Manchester’s reputation for accessibility is about to get a whole lot better thanks to new opening 53Two.
Here, all bar staff are trained in basic sign language skills and can take orders and explain the menu to hearing-impaired guests.
Tactile card reader pads have been installed for partially sighted customers, and all of the bar tables are designed at a level that allows wheelchairs to fit underneath comfortably.
There’s also a lowered bar space and till for wheelchair access, making this new bar and arts hub the most accessible venue in Manchester by a mile.
Droylsden’s HM Pasties are bringing all the pies to 53Two
Bar food here comes from Droylsden’s HM Pasties, with a big focus on chunky pies, whilst beer is supplied by a mix of breweries with a choice on draught and further vegan-friendly bottles and cans provided by Manchester brewery Brightside.
A really special venue, 53Two bar has tables of all shapes and sizes made from reclaimed wood that the team have stained by hand.
There’s been no snazzy design team brought in here, rather it’s all been created by the 53Two independent theatre team themselves – making use of upcycled materials and furniture wherever possible.
There’s also a gorgeous vintage baby grand piano (which you’re welcome to play) and plenty of cosy book-lined nooks to tuck yourself away in.
A baby grand sits in the middle of the bar – and anyone is welcome to play
As well as operating as a theatre bar, 53Two will also run an ‘artists members club’ – meaning that, after 11pm, those working in the cultural sector will be able to enter via a secret ‘members entrance’ for a late night post-work drink.
But the real star of the show has to be the theatre room in the second arch, which is in the processing of becoming the city’s first fully accessible theatre space.
Due to open fully in 2022, it will be open for use as a studio, rehearsal area and private cinema room as well as hosting live streams of performances and plays.
The team here also plan to broadcast a live-recorded podcast every month to give voice to local artists within Manchester and delve into the city’s art scene.
With room for as many as 150 guests, independent theatre bar 53Two has been designed with inclusivity at its heart. There’s even a house dog in residence, Albi, who’ll be there most of the time chilling in his bed.
Speaking on the new opening, Direct Simon Naylor said: “We’re really proud of what we’ve created here and hope that it will be a hub for artists, drinkers, thinkers and absolutely anyone who supports independent theatre and hospitality.”
General Manager Alexandra Maxwell added: “The bar is just the first step on our journey to creating an incredible new arts venue for the city – at a time when it is needed most. We’ve ensured that the bar embodies our values of inclusivity and will offer a warm welcome to everyone ahead of the theatre opening later in the year.”
53Two bar is open from 11am with coffee and pastries, right through to 1am at the weekends. Dogs are also very welcome – and we hear Albi’ll be happy to say hello, too.
City Centre
Manchester Fashion Week is returning for 2025 this autumn after a decade-long hiatus
Emily Sergeant
It’s been a long time coming… but this autumn, Manchester Fashion Week is back.
Returning with a ‘bold blueprint’ for the future of fashion after what has been a decade-long absence, it has been announced this week that Manchester Fashion Week will be back this September at what is a pivotal moment for the city’s £12 billion fashion industry.
Due to the unprecedented challenges the industry faces around sustainability, technology, and cultural relevance, Manchester Fashion Week 2025 will be rooted in the textile heritage of the city but rebooted by technological advancements and innovation to make fashion future-proof.
Running from 9-11 September, and taking over the vibrant St. John’s area of the city, with its official hub set in the newly-refurbished Campfield – one of Manchester’s most exciting new cultural venues – organisers say the event will unite emerging designers and established brands on a platform that bridges Manchester‘s industrial heritage with cutting-edge innovation.
Manchester Fashion Week is returning for 2025 after a decade-long hiatus / Credit: Yogendra Singh (via Unsplash)
The event is aiming to trace a path from historic Mancunian mills to contemporary catwalks, honouring textile traditions along the way, all while accelerating toward fashion’s future.
Manchester Fashion Week’s 2025 return is seen to be yet another factor in the city fast becoming the culture capital of Britain, and comes not long after it was announced that The BRIT Awards would be hosted here next year – which is the first time outside of London in its 48-year history.
The three-day event will serve as a platform for ‘honest dialogue, visionary thinking, and radical collaboration’ by activating spaces across the city and inviting brands, creators, and communities to participate.
“Manchester has always led,” said Gemma Gratton, who is the Executive Producer of Manchester Fashion Week, ahead of the event’s return this autumn. “In music, in manufacturing, in movements. And now, it’s time to lead again by future-proofing fashion from the ground up.
“Manchester Fashion Week is not just a celebration of style, but a cultural catalyst for people, purpose, and progress.
“This isn’t just Manchester’s moment. It’s Manchester fashion’s reset.”
Manchester Fashion Week returns for 2025 from 9-11 September, and you can find out more information and event updates online here.
Featured Image – Raden Prasetya (via Unsplash)
City Centre
You can win tickets to sold-out Lewis Capaldi gigs at Greggs
Thomas Melia
Nationwide bakery chain Greggs has partnered with singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi for a chance to win tickets for his sold-out UK tour.
Now, if there’s one thing we love more than sausage rolls, it’s watching Glasgow solo star Lewis Capaldi perform his smash hit singles to crowds of roaring fans –and Glastonbury proved that.
The ‘Hold Me While You Wait’ singer recently announced his latest UK tour, and to no one’s surprise, it sold out within minutes, with extra dates added in each city.
Leave it to Greggs, one of the UK’s favourite savoury pick-me-up companies, and its new campaign with Capaldi, which offers lucky fans the chance to win tickets to one of these sold-out UK tour dates – How ‘Grace'(ful).
This new campaign, titled ‘Someone you look like?’ – inspired by the chart-topping anthem ‘Someone You Loved’ – encourages fans of the Scottish Beyoncé to dress up in an outrageous outfit inspired by one of Lewis’ many stylish looks.
Greggs and Lewis Capaldi are offering fans the chance to win tickets to his sellout tour across five of the bakery chain’s sites, including London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow and right here in Manchester.
The bond between Greggs and Capaldi isn’t new either, as the ‘Bruises’ penman worked a shift for the savoury suppliers back in 2019, having a blue plaque erected at this very Middlesbrough site professing his love for a tuna crunch butty.
This isn’t the only competition that UK bakery chain Greggs is currently running; it’s also teamed up with package holiday brand Jet2 to give away a holiday at the same price as their iconic sausage rolls.
Whilst you’re at it…
Greggs and Lewis Capaldi have 25 pairs of tickets to win per restaurant location and the nearest bakery spot running this promotion is theSalford site located at Media City, M50 2HF on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. All information can be found HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
11th June 2021 
