The people's voice of Greater Manchester
  • The Latest
  • What’s On
    • Things To Do
    • Christmas
    • Gigs & Nightlife
    • Theatre
    • Kids & Family
    • Art & Culture
    • TV & Showbiz
    • The Guides
  • Eats
  • Audio
  • Sport
  • More
    • Places
      • Manchester City Centre
      • Salford
      • Trafford
      • Stockport
      • Cheshire
      • Bolton
      • Bury
      • Oldham
      • Rochdale
      • Tameside
      • Wigan
    • Travel & Tourism
    • Feature
    • Business
    • Property
    • Shopping
Weather Icon
The people's voice of Greater Manchester
X
Search for...
Weather Icon

Sandwich Technician

AJ Handley-Rowe AJ Handley-Rowe - 10th November 2021

Council plans 14 weeks of ‘free fun’ for children across Greater Manchester this summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester is bringing 14 weeks of free activities for children to parks across the city this summer.

Thanks to additional Council funding that was allocated earlier this year, Manchester’s biggest-ever Parktastic programme launches this week – expanding from the summer holidays alone to include after-school sessions before schools break up, activities throughout the holidays, and even sessions continuing into September.

Back by popular demand and aimed at children ages six-12, Parktastic offers sports, games, arts and crafts, dance, drama, nature activities, storytelling and messy play.

Sessions are free, no booking is required, healthy snacks are provided, and children can simply turn up and join in.

Activities will be running in 32 parks across Manchester all summer long.

ADVERTISEMENT

The programme launches as Manchester celebrates being officially recognised by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City, reinforcing the city and Manchester City Council’s commitment to ensuring every child has the chance to ‘play, thrive, and enjoy’ their local community.

🌳 Parktastic is back!

FREE play sessions are happening daily in @MCRparks_ across Manchester, led by trusted youth partners.

A great way for kids to have fun, make friends & enjoy the outdoors safely 💙

Find your local session https://t.co/lFpyyoBWuP #ChildFriendlyMCR pic.twitter.com/YnOczwYdUb

— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 19, 2026

Sessions are set to take place rain or shine, so even if the classic rainy Manchester weather returns, children can still have fun.

ADVERTISEMENT

It is suggested that younger children are accompanied by a parent/carer if they attend any of the organised events.

“We’re really lucky in Manchester to have lots of beautiful parks and open spaces and want our children to be able to get outside and enjoy them,” commented Councillor Basat Sheikh, who is the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.

“Our expanded Parktastic programme this year is even bigger and better.

Read more:

  • Government to slash prices of cinema tickets, bus travel, and LOADS more across UK for kids
  • Council approves £1 billion budget to ‘improve Manchester’ after 14 years of Government funding cuts
  • Greater Manchester reveals £11.7m plan to tackle empty homes across the region

“[This] means even more opportunities for youngsters in the city to go along to their local park, maybe try something new, have fun, meet friends and even make new ones.”

Find out everything happening this summer here.

Featured Image – Artem Kniaz (via Unsplash)

Legendary buffet restaurant could close as plans for ANOTHER Deansgate hotel are revealed

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Legendary buffet restaurant could close as plans for ANOTHER Deansgate hotel are revealed

Plans have been revealed for another hotel on Deansgate – and if it goes ahead, it could mean Manchester’s legendary buffet restaurant may close.

Maybrook House stands on a prominent corner in the city centre, where Deansgate crosses with Blackfriars Street.

It’s functioned as offices for years, but now there are proposals to change the building into a ‘vibrant, high-quality new hotel’.

If it goes ahead, the new hotel would provide 240 rooms as well as a new bar and lounge spaces.

Plans for the new Deansgate hotel include a two-storey extension on top of the building, which would bring it to an eight-storey building (still well below the height of neighbouring structures, like the 20-storey Treehouse Hotel).

The team working on the new hotel have said that its design will ‘respect the character of the surrounding area while improving the appearance and experience of the building’.

Other plans include repainting the existing brickwork, refurbishing the concrete panels, and installing more efficient windows.

As for the cafes and restaurants already occupying Maybrook House, most will be able to stay – the plans say that the ground-floor occupiers can remain in place throughout the construction period.

But if it all goes ahead, Cosmo, the world buffet that has been here for almost a decade (and was previously Red Hot World Buffet) would need to vacate the premises.

Maybrook House said: “We recognise that Cosmo is a valued and well-established venue in the city, and are engaging with them directly.”

A hotel operator for the building hasn’t been announced yet, but they said that they are ‘currently in advanced discussions with a prestigious hotel operator’.

You can see more on the proposals HERE.

Read more

  • Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road set to close for annual safety inspections this weekend
  • Urgent travel warning issued ahead of one of Manchester’s busiest event weekends of the year
  • The simple hack that can save healthcare workers money on their holidays

Featured image: Maybrook House

More

TfGM issues safety warning and advice for travelling on public transport during extreme heat wave - including ‘get off’ 

Manchester

TfGM issues safety warning and advice for travelling on public transport during extreme heat wave – including ‘get off’ 

Mancunian Way at night

City Centre

Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road set to close for annual safety inspections this weekend

Boroughs

Date for Greater Manchester’s next Mayoral Election officially announced

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

News

Keir Starmer’s speech in full as he resigns as UK Prime Minister and Labour Party leader

Andy Burnham says Man United's Old Trafford plans could be biggest regeneration in the country

News

Andy Burnham officially announces his intention to run for Prime Minister

Boroughs

Met Office reveals what Greater Manchester can expect from ‘extreme’ heatwave this week

Eats Logo
A rosé festival returns to Beeswing in Manchester this summer

A rosé festival where your ticket includes unlimited wine is returning to Manchester

7ZZ is a new coffee shop in Ancoats, Manchester

Manchester’s tiniest coffee shop has opened in Ancoats serving £2.50 flat whites

A selection of snacks and cocktails at Bar Posie

Manchester cocktail bar added to Michelin Guide in ‘incredible surprise’

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches

The people's voice of Greater Manchester

The people's voice of Greater Manchester.
Our aim? To make sure you’re in the know, entertained and educated on what’s happened, or what’s happening, in our great city.

39 Princess Street, M2 4FN
[email protected]

  • About The Manc
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter

Copyright © 2026 The Manc