Whether you call it a ginnel, alley or a twitchell (you’d also be incorrect, on that one), it’s fair to say Manchester’s alleyways can leave us feeling a little uninspired.
But Trafford-based artist Lynda Sterling has been adding a splash of colour to these local pathways in recent weeks – brightening up Stretford’s ginnels as part of a community campaign.
An extension of OT creative SPACE’s art trail, the project encourages Trafford residents to get creative by bringing blank canvases to people’s doorsteps.
Mostly influenced by the local urban environment, Lynda’s work focusses on objects and spaces normally seen as unexciting or everyday, with the intention of highlighting their potential in a way where everybody can get involved.
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You may well have already spotted her chilled-out handy work on abandoned appliances dotted around the borough – including a display of emotional fridges.
The project, cleverly dubbed THE BACK gALLErY, can be found on Ayres Road in Stretford and is available for local children to virtually contribute on the first Saturday of every month.
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Their vision is to see a happy and cohesive community across the borough, creating spaces for residents young and old to harness their creativity in a familiar environment.
Over lockdown, the group initiated a socially distanced campaign, #staycreativeOT, with some particular highlights coming from their mood-boosting ‘Every Cloud’ movement, which saw participants brighten up Stretford’s streets with their three-word cloud art.
It’s certainly a unique way of brightening up a dingy ginnel!
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Fancy mixing up your lockdown routine next time you’re on your travels around Trafford?
You can stay up-to-date with the latest back gallery events online.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
The Manc -
16th February 2021 
