Instagram-worthy venue.

With wonderful views across the city from No. 1 Spinningfields on Hardman Square, it’s an ideal suggestion for a classy glass of wine or fizz on a special occasion, though you’ll be far from the only one making the most of the vantage point.

6. Atlas Bar

Time for a nice middle ground in the form of Atlas Bar over on the corner of the Deansgate-Castlefield interchange, which has been sitting pretty on its little perch for three decades now.

While it may not be high up in the sky, the canopied terrace on the cosy balcony out the back, complete with outdoor heaters, benches in direct sunlight, as well as comfy cushioned seating under the retractable cover, might just be one of the best all-seasons drinking spots of this ilk. Always has been.

7. King Street Townhouse Hotel

Heading back across the city now and over to King Street Townhouse, the stunning hotel and spa operated by THG sits as somewhat of a best-kept secret on the back of Booth St, and one of the reasons it’s such a hidden gem is that stunning rooftop terrace.

It may only be small in comparison to some other rooftop bars in Manchester, but that’s part of what we think makes it special. Whether you’re there for a full stay, a treatment, or just a drink, this is where you should tie a ribbon on it.

The massively underrated rooftop terrace in Manchester with great views and top cocktails

8. Brickhouse Social

Next up, once again, we’re going for an entirely different vibe with this one, and another admittedly more student-centric hangout, but Brickhouse Social is nevertheless a very fun place to grab a pint up high.

They cover several floors these days, including the Kable nightclub down in the basement, but their rooftop terrace is also one of the best value-for-money bars in Manchester city centre. Catch you at ‘The Greenhouse’ sometime soon.

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9. Beeswing

Over to our Amy’s favourite beer garden/outdoor drinking spot, which just so happens to be Beeswing elevated right above the Nell’s over at Kampus.

Sitting just across the water from Canal Street and the bustle of Gay Village, this one feels like arguably the perfect blend of handy central location and lively atmosphere, while still feeling tucked away enough for you to enjoy a quiet moment.

@the.manc Amy’s favourite beer garden / terrace 🍷 #manchester #themanc #visitmanchester #fyp #foryou #placestovisit #traveluk ♬ Daily Bread – L.Dre

10. The Ivy

Last but not least, we have to speak a little bit about the still relatively new ‘Ivy on the Roof’ experience over at the famous bar and brasserie over in Spinningfields, where footballers and countless other celebrities dine, drink and dance every week.

As for us lot, let’s be honest: we’re the real ones that make places like this truly tick all year-round; there’s also the slightly more intimate ‘Skylight Terrace’ room, which offers another sanctuary up and away from the rest of the glitz and glamour of the restaurant.

Credit: The Manc Eats

Honourable mention…

Cloud 23

Finally, before we leave you, we couldn’t wrap this up without mentioning the long-standing Cloud 23 bar sitting the same number of storeys up in the former Hilton skyscraper, now simply known as The Manchester Deansgate Hotel.

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You could argue that the Beetham Tower bar is the one that started it all here in Manchester, offering that kind of panoramic view over drinks long before virtually anyone else in the city. Most of you don’t need telling that it’s there, but we thought it’d be rude not to give a nod to one of the OGs.

Now, it goes without saying that this is by no means an exhaustive list, and if you think there’s somewhere that’s been criminally overlooked, feel free to give us some stick in the comments.

There’s something novel about rooftop bars that we’ll simply never tire of, and with Manchester’s skyline growing and getting taller and taller all the time, you can expect more and more of them to pop up in the coming years.

A glimpse at Manchester’s newest restaurant and bar, opening soon with beautiful skyline views

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

City Centre

Manchester’s cross club running social returns for 2026 and biggest summer party yet

Danny Jones Danny Jones Cross Club Running Social Manchester tickets 2026

Greater Manchester’s now annual cross club running social is BACK for 2026, and 2026 is set to be the biggest to date, making the most of the summer vibes.

We’re already getting very excited for this one.

The Cross Club Social (XCS) first began in 2023 and continues to grow each year, with the organisers continuing to push the budget right to its limits in order to bring the Manc running community one big, beautiful and utterly brilliant bash.

Booking larger venues and putting together an even better schedule each and every year, marathon season is done for most of you – now it’s time to give yourselves a proper, well-deserved break.

Set up by local runners and DJs turned summer social specialists like Dave ‘Macca’ McLaughlin, the upcoming Cross Club Social is the fourth edition of what has now become the go-to post-race season party.

Toasting not just everyone’s incredible achievements following the likes of the Manchester and London Marathons, but also celebrating the local running culture and various clubs as a whole, it really is the perfect opportunity to reap the rewards after months of training – i.e. with lots of drinks and dancing.

With help this year from Manchester Road Runners‘ (MRR) very own social secretary, Gemma Moore, and some fresh branding from Ancoats Run Club (ARC) member Jack Collier, the programming and full schedule look slicker and more jam-packed than ever.

There’ll be live sets not just from Macca but lots of other talented and cult favourite local DJs, karaoke, a big pub quiz, giveaways and more; in fact, there’s even set to be tiny talks, panels and other mini-mixers within the event itself.

Now spread across three whole rooms at Fairfield Social Club (FSC) over in the Green Quarter, there’s room for all kinds of fun to be had, but the big win is the beer garden, which XCS will be taking over in its entirety. You love to see it.

Here’s a look at how it’s gone down previously:

Before we go any further, it’s also worth mentioning that this small setup is only run by a few, very dedicated and passionate people who love two things: running and partying, which is what makes their charitable efforts even more moving.

As it has done in the past, CCS ’26 will be teaming up with The 24-Hour Run Against Homelessness, who raise money for the region’s homeless population on behalf of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, amassing well over £70k last year alone.

That being said, part of your already very reasonable ticket price goes towards supporting this cause, with early bird tickets priced at just £11.25 (including booking fees), the second release for £13.45, and the final batch still only £15.65.

With lots of clubs already signed up to take part, including MRR, the recently rebooted ‘Just A Run Club’, ARC, Levy Runners, Slow Run Club, Run The Streets – who’ll be hosting an optional social 5k to start the day – and many more, if you’re a runner based in the area, you don’t want to miss this one.

Once again, they’ve got the full venue to themselves all day long, and everyone is welcome; you can secure your spot at Cross Club Social 4 right HERE.

cross club social mcr
manchester runners party
cross running club social summer party 2026
Credit: Cross Club Social (supplied)

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Cross Club Social MCR (supplied)

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