It’s now been just over a year since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit and the first national lockdown was announced.
A year since life as we once knew it was flipped on its head and everything changed.
When we take a reflective look back on this past year, while many of us will remember fond memories of our local communities and the nation as a whole coming together to support one another at a time when it truly was needed most, it’s still difficult not to acknowledge that it’s been a turbulent time for Greater Manchester.
The region has certainly faced its fair share of challenges.
Several national and local lockdowns, and a number of ongoing COVID-safe restrictions and social distancing measures, have meant that businesses have been forced to shut up shop, industries have temporarily closed down, and countless events have been postponed or cancelled.
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It’s also sadly meant that many Mancunians have spent a considerable amount of time apart from our brilliant city centre.
It’ll still likely be more time before mass-participation events are back, as well.
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But for everyone keen to get fit and active, have a bit of fun, raise some money, and most importantly, re-discover some of the city’s finest sights that we’ve not been able to see for so long, the We Love MCR Charity, one of Manchester’s most iconic charities, has the perfect solution – the Landmarks of Manchester 10K.
BIG NEWS!
Our exciting challenge starting 29th March – the 'Landmarks of Manchester' 10K! 🏃
Fall in love with our city all over again & raise money for our work ❤️
Now that the second phase of ‘Step One’ in the government’s roadmap to lifting England’s current national lockdown has been implemented from 29th March – with the ‘stay at home’ order lifted, along with the return of the ‘rule of six’ for outdoor meeting and the resuming of outdoor sporting activities among the measures introduced – people are permitted to travel into Manchester city centre for exercise, and the Landmarks of Manchester 10K is designed to not only help you get those steps in, but to also take you on a circular route past some of the places where Manchester’s history was written.
To put it simply, We Love MCR Charity wants to help Mancunians “fall in love with our city again”.
So, what are some of the landmarks you’ll be paying a visit to then?
Canal Street – In the heart of the vibrant Gay Village.
China Town – To visit the Chinese Arch.
Manchester’s iconic Central Library.
The Hacienda – A chance to see the historic site.
Rusholme’s “Curry Mile”
The Pankhurst Centre – Where the Pankhursts forged the campaign for votes for women.
The Rutherford Building – Where Ernest Rutherford first split the atom.
Manchester Technology Centre – Where Alan Turing helped to create the first programmable computer.
The Vimto Statue – Honouring the region’s beloved purple nectar.
While the Landmarks of Manchester 10K is all about simply getting involved, having fun and raising some money, for the competitive folk among us, there’s still a chance to earn some exciting prizes as there will also be a competition to crown the ‘Best Selfie or Video’ submitted by a participant while out completing the route, and the Lord Mayor of Manchester is set to review the entries and pick two which best capture the spirit of the event.
The winners will bag themselves either a £200 dining voucher to use on a selection of Manchester restaurants, or a £75 voucher for the for the legendary Rudy’s pizzeria.
So get creative and come up with the best ideas for your selfie entries.
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“Now is the perfect time to fall in love with our city again.” Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Tommy Judge, said.
“The Landmarks of Manchester 10K route will take you past some of the most significant places in our incredible history. We’re blessed with such diverse heritage and rich scientific breakthroughs and this 10K run will help us all to uncover and celebrate our history.
“Please take part as a walker or a runner, and please raise some sponsorship for We Love MCR Charity – a great charity which I’m proud to Chair”.
We Love MCR Charity
We Love MCR Charity
Fancy giving it a go then?
The Landmarks of Manchester 10K isn’t an officially measured and registered 10K course, and participants should only run or walk it either alone, with members of their own household / social bubble, or within the ‘rule of six’ guidelines, until restrictions on this change.
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Participants should always follow the current government guidelines on COVID-19 restrictions.
To enter the Landmarks of Manchester 10K, simply fill out the registration form here, or visit the We Love MCR Charity website for more information. After you’ve signed-up to the event, the charity will then send you a ‘Welcome Pack’, which includes an A3 colour map of the run, guidance on how to take part safely, and top tips for raising sponsorship.
The Landmarks of Manchester 10K is FREE to enter and is now open until 31st July 2021.
Today is the official 1st day of our Landmarks Of Manchester 10K! 🏅
Join the We Love MCR team as we warm up at the start point in @PiccadillyPlace! 🥵
All sponsorship raised from the Landmarks of Manchester 10K will go directly to supporting We Love MCR Charity’s two current grant programmes – the ‘Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund’, and the recently-relaunched ‘Stronger Communities Fund’ – which support local communities and ambitious young Mancunians to recover from the problems created by the pandemic.
We Love MCR Charity’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund has already awarded nearly £1 million to 312 voluntary groups and charities to support over 50,000 Mancunians.
This is your chance to help support even more.
Feature
Inside Tyga, as a Manchester favourite changes its stripes for a new era
Danny Jones
We recently had the pleasure of visiting Tyga, Manchester city centre’s latest Indian restaurant, which has taken the place of former local favourite, Asha’s.
The Peter Street spot had always been a great place for a curry and progressive takes on the nation’s staples, often pulling inspiration from the Rajasthan region, but now the unit is the start of a new chapter.
In truth, the food was always pretty damn good here – often truly great, even – as we found out the last time we reviewed it; however, it’s clear that there’s been a greater honing of the concept.
Put simply, Tyga is trying to elevate what the team already did so well, whilst adding an extra layer of fine-dining refinement.
@the.manc Peter Streets Indian spot Tyga, has had a serious glow-up, bringing a more refined, fine-dining take on Indian cuisine while keeping all the bold flavours at the heart of it. The 24-hour slow-simmered lamb shank is an absolute must, as is the butter chicken which just melts in your mouth. 😍 It’s not just about the food here though, with an extensive cocktail list that brings theatre to the table, they’re the perfect accompaniment to your table full of scran. It’s the perfect spot for date night, celebrations, or when you just want to seriously impress someone over dinner. 🍸 Get it booked. 📍 47 Peter Street, M2 3NG #themanc#tygamanchester#manchesterfoodie#manchestercurry#wheretoeatinmanchester♬ original sound – The Manc
You hear sentences like a ‘contemporary twist on cuisine’ and ‘modern approaches to classics’ recycled quite a lot, and we get it: it can be a great way to get across that you’re trying to push culinary tradition(s) forward, but it often feels a bit of a throwaway term that’s used far too much.
That being said, while there’s definitely a feeling of familiarity to this recently refreshed foodie lineup, this is one of the times and places where it actually seems like that phrase means something.
While the building and stunning venue itself might have stayed largely the same, bar some knick-knacks being swapped for a few different tiger-based decorations, the authentic clay-pot lamb, ‘Tyga’ prawns, salmon tikka, and Vepudu spiced stir fry show some real innovation.
A lot of these might be rooted in a kind of food we know very well here in Britain, but these latest iterations in recipes and experimentation with their components result in some very cool creations.
The ember wings were smoky and moorish in a way that we’ve not had in a restaurant like this before, and the lamb chops alone were worth ordering by the wheelbarrow full.
Small plates have also been thrown into the mix more seamlessly this time around, too, as have some of the Indo-Chinese options that feel less like a footnote now and, instead, like a continuation of the tweaking and trying out new things seen throughout the rest of the offerings.
Even the vegetarian/vegan section of the menu has been lifted in certain aspects, too, with previously popular dishes being brought back better and more beautifully presented than ever.
Before we forget, a special shout-out goes to those beetroot dill patties.
Speaking of presentation, although they might have simplified some stuff (such as the okra fries that simply need to be dumped on the table and be devoured in seconds by gannets like us), as mentioned, plenty of other bits have been levelled up.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that they’ve just been voted alongside some fellow standout spots by the Asian Catering Federation.
They’ve never shied away from a bit of pageantry, and nothing has changed in that respect.
Everything from the plating to even giving you a rotating water jug that revolves on a single point and never spills has a bit of flair, without being too much or straying into gimmicky territory.
Most importantly of all, whether you want a classy room for your next date night, somewhere intimate the next time you go out for tea with your partner, or still fancy a more banquet-style feast for you and your mates in the form of the updated ‘Maharaja’s Grand Platter’, Tyga can turn its paw to any occasion.
Inside Levenshulme Antiques Village, Manchester’s three-story treasure trove of vintage finds
Daisy Jackson
If you’re the sort of person who gets a real kick out of saying ‘Thanks, it’s vintage’, then you probably already know of Levenshulme Antiques Village. But if not, allow us to show you around a little.
This three-story hypermarket has been trading out of the former Levenshulme Town Hall for decades, filling the 127-year-old building with items potentially even older.
It’s a vast antiques centre where every twist in the maze reveals vintage furniture, collectibles, artwork and curiosities from every era imaginable.
The building itself still carries plenty of charm and history from the building’s past as the local council offices, and thankfully very little of its personality was stripped away in the process of transforming the building into the Levenshulme Antiques Village.
Today, visitors still climb the grand staircase beneath soaring ceilings and pass through hallways lined with original wall-to-wall ceramic tiles.
There’s free parking outside (which is good, because you’re likely to leave with a boot-full of treasure), and once inside, the scale of the place quickly becomes apparent.
Friendly traders fill the building, many of whom are more than happy to chat, share stories behind their stock, or guide visitors towards hidden gems tucked away in quieter rooms. And there are plenty of gems to uncover.
A room packed with mid-century furnitureLevenshulme Antiques Village is a treasure trove of vintage findsJust look at this lot…
From antique furniture and oil paintings to jewellery, records, ceramics and shelves overflowing with nicknacks, the village rewards slow wandering. One moment you might stumble across a beautifully carved temple door; the next, a collection of vintage signs or a perfectly preserved mid-century cabinet.
The top floor is perhaps the most striking space of all. Once a ballroom, the enormous room still retains a sense of grandeur, with high ceilings and huge windows flooding the space with natural light, but is now transformed into a densely packed emporium of antiques and collectibles.
Outside, the experience continues with artist workshops and creative studios, among them is craftsman Kip Kaboli, known for producing handcrafted Japanese knives and even hosting oyster events. It’s an unusual but fitting addition to a place that celebrates both heritage and craftsmanship.
Old ceramic tiles still line the hallwaysThe on-site tearoom at Levenshulme Antiques Village
Halfway through exploring, many visitors end up at the affordable tearoom on the first floor, serving comforting classics like salad sandwiches and afternoon teas.
What makes Levenshulme Antiques Village special is not simply the volume of antiques packed inside, but the atmosphere, the warm welcome from traders, and the weird and wonderful history of the place.
Emily Sergeant -
26th March 2021 
