Manchester’s last Edwardian swimming bath has reopened after being restored to its original glory with the help of a £1 million grant.
After a hard-fought campaign by its local community, Withington Baths has finally been returned to local use ten years after it was earmarked for closure.
The Love Withington Baths group first won the right to the pool in 2015, and after seven years of campaigning, last February it was awarded a grant from the National Lottery Fund to undertake the work needed to bring the historic building back to life.
A long time in the making, at last, the 100-year-old site has opened its doors once again to be enjoyed by local people as it was always intended.
mage: Withington Baths
mage: Withington Baths
As part of the restoration, the building’s impressive Edwardian roof has been repaired to maintain the original glazing system installed in 1913.
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Elsewhere, its stained glass windows have been lovingly restored by local artist Amy of the Orange Ladybird.
On Saturday the group celebrated the reopening of the Withington Baths with a party that saw the local community welcomed in for an afternoon of eating and drinking, with local business Burton Road Brewery providing a barbecue and bar.
Speaking on the reopening of the historic Edwardian baths, Paul Smith, Managing Director of Withington Baths said: “Our 8th birthday celebrations were a huge success, we really enjoyed celebrating the progress we’ve made since the takeover in 2013.
“The restoration project means so much to us as an organisation, and we’re thrilled to see what a positive impact it has had on our community already.
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“The restoration was all made possible thanks to The National Heritage Lottery Fund grant, a loan from Manchester City Council and support from the local community. Through the good times and the tough, it’s the local community that has always been there for us.
“Now, because of them, we can continue to serve our community as a not-for-profit hub where generations learn to swim and enjoy a range of gym and leisure facilities alongside their community members.”
Featured image – Withington Baths
Manchester
Manchester Open exhibition to return in 2026 with ‘biggest celebration’ of local creative talent
Emily Sergeant
The biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s creative talent is making a much-anticipated return next summer.
Taking place every two years and now in its fourth iteration, Manchester Open exhibition sees the HOME Gallery walls filled with hundreds of artworks selected by a panel consisting of art experts and community representatives.
The exhibition is open to all and welcomes entries from people of any level of experience, including established professionals, students, graduates, new and emerging talent, enthusiastic amateurs, and even first-time artists.
Artists are invited to submit work into eight different categories, with the aim of creating an exhibition ‘rich in variety’ for visitors to explore.
Manchester Open exhibition is set to return in 2026 / Credit: Jason Lock Photography
This means you’ll get to explore works of ceramics, digital/moving images, drawings, prints, paintings, photography, sculptures/installations, and textiles.
Several awards will also be up for grabs throughout the exhibition – which is set to run from Saturday 20 June and Sunday 6 September 2026 – including a prestigious new award in honour of philanthropist and business leader, Kate Voke.
Three artists will also be awarded with artist development packages, managed by HOME and Castlefield Gallery.
“Following our 10 year anniversary in 2025, we are looking forward to 2026 and welcoming applications to HOME’s biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s artistic talent,” explained Karen O’Neill, who is the CEO of HOME.
“With a record number of applications to the last Manchester Open, we’re hoping for even more in 2026 and to demonstrate how the city continues to grow as a place where artists and creativity can thrive.”
Manchester Open exhibition is taking place in 2026 from Saturday 20 June and Sunday 6 September, and the application and submission process is now live – with all submissions being reviewed by the selection panel who make the final selection of work to be included in the exhibition.
Artists will only be able to submit one artwork, and the selection panel members will be announced in spring 2026.
Featured Image – Jason Lock Photography (Supplied)
Manchester
Sankeys shares sneak peek at new venue as legendary Manchester nightclub gears up for return
Daisy Jackson
Sankeys has given Mancs a glimpse inside its new venue as the legendary nightclub gears up for its return.
The club was one of Manchester’s top nightlife spots for years, before shutting down seemingly for good almost a decade ago.
Set within Beehive Mill in Ancoats, Sankeys was a true icon of Manchester’s global nightlife scene.
And while the old Sankeys Soap nightlife space is now full of co-working spaces, the spirit of Sankeys is about to be reborn.
The exact location of the new club is still being kept under wraps ahead of its reopening at the end of January, but new renderings have been released to give us a glimpse of how it will look.
Sankeys is promising ‘A reimagined space. New energy. Same legendary nights’.
The new Sankeys Manchester will be a 500-capacity venue, designed to ‘capture the raw underground energy that made Sankeys one of the most iconic club brands in the world’.
It will feature an LED matrix grid installation that will immerse clubbers in ‘light, sound and atmosphere’.
Sankeys Manchester officially opens on 30 January – you can see a glimpse of how it will look below and grab tickets HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
6th July 2023 
