Living on top of the city: How Manctopia’s Sarah Lomas sees Manchester differently from above
The BBC's 'Manctopia' documentary covered every kind of character and story in modern Manchester - but it was Sarah’s rise from below the poverty line up to a penthouse that struck the biggest chord.
Dazzled interior designer Sarah Whatmore is stood on top of Manchester, gawping at the city below her feet.
She’s been tasked with kitting out a luxury penthouse in West Tower – one of Britain’s tallest skyscrapers outside the big smoke – but the view is distracting her.
During a conversation with the building’s general manager, she gazes through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the concrete labyrinth wriggling away into the sunset.
The two women look out at Manchester and share a moment of silent awe.
“… great place to live,” Sarah eventually mutters, still in half a trance.
Even after days spent dedicated to this building, they’re still taken aback.
This scene plays out during BBC’s Manctopia – a property boom documentary that dedicates much of its final episode to teasing the arrival of a new penthouse owner in the Deansgate Square development.
For almost an hour, the episode keeps its cards close to its chest. All we’re told is that the new buyer is an international businesswoman who’d spent so much on fittings that the designers won’t even reveal the numbers on screen.
“Very expensive,” is all they’d give away.
Then, around the 50 minute-mark, the owner appears.
It turns out to be Sarah Lomas, a born-and-bred northerner who’d spent her early twenties just a few miles away in Denton – completely broke and living on inflatable furniture.
Now the CEO of global health brand REVIV, Sarah recites a truncated version of her rags-to-riches story in Manctopia, calling it an “incredible feeling” to be standing in the best apartment in Manchester after her upbringing on a council estate.
It’s only a forty-second cameo. But after the credits rolled, Sarah’s social media inbox was almost set ablaze.
More 3,000 messages poured in from viewers who wanted to know how she’d done it.
Manctopia covered every kind of character and story in modern Manchester – but it was Sarah’s rise from below the poverty line up to a penthouse that struck the biggest chord.
Nonetheless, Sarah isn’t convinced her tale is worth talking about too much.
“There’s not a really interesting story there,” Sarah tells The Manc.
“Other than the fact it was bloody hard work.”
In Sarah’s eyes, there’s a much bigger narrative in play here: The one that’s shaping Manchester’s future.
According to the REVIV owner, Manc still isn’t being taken seriously as it should – despite all these brand new glistening buildings bumping their heads against clouds.
Relentless urban development aside, Sarah believes that London still sees Manchester as being behind the pace.
But it’s not so much the wealth divide. Apparently, it’s the way we talk.
According to Sarah, there’s been no bigger hindrance to her corporate career than her northern twang.
“I was working as a single mum in a male-dominated environment, but the largest obstacle wasn’t being a parent or even a female – it was my northern accent,” she explains.
“To get further up the ladder, I was actually told to go for elocution lessons.”
Imagine that.
You’re a single mother with no qualifications. You sell all your furniture to pay your bills. You work night shifts to put food on the table. You spend years upskilling and studying in your spare time. You earn a long-term deal with one of the world’s biggest banks. You rapidly rise through the ranks and enjoy an enormously successful two decades in finance.
But then… you’re told that none of that really matters.
What’s really important is that you speak proper.
“In the end, I went to work in countries where my accent didn’t matter,” Sarah admits.
“I was the only British person in an international group; so nobody detected the Manc. They just thought I was from the UK.”
Whilst Sarah accepts the corporate scene has changed a lot since the nineties, she believes accent discrimination remains rife and is holding fellow businesspeople back as we speak.
“It still exists, 100%,” she asserts.
“I can see it’s still out there by the sheer volume of people coming to me.
“Most of the messages I get are from people feeling held back by their accent. And interestingly, about 65% of them are men.
“Perhaps you could say I took the easy way out – I left the country.
“But others are still having problems with it right now – and I think that’s something we need to address.”
Despite its archaic, prejudicial nature, accent discrimination did lead to Sarah opting to go her own way and build a company on her own terms.
It’s the business that ended up buying her the flat in West Tower: REVIV (a health organisation that offers intravenous (IV) vitamin hydration and wellness therapy).
The company’s global hub and flagship clinic is operating right here in Sarah’s hometown – with the service being rolled out to a staggering 41 countries around the world.
Big names like Hap Klopp – the founder of Northface – are on the company board, and the service has proven unsurprisingly popular with the cultural elite – from pro athletes to actors and actresses.
But what’s intriguing about REVIV is that services are also accessible for the everyman.
Product prices start at just £25 – and their IV Therapy has now been commissioned for public use for the very first time.
But most amazingly of all, REVIV can offer customers a personalised diet and supplement plan based on their own genetics that ensures the best possible levels of health; with an app in development that lets users scan an item and reveal how beneficial it is for their body.
Sarah says she wants to change ideas and understanding of wellbeing in Britain – whilst making these treatments – typically considered exotic – available for all.
“The reality is, everyone is different,” Sarah states.
“Coffee is good for some people, bad for others. A glass of red wine is beneficial for some, but can do real damage in some cases.
“It’s all down to the individual.
“There are millions of variables and you need to be able to understand your own blueprint to stay healthy.”
REVIV has also weighed in to provide support with COVID testing services since the pandemic took hold – and Sarah believes that the emergence of coronavirus has forced people to reevaluate the way they look at their own health.
“We’ve got work to do; but this situation [COVID] is a brilliant opportunity to make something positive out of negative,” she says.
“The World Health Organisation is starting to make this connection of nutrition being key to our ability to fight off viruses such as this.
“We’ve heard a lot about how people without underlying conditions are being even affected by the virus. But having no underlying conditions is very different to actually being healthy.”
Sarah’s in her West Tower penthouse when we talk – and as she scans the city from thirty flights above, she’s conflicted.
“Whichever side of this house you go to, you get an incredible view,” Sarah muses.
“I can see everything in the city. I find that quite inspiring.”
But something is eating away at her. An itch no skyline could scratch.
“I’m worried about Manchester,” Sarah admits.
“I’ve got concerns about the economics of the city. I’ve got concerns for small businesses that aren’t able to recover.
“I’m also aware that many people still aren’t recognising us for the city we truly are.
“I want to play my part in helping wherever I can.
“I want to work on that.”
Sarah has already inspired hundreds of Mancs and now runs a company that’s dedicated to creating a healthier city for tomorrow.
It’s safe to say that ‘work’ has already started.
Feature
The Manchester charity that’s championing the community one step at a time
There’s a Manchester-based charity which is helping uplift and champion communities throughout the city centre and wider Greater Manchester region.
Us Mancs certainly know a thing or two about community, whether it’s our influential music scene, football clubs, our hospitality scene and so on, but Forever Manchester takes this to the next level.
This charity has been consistently funding and supporting community initiatives throughout Greater Manchester by helping people achieve the extraordinary, all while maintaining plenty of local pride.
Forever Manchester was born from a mission to support the people and places that make Greater Manchester magic, and is all about making sure the community is at the forefront of everything they do.
Credit: Forever Manchester
The community-first charity has invested over £65 million into local communities and awarded £517,968 to over 100 different community groups.
This isn’t a new charity either, Forever Manchester has been deep in our city’s culture for quite some time since launching in 1989, most notably commissioning local poet Tony Walsh’s ‘This is the Place’.
The piece was originally published in 2012 before finding a very special place in our hearts back in 2017 when Walsh performed the poem at a vigil for the Manchester Arena attack.
This love letter to Manchester has not only gone on to become a part of the city’s history but also reaffirmed this organisation’s place throughout communities in the region.
Credit: Supplied
Now, the community-minded charity is ready to make a mark in 2025 with a whole host of initiatives, including a Forever Manchester lottery, pub quizzes, comedy nights and disco bingo.
Anyone looking to find out more information about this community-first charity and see some examples of the work it does can visit Forever Manchester’s official website.
Remember, this is a city that looks after its own – that’s the kind of energy we want to see you keeping up all year long.
And, if you have a soft spot for a tote bag or wall art prints, look no further than Forever Manchester’s shop, where every purchase directly contributes to community activities in Greater Manchester HERE.
Oasis are back and ahead of their sold out Heaton Park gigs, we’re showing you some of the band’s most iconic Manchester-based locations.
If you haven’t heard already, the Oasis reunion is well and truly in full swing, so what better way to celebrate than visiting some of the band’s most iconic locations in and around Manchester city centre.
Whether you want to visit the place where the boys sat together practicing their hits and eating ‘Digsy’s Dinner’, or feel ‘Supersonic’ as you stroll past their favourite football stadium, these locations should be on all Oasis fan’s radars.
Take it easy and ‘Roll With It’ as you admire an Oasis mosaic in Manchester’s Northern Quarter or ‘Go Let It Out’ as you fangirl before posing next to the actual fireplace from the Definitely Maybe album cover.
Enough time talking, now we’ve got to figure out ‘The Masterplan’ to fitting a visit to each of these iconic Oasis locations all in one day… ‘Stand by Me’ we’ve got some ground to cover.
Iconic Oasis locations around Manchester city centre
Oasis are set to play five historic sold out nights at Heaton Park in Manchester this July.
Etihad Stadium
Both Liam and Noel Gallagher have been Manchester City supporters since day one / Credit: The Manc Group
If there’s one thing Manchester loves as much as its music – it’s football, and these two Burnage boys are no different, because they’ve been showing up for a familiar blue team since day one.
Located and right next to Manchester’s newest live entertainment venue Co-op Live, why not pay the Manchester music landmark a visit too.
Where to find: Etihad Stadium, Etihad Campus, Manchester M11 3FF
India House
Noel lived in a flat at India House from 1989 to 1993 / Credit: The Manc Group
Just off Oxford Street you’ll find a very impressive Edwardian-style building with a big gold plaque outside labelled ‘India House’ – it’s even more impressive when you learn that Noel Gallagher had a flat here.
Legend has it the Gallagher brother came up with lots of the Britpop band’s most legendary hits including ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ here. Oh to be a fly on the wall when Noel wrote ‘Live Forever’.
He loved this city centre flat so much that he decided to pose outside it in 2023 for a student-led photography project titled ‘Greater Mancunians’.
Where to find: India House, 73 Whitworth Street, Manchester, M1 6LG.
This place needs no introduction as the second you even speak the word ‘Hacienda‘ the yellow and black striped poles, spotlights and cigarette smoke hit you like a brick.
Besides being one of Manchester’s most famed nightclubs thanks to the help of performances from The Smiths, New Order, Oasis and even pop royalty Madonna.
Unfortunately, this piece of Manchester’s music history was demolished in 2002 but its legacy lives on with the film 24 Hour Party People Where one scene was filmed on a rooftop in Rochdale – now The Hacienda Apartments stand in its place.
Where to find: The Hacienda Apartments, 21 Albion St, Manchester M1 5DA
The Boardwalk Nightclub
Oasis played their first gig at The Boardwalk on 14 August 1991 / Credit: The Manc Group
The Boardwalk was once a thriving nightclub and entertainment venue that welcomed the likes of The Charlatans, Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and of course the venue where Oasis played their first gig.
The basement of this popular live music venue was once a rehearsal space for some of Manchester’s most recognisable names including James and Simply Red.
From the 90s until its closure just before the Millennium, The Boardwalk became a cultural hub for all things indie rave scoring itself a blue plaque as a ‘Madchester Venue Nightclub and Rehearsal Rooms’.
Where to find: 21 Little Peter St, Manchester M15 4PS
The next place isn’t just an iconic Oasis location, it’s also one of the most important as it’s where the band came to fruition.
This terraced property is the childhood home of founding Oasis member and guitarist, Paul Arthurs, more often known by his nickname ‘Bonehead’.
The West Didsbury house is also a part of global music history with the band shooting the artwork for their 1994 debut studio album Definitely Maybe, now one of the most recognisable Britpop covers ever.
Where to find: 8 Stratford Avenue, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2LH
Fog Lane Park
The Didsbury green space has a very special place in the Oasis brothers’ hearts after being an outdoor area they used to play football at growing up.
Eagle-eyed Oasis fans will be able to recognise particular shots from the band’s ‘Shakermaker’ music video which features Fog Lane Park and Burton Road.
This park is also not too far from Sifter’s Records, another notable Manc spot for the band, which also sits pretty on, you guessed it, Fog Lane.
Where to find: 139 Fog Ln, Parkville Rd, Park, Manchester M20 4UP
This musical instrument superstore near both Manchester universities has been a trusted trader for all artists and acts since 1955.
Oasis pay homage to the blue-and-yellow-signed music shop in their The Masterplan video which sees the matchstick figures of the band woven into Lowry paintings with an Oasis twist.
Roadhouse himself was known as Manchester’s Mr Music so it’s only fitting that Manchester’s biggest musical export added this shop in this animated music video.
Where to find: 123 Oxford Rd, All Saints, Manchester M1 7DU
New Islington Marina may have been completed after the boys stopped making and releasing music but it sure knows its musical history.
This canal side spot has attracted many due to its modern charm but it’s also drawn in an Oasis fan or two who have spotted a hidden message under the marina’s footbridge.
Underneath this raised walkway, Oasis fans have spotted that the title to their 1995 track ‘Cast No Shadow’ reflects in the water below, now isn’t that just ‘Supersonic’.
Where to find: New Islington Marina Prom, Manchester M4 6BX
If you know your Manchester lore then you know this record shop we’re talking about here – Sifters in Burnage is well known for being mentioned in Shakermaker by Oasis.
‘Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just sixteen..’
Walking through the doors is like stepping through a time machine and you’re transported back to an era when physical media was still appreciated and music came on round pieces of plastic.
Microdot Boutique
Microdot on King Street is run by Brian Cannon, the designer behind iconic artwork for Oasis and The Verve (Richard Ashcroft is supporting them at their Manchester gigs), plus loads more.
It’s packed with original prints, rare memorabilia, and design history you’ll recognise instantly, such as the actual fireplace from the ‘Definitely Maybe’ cover, kindly on loan from Bonehead himself.
From the original Oasis logo to some of the most iconic sleeves of the 90s, this store is a proper slice of UK music culture – whether you’re just having a nosey or looking to take something home.
Definitely Maybe bar (and mosaic)
Everywhere in Manchester has been pretty lively ahead of the reunion shows – but it’s really going to go off at Definitely Maybe, a new Oasis-inspired bar beneath Afflecks in the Northern Quarter.
There’s a menu of cocktail inspired by the Burnage brothers, loads of memorabilia and photography from the band’s illustrious career, and even a pair of Liam’s Tommy Hilfiger underwear pegged up alongside a variety of awards, posters and vintage memorabilia of the Manchester music pioneers.
A new mosaic by Mark Kennedy has also just been unveiled on the side of Afflecks just outside.
Oasis Live ’25 wall art
Now this, is a Wonderwall.
The Coach and Horses pub in Whitefield, which has found itself on the doorstep of the Oasis reunion shows in Heaton Park, unveiled a new mural last year dedicated to the Gallaghers.
Painted by Snow Graffiti Scott, it replicates that first photo we had of the boys together for the first time in 16 years.
adidas shop
adidas made a return to Manchester city centre in spectacular style last month, launching back onto Market Street with a huge store packed with sportswear and streetwear.
And they’re honouring The Band with the Three Stripes too, with an entire section dedicated to the Oasis x adidas collection.
The limited-edition 26-piece drop brings together classic 90s silhouettes with a fresh twist including bucket hats, Firebird tracksuits, jerseys and more. So if you’re heading to Heaton Park this month, you know where to head to.