For a number of reasons, we know that Father’s Day can be a difficult time for some, especially as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to stick around and so many of us still may not be able to spend time the quality time with our loved ones that we so wish – but for those who are fortunate enough to have a father figure in their lives, this is a special day to celebrate a special person.
With just over a week to go before it’s finally here, plenty of independent businesses right across the region are pulling out all the stops, launching deals and stocking up on gifts galore ready for the big day.
Father’s Day gives us yet another chance to support local our local businesses as they continue to find their feet and navigate new ground.
If you’re looking for some gift inspiration, or a unique way to spend the day, here’s some of the best we’ve seen.
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Gifts
From hand-crafted sweet treats and a tapas tasting experience, to luxury themed hampers and so much more, there’s a lot to choose to from.
Hip Flask
Father’s Day Craft Beer Box
£20
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPamEYQFYoO/
The perfect gift for any Manc dad.
Independent drinks delivery company Hip Flask is inviting you to “give the gift of beer this Father’s Day” with a curated box filled with Manchester’s finest craft beers.
Featuring tasty beers from a selection of Manchester’s best breweries, this is a gift for the Dads out there that were wetting your head whilst you were being born, with each box containing six craft beers, as well as a specially-designed card and the option to add a free personalised message at checkout.
“Leave the socks – get them something they actually want this year”.
You can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
Tillys Fudge
Father’s Day Belgian Box
£24.50
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPx6sDanuPx/
If there’s one thing that independent Manchester-based company Tillys Fudge knows, it’s that “dads love fudge”, so it’s put together a delicious ‘Belgian Box’ filled with a selection of fan-favourite flavours especially for Father’s Day.
Each box contains a mixture of Belgian chocolate shapes filled with, Malted Madness, vanilla, rum & raisin, mint, orange, Lotus Biscoff, and butterscotch – and you also get to select one full size bar which is stamped with a ‘Happy Father’s Day’ message, choosing from salted caramel or brandy.
There’s only a limited amount available, and you can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
DrinkWell
Father’s Day IPA Bundle
£18.95
DrinkWell
Especially for the IPA lovers this Father’s Day, DrinkWell is offering an exclusive bundle of 10 DrinkWell Heracles IPA’s, alongside a DrinkWell bar blade, two DrinkWell Beer Glasses and a bottle cooler chucked in for free.
The brand new DrinkWell IPA has seen the brand take everything it’s learned about low carb beer over the past eight years to create its own, and with over 35% fewer calories than other IPAs, this is the first “reduced calorie and carb IPA” ever produced in the UK.
You can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
Hotel Football
Football Lover’s Hamper
£100
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDDFwEtWdB/
Is your old man a United fan?
Manchester’s iconic football-themed hotel has got you covered then, as you can give your dad “the ultimate football lover’s gift” of a Father’s Day hamper filled to the brim with all things Hotel Football, Cafe Football, and Class Of 92.
As well as whole host of exciting gifts and memorabilia, each hamper also comes with the extra special addition of a Stanley Chow caricature print of, and signed by, your dad’s favourite CO92 player.
You can even upgrade the hamper to include the Lunch & Tour or Tea & Tour vouchers – offering a great dining experience overlooking Old Trafford, followed by a tour of the iconic stadium and museum.
You can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
Abeja Tapas
Abeja Board-in-a-Box
£22.50 – £38
Abeja Tapas
Abeja Tapas’ “indulgent tapas boxes” are perfect for showing your dad “how much you love him in style and making him feel really special” as they are made up of selected products from independent producers from Granada. Manchester’s smallest tapas bar has established direct relationships with many local artisans to bring only the tastiest and truly authentic produce of southern Spain.
All tapas hampers are beautifully-prepared by hand, and are wrapped up in eco-friendly or compostable packaging, and can be ordered for collection or UK-wide delivery.
You can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
Decent Drop
Father’s Day Gift Boxes
£25 – £50
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPuvEabNlJF/
Here’s your chance to show your appreciation through wine, cheese and more.
Whether it’s your dad, someone else’s dad, or someone you wish was your dad, independent Manchester-based company Decent Drop has got a few great options lined up to make Father’s Day extra special.
Depending on your budget, you can chose from the Bearded Trio (£25) – with comes with x3 Trashumante wines, with handsome bearded chaps on the label – the Wine & Cheese Gift Box (£25) – which comes with one bottle of wine, 2 x 150g cheeses, and a miniature of whisky – or the Dad Box Special (£50) – which comes with x3 bottles of wine, 3 x 150g cheeses, a miniature of whisky and port and a cut glass whisky tumbler.
You can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
Nibble NQ
Father’s Day Collection
£19.50 – £50
Nibble NQ
If your dad’s got a sweet tooth, then Nibble NQ’s got you covered this Father’s Day, with everything from treat boxes filled with a wide variety of cakes, to at-home afternoon teas (with a vegan option also available), brunch hampers, brownie boxes, and so much more, all made with love and available for UK-wide delivery.
You can place your order in time for Father’s Day here.
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Activities
If experiences and making memories are on the top of your agenda instead, we’ve picked out some of the best things to do and deals to take advantage in Manchester this Father’s Day.
Food Sorcery
Big & Little Cooks – Father’s Day
£120
Food Sorcery
Didsbury’s very own cookery school Food Sorcery is offering the chance to work with a dedicated chef and join them for an “inspiring afternoon” of parents and children cooking together on Father’s Day.
This class is about spending time together doing an activity which requires working as a team.
With a bunch of different options on the menu – featuring everything from homemade pasa carbonara, to plaited loaves and chicken cordon bleu – you will prepare a main course, a side dish and dessert, before it’s then time to enjoy your meal together.
All ingredients, refreshments and glass of wine or beer for the adults will be included in the ticket price – and you can book onto the Father’s Day class here.
Point Blank Shooting
Father’s Day Bottomless Brunch
£35pp
https://www.instagram.com/p/COFpG0TrJT5/
If you’re looking for a unique way to spend Father’s Day in the city centre, then Point Blank Manchester’s ‘Bottomless Brunch’ definitely fits the bill.
In an attempt to “make Sundays as cool as Saturdays”, the shooting simulator bar’s 90-minute bottomless brunch events take place every weekend and combine pizza, prosecco, beer and shooting all rolled into one – but especially for Father’s Day, all dads will be able to get a gun upgrade free of charge.
You can find more information and book onto the Father’s Day event here.
Nelson’s Distillery
Gin & Vodka School / Talk & Taste
£20 – £155
Nelson’s Distillery
Nelson’s Distillery at Clayton Hotel Manchester has a selection of events that are a perfect gift / experience for Father’s Day.
As part of the Gin & Vodka School experience – which runs from 1-5pm – attendees get to make one 70cl bottle of Gin/Vodka per still, taste three of Nelsons Gins with tonic each, enjoy an afternoon tea-style lunch provided by the hotel, as well as have a talk about the social history of gin.
The Talk & Taste sessions are a one-hour condensed version of this experience, which also include the chance to taste three of Nelsons Gins with tonic each.
You can book your tickets as a Father’s Day gift here.
Rendition
Father’s Day Selected Menu
Rendition MCR
One of the city centre’s newest independent eateries, Rendition – a premium restaurant and bar aiming to revolutionise the Manchester food and drink scene – opened it’s doors earlier this month, and is offering up a selected menu of some of its classic dishes especially for Father’s Day.
Inspired by the “desire to celebrate regional ingredients”, Rendition serves locally-sourced and inspired dishes that champion British produce.
Highlights of the modern British menu include locally-sourced oysters served with shallots, vinegar, tabasco and lemon, North Yorkshire potato croquettes and tomato jam – which are both designed for the table to share – and so much more.
The Father’s Day selected menu will be served up from 12 – 4pm, and then the restaurant’s full menu will be available from 4pm – late.
Father’s Day also happens to fall on the day where the group stage of European football’s flagship tournament Euro 2020 continues, so for any dad who’s a footie fan, there couldn’t be a better way to spend a day in the city centre.
While England may not be playing on Father’s Day itself, there’ll still be screenings of Sunday’s fixtures in a number of venues, as Manchester is a city that’s obsessed with football, so understandably, there’s plenty of places going all out for it this year.
If you’re looking for recommendations for some of the best places to catch a match with your dad this Father’s Day, we’ve knuckled down and done the leg work for you.
You can find 20 of the best spots to watch Euro 2020 in Manchester city centre here.
Sunday Roast
Manchester City Centre
The Refuge
What’s a Sunday without a roast dinner?
A roast is held dear to the hearts of many Mancunians, as this quintessentially British meal marks a time to gather your nearest and dearest around the table to tuck into one of the heartiest meals you’ll probably have all week – and there’s no better time to do that than on Father’s Day.
We’re absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to independent eateries to enjoy a roast in across our region, but considering this day is all about the father figures in our life, why not let dad pick?
Are you after some roast recommendations? We’ve picked out eight of the best places in Manchester city centre to choose from here.
Featured Image – Hip Flask
Manchester
The ULTIMATE guide to Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour at Heaton Park – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
The biggest export in Manchester music history, Oasis, are officially back performing, and they’re about to play five nights right here in Heaton Park this summer.
You can finally ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ over the years spent without the Gallaghers performing together, because the time has finally come… Their momentous homecoming is just DAYS away.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for us Mancs at least – as Oasis are heading to Heaton Park for five whole nights of Britpop brilliance.
Anyway, enough chitter-chatter, you’re here for a comprehensive Oasis gig guide for their Manchester dates, so let’s get stuck in.
Gig guide | Oasis Live ’25 at Heaton Park, Manchester – all the info
Oasis are bringing their reunion tour ‘Oasis Live ’25’ to Heaton Park across five nights in July.Credit: Supplied
Oasis UK reunion tour dates
Fri 4 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium – you can see the scenes from night one HERE.
Sat 5 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium
Fri 11 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 12 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Wed 16 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 19 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sun 20 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Fri 25 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 26 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Wed 30 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 2 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 3 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Are there any Oasis tickets left for the Heaton Park shows?
We feel like you already know the answer to this one, surely?
Unfortunately, all five of their Heaton Park dates – just like the rest of the domestic shows and, indeed, all over the globe – are completely sold out.
However, you’re in luck: our music counterpart, Audio North, is running an exciting competition that includes TWO tickets to see Oasis Live ’25 right here in Manchester at Heaton Park.
Of course, there’s always the off chance of grabbing last-minute spares from friends, family and via trusted resellers like Twickets and TicketSwap, but always proceed with caution, and you might as well throw your hat in the ring whilst you’re here.
It’s simple: pay a visit to either of Heaton Park’s on-site cafes (The Stables or The Lakeside), order ‘Digsy’s Dinner’, or a little lunch for yourself, and you’ll automatically be entered into a prize draw that could see you and a mate living it large on 20 July for the Burnage boys final night in Manchester.
Oasis Live ’25 reunion setlist – so far, anyway
The Manc Britpop legends have seven studio albums to their name, so it will come as no surprise that the setlist for the ‘Oasis Live ’25’ shows is a hefty one that tries to work their way through most of the big hits, but they do prioritise the first three albums.
No ‘Shock of the Lightning’ there, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Oasis starring in their official music video for ‘Wonderwall’ in 1995.Credit: Screenshot via YouTube
Here’s the setlist from the first two nights of the Live ’25 reunion tour, as Oasis played a pair of biblical shows at Principality Stadium in Cardiff to kick off their long-awaited comeback. Of course, they’ll most likely tweak and experiment with this lineup of tracks from time to time, but here’s how it looks so far:
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory
Some Might Say
Bring It On Down
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean?
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away
Whatever
Live Forever
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
The Masterplan
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Wonderwall
Champagne Supernova
Die-hard fans will be pleased to hear they do still walk out to their iconic intro, ‘F***in’ in the Bushes’, so there is some representation post-Be Here Now.
We broke down all the details from Oasis in Cardiff – Night One to see what it could mean for Manchester.
What are the stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester?
According to Ticketmaster, the opening times for doors at each of the Manchester shows are scheduled for 3:30pm; however, Oasis’ Heaton Park stage times are yet to be confirmed by the band themselves.
The Principality Stadium gigs saw support acts starting from 6pm (5:59pm, to be exact) with Oasis taking to the stage from roughly 8:15pm.
In fact, pretty much everyone got started a minute early on night one in Cardiff, so we guess you could say everyone involved was just as eager as the Oasis fans themselves.
Heaton Park has a curfew of 11pm, so fans can rest easy knowing they can listen to every note of the seven-and-a-half-minute-long number ‘Champagne Supernova’ without having to stay up all night long – not that anyone is going to be bed after this full-on cultural event.
Anyone wanting to know how excited Liam is ahead of the upcoming shows needs to take a scroll through his X (Formerly Twitter) and you’ll soon see just how excited he is.
He also confirmed the Cardiff set times prematurely, too. Someone should really take his phone off him at this point…
Nevertheless, we were pleased to see Wigan’s finest, Richard Ashcroft, confirmed as the first warm-up act, who had no shame in confessing he was absolutely “buzzing” to be a part of the reunion shows.
The former Verve frontman and the Gallaghers are big supporters of one another, and we’re sure that Heaton Park will erupt into chaos the second ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ plays out this July.
The Liverpool natives are known for smash hit singles including ‘Walkaway’, ‘Finetime’ and ‘Sandstorm’, joining the younger Gallagher brother, describing these upcoming gig opportunities as “biblical”.
What are the expected drinks prices for the Oasis gigs?
Although official drinks prices have not been released yet, another one of the biggest dates in the Manchester music calendar, Parklife, took place last month and can be used as a rough calculation.
Spirit and mixers
Smirnoff No.21 Vodka- £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Spiced Gold – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Black Spiced – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Johnnie Walker Black Label – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s London Dry Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s Pink Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Casamigos Blanco Tequila – £14.80 for double, £10.90 for single
Included mixers: Pepsi Max, Pepsi Max Cherry, 7Up Free, Ginger Beer, Tonic, Soda, Grapefruit Soda
Rockstar Energy drink mixers: Tropical Guava, Peach Zero Sugar, Original – +£1
Pre-mixed cans
Smirnoff Miami Peach- £9.50
Captain Morgan X Pepsi Max – £9.50
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic – £9.50
Johnnie Walker & Lemonade – £9.50
Captain Morgan Muck Pit Brew – £8.50
Jagermeister
Jagermeister Mule – £11.80
Jagerbomb – £7.90
Jagermeister ice cold shot – £6.90
Jagermeister cold brew coffee shot – £6.90
Wine
Rose/white wine, 187ml – £7.95
Beer and cider
Poretti Lager – £6.65
Somersby Cider – £6.65
0.4% Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Lager – £5.50
White Claw
Blackberry – £7.90
Green apple – £7.90
Mango – £7.90
Raspberry – £7.90
Parklife drinks prices may set the tone for what Oasis fans can expect.There will be an array of bars and drinks options throughout the park.Credit: The Manc Group
Where can I buy merchandise for Oasis Live ’25?
You don’t have to travel ‘Half The World Away’ to find a good selection of Oasis merchandise, our bustling city is full of it – and we for one certainly aren’t complaining.
Ahead of the biggest Manchester gigs of the year, two exclusive Oasis merchandise pop-up shops have opened – one of them being on the city’s shopping hub, Market Street, which has seen the band’s long-standing affinity with adidas rekindled.
Launching to the general public on Thursday, 3 July, adidas and Oasis have teamed up to open a pop-up shop selling an exclusive 90s-inspired collection.
There might even be some merch items that have been right under your nose the whole time, like these impressive and colourful tees from jeans mastermind Levi’s in Manchester Arndale.
Any eager-eyed office commuters will have noticed there’s an official merchandise pop-up trailer outside Manchester Central Library at St. Peter’s Square ahead of the five monumental shows.
And of course, there will be merch points spread across various locations in Heaton Park where you can sport your very own Oasis-branded apparel and accessories like a keyring or bottle opener.
There’s plenty of t-shirts and Oasis memorabilia at the official fan shop in Spinningfields.You can shop Oasis merch at multiple Manchester stores including Levi’s.Credit: The Manc
How to get to Heaton Park
Last but not least, if you’ve never been to the massive green space before, your best bet is to travel via tram or other Bee Network public transport. Metrolink services will be running direct from Victoria to the venue during the day, and thankfully, it’s just a case of getting off at the Heaton Park tram stop itself.
From there, you can enter the event site via the North Gate; after the party is over, the Bowker Vale tram stop located near the East Gate is your quickest exit. Please also be mindful that Heaton Park station will also be closed from 9pm due to help with congestion and safety reasons.
Otherwise, the usual Big Green Coaches will also be running from the city centre, which can be booked in advance, and taxis home will be available from Blackley New Road and along Bury Old Road.
The posters of our Burnage boys Liam and Noel have been cropping up around town.
Throughout the city, there are also lots of official Oasis wayfinding signage which direct any concertgoers to the tram stop at Victoria, which runs directly to Heaton Park every 6 minutes on Oasis gig days.
Alongside this, a shuttle bus service will be running from Lever Street to Heaton Park and back on any of the upcoming Manchester Oasis dates.
The signage will direct people arriving at Piccadilly Station through the Northern Quarter to Victoria Station to either the shuttle buses or the Victoria trams.
And that should be just all the important key information you need to know ahead of what is sure to be nothing short of one of the most memorable nights of your life and in music history.
We’re sure you’re about to have a ‘Supersonic’ night, let’s just hope the weather makes sure to ‘Cast No Shadow’ over these five very important nights of Manchester music history – the last of our puns for today, we promise.
An Oasis lookalike competition is happening in Manchester city centre this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Manchester, we’ve made it.
It was only a matter of time, but after celebrity lookalike competitions absolutely took the world by storm last summer, with droves of Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal, and Pedro Pascal wannabes gathering in the streets of New York and London over several different weekends, Manchester is finally getting in on the action this year.
And of course, what else could be more fitting on the weekend Oasis returns to their hometown than a Gallaghers Lookalike Competition?
In case you (somehow… really, how?) hadn’t heard, Liam and Noel have finally buried the hatchet and reformed as Oasis for the first time in more than a decade – with the long-awaited Live ’25 tour getting underway in Cardiff over this past weekend.
Now that Cardiff is done and dusted, the brothers – along with more than 300,000 fans – are returning home and will be descending on Manchester’s Heaton Park from this Friday (11 July) for five nostalgia-drenched gigs full of iconic tunes.
Anyone heading to the second Oasis gig on Saturday 12 July, or even anyone who isn’t, is invited to practice their best Gallagher impressions and make their way over to St Peter’s Square in the heart of the city centre to take part in a lookalike competition that’s bound to get plastered all over social media.
The competition is being hosted at The Manchester Shop – the legendary local gift emporium on the ground floor of Affleck’s – from their dedicated stall at the MCR Live ’25 pop-up markets in St Peter’s Square, which is set to see hundreds of Oasis fans gather to soak up to atmosphere during the day, before journeying over to Heaton Park.
An Oasis lookalike competition is happening in Manchester city centre this weekend / Credit: Stefan Branding (via Wikimedia Commons) | Flickr
At the markets – which are part of the wider MCR Live ’25 events – you’ll also find local makers, artists, and indie traders gathering for a celebration of sound, style, and city pride.
But we have no doubt the Gallaghers Lookalike Competition is going to draw in crowds.
“Think you’ve got the swagger of Liam? Or the scowl of Noel? Prove it at our Gallagher Brothers Lookalike Competition,” event organisers wrote on social media.
So, no matter whether you’re ‘mad fer it’ or you just fancy a bit of a laugh ahead of what is one of the most important gigs of the century so far, make sure to dig out your parkas and tambourines, come dressed to impress, and get ready show off your best Gallagher vibes.
Prizes, tunes, and Mancunian mayhem are ‘guaranteed’.
Emily Sergeant -
11th June 2021 
