HideOut Youth Zone: How a club for young people is breathing new life into a Manchester neighbourhood
When the beautiful HideOut building was completed on Queens Road in early 2020, it looked and felt like an oasis in a deeply troubled area. But one year later, there’s evidence that its good vibes are rippling beyond the centre’s four walls into the wider community.
“It’s notorious here. There have been a lot of high-profile incidents over the years.”
Adam Farricker is gazing out onto Gorton Park from the refuge of a sports cage; pointing towards the green space in the distance.
“Violence, drugs, assault… stuff like that. It’s all happened.
“But since we’ve been here, numbers of reports have actually gone right down.”
The fact that Gorton Park is a statistically safer space nowadays is no coincidence. It’s because it has a rather impressive new neighbour: HideOut Youth Zone.
When the beautiful HideOut building was completed on Queens Road in early 2020, it looked and felt like an oasis in a deeply troubled area. But one year later, there’s evidence that its good vibes are rippling beyond the centre’s four walls into the wider community.
Crime in the region has dipped since HideOut opened its doors – and local pride probably has a lot to do with it.
“We’ve not done anything – I think people just see there’s something important here, now,” Adam clarifies.
Fellow HideOut worker Joe Amos chimes in.
“The kids have already got ideas of how to improve the park, whether it’s painting the play area or planting trees,” he explains
“It all comes back to bringing the community together. That’s what we do here.”
Connecting people is what youth centres have always been about, of course – giving local kids something to do outside of school and tightening bonds in the area.
But traditionally, there’s never been much resource allocated to achieve these aims. Most youth centres are run on shoestrings – with kids paying a quid to play ping-pong on scuffed tables in stuffy community halls or kick a tattered football against the wall outside.
HideOut, however, isn’t so much a step-up from these old-fashioned youth centres but rather a rocket launch into a new realm.
The £6.6 million venue in Gorton – one of 14 HideOut locations nationwide – is jaw-droppingly impressive; home to a dozen doors behind each of which lies its own mini world.
Rooms include a fully-equipped gym, music room, recording suite, dance studio, training kitchen, arts and crafts space, health and wellbeing centre, chillout room, hair salon, brainstorming area, and a specially-allocated table for a ‘brew and a chat’.
A colossal indoor climbing centre scales the back wall, with a gigantic four-court sports hall in one corner and a 3G all-weather pitch in the other.
Games tables deck out the bottom floor, with televisions, consoles and a cafe in the periphery.
There’s even a patch round the back where kids plant their own veg and use it for cooking later; learning about environmental sustainability in the process.
The cost of accessing all this? 50p per visit, or – if you really want to push the boat out – £5 per year.
The sheer scale and calibre of HideOut would turn heads in any community. But in one of Greater Manchester’s most underprivileged neighborhoods, it’s a stunning standout.
Adam explains: “Gorton and the surrounding neighbourhoods such as Longsight and Ardwick are some of the most deprived areas in the UK, with disproportionately higher rates of child poverty than the rest of the country.
“This puts local young people here at a significant disadvantage in terms of life chances in comparison to their peers growing up in more affluent areas.
“Having access to universal youth services and the chance to build relationships with a trusted adult is critically important for young people to be able to have the opportunity to raise their aspirations and develop themselves personally and socially.”
HideOut’s completion was naturally big news.
The magnificent venue piqued curiosity – both locally and from afar.
COVID-19 struck just as HideOut was due to launch, delaying the official opening ceremony by six months until September 2020. And, unsurprisingly, running a youth centre during a lockdown has come with more than a few caveats.
As Adam and Joe prepare to show off the second floor of the sprawling facility, one of the kids bursts through the door behind us and attempts to scamper upstairs.
Joe gently raises a palm.
“Not yet, mate,” he tells him.
“Few more minutes.”
The kid nods knowingly and disappears behind the doors again.
Whilst HideOut has been permitted to stay open during lockdown, it has to follow rules and regulations to keep people safe – like closing off certain areas at particular times.
Groups attend the Youth Zone in ‘bubbles’, with limitations on the number of people allowed in one part of the building.
Attendance limits will be lifted steadily along with restrictions in the coming weeks and months.
One of the biggest challenges for the likes of Adam and Joe has been assessing and mitigating this ongoing risk.
The other big hurdle is finding new ways to keep the centre firing on all cylinders.
HideOut is funded by patrons and private companies – all of whom contribute to running costs which topple £1.35 million per year.
“We have been able to remain open 7 days per week providing group support work, one-to-one support, welfare calls food provisions and street-based outreach,” Adam explains.
“But another critical challenge for us is securing the ongoing revenue funding needed to sustain our critical services now and post-COVID.
“We are committed to that but need all of Manchester’s support across the private and public sectors to keep this going.
“We are extremely grateful to our patrons and supporters that have committed financial support to our cause at this early stage but we still have some way to go to reach our target.”
For local businesses, HideOut is a cause worth supporting.
The Youth Zone has given young people a platform to raise their aspirations and realise their full potential like never before – levelling the playing field and offering access to opportunities children never would have ever had otherwise.
In some instances, it’s even diverted young people away from lives of crime.
But most importantly of all, it’s provided a safe, secure space for young people who are struggling.
Hundreds of thousands have tragically died during the pandemic – with older groups and people with underlying health conditions considered most at risk. But other people who might be considered ‘perfectly healthy’ caught COVID months ago and are still reeling.
Ultimately, the long-term effects of the virus are still poorly understood. But what Adam and Joe know for sure, however, is that the pandemic has severely impacted young people.
Children have shown a capability to fight off the infection rather quickly, meaning the COVID conversation surrounding kids and teenagers has largely revolved around disruption to their school work and education.
But according to Adam and Joe, the past year has hurt youngsters far more than many realise.
The duo said that kids are fearing for their parents and grandparents’ lives, and that this – combined with the absence of structure and face-to-face education – has taken its toll mentally.
“I am concerned the impact on young people’s lives will be felt for years to come,” Adam admits.
“They have been socially isolated from wider family and peer networks, unable to attend schools or socialise.
“Young people have fed back to us that during this period they have felt lonely, more anxious, depressed and overall, less positive about their emotional health and wellbeing.
“Those from disadvantaged backgrounds have also had to navigate issues of food poverty and inactivity.”
Interest in the Youth Centre has been big overall. But a bit of recruitment was also required early on.
To drum up interest and assure the young members of the community there was a safe space nearby, Adam and Joe patrolled the Gorton streets and introduced themselves to youngsters skulking around local shops and parks.
With little else to do in lockdown but loiter, the Youth Zone took on a refreshing new appeal – with something as simple as internet access encouraging teens to give the facility a try.
“All the kids have got phones, but they can’t pay the contracts,” Adam explains.
“That’s why you see them sitting in doorways and leaning into windows of GP surgeries just to try and pick up on Wi-Fi.”
The lure of HideOut is its incredible facilities. But what keeps the kids coming back is the fact they feel respected whenever they visit.
“We’re not teachers, we’re not social workers,” Joe explains.
“We simply give these people the information to make informed decisions.”
At the Youth Zone, kids are treated like adults – and it’s paying off.
According to staff, the children who visit regularly have improved their confidence, self-esteem, communication skills and experienced a stronger sense of connection to their local community.
“Young Mancunians are proud, passionate, creative, intelligent and resilient,” swells Adam.
“They have so much talent but unfortunately some just don’t have an equal opportunity to reach their potential due to multiple disadvantages.
“[The centre] empowers a generation of young people to improve their own life chances, to be confident and ambitions in their plans for a successful future – creating pathways for young people into sustainable employment.
“The services we provide and the young people themselves will create a sense of pride that the whole City of Manchester can recognise and get behind.”
From the moment it launched, HideOut has aimed to provide young Mancs with “somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to.”
Never has that mission statement sounded more important than it does today.
Learn more about the HideOut Youth Zone in Gorton by visiting the official website.
Staff are always happy to answer any questions. You can contact HideOut online.
HideOut Youth Zone currently have a family of Founder Patrons that offer support for up to 4 years through ideas, introductions, time, financial grants and partnering opportunities. HideOut still needs Founder Patrons to meet its annual income targets this year and would welcome anyone interested in getting involved to contact [email protected].
Current supporters include Godel Technologies, Bruntwood, BeautyWorks, The JD Foundation, Lendlease, Open Money, Theo Paphitis Retail Group, Beyond Corporate, This is Manchester Awards, AO World and GCA Altium.
Feature
Kendal Calling toasts 20 years of unforgettable memories with Audio North’s best visit yet
Danny Jones
Kendal Calling 2025 was always going to be special: it was yet another sellout edition of a live music and cultural celebration that impresses every year, shifting its ticket capacity in record time.
Even after two decades of success, genuinely getting ‘bigger and better’ each time, the local event that started off as a cult favourite for roughly 900 people somehow remains one of the most underappreciated festivals not just in the North but in the country.
To be honest, there were so many factors that went into making this our best visit to Kendal Calling to date, but we thought we’d rattle off some of them in our review of 2025’s 20th anniversary year, in what was a truly momentous milestone weekend.
Here are just a few.
Kendal Calling 2025 review
The sun shines down on Lowther Deer Park
For starters, 2025 was comfortably the best weather we’ve ever had at Kendal Calling, as the rays beamed down on the valley pretty much all weekend long.
In fact, the only bit of rain we had came overnight/in the early morning during the final 24 hours, and while there was a bit of showering later that night, we got to enjoy the bulk of the daytime making the most of dry ground – by which we mean jumping up and down every chance we got.
As much as there’s something very romantic about the inevitable wet and muddiness of a UK music festival, this particular tree-encased corner of Penrith is just so pretty set against pure sunlight and clear blue skies. Just gorgeous.
The next big plus may come down to bias, but it gave us a buzz nevertheless. Cue Friday night’s headliners:
It’ll surprise none of you to hear that the Greater Manchester music scene was flying its big festival flag high, wide and handsome at Kendal’s 20th anniversary.
Tell me something I don’t know, right?
From youngsters The Guest List, and fellow indie up-and-comers like M60, to now established main stage stars like The Lottery Winners and, oh, you know, a little-known band called The Courteeners, we had plenty of top-tier representation this time around.
This is not to say that we haven’t in the past, by the way. Everyone knows how prolific and influential our city is when it comes to the arts, in general; nevertheless, it felt like this year, extra eyes were on us.
We’d be fools not to surmise that some of this may have been down to Oasis fever still firmly gripping the nation by the neck with both hands (a sea of their adidas merch was certainly a tip-off), but seeing acts we’ve featured in our artists of the month to look out for felt affirming.
Another thing we can never get over is just how much fun we have after the headliners walk off around 11pm…
Beyond the nine stages located around the sprawling festival site, there are so many little nooks and crannies we are still finding three years in, such as a cosy tea tent with cushion seating and low lamplight, the new ‘Green Room’, which serves as a little taste of VIP, and tonnes more.
The best part about all these bits is that they usually get better the longer the night goes on, and as we found from our two nights dancing until 3am to the silent disco over at the Woodlands stage amidst a trail of fairy lights and flashing headphones, Kendal has endless stamina.
Even on the walk back from the technicolour forest full of ravers, those warming their hands by open fires, or simply lying back and gazing up at the stars in the night sky, you’ll see the big Ferris wheel still spinning, food traders slinging out late-night scran, and people still dancing.
As for some of the names that really impressed us this year, Keo, Sports Team and The Big Moon were up there for some of our favourite sets of the weekend, but we have to say that Sheffield’s very own Reverend and the Makers were truly brilliant.
We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Jon McClure and co. live on a number of occasions over the course of our lifetimes, and while they’ve never quite been as massive as we feel they should be, Kendal Calling 2025 proved they deserve not just main stage but headline slots.
Barring arguably Fatboy Slim on Saturday night, they got the biggest energy and movement of the crowd we’d seen since we got there – and it came as no surprise, either, as the case was very much the same last time.
They acknowledged themselves that they’re having a bit of a ‘Rev-naissance’ and we couldn’t think of a more deserving group of musicians.
Honestly, at this point, we’d say we were getting tired of trying to convince people to give Kendal Calling a go if they haven’t before, but we’re not sure we’ll ever be able to put into words a review that’s fitting enough of how much we adore this festival.
Happy birthday to one of the best. Thanks again for having us back, and here’s to 20 unbelievable years.
As ever, we cannot wait until we’re back on the fields again soon.
The top 13 biggest gigs in Manchester music history
Thomas Melia
When you think of Manchester one of the first things that comes to mind obviously after ‘best city in the world’ is one word: ‘music’.
Our capital of the North West has birthed some of the world’s greatest singers of all time and welcomed some of the planet’s biggest stars.
Manchester has many live music venues to host impressive gigs including stadiums, arenas, parks and a wide variety of performance spaces.
The real reason these artists keep coming back is because of you, everyone who shows up and shows out to every single tour and performance happening in our culturally rich city.
Although not 2008, here is Kylie in all her grandeur at AO Arena in 2014 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
With a tour titled ‘KylieX2008’, the Aussie sensation made our heads spin around in 2008 as she graced the AO Arena for six nights of pop perfection from 11 July to 18 July.
Minogue has a special connection to Manchester and this arena specifically, performing here over 30 times to a total of 400,000 people.
Taylor Swift performing on the B-Stage at Etihad Stadium in 2018 / Credit: The Manc Group
‘Baby let the games begin!’ Swift opened her ‘Reputation Stadium Tour’ in 2018 while standing behind a backdrop of snakes, scales and reptile-like patterns.
The legendary pop star commanded the stage even walking through the crowd to greet fans with smiles and high fives, making sure to get up close and personal even in a venue this grand.
‘Tay-Tay’s last visit to the North West saw her playing three nights of her monumental ‘The Eras Tour’ just a stone’s throw away at Anfield Stadium and who knows, maybe once the Etihad renovation is complete, she might be keen to make another appearance.
11. Oasis: 80,000 – Maine Road (1996)
In signature Liam style, the tambourine is in hand and ready to accompany both the brother’s vocals.In signature Liam style, the tambourine is in hand and ready to accompany both the brother’s vocals / Credit:Wikimedia Commons
The Burnage boys were always destined to be on this list in one way or another due to their incredible impact in pushing Manchester music and bands to the mainstream.
Singing hits from their well-known music catalogue, Oasis attracted 80,000 to Manchester City’s former ground in the mid-90s.
Unlike the tour taking place in 2025, tickets for this gig would’ve only set you back £17.50, you’d have been silly not to grab yourself one!
10. Drake: 94,000 – Co-op Live (2025)
Drake played four non-consecutive gigs at Co-op Live with roars from the crowd each night/ Credit: The Come Up Show (via Flickr)
Canadian rap heavyweight Drake played four huge Co-op Live dates as recent as last week and with two more on the way, with four nights of smash hits
Also referred to as Champagne Papi, the hip-hop artist has played out four impressive nights at Co-op Live on a similarly impressive 360 stage which sees Drake getting up close and personal with fans.
His 2025 visit to the music capital of the North marks his largest scale gig to date and saw him sharing the bill with fellow Canadian performer PartyNextDoor.
9. Billie Eilish – 94,000 – Co-op Live (2025)
Global superstar Billie Eilish had the crowd hooked all four nights at Co-op Live / Credit: Lars Crommelnick via Wikimedia Commons
Bedroom-pop sensation turned global megastarBillie Eilish has visited Manchester three times through her rise to stardom with her most recent being at Co-op Live.
The American singer-songwriter played four non-consecutive nights of her current ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ tour, where she commanded 23,500 fans.
Eilish has a soft spot for Manchester as she debuted her single ‘TV’ at AO Arena in 2022 and brought out her brother and fellow musician Finneas as a special guest at her most recent city centre dates.
8. Harry Styles: 99,526 – Old Trafford Cricket Ground (2022)
The former One Direction star Harry Styles spent two nights in June spreading the love with his mega ‘Love On Tour’ and the feeling was definitely mutual.
On 15 and 16 June the ‘Watermelon Sugar’ singer had nearly 100,000 devotees in the palm of his hand as he belted out some of his best solo numbers.
The Cheshire-born superstar even paused his show to find his primary school teacher who he’d been informed was in the crowd, thanking her for all her help and hard work while he was in education. Adorable.
7. Foo Fighters: 100,000 – Old Trafford Cricket Ground (2024)
The Washington-formed band put on two impressive nights where Mancs witnessed ‘music royalty’ on their ‘Everything or Nothing at All Tour’ in June.
As well as ‘The Pretender’ hitmakers, the sold-out shows were spoilt with not one but four support acts split across the two dates, including Wet Leg.
On 13 June the rock champions even previewed an unreleased track ‘Unconditional’ for the first time, adding it to the setlist for the 15 June show too!
Foo Fighters played out to 100,000 people at Old Trafford Cricket Ground / Credit: The Manc Group / Publicity Picture (Supplied)
6. Spice Girls: 150,955 – Etihad Stadium (2019)
Etihad Stadium and Spice Girls spiced up our lives three times in 2019 with three non-consecutive performances from 29 May to 1 June.
This tour was missing one key ingredient, ‘Posh Spice’, who missed out on this string of shows for the first time in her career.
In addition to these four fierce ladies, another UK household act Jess Glynne joined them on the bill as a support act. The girls were met with raptures as they made their entrance to Manchester after 11 years since their last visit.
Just look at those iconic fits! Spice Girls performing at Wembley Stadium on the same tour that visited Manchester / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
In 2023 they brought their Music Of The Spheres world tour to Manchester from 31 May to 4 June for four nights of dazzling lights, wowed fans and of course incredible live arrangements.
Altogether, these shows brought together almost 200,000 attendees who had the opportunity to get involved with the show’s production themselves by cycling electric bikes and kinetic dancefloor which both helped power the stage.
The Coldplay lads in all their glory.An awe-inspiring crowd lighting up the already phenomenal Etihad Stadium.Coldplay performed four nights at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium in 2023 / Credit: Wikicommons / The Manc Group
4. Ed Sheeran: 218,639 – Etihad Stadium (2022)
Starting his musical career just over the hill busking in Hebden Bridge before becoming one of the UK’s most prominent and successful artists of all time.
In 2022, the ‘Galway Girl’ singer took to Manchester City‘s awesome stadium to play hits from his full discography titled ‘The Mathematics Tour’ in honour of his equation-themed album titles.
The one-man, one-guitar show attracted almost 55,000 people across four nights who watched the singing red-head belt out his bangers on a 360 circular stage.
Ed Sheeran at V Festival in 2014, already a star in his own right / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
3. The Stone Roses: 225,000 – Heaton Park (2012)
The Manchester rock pioneers played a three-night hometown residency as part of their reunion tour following a 17-year concert hiatus.
Fans came in abundance to pack out to Heaton Park, a notorious music-hosting site which has hosted a plethora of acts as well as this formidable band.
Spanning from 29 June to 1 July, The Stone Roses played to a whopping 75,000 fans every night across the three sold-out Manchester shows at Heaton Park in 2012.
The Stone Roses performing at Fuji Rock Festival in 2012, the same year as their Heaton Park residency / Credit: Wikicommons Media
2. Oasis – 400,000 – Heaton Park (2025)
This year has seen some cracking live music events but none will ever be as monumental as the five nights the two Burnage boys and their troupe hosted this summer.
Liam and Noel Gallagher decided to get the band back together for a series of groundbreaking shows titled ‘Oasis Live ’25’.
Each night drew in 80,000 avid bucket-hat wearing Oasis fans and the support acts were just as legendary with The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft and Liverpool lads Cast helping make history.
Oasis was one of the biggest dates in Manchester’s music calendar ever/ Credit: The Manc Group
In 2011, ‘The Flood’ boys put on a remarkable eight nights for nearly half a million lucky Mancs from 3 June till 12 June, making for a summer everyone could ‘Never Forget’.
However, they weren’t the only boyband gracing the Manchester City stadium as dance duo Pet Shop Boys supported them on their ‘Progress Live’ tour across the UK.
A fan-captured moment of Take That reunited amidst their eight show run at Etihad Stadium in Manchester/ Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Honourable mention:
One Love Manchester, 55,000 – Old Trafford Cricket Ground (2017)
Even though this event may not be topping the attendance records, this concert was a special and remarkable moment in Manchester’s history.
Fronted by Ariana Grande, just two weeks after the Manchester Arena attack, Old Trafford Cricket Ground saw a multitude of artists coming together to celebrate the importance of music while paying respect to those affected by the events in the month prior.
BBC reported the ‘One Love Manchester’ live show had 14.5 million viewers at its peak with an average of 10.9 million worldwide and this benefit concert has since raised more than £10 million for the ‘We Love Manchester Emergency Fund’.
The Manc -
29th March 2021 
