A busy section of Manchester city centre has been heralded as one of the ‘Coolest Street in the World right now’.
Cutting Room Square in Ancoats has made it on to Time Out’s list, praised for its ‘seamless mix of culture, exquisite dining and rich sense of history’.
Time Out also said it was the ‘coolest street in the UK’s coolest city’ – although ranked it behind Great Western Road in Glasgow (which placed third) and Deptford High Street in London (17th).
Cutting Room Square snuck on to the list of the 33 coolest streets in 21st place, the first time that anywhere in Manchester has been listed.
More than 20,000 global city residents were surveyed, before Time Out’s local editors factored in food, drink, art, fun, culture, nightlife and community vibes.
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The top spot this year went to Rue Wellington in Montreal.
Cutting Room Square in Ancoats. Credit: Manchester City Council
Last year’s winner, Melbourne, made it into second spot with a different street, with the Australian city’s Gertrude Street named the second-coolest street in the world.
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Time Out said of Cutting Room Square: “If there’s one place that brings together Manchester’s proud industrial heritage with all of the advantages of a forward-looking city, it’s Cutting Room Square, right in the middle of Ancoats.
“Sit in the open air, take in the five giant copper monoliths that look out over the square, and gaze out over the foreground of the converted warehouses and St Peter’s church.
“On the other side are some of the finest, award-winning places to dine – in Manchester or anywhere. Cutting Room Square’s seamless mix of culture, exquisite dining and rich sense of history makes it the coolest street in the UK’s coolest city (there, we’ve said it).”
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They went on to recommend eating at Rudy’s, drinking at the Edinburgh Castle, and attending a concert at Halle St Peter’s.
James Manning, Travel Editor at Time Out, said: “In most of the world, pre-pandemic life has returned with a bang.
Cutting Room Square in Ancoats. Credit: Twitter – @_MaxInAMillion_
“With people excitedly making plans and going out in their own cities and on city breaks again, our list of the Coolest Streets in the World takes in the key thoroughfares which clued-up locals — including our expert editors and contributors — recommend strolling down right now.”
Rob Martin, Time Out’s local correspondent in Manchester, added: “There are many wonderful streets to enjoy in Manchester but one place has, well, the cutting edge.
“Its mix of traditional and modern, of culture and cuisine, of art and architecture, history and forward momentum, epitomises what the city is all about, making it a worthy entry.”
Featured image: Rudy’s Pizza
Manchester
Manchester set for its busiest weekend of the year with pop-up Park and Rides to open
Emily Sergeant
Pop-up Park and Ride facilities are set to open as Manchester prepares for what’s expected to be its busiest weekend of the year.
The festive season in the run up to Christmas always sees more people flock to the city centre than usual, but this weekend will likely be even busier than expected, as not only are Manchester Christmas Markets still in full swing, but there are also a number of gigs, live festive shows, and major sporting events coinciding with this.
So in a weekend that sees legends gigging and the Manchester Derby take place, as you would expect, thousands are predicted to flock to Manchester city centre and Etihad Campus.
Manchester Christmas Markets are in full swing and Paul McCartney will be at Co-op Live this weekend / Credit: The Manc Group | Wikimedia Commons
Because of this, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is taking action and encouraging people to dodge the likely congestion and use public transport instead where possible – with pop-up Park and Rides set to be introduced for weekend shoppers and fun-seekers who do want or need to drive.
On Saturday and Sunday, Booth Street West Car Park D (M15 6PD) – which will have 965 parking spaces available – will be free for customers travelling to the city centre by bus, and then again on Sunday, the same car park will be free for those attending Paul McCartney at Co-op Live.
Your ticket to the gig must be shown on entry, before a dedicated shuttle bus then takes you from the car park to the Etihad Campus.
Disney On Ice will be hosting four shows at AO Arena this weekend / Credit: Supplied
Shuttle buses – which are only available on the Sunday – will depart from Higher Cambridge Street and run to Co-op Live and back every 15 mins from 4pm until midnight.
Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground (Talbot Road, Stretford, M16 0PX) will also have 500 parking spaces available for Metrolink customers on Sunday, but you must show a valid pre-booked tram ticket to park there.
On Sunday [15 Dec], we’re offering free parking at Emirates Old Trafford to help relieve congestion in the city.
The Park and Ride is available to customers with a valid tram ticket purchased on the app, at a ticket machine or via contactless.
Anyone else planning to drive across the weekend may also want to consider using one of the permanent Park and Ride sites and complete their journey on foot or by public transport, and you can find more information and the locations of these sites on the Bee Network website here.
Tram capacity has been increased for the festive season, with every available tram running until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The V1 and 36 bus services now also run 24 hours a day.
Other late-running buses on the Bee Network from Manchester include the 43 service to Manchester Airport, the 86 to Sale, and the 142 to East Didsbury.
You can send messages of hope to a veteran in Greater Manchester this Christmas
Thomas Melia
A Manchester veteran is urging local people to show support by writing messages to other veterans who suffer with physical and mental challenges.
Lamin Manneh, who served in Afghanistan, is fronting this initiative alongside Help For Heroes with the aim to deliver as many uplifting messages as possible to veterans who need a little pick-me-up this Christmastime.
The Manchester-born veteran experienced his own struggles while serving for the Armed Forces losing both legs and an arm whilst on patrol.
There are at least 7,700 veterans in Manchester and there are even more that can be supported by Help For Heroes.
Their latest campaign ‘Send A Christmas Message To A Veteran’ allows anyone to upload their own words and pictures of support that veterans can access virtually.
It’s easy to access and the message is uploaded straight away meaning people can reach it through any digital or desktop device whenever they need.
Last year, Christmas cards with some inspiring messages and words of support were distributed between more than 9,500 veterans and the Armed Forces charity are hoping to reach even more.
These cards are vital to any retired soldier as Help For Heroes knows for some people this may be the only card they receive this year.
Pairing this with the fact that many veterans are affected by both physical and mental challenges which limit socialising, Christmas can be a tricky time for them.
Some of the messages posted to the online wall have images attached to them too, which you can also do, including some of the cutest dogs, that’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.
Manneh said: “During military service, service men and women have a strong support network and a close-knit community, but transitioning to civilian life can destroy that.
“Coupled with physical and mental health issues, which can prevent them from socialising, Christmas can become a time filled with dread rather than a celebration.
“Loneliness can lead to unnecessary thoughts coming to you, which can cause so much harm. Therefore, it is paramount for anyone who needs help to reach out.
“I know from last year that receiving messages from Help for Heroes supporters made a massive difference to some people and showed there are people out there who care. It also encouraged veterans to come forward and get support.”
If you want to get involved and show your support with a few words of encouragement and empathy, you can do so via their virtual message wall here.
Daisy Jackson -
25th August 2022 
