If you love a good curry, but can never quite seem to recreate that restaurant standard when you’re cooking up a storm at home, look no further – because Manchester’s legendary Indian restaurant Zouk Tea Bar is here to show you all the tricks of the trade.
The award-winning Manchester curry house is famous for its high-quality dishes, and proudly shows off its chefs through its Manchester restaurant’s semi-open kitchen.
Found just off Oxford Road, at Zouk diners can watch the chefs hard at work – making fluffy, fresh naans in the tandoor oven and simmering aromatic curries on the industrial-size stoves – from the restaurant floor.
But for those really eager foodies, Zouk is now breaking down that fourth wall and inviting diners into the kitchen to learn tips and tricks from the curry masters themselves.
Video: Zouk Tea Bar
Diners can opt to don their own aprons and take a spin in the kitchen themselves, learning how to cook popular British curry house favourites like chicken tikka masala and lamb rogan josh from the masters themselves.
ADVERTISEMENT
And that’s not all, you’ll also get to grips with how to make onion bhajis, chicken tikka and seekh kebabs from scratch – just as it’s done in the restaurant.
There are also vegetarian and vegan course alternatives available for those who want to learn but don’t eat meat.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zouk’s curry school gives die-hard curry fans the chance to get up close and personal with their favourite dishes, with the kitchen’s best chefs on hand to skill you in you how to properly prepare a selection of different Indian starters and mains.
Starting at 10am and finishing at 1.30pm, all courses run for half a day – and in that time you’ll be initiated into the world of Indian cooking, learning how best to prepare your spice mixes and simmer down dishes for the perfect consistency.
ADVERTISEMENT
Taking place on 18 June, more information and tickets for the British Favourites cookery class can be found on Zouk’s website here.
Feature image – Zouk Tea Bar
Manchester
The Man City Parade 2025/26 – route, timings, ‘The After Party’, performers and more
Danny Jones
After Man City became just the second team in English football history to win a domestic cup double, the Blues will once again be taking over Manchester city centre for a parade to mark the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
They may not have won the league this time, but it’s still another pair of trophies to add to the cabinet.
More importantly, with club legends Bernardo Silva, John Stones, and perhaps even Pep Guardiola (we’ll have to wait and see) leaving after a decade at the club this summer, ‘Cityzens’ will be coming from all over Greater Manchester to honour yet another memorable silverware-laden term.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of everything important you need to know ahead of the blue half of Manchester’s post-season celebrations.
Man City parade 25/26 – all the key info
When does it start and end?
For starters, for those wondering what the start time is for the latest City parade, this year’s event will be building up from around 4pm and finishing at approximately 6:30pm this coming bank holiday Monday, 25 June.
The last parade was ‘Fourmidable’.Credit: Press shot (supplied)/The Manc
Man City parade route for 2026
As for where the jubilation will be running from and to this time, they’re moving over to the Northern Quarter before the parade procession itself passes through Ancoats and towards their home stadium.
The open-top buses themselves will set off around 5pm, heading towards the Etihad Campus from Ashton New Road, before arriving at the Colin Bell Stand reception.
For those unable to journey elsewhere/just looking to enjoy from one spot, supporters will also be able to watch the full build-up and parade in its entirety on the big screens outside the ground from 4pm onwards, with an accessible viewing area and subtitles available, too.
Accessibility options
Great Ancoats Street (near the start of the parade route)
A designated area for wheelchair users and ambulant disabled supporters and companions.
Street-level area is free, with access on a first-come, first-served basis; stewards on hand to help.
Colin Bell Stand
Elevated platform available for wheelchair users and ambulant disabled supporters who would struggle to stand in the crowd.
Again, first-come, first-served.
Travel advice and parking info
Parking at the Etihad Stadium itself is only available for those with a ticket for the official ‘After Party’ event; however, there are free spots available at park and ride sites such as Ashton Moss, Ashton West, and Ladywell. You can find a full list of locations HERE.
Fans are encouraged to use public transport where possible, with Bee Network buses and trams running throughout the city and towards East Manchester.
Check out the Etihad’s dedicated travel and transport page for more guidance, and/or watch our guide on how to get to the Co-op Live down below.
Speaking of carrying on after the main event, ‘The After Party’ at Co-op Live and the surrounding area is also an option for Blues looking to have a ball – pun intended.
Besides the parade, the fun will also be getting underway at the same time over in the massive industry-leading arena next door to City’s home ground, doors opening from as early as 3pm.
Final entry into the venue itself is set at 5pm, with players set to head over and join in with the drinks, jubilation and big energy tunes once the parade finishes around 6:30pm.
On the subject of music, fans are also being treated to a live performance from none other than the much-loved Manc band, Doves, who will be playing a special in-person set, due to wrap up at 8pm.
Indie rock favourites Doves will be amongst the outstanding performers on a night to remember! 🎶
Join us at ‘The After Party’ on Monday 25 May at Co-op Live. 🙌
You can find all the details regarding general admission tickets, as well as VIP and hospitality packages, right HERE.
What else is on around the City parade?
For those looking to take in any extra festivities or even just some food and drink during the few hours you’ll be out singing ‘Blue Moon’, you’ll be glad to hear that a number of local institutions will also be getting involved.
As well as Northern Quarter favourites BAB offering their £10 lunch deal (12-3pm every day), happy hour deals, AND a small plates offer (Monday-Thursday, 4-7pm; Fridays from 4pm until close), fellow NQ neighbours, The Pen and Pencil, are also opening for the day to help host any crowd overspill.
ADVERTISEMENT
Perhaps most notably, however, an official Man City pop-up will be opening in the city centre in the days leading up to the parade itself – so, for anyone who can’t make it on the bank holiday Monday, you can still spend at least part of your long weekend drinking in the splendour.
If you’re wondering what exactly this is going to be like, look no further…
Moreover, MCFC’s under-18s squad won a historic FA Youth Cup with their Manchester derby win earlier this month, too, making it multiple landmark results across the board.
With that in mind, this year’s Man City trophy parade and After Party looks set to be a more all-encompassing one than ever.
ADVERTISEMENT
Judging by the scenes for the likes of the last Treble, you won’t want to miss it.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Publicity pictures (via Manchester City Football Club)
Manchester
Arrests made following Piccadilly Gardens fight that left several men with stab wounds
Emily Sergeant
A number of arrests have been made following reports of a fight in Piccadilly Gardens one night earlier this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that officers from the City Centre policing team responded to reports of a fight in Piccadilly Gardens at around 9:54pm on Tuesday (19 May 2026), and when they arrived at the scene, they discovered multiple people with stab wounds.
A man in his 20s was found at the scene by police with stab wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment.
A second man, in his 50s, was located nearby with a stab wound to his arm and was also taken to hospital, and a third man, also in his 20s, later attended Manchester Royal Infirmary with a stab wound to his back.
All three men have been arrested on suspicion of affray, GMP stated.
Officers do not believe there to be a wider threat to the public at this time, however the public is being told there will be an ‘increased police presence’ in the area as a precaution.
As enquiries continue at pace, detectives from the City of Manchester CID team are now appealing for information and witnesses.
“The use of knives or violence in our communities is completely unacceptable,” commented Detective Superintendent Ian McNabb, of GMP’s City of Manchester Central District. “Incidents like this are incredibly serious and can have devastating consequences.
“Our officers are working tirelessly in the city centre and across Greater Manchester to tackle this kind of offending and keep people safe.
“We will be relentless in our efforts to remove knives from our streets and to bring those who carry or use them to justice to prevent incidents like this happening.”
Can you help? Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, or via LiveChat online, quoting log 3667 of 19/05/2026.
Georgina Pellant -
31st May 2022 
