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AJ Handley-Rowe - 10th November 2021

Manchester reveals plans to ‘recognise and celebrate’ Armed Forces Day 2026

Emily Sergeant

Plans to mark Armed Forces Day 2026 in Manchester next month have been revealed.

As the country prepares to honour Armed Forces Day – which is taking place this year on Saturday 27 June – and show support for those who make up the Armed Forces community across the country, Manchester has revealed how our city will mark the annual event.

Armed Forces Day sees Brits commemorate and celebrate those who are currently serving troops, their families, serving reservists, veterans, and cadets.

Manchester will also be paying tribute to the hundreds who have ‘fearlessly served’.

The day will begin in St Peter’s Square with a short ceremonial moment of reflection, led by Armed Forces personnel, offering those in attendance a chance to pause, remember service and sacrifice, and honour those who protect our freedoms.

Manchester will be celebrating Armed Forces Day on Saturday 27 June.

Join us, 11am – 4pm, in St Peter’s Square for a day of free activities. https://t.co/8xyoz79GqM #ArmedForcesDay #ArmedForcesWeek pic.twitter.com/mHND0m4F3B
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) May 27, 2026

The event will be attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and the Lord Mayor of Manchester, marking the city’s official tribute to the Armed Forces.

There will be live music throughout the day, with bands and performers.

On the day, there’ll also be a pop‑up military museum with artefacts, uniforms, and stories from across the services, as well as military vehicle displays, live demonstrations and performances, and a whole host of other family‑friendly activities and interactive displays to make the most of.

Visitors can also visit the dedicated armed forces display inside Manchester Central Library if they would like to learn more.

Armed Forces Day 2026 takes place on Saturday 27 June, with commemorations to begin in Manchester city centre from 11am.

It’s a free event open to everyone, offering a chance to learn more about the Armed Forces, meet those who serve, and show your support.

Featured Image – Manchester City Council

Iconic Salford music venue and nightclub The White Hotel is closing

Daisy Jackson

Iconic Salford music venue and nightclub The White Hotel is closing

The White Hotel, one of Greater Manchester’s most cutting-edge and best-loved nightlife venues, is closing its doors for good.

The cult favourite nightclub will shut in January, The Guardian has reported today.

The White Hotel is a go-to haunt for Mancs seeking a late-night (or indeed, all-night) dance, with a packed programme of music running year-round.

The independent arts venue opened inside a former garage in Salford, just outside Manchester city centre and in the shadow of HMP Manchester.

Not only has The White Hotel defined Greater Manchester’s modern nightlife scene, but it’s become known globally as one of the best underground nightclubs on the planet.

Known for its raw DIY atmosphere and boundary-pushing line-ups, the Salford venue up there among the UK’s most respected club spaces.

But despite ‘continuing to draw full houses’, The White Hotel will close in January, according to The Guardian.

Ben Ward told the paper that the venue has found itself in a flood-risk zone, saying: “Basically, it’s a swamp.”

He added that it was better ‘to go out on our own terms, long before we became a museum’.

When The White Hotel opened in 2015, they planned to stick around for a year, then move to LA – but now a decade on, it’s cemented itself on Manchester’s club scene.

The area where The White Hotel stands will become a wetland park.

Neither artistic director Austin Collings nor Ward are ‘sentimental about losing the premises’, The Guardian wrote, quoting Ward as saying: “It’s come as a surprise that it’s lasted this long anyway.”

Featured image: The Manc Group