There’s no shortage of shopping centres in Greater Manchester.
Each of the town centres in the 10 boroughs has at least one to their name, most likely more, and multiple still remain in the city centre itself, with Manchester Arndale being the third largest city centre shopping mall in Europe and attracting around 41 million visitors annually, and then of course the Trafford Centre – the UK’s third largest shopping mall – is known to welcome visitors through its doors from all over the world, not just the region.
When you grow up with or become accustomed to the scale of retail facilities, such as the latter two named, on your doorstep, it can be easy to forget what came before.
But these powerhouse shopping centres could still be considered relatively new in the grand scheme of things.
The Trafford Centre may have changed the face of 21st century retail in the region, but it only opened to the public in 1998, and although the Arndale has been around for a little longer, it’s still only 46 years old, with its doors having flung open in 1975, so where did the city’s shoppers head to before the mid-70s?
Shopping arcades.
And one of those shopping arcades was the popular Lancaster Avenue Arcade.
Manchester Libraries
While shopping at a huge complex, or the rows of high street names dotted around and the high-end stores at New Cathedral Street leading to Selfridges, is now the norm, people in the city centre once got their retail therapy fix under glass-ceiled passageways.
These glass-ceiled passageways were built in the Victorian era, and were known as arcades.
They housed small and mostly independent shops in tiers, with balconies looking over the main shop floor and walk-through, and at the time of construction and in the height of their popularity, they were seen as symbols of modernity, with their innovative architectural design ushering in a new age of retail.
At one point, in just Manchester city centre alone, there were five shopping arcades for visitors to choose from, but as you have probably predicted, they were lost to the urban developments that followed.
Lancaster Avenue Arcade was one of the centres to eventually meet its fate.
The arcade was situated across the way from Manchester Victoria Railway Station, between Todd Street and Fennel Street.
The classically-structured arcade was once a hidden gem, comprising of three tiered rows of shops, which included Olwen’s Stamp and Coin Centre, B.&M. Baker raincoat and casual wear manufacturers, Jim Murray trouser makers, along with Irwin Bros manufacturing jewellers and bullion dealers, to name just a few.
And while it served its purpose for the people of the city at the time, it eventually began to see customer numbers and footfall drop, leading to its permanent closure and demolition in the mid-70s.
Luft, M. / Manchester Libraries
Nowadays, the National Football Museum in the Urbis Building stands in its place.
If the name Lancaster Avenue isn’t particularly ringing any bells for you though, that might be because you’re more familiar with its nickname.
While the arcade has now long been demolished and is considered to be a thing of the past by many, the abandoned cellars and tunnels that run underneath the city still remain, and have become a particular point of interest for so-called urban explorers. In this case, Beneath New Cathedral Street – which is now home to the Harvey Nichols department store – are cellars and passages that date back centuries, including one that served as a skittles gallery and shooting range, which then later became a cheese store.
This is why Lancaster Avenue was dubbed ‘Cheese Alley’ by locals.
If you make your way through Manchester city centre today though, only one of these Victorian-era shopping arcades still stands – Barton Arcade, which is tucked away adjoining St Ann’s Square and Deansgate.
It houses a number of independent retailers and food outlets on the ground floor level, with the upper tiers being the base for several offices and businesses, but most-importantly though, it serves the purpose of representing the shopping arcade culture that once was.
Gone, but never forgotten.
Feature
You can sleep in a luxury train carriage at an old railway station in Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s an Airbnb listing in Delph where you can stay in a classic converted train carriage, and it’s even situated in an old train station, so someone buy my ticket ASAP.
Get ready to have the best train experience of your life, as the only cancellation you have to worry about is booking the day off work.
The Carriage at The Old Station is a two-person character property in Delph, Saddleworth that offers you the chance to live out your vintage fantasy by stepping back in time on a luxury static train coach.
It may be situated at an old station, but the interior is refreshing and light with mint blue beams, fuchsia cushions and a royal red carpet and curtains.
As well as a majestic interior, this carriage has an equally impressive amount of amenities, including a Bluetooth sound system, board games and its own indoor fireplace.
This Airbnb is fairly new too, with only 44 reviews to its name – the first only dating back to September of last year; don’t say we don’t find you some absolute gems.
Inside the Airbnb that’s an old converted train carriage.The interior of this Airbnb listing is bold and impressive.
One user even stated, “We regularly stay in five-star locations and this surpassed five-star easily! We highly recommend a stay here.”
While another opened her review with three simple adjectives that we also feel perfectly sum up this train carriage property perfectly: “Opulent, indulgent, extravagant”.
It should come as no surprise that this place is beautiful inside and out, as in the description, host of the property Nigel states he’s a retired designer.
The train carriage stay is also close to a proper country pub, The Old Bell Inn, as well as the Diggle canal walk if you fancy a stroll and a pint before tucking into bed in your old train carriage for the night.
Even the bathroom has pops of colour throughout.You could stay in this train carriage at an old train station.
If you’re after boarding The Carriage at The Old Station and having a fabulous overnight stay or mini holiday of your own, you can find the Airbnb listing and everything you need to know HERE.
Review | Dua Lipa had Anfield levitating on her first night in Liverpool
Thomas Melia
British-Albanian performer and prolific pop star Dua Lipa is halfway through her first-ever international stadium tour, and it’s nothing shy of a spectacle – night one in Liverpool living, breathing, levitating proof.
To say I wasn’t singing more than half of this setlist verbatim would be a lie; the setlist for Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour is stacked with hits upon mega hits.
Her commanding single ‘Training Season’ kicks things off and besides getting the whole stadium hyped up, it sets the tone for the night ahead, one Dua has full control of, and also features a firework or two.
Within 15 minutes of stepping onto the stage, the unofficial anthem of Anfield’s resident football club and recently re-crowned Premier League champions, Liverpool FC, was played.
Dua Lipa performing ‘Physical’ at Anfield Stadium.Smiles all round at the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour in Liverpool.Credit: Audio North
In fact, ‘One Kiss’ was met with an unmatched electric energy that she ended up playing it again later on, because why the hell not?
This isn’t just a song: it’s a beast. When you’re playing a song that’s spent eight weeks at No.1, has 2.5 billion streams and at an arena with a legacy like Anfield‘s, there was simply no way these fans were going to be tame.
Similarly, partway through the second act, Lipa had the audience wrapped around her fingers once more as she played the dance-inducing smash ‘Levitating’. In that moment, we were all her “sugarboos.”
This was a proper crowd-pleasing moment. To be honest, they all were.
As we strut our stuff into the third act, we’re met with another dancefloor filler, ‘Physical’, fans were ready and waiting to chant “let’s get physical” with the superstar.
The fourth act, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. Ms. Lipa took some time to show her love to some of the album’s deeper cuts; I greatly appreciated being able to belt out “How looong?” as she played ‘Falling Forever.’
She finished this segment with the song that started it all, one she’s never forgotten to play since bursting onto the music scene back in 2015: ‘Be The One.’
Dua Lipa and Dave McCabe (The Zutons) performing ‘Valerie’.The superstar taking pictures with fans at Anfield.Liverpool is in for a treat if the second Dua Lipa show is even half as good as night one at Anfield.
Dua, let us tell you something, you’ll always be the one.
The encore felt like the epitome of all things Dua Lipa. It’s like when you hear that one ABBA megamix that has you shouting, “Oh, I know this one… and I know this one too!”
And rightly so, with a back-to-back, four-song medley spanning from ‘New Rules’ and ‘Dance the Night’, to ‘Don’t Start Now’ and ‘Houdini’. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
— DANIEL is calling..☎️💜 (@daniel__SG) June 24, 2025
After this medley, night one of the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour was over, but we and the fans were certainly left feeling radically optimistic.
Come on, how can you not be when the timeless classic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ by Whitney Houston is soundtracking your concert exit?
I have one last question for anyone who hasn’t splashed the cash for one of her shows yet… if you’re not watching Dua Lipa live, then ‘Whatcha Doing’?
Lipa had the crowd well and truly in her fingertips.Dua gave quite the performance in Merseyside.An increasing master of not just pop songs but stagecraft too. (Credit: Audio North)
Emily Sergeant -
18th February 2021 
