A legendary music venue that once hosted the likes of Tina Turner and Jimi Hendrix is set to reopen this summer.
New Century Hall was a thriving dance hall and events venue in the 1960s and 1970s but has been standing silently for the best part of a decade.
The venue, which is part of the NOMA neighbourhood in the city centre, is now set to be restored and reawakened in a £10m project.
Once complete, the reopened New Century will be a three-floor social hub home to an 800+ capacity live music venue, a large food hall, and a creative college.
New Century in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
The Grade II-listed building’s incredible heritage, like its sprung dance floor, 1960s ‘disco ceiling’ and vintage wood panelled walls, will all be preserved.
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In its heyday, New Century Hall hosted acts including The Bee Gees, The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, as well as famous club nights in the 1980s.
It’s set to become a busy events venue again, hosting emerging talent and global touring artists, as well as comedy, performance and conferences.
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Credit: Supplied
The ground floor, meanwhile, will become the 300-cover New Century Kitchen, with five independent food operators working alongside a more permanent pizza and coffee offering.
A central bar will serve local beers, wines and cocktails, with an entertainment space in the plans.
New Century Kitchen will also operate in the outside space at Sadler’s Yard.
The basement, meanwhile, will be home to Access Creative College, which counts Ed Sheeran as one of its alumni and a patron.
This will be the college’s third site in Manchester and will help people to kick-start careers in the creative industry.
Taking inspiration from the trailblazing spirit of the 1960s when the building was developed, New Century will celebrate the past to inspire an exciting new chapter – an everyday place for unforgettable experiences.
New Century is expected to reopen this summer.
Featured image: Supplied
Gigs & Nightlife
Oasis release trailer for Don’t Look Back In Anger documentary – watch it here
Daisy Jackson
A new trailer for the upcoming Oasis documentary, ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’, has been released today.
The highly anticipated documentary follows the iconic Manchester rock band as they reunited for a series of epic comeback gigs last summer.
The Gallagher brothers broke up the band 15 years prior to the Live ’25 shows, then returned in spectacular fashion for gigs including five sold-out nights at Heaton Park in Manchester.
The band were followed throughout their triumphant comeback tour by film crews, for the documentary film ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Fans will see never-before-seen snippets of rehearsal, backstage, and onstage, as well as the first joint interview with Liam and Noel in more than 20 years.
It will also explores the profound impact that the reunion had on fans, and chart the global phenomenon that was Oasis Live ’25.
One of the people behind the new documentary is Steven Knight, of Peaky Blinders fame.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger will be released in the UK on Wednesday 9 September and you can book tickets HERE.
Watch the full trailer for Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger below:
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
3rd February 2022 
