Manchester has been likened to Paris and New York by esteemed fashion magazine Elle, which has labelled us this year’s ‘fashion and creative capital’.
While our city has long been celebrated for its, ahem, grimier subcultures (from raves to Britpop to footie), things have grown a little more fancy in recent years.
The global spotlight really landed on the city when Chanel chose Thomas Street, of all places, to host its prestigious Métiers d’art last December.
The jokes came fast, the rumoured celebrity guest list went into overdrive, but at the end of the day, it was an impressive display of the city’s fashion credentials.
And now Elle magazine has singled our city out for its present day cultural icons as much as its celebrated past.
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In a feature written by Manc Becky Burgum, she pointed out that the Chanel show, rain and all, may have pushed Manchester into an entirely new era – one that’s a bit less about our ‘male-focused past glories’.
The glowing endorsement for the city’s current and future cultural scene spreads several pages in the glossy fashion bible this month.
It states: “Often ignored, always underestimated, the country’s second-largest city is manifesting an explosion of talent.”
In it, Elle sings the praises of massive venues like Aviva Studios, Co-op Live and the Manchester Art Gallery, as well as glamorous newcomers like Fenix and Soho House.
But the magazine also speaks of the ‘less polished Salford outskirts’ which is home to venues including The White Hotel, Paradise Works and Hidden.
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As for food and drink, Elle’s piece describing Manchester as a cultural capital singled out The Sparrows, Erst and Higher Ground, all Michelin-recommended spots with their roots planted in the north west.
Over in the ‘Chanel-approved Northern Quarter’, it was venues like Stray (a beautiful cocktail bar in a corner of Mackie Mayor’s building), Afflecks (Manchester’s iconic, eccentric shopping emporium), and Band On The Wall that got a mention.
Night and Day CafeFenix in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupErst in Ancoats. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Edinburgh Castle. Credit: The Manc GroupStray bar in the Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Sparrows. Credit: The Manc GroupBand on the Wall. Credit: The Manc GroupYayoi Kusama exhibit at Aviva Studios. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Chanel Metiers d’art show in Manchester caught the world’s eye, Elle magazine said. Highlights of Manchester singled out by Elle magazine
Then there’s the Edinburgh Castle (best Guinness in the city, apparently), the ‘boundary-smashing’ HOME, and the upcoming Treehouse Hotel, all having their praises sung in one of the country’s most famous magazines.
The piece says: “But our (male-focused) past glories aren’t what makes Manchester so special – it’s all about what’s happening right now.
“There is often a blinkered, London-centric outlook that maintains creativity can’t possibly exist outside the M25. But how wrong that is.”
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But, it concludes, ‘don’t forget your umbrella – that’s the only stereotype that rings true’.
Coldplay announce huge new UK stadium shows for 2025
Clementine Hall
Coldplay have announced several huge stadium shows for 2025 as part of their seemingly never-ending Music of the Spheres World Tour.
The Glastonbury headliners will be heading up north once again to play two huge outdoor summer shows next year.
If you weren’t able to snatch a golden ticket to the iconic festival this year and instead watched the British band from the sofa seething with jealousy, then have we got some news for you.
Following the success of this year’s European leg of Coldplay’s record-breaking Music Of The Spheres World Tour, the band have just announced eight new shows for 2025, The Hoot Leeds reports.
Coldplay are skipping the Etihad Stadium this time (it’s busy working on that big extension) but will still be venturing up north. You’ll just have to make your way over to Hull for this one.
Their tour dates include two dates at Hull’s Craven Park Stadium followed by six dates at London’s Wembley Stadium.
It’s the first time that Coldplay have performed in Yorkshire since 2008 when they took to the stage at Sheffield Arena, so you know we’re in for a fantastic show complete with all the multicoloured bracelets you could possibly imagine.
Coldplay announce huge new UK stadium shows for 2025. Credit: Stevie Rae Gibbs
Coldplay will be performing in Yorkshire at Craven Park on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 August 2025.
Coldplay have revealed that 50% of the tickets for the Hull shows – the band’s first ever concerts in the city – will go to local fans with HU, YO, DN or LN postcodes on Thursday September 26 at 6pm.
On Sunday evening, the band placed a poster in the window of the Dublin Castle in Camden, London revealing that 10 per cent of the band’s proceeds from the Wembley and Hull shows will be donated to Music Venue Trust.
Mark Davyd, CEO Music Venue Trust said: “Coldplay are the perfect example of a UK band who came through the grassroots circuit on their way to worldwide stadium-filling success.
“It’s fantastic to see them celebrating their own pathway to Wembley by giving back to the grassroots music venues that supported them and recognising the artists and promoters that are struggling more than ever to build their own careers.”
In a world first, the band have pledged to power the Wembley concerts’ production with 100 per cent solar, wind and kinetic energy, collected at the venue and elsewhere in the UK, and delivered by a specially-designed electric battery system.
In addition, one of the satellite stages at each show will be powered by energy generated by the audience via kinetic flooring and power bikes.
Tickets go on sale next Friday 29 September from 9am, and you’ll be able to get yours through See Tickets here.
Manchester City to commemorate Sir Howard Bernstein ahead of Arsenal game this weekend
Danny Jones
Manchester City have announced that they will be dedicating their upcoming Premier League fixture to the late, great Sir Howard Bernstein.
The former Manchester City Council chief executive and influential native passed away earlier this year following a “period of illness” at the age of 71.
With tributes flooding in from all over the world of local business, music, sport and more, his passing was described as “a huge loss to all 10 boroughs”.
As a lifelong Blue, the club also joined the region as a whole in paying their respects to the revered local figure – who is credited with helping stabilise Greater Manchester‘s economy and helping usher in the city’s modern era – but now they will be observing a special commemoration this weekend.
Ahead of this Sunday's fixture against Arsenal, the Club will commemorate our Honorary President, Sir Howard Bernstein (1953-2024)
As detailed in a statement on the club site, City wrote: “During this tenure [on the City Council], the city of Manchester enjoyed an incredible resurgence both economically and culturally following the decline of former manufacturing industries.
“One of his greatest achievements as Chief Executive was bringing the enormously successful Commonwealth Games to Manchester in 2002, using sports-led regeneration to breathe new life into Manchester, which in doing so, paved the way for Manchester City’s move to the then City of Manchester Stadium (now known as the Etihad Stadium), from Maine Road.
“Before kick-off, a dedication to Sir Howard’s life will be read, followed by a minute’s applause, providing our players and fans with an opportunity to pay their respects to a lifelong Man City fan who dedicated his life to the city of Manchester.”
As is often custom with gestures of remembrance, City players and manager Pep Guardiola will also be wearing black armbands for the duration of the match.
Bernstein was knighted back in 2003, and deputy lieutenant for Greater Manchester by 2017, his list of recognitions is almost as long as his contributions to the county.
Even once he retired from the Council after more than 40 years of unwavering service, he still fulfilled key roles for Manchester-based organisations. He was even made an honorary president of both Man City and Lancashire Cricket Club – the lattermost title he held for a decade.
If the word legend truly does get thrown around too much, this is one of the cases where it doesn’t even come close to summing up the impact the loyal local servant had on the home he loved so much.
The Blues kick-off against title-rivals Arsenal at 4:30pm on Sunday, 22 September and when his name and image come up on the big screen at the Etihad, the supporters are sure to be in full voice.
Meanwhile, in-house, club captain Rodri is one of several professional footballers once again calling for a review of the increasingly congested fixture list as concerns are once again being raised over the number of games players are expected to play per season.
Daisy Jackson -
11th April 2024 
