It’s pretty rare to see classic VW camper vans on the road – and you almost never see them as beautiful as this one.
Everyone, meet Edith, a 1976 Volkswagen T2 Camper. She’s orange, she’s cosy, she drives beautifully, and she’s ready to whisk you off on a blissful British weekend.
Edith has been lovingly and carefully restored by Happier Campers over in Oldham, where you can also rent her camper van pals Beryl, Bert and Ernie.
And while she’s small, she’s certainly mighty.
Inside, and included when you rent her out, you’ll find an expertly-fitted kitchen (complete with gas hob, sink and fridge, plus all your equipment), a comfy fold-out double bed plus another in the roof space, an on-board water supply, USB charging points, Bluetooth speakers, outdoor furniture and loads more.
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The attention to detail that’s gone into her restoration is remarkable. See that metal pole acting as a vase for some orange flowers? It’s actually a table leg, which you can screw into different parts of the van so you always have an extra surface.
That backwards-facing seat? Yeah, it’s also a kitchen cupboard.
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The rechargeable lantern? Also a Bluetooth speaker.
Sometimes the easiest way to switch off from your real life is to strip it right back – no WiFi, no screens, no takeaway drivers in sight – and Edith has just the right amount of creature comforts to allow you to do that in comfort.
Camper van Edith comes with outdoor furniture in your rental. Credit: The Manc GroupInside Edith, the classic VW camper van you can rent from Oldham. Credit: The Manc GroupBacon butty and champagne breakfast outside Edith. Credit: The Manc Group
Edith – who recently starred in Blossoms’ music video for What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry – turns heads everywhere she goes with her sunny orange exterior, and ended up being the talk of the campsite when we took her away to the Peak District for a weekend.
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A couple of days with Edith goes a bit like this…
You collect her from Happier Campers and have an induction into how everything works, from the gearbox to the pop-up rooftop.
Then it’s off to your chosen campsite to get all set up, cracking open a cold beer from the fridge or popping the kettle on as soon as you park up.
As night falls, switch on the fairy lights, cook yourself dinner, and get cosy either with a book or whatever films you’ve remembered to download, before unfolding the double bed and tucking in for the night.
Now let me tell you, the joy of sliding open your bedroom door to see a vista of mist creeping over rolling hills and sheep pottering about is unparalleled.
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The Pack Horse in Hayfield. Credit: The Manc GroupDinner at the Pack Horse in Hayfield. Credit: The Manc GroupKinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc GroupCosy paradise inside Edith. Credit: The Manc GroupCosy paradise inside Edith. Credit: The Manc Group
And it only gets better when you start frying up some bacon and having a glass of champagne (don’t judge me) with that same view.
From the Hayfield Campsite, you’re perfectly positioned for a stroll up Kinder Scout or, if you want something gentler but equally as beautiful, around Kinder Reservoir.
The entire Peak District is on your doorstep – there are plenty of walks and routes plotted out by the team at the campsite so you don’t even need to plan far ahead, and there’s a pub just up the hill where you can reward yourself with a pint at the end.
Also on the doorstep is one of the UK’s best gastropubs, The Pack Horse, where you’re welcomed into a proper country pub space with a brilliant, seasonal menu and a resident dog (Lola will stare you out if she catches a whiff of cheese on your table).
The whole camping experience – even having to go for a walk to the toilet block every time you need a wee – feels completely magical, and makes you realise that you don’t have to travel a million miles to feel a million miles from Manchester.
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Views from Edith as you sail through the Peak District. Credit: The Manc GroupHappier Campers in Oldham. Credit: The Manc GroupDriving the classic VW camper van. Credit: The Manc Group
She has quirks, as all classic vehicles do, like a gearbox that will only go from first to second if you ask it very nicely, windscreen wipers that are even totally off or enthusiastically on, and a side door that insists on being slammed full-force, fellow sleeping campers be damned.
But all of that adds to her charm, and the longer you spend getting to know Edith the more this little van rewards you.
And one of the best bits about a weekend with Edith is the unbridled freedom she brings. Imagine just getting bored of driving so pulling up by a reservoir for a cup of tea and an episode of Netflix?
Or opening your bedroom door in the morning to see an ever-changing landscape of countryside?
This right here is retro, British holiday heaven.
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Find out more about how to rent camper van Edith or any of the other Happier Campers vans HERE.
30 years ago, the IRA detonated a 1,500kg lorry bomb on Corporation Street in the heart of Manchester – here’s the story
Georgina Pellant
Today marks three whole decades since an explosion from the inside of a lorry parked on Corporation Street shattered windows and destroyed buildings across the city centre.
Causing an evisceration that stretched for miles, when the 1,500 kilogram IRA bomb went off in 1996, it was the biggest detonation in Great Britain since the Second World War.
Following the explosion, the city fell silent – leaving rack, rubble and ruin in its wake. Famously, one red post box was left standing – today fitted with a memorial plaque in remembrance of the tragedy.
It seems scary to think that back then, most people could only stand there, watch on and worry.
The bomb caused an estimated £700 million worth of damage to Manchester’s infrastructure and economy, and over a quarter of a century later, locals still tell the stories of where they were when it went off – and of the devastation it left behind.
Notably, one resident of the Cromford Court maisonettes on top of the Arndale – a 77-year-old RAF veteran suffering from the flu – didn’t even bother to get up when the telephone warning to evacuate hit, considering himself to have survived much worse feats during his time in military service.
Having been a rear gunner in a Lancaster in the war, he reportedly told police and authorities “he was buggered if he was going to let a small bomb affect him.”
In subsequent years, Danny O’Neill has become a part of an urban legend surrounding the bomb as his staggering story has been told time and time again.
Around 90 minutes prior to the detonation, the Provisional Irish Republican Army had telephoned in warnings – meaning that around 75,000 people were able to be evacuated from the area before the bomb went off from the back of a van.
However, the bomb squad were unable to defuse it in time, leading to over 200 injuries from people still left in the area.
Thankfully, despite those injuries, there were no fatalities, and many of those reported traumas came from the shattering of thousands of windows and other damage to buildings in which unsuspecting people were getting on with their days.
Several buildings near the explosion were damaged beyond repair and had to be demolished, while many more were closed for months for structural repairs, and this prompted the biggest regeneration of Manchester city centre ever – something that is still continuing to this day, arguably at a more rapid rate than ever.
The city lay dormant for days after the explosion, as people came to terms with what had happened and kept their distance. Many moved out of the centre for a period of time, while many more simply decided not to visit for fear of another incident.
It was a desolate place, eerily quiet, and in need of some serious TLC.
According to Home Office statistics, an estimated 400 businesses within half a mile (0.8 km) of the 1996 blast were affected, 40% of which did not recover.
Credit: Manchester Libraries
Market Street – near the explosion and at that time the second-busiest shopping street in the UK – was considered by some a “fearful” place, and one that was to be “avoided like the plague”.
The prospect of pulling Manchester’s bustling city centre out of its darkest depression was not casually approached by those in charge.
It was acknowledged as a mammoth task from the get-go, but Greater Manchester has never let anything get in its way. Despite how steep the hill is that we’re standing at the base of, we always manage to reach the peak, ready to go again.
Gig review | Lola Young’s Manchester comeback – A joyous return to stage at the O2 Apollo Manchester
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
The excitement in the air is palpable in the O2 Apollo Manchester, the crowd is itching for her to make her way onto stage and is chanting her name – Manchester has missed you, Lola Young.
After an extended hiatus since she collapsed at the All Things Go festival in New York last September, Lola is back on a short tour to find her feet again. Whilst Manchester isn’t officially the first show, it is the headline performance for her comeback.
Lola’s break had come at a pivotal moment, with her third studio album, I’m Only F***ing Myself (2025), earning huge acclaim, performances across the globe, and endorsements from the likes of Elton John for her talent.
After cancelling all of her shows ‘for the foreseeable future’, Lola asked fans for their forgiveness, writing in an emotional statement: “I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger.”
Tough to handle for anyone, let alone a young rising artist.
It was clear to everyone that her hard work on herself had paid off, as this was a different Lola Young from the one I saw at Glastonbury last year: there was a calmness to her – she seemed more centred and more confident.
That calmness, however, did not mean a lacklustre performance: she is still a powerhouse; her stage presence is just magnetic, and it is clear to see how loved she is by her fans. The energy in the room didn’t falter the entire time she was on stage.
She kicked things off with ‘Sad Sob Story’, a song about moving on from a toxic relationship, which seemed fitting as she steps away from the drama and difficulties of last year into a fresh start. A wall-shaking opening number that set the scene for what was to follow with the rest of the show.
As part of her healing journey, Young stated that she has decided to write something special and specific for each show to tell herself if she’s worried or doubting her ability.
She shared her Manchester mantra with us: “When you are connected, when you express what you feel is true to you, when you open yourself up and share your very unique experience, remember you are electric… Those who want to listen will lean in, no matter your volume.”
Although she was clearly introspecting, she was also speaking to her audience, her fans, and expressing gratitude for them still being there. Shouts of support echoed out through the venue, her fans truly loving and supporting her as they have since day one, perhaps more so than ever.
Her performances of songs like ‘Big Brown Eyes’, ‘Not Like That Anymore’ and ‘Conceited’, showed just how much fun Lola was having on stage, being back and being surrounded by people who truly loved her.
At times, the crowd were singing along so loudly and passionately that she laughed and told the audience, “I can’t even hear myself in my own ears.” She had to occasionally take moments to step back and take it all in, seemingly overwhelmed with joy at the outpouring of love being reflected back to her.
Her band were also a stand-out, sharing in her energy and passion. It is clear that Young and her band could easily fill huge arenas with their talent and fervour, but this more intimate venue just seemed correct.
Lola continued to prove throughout the night why she was so deserving of her BRIT Award for ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’, and her Grammy nominations for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Pop Solo Performance’.
Her vocal talent, emotional depth and electric stage presence were showcased in songs like ‘why do i feel better when i hurt you?’, ‘Post Sex Clarity’ and the incredible ‘You Noticed’, showing an extremely vulnerable side to her that had many audience members tearing up.
We saw all sides of Young during this show, with her iconic songs ‘One Thing’, ‘d£aler’ and ‘Messy’ practically blasting the roof off of the O2 Apollo Manchester.
The fans could hardly contain themselves, screaming the lyrics back at her – it was truly a night to remember for everyone.
With another night in Manchester due to popular demand, Lola promised to be back soon. Could it be a bigger tour, bigger venues, new music?
Who knows, but for now we’re just glad to see her healthy and have her back in our lives again.
Daisy Jackson -
26th October 2024 
