Fallowfield and Withington have long been known as Manchester’s student heartland – but things are always changing in these vibrant suburbs and they make a great day out for anyone.
From community projects that have turned blank walls into artwork and empty fields into giant veg patches, to hip new bars and underground nightclubs, there’s loads going on.
You can never walk through this part of town without stumbling upon some scene of madness or some sort of creative pop-up.
In our next instalment of A Manc’s Guide to: we dig a bit deeper into these brilliant little suburbs just south of the city centre.
Food and drink
Image: Kyotoya
Kyotoya – Famed for its mixed sushi platter, which comes served inside a pretty wooden boat, Kyotoya has been feeding Withington’s students and locals for well over a decade. Reasonably priced, find a range of sushi and sashimi, starters and stir-fried dishes on offer.
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Fuzion – Another longstanding student favourite, as the name suggests the dishes here are all about fusion. This popular noodle bar sits just opposite Sainsbury’s and has been serving up a variety of Pan Asian dishes since 2003.
Tzatziki’s – This family-run business in the heart of student land is credited with getting more undergrads through their degrees than any other local eatery. The gyros are legendary, but you’ll also find a variety of dishes from Greece, with some wider Mediterranean inspiration. Prices start from £4.30.
Fuel – Something of a Withington high street institution, Fuel was cooking up vegan dishes long before anyone thought it was cool. Its quirky interiors make it worth a visit alone, and upstairs you’ll often find live music going on in the evening. Basically, it’s a whole vibe.
Aladdin’s – This Lebanese / Middle Eastern gem is one of Manchester’s oldest restaurants, dating back to 1988. It’s also bring your own booze, with a conveniently-located corner shop across the road. The chicken kebab is a popular order, but we love its fresh salads, fluffy pittas and homemade baba ganoush.
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The Victoria – On any given night, you’ll find locals and students rubbing shoulders inside this traditional boozer. A keg of Old Rosie behind the bar is deemed so strong that it’s only served it in halves, and out the back, there’s a nice little suntrap beer garden (for warmer days). The Vic’s pool table and karaoke nights also deserve an honourable mention, oh and you can generally catch live sport here too.
Southside Tequila Joint – Formerly known as Solomon’s, this little neighbourhood bar has long been the local of one of Manchester’s biggest bar operators. Then, in May 2020, he went and bought into it, turning it into a taco and tequila joint. Happy hour runs from 9-11pm, if you’re watching the pennies.
Herbivorous – A vegan diner specialising in comfort food classics, all the booze behind the bar is also vegan – something that’s harder to find than it sounds. The Big Kahuna Burger (a nod to Tarantino) is a favourite, but the menu also boasts a list of loaded fries, sandwiches and housemade sauces.
Image: Fuel Cafe Bar
Image: Herbivorous
Allen’s Fried Chicken – Every drunken night out needs a fittingly greasy takeaway at its end, and Fallowfield is well-equipped. However, not all late-night takeaways are created equally. Allen’s certainly hits the spot, with buckets, burgers and popcorn pieces galore.
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Michael’s English Cafe – No muss, no fuss, this is the place to come for a greasy fry up the morning after the night before. This family-run cafe is open throughout the day, and you’ll also find paninis, cold sandwiches and freshly-made sandwiches on the menu.
Cafe Blah – Part coffee shop, part bar, part art gallery, this cute little neighbourhood joint also hosts film screenings using a projector that beams onto its back wall and pop-up vintage clothes sales. Well worth a look-in.
The Orion Pub – A Joseph Holt boozer with a good range of ales on tap, this rough and ready pub can be found just on the edge of Withington estate, en route to Burton Road – just before you head into full-blown West Didsbury territory.
Image: Haus Fallowfield
Image: Fuel Cafe Bar
Haus – Said to serve some of the best pizza in Fallowfield, dough here is proved for over 30 hours before being fired up in the oven. Pizza is served from 4pm until late, and Haus also has a decent brunch menu that runs from 10am until 3.30pm every day.
The Friendship Inn – Another solid boozer with a huge amount of outside space, this is the place to be in the summer when you want to sit outside, day drink, and just catch some rays. The beer is pretty reasonable, and there are loads of big screens showing the football if that’s your sort of thing.
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Coffee Lab – Describing itself as the ‘first and only Greek franchise 3rd Wave Coffee in Manchester”, this coffee shop can be relied on for a sugar and caffeine pick-me-up, thanks to its decent barista-made brews and array of sweet treats.
Almost Famous – This dirty burger joint started a revolution in Manchester when it first opened behind an unmarked office door in the office quarter. Ten years later, it’s still going as strong as ever – with its winning fries, house-made sauces, and flaming Molotov cocktails all proving hits with locals.
Shopping
Fallow Garms
When it comes to Manchester’s student heartland, it’s all about the cheap, cheerful, and pre-loved.
Vintage fashion is king around Fallowfield and you’ll fairly regularly stumble across pop-up sales where you can buy kilos of clothing for a few quid.
Fallow Garms is the best in the business, at one point operating out of Haus but now mostly relegated to the online resale haven that is Depop.
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There have also been vintage sales at 256 Wilmslow Road where everything costs less than £20 (so cheaper than a night out, really).
Crossing over into Withington and you’ll find independent gems like Mockingbirds, selling a gorgeous range of women’s clothing (it is print HEAVEN), homewares and gifts.
A Curious Collection is another jewel, which despite moving out of its proper retail space in Withington has continued to thrive.
Now you’ll have to aggressively stalk their Instagram to work out which markets and pop-up events you’ll find their curated collections of art, homeware, accessories and more.
Just recently, Alphaville Emporium threw open its doors above Cafe Blah.
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It’s an independent record store and book shop with seriously sleek mid-century vibes.
Eco-conscious Withington locals will love Lentils and Lather, an eco-friendly and ethical superstore where you can take your own tupperware to fill up with bulk foods and cleaning products.
There’s also fresh bread, ethically-sourced coffee, chocolate, and loads more supplies from local independent makers and manufacturers, all plastic-free and sustainable.
Then, of course, there’s the mighty Platt Fields Market Garden, a phenomenal community project which regularly hosts markets where you can buy plants, food and other handmade items.
You’ll find Manchester Urban Diggers (or MUD) based here too, facilitating all sorts of gorgeous home-grown veggies.
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Nightlife and hotels
Credit: Southside Tequila Joint
One of Greater Manchester’s most successful operators runs a bar out of Withington, so you know you’re in safe hands after dark.
Southside Tequila Joint comes from the same team behind Crazy Pedro’s, Bunny Jackson’s Juke Joint, and Lost Cat, and it’s got a real penchant for tacos and tequila (can relate).
Open until 1am and with a wall full of tequilas, it also knocks out a two-for-one happy hour between 9pm and 11pm – you’ll never want to leave.
Housed in a former church building, 256 Wilsmlow Road is a party venue with a big roster of live events, as well as themed club nights throughout the week.
You can dance into the early hours at the venue’s House Party nights, noughties nights, and at Society Wednesdays, with discount prices on pints, cider, soft drinks, cocktails, bottled beer and shots.
Still going strong is XLR in Withington, where the club nights run allllll week long and the vibes are immaculate.
This tardis of a nightlife hub is a student favourite which gives a platform to up-and-coming DJs – you can see what’s coming up and book tickets here.
Withington Public Hall Institute underwent something of a transformation in recent years, and is now a community hub with pizza, pints, and various creative spaces.
It hosts a load of public and private events, and has just recently tested the waters with some live music.
It all started with Repeater, a new music all-dayer that ran through into the early hours – but we can imagine there’s plenty more to come.
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Culture
Platt Hall. Credit: Instagram, mag_platthall
When most people think of Fallowfield culture, they might think of Owen’s Park, where the culture revolves around student parties and drinking games.
But there’s a bit more to it than the University of Manchester’s biggest student halls lets on.
As is usual with Greater Manchester’s suburbs, you can find a bit more green space and outdoor activities to enjoy around Fallowfield and Withington.
There’s Platt Fields Park, a huge expanse of green with a five-a-side football pitch, tennis courts, BMX track, a lake and boathouse and skatepark.
You can hop on your bike (or scooter, or rollerblades, or just your feet) and travel around the Fallowfield Loop cycleway, which will whisk you all the way to Chorlton along a tree-lined, traffic-free route.
Even walking around the area’s more built-up and urban spots is a feast for the eyes, thanks to the arts project Withington Walls.
Boring old shutters, plain walls, and even electricity boxes have been painted by local artists and turned the streets in Withington into one giant, free, outdoor art gallery.
Locals rave about Withington Baths, and for good reason – this charming Edwardian swimming pool with a full gym and loads of fitness classes is a gem.
Platt Hall has stood on a corner of Platt Fields Park for more than 250 years, and until recent years was Manchester’s costume museum.
Now, it’s going through a transitional phase and goes by Platt Hall Inbetween – while it’s closed to the public most of the time, there are open days where you can come and explore its historic interior.
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Transport
The trams haven’t made it out this way yet, but why would you need them when Fallowfield sits at one end of the bus-laden artery that is Oxford Road.
It’s also one of the more cycle-friendly neighbourhoods around Greater Manchester, perfect for reliable, environmentally friendly and cheap travel around town.
For Withington, it’s just a short walk from Burton Road Tram Stop.
Property
Most of the housing market around Fallowfield is terraced housing, and it’s not all stuffed with student pads.
The average price of a terrace house around here over the last year was £217,857, while semi-detached homes tend to sell for around £306,801.
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In Withington, the average property price is a little more expensive – you’re looking at an average price of £327,805 over the last year.
Here, it’s mostly flats that are sold, for around £230,928, while semi-detached properties bump the average up with a usual price around £384,626.
Featured image: Akse P19 / Track Brewing Co
Feature
A Manc’s guide to: Altrincham, officially one of the best places to live in the UK
Daisy Jackson
In 2020, Altrincham was named the best place to live in the entire UK – and it hasn’t exactly slowed down since then, so we’ve put together this handy guide to help you discover the town.
This leafy suburb way south of Manchester city centre, teetering on the border into Cheshire, is famed for a lot of things.
It’s the home of Altrincham Market, which paved the way for the town’s regeneration and inspired countless similar enterprises across the country.
There’s a lot of development currently underway in the Stamford Quarter too, which has welcomed some much-loved Manc indies into the fold in the last year.
We here at The Manc have already delivered you a pretty comprehensive guide to Prestwich, from its restaurant scene to its green spaces.
So for our next instalment of A Manc’s Guide to we’re heading south, to beautiful Altrincham, a town that’s putting itself on the map for all the right reasons.
Shopping
The covered market at Altrincham MarketTasty Records in AltrinchamIdahoA Manc’s guide to shopping in Altrincham
Altrincham town centre has always been centred around retail, but its shopping scene has really ramped up in recent years, as this guide proves.
There is, of course, Altrincham Market, where traders selling everything from fruit and veg to homewares prop up the stalls.
Bang opposite the market, you can’t miss Idaho, a lifestyle shop that practically sucks you in with its windows stuffed with vases, hanging plants, candles, cushions, socks, and all the other lovely lifestyle goods. It’s opened a second store at Stanley Square, too.
There are more plants and pottery, plus gifts and lifestyle bits, down the road at Green + Grounded.
A Manc’s Guide to Altrincham – So Marrakech
So Marrakech is a lovely spot for a coffee and a cake, but also has shelves stuffed with beautiful homewares, from cushions to crockery.
Music-lovers shouldn’t miss Tasty Records, where you’ll find all sorts of rare vinyls.
And when it comes to clothing, Madam Butterfly’s boutique sells all the summery, bright clothing that will make you finally pack your big coat away for the season.
There are a few bigger names that have moved in in the last year too, including affordable Scandi homeware store Sostrene Grene, and the first-ever LookFantastic concept store filled with cult and classic beauty brands.
Food and drink
Hive StoresPapa Dutch
Hive Stores – Part antiques store, part wine bar, part cafe, Hive Stores is a stunning little Parisian-style cafe that’s worth the short walk down from the town centre. Espresso martinis, cheese boards, fresh cakes and shelves of provisions are all on display here.
Papa Dutch – Specialising in Dutch favourites like mini pancakes and stroopwaffel, for a sweet treat in Altrincham you have to stop by Papa Dutch.
Yum Cha – This much-loved Hong Kong eatery has just recently opened its first restaurant in Altrincham, serving steaming baskets of dim sum (including their signature traffic light dumplings), gigantic bowls of noodles and rice dishes, and delicious Chinese roast meats.
Rudy’s – One of Greater Manchester’s fastest-growing hospitality enterprises, of course, didn’t wait too long before venturing out to Altrincham with its Neapolitan-style pizzas. Their spot just opposite Altrincham Market might be one of the best-looking Rudy’s in the country.
Unagi – Hand-rolled sushi, pan-Asian street food, and delicious Japanese cocktails are all on the menu at Unagi’s futuristic Altrincham restaurant, where bar-tops glow and there’s a huge vaulted ceiling.
UnagiRudy’s
Rigatoni’s – The original home of Sugo Pasta Kitchen in 2015, which rebranded to Rigatoni’s, this is where you’ll find their Puglian pasta dishes and jugs of wine, including their signature House Sugo pasta – beef shin, pork shoulder and n’duja ragu.
The Good Catch – For top-notch fish and chips, it’s got to be the award-winning, family-run chippy The Good Catch. Found opposite the famous Altrincham Football Club, you can get Hollands pies and salt and pepper squid alongside go-to Friday favourites.
Batch Bottle Store and Deli – As well as coming here to fill up your growlers and buy some natural wine to take home, you can also dine in (or out on the terrace) with mega sandwiches, Sunday roasts, and deli platters all on the menu here.
Altrincham Market House – An indoor food hall from the same team behind Mackie Mayor and Macclesfield Picturedrome, Altrincham’s Market House is home to traders like Little Window, Pico’s Tacos, Tender Cow, and Honest Crust. One of the first successful attempts of the multi-trader format to launch in Greater Manchester, it’s up there with the region’s best.
Blanchflower – Altrincham bakery and kitchen selling 3-day sourdough loaves, pastries, brunch dishes and bowls.
Tre Ciccio – Another Southern Italian kitchen specialising in Campagna staples like pizza Napoletana and roasted chicken with potatoes. A beautiful outdoor terrace allows for al fresco dining in the summer, with wood-burning fires keeping you cosy through the winter months.
Libero – A cute craft beer bar with a penchant for football and a striking mural by Manchester artist Caroline Dowsett, it’s not unusual to see punters donning vintage football shirts in here. Libero was only meant to be a two-week pop-up, but six years later it’s still going strong.
Toast – As the name suggests, the whole menu revolves around putting things on toast. You can have toast for breakfast and toast for lunch. That said, you’ll also find the likes of cakes and cheesecakes here – both minus toast.
Nightlife and hotels
The historic hamlet of Goose Green has become a bit of a destination in its own right, with a clutch of bars and restaurants to while away your evening in.
There’s cocktail bar the Gin Can (open until 1am at the weekends) and Traders Tiki Bar, which serves all sorts of tropical delights until the small hours.
If you need somewhere to stay overnight, there are the usual big chain budget hotels, but also some top-notch Airbnb options to get your own space.
There are a couple of rentals on the beautiful The Downs (like this Victorian house).
This huge property on Manchester Road has been turned into some very stylish apartments too.
Culture
Altrincham MarketWalking along the canals at Dunham Massey
Altrincham is far enough out of Manchester city centre that it feels very much like its own town, with its own identity and proper heart.
When it comes to culture, that encompasses everything from its luxurious boutique cinema, the Everyman (where you watch films with a cocktail, on a sofa), to its near proximity to the beauty of Dunham Massey.
There are events on at the National Trust property throughout the year, the most popular of which is arguably its magical Christmas lights display.
Altrincham has its own theatre, in the Garrick Playhouse, which has a bill of film screenings, family-friendly entertainment and up-and-coming theatre talent.
The Vegetarian Society has a cookery school here too, where you can get stuck in learn some new kitchen skills.
The most recent addition has been The Bowdon Rooms, which opened in 2021 with a line-up of talent that included Sir Lenny Henry, Shaun Ryder, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
Property
Houses in Altrincham are, on average, some of the priciest in Greater Manchester – but they have been dropping slightly in the last couple of years.
The average property price over the last year has been £541,726, the majority of which were semi-detached.
There are some seriously stunning homes dotted around though.
Transport
It might be right on the end of it, but Altrincham is handily connected to Manchester city centre on the Metrolink tram line.
It also has its own train station, with Northern Line services running to both Chester and Manchester Piccadilly.
There are loads of buses serving the area too, and you’re never far from the M56, which will whisk you away to Cheshire and beyond.
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | December 2024
Danny Jones
And here we are: it’s officially time for the final round-up of Manchester bands and artists for 2024 and what a year it’s been for tunage.
We started this feature back in January and each month we’ve given you five different acts, be they big, small, unsigned or unsung, new on the scene or veterans that deserve more attention.
Fast forward to December and now we’re ready for our last batch of suggestions for new music from around Greater Manchester that you may or may not have heard yet.
The question is, are you ready? Let’s give it one last spin around the turntables.
New Manchester music you should check out to start the new year
1. Morgan Seatree
Speaking of turntables, it seems only fitting to start with a Manchester-based DJ Morgan Seatree, whose tunes have already queued up at a fair few tunes ready for our New Year’s Eve playlist. Born and bred in 0161, not only has he smashed the likes of The Warehouse Project but his sound is already going global.
His inspirations include Kerri Chandler, Paul Woolford, Disclosure, Larry Heard and more, and his catchy brand of mixes has already attracted attention from other big names in the electronic scene, including Patrick Topping, Folamour, Jamie Jones and more.
Music made for nothing but dancing and good times, his ear for easily recognisable hooks and infectious beats means you’ll only be hearing more of his as time goes on. Our picks to start with include ‘Hit It!’, ‘Good Life’ and his ‘Say My Name’ remix. He’s also responsible for this iconic clip from a Fallowfield flat:
The kind of vibes we're after this #NewYearsEve. 🙌😅
Next up to bat are the truly brilliant Dirty Laces who have been going for a few years now but we still think are criminally underrated on the Manc music scene. Not only do they blend a great mix of American rock and roll influences with 90s and 2000s UK roots, but their latest work looks to be a real evolution.
There have always been proto-punk elements to their sound and wonderful guitar solos, as well as what we would liken to Led Zeppelin, Queens of the Stone Age, Shed Seven, and even hints of Velvet Revolver on tracks like ‘These Days’ – imagine ‘Slither’ mixed with She Builds Quick Machines’.
However, it feels like we’re starting to hear them pulling in a slightly new direction and trying new things; there’s no better example of this than their recent singles, ‘Quiet Space’ and ‘If I Go’, which we’ve had on repeat for a few weeks now. ‘Seeker’, ‘Midnight Mile’ and ‘Old Friend’ are where we’d start though.
Third on our list is the immense throwback that is a young man called Elliot James Reay: the 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Bury but with a sound harkening back to the end of America’s ‘Golden Age’, where pop rolled into rock and vice versa.
Taking inspiration from the likes of Elvis Presley and deep obsessions with Roy Orbison, not only in terms of the music but look and overall style, this up-and-coming solo artist feels like he was born in the wrong era but will happily keep the fight alive with the help of vintage jackets, slicked-back hair and a guitar.
He’s only got a small handful of tunes so far, so it won’t feel too overwhelming to get through his discography either but you can also enjoy a selection of his old world covers including tracks by Orbison, Elvis, Paul Anka and more.
A Manchester artist with a straight out of the American South.
4. Florentenes
Number four of December 2024 is Florentenes from Bolton – well, Westhoughton to be more specific; are they named after the old tea room and bakery in the centre? We couldn’t possibly say, all we know is they’re very a talented group of young lads helping put the town’s music scene on the map.
Their debut EP 14:17 dropped back in November and there’s already a very clear stylistic idea in their heads even at such a young age. Melancholy nonchalant vocals that burst into shrieks and rip-roaring guitars are reminiscent of The Stokes, The Hives, Palaye Royale and even Frank Carter at times, but there are also early Arctic Monkeys drumming as well pacey Surf Curse-esque guitar riffs. There is a lot of different stuff going on, basically.
Again, they’ve only five tunes to get through just yet so this would be a great time to latch onto them before they inevitably start gaining more momentum next year. You don’t write build-ups, breakouts and literal screams like the one lead vocalist Will Smith (not that one) delivers in ‘Glue’ and not go anywhere. Watch this space.
And our last pick of the year goes to local lads Bayboards who are another local outfit that we’re getting very excited about going in 2025, for a couple of reasons. Let us explain…
Maybe it’s just how we process music or some weird serendipity, but we happened to discover these guys not long after hearing the news of Sundara Karma calling it a day and, fortunately for anyone who has been a fan of them, you’ll get a lot of that vibe from this quartet and plenty more range too.
You’ll get notes of Circa Waves and Vistas, as well as plenty of other contemporary British indie bands, not to mention some more shoegazey moments at least in those distorted guitar tones. We’re excited to see where they go next and if it’s anything like ‘Push Against The Blue’, ‘Moving to America’ or ‘Fire and Air’ we’ll be there every step of the way.
One of the most exciting new artists coming out of Manchester at the minute.
And for the last time this year, that really is all she wrote.
We sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed coming along with us on the voyage of discovery and have genuinely cottoned on to new bands and artists from Greater Manchester that you’d never heard of before and perhaps familiarised yourself with a kind of music you never thought you’d enjoy up until now.
It goes without saying that this sort of stuff – discovering and championing local, up-and-coming bands – is the lifeblood of Audio North and genuinely keeps us going all year round.
You best believe we’ll be back with more in 2025 (so long as you’ll have us) and until then, we urge you to go back through previous months and above all else, happy listening!
Georgina Pellant -
20th October 2022 
