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
‘Powerhouse’ Manchester named in top 10 global cities for music in 2026
Emily Sergeant
The top 10 cities across the globe for music in 2026 have been named, and Manchester has earned its place.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known and loved for over anything else, it’s music.
From Oasis and Joy Division, to Happy Mondays, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The 1975, and even more modern-day acts, there’s no end to the amount of talented artists this city has produced or been home to over the years, all contributing to Manchester being one of the most prestigious music cities there is.
The city’s live music scene has always been thriving, and that continues right through to this very day, as you’ll see big-name musicians including Manchester as a destination in their UK tour schedules more often than not.
Manchester has been named in the top 10 global cities for music in 2026 / Credit: Mylo Kaye | Nathan Mullet (via Unsplash)
Last summer was a sensational celebration for Manchester, as an immersive art trail, Music for the Senses, took over the city, and the annual Manchester Day was music-themed too, marking one of the biggest years for Manchester music in a long time.
Oh, and there was also the small matter of Oasis reforming for a UK tour, including a run of gigs at Heaton Park in June… in case you don’t remember, somehow (*wink wink*).
These next two months are also set to be huge for Manchester too, given the fact it is hosting both the 2026 BRIT Awards and MOBO Awards, on 28 February and 26 March respectively, for the first time at Co-op Live.
So it would only seem right that our city has earned itself a place in SeatPick‘s top 10 list of global music cities for 2026 – slotting right in there at a respectable number four.
Overall, Manchester claimed a score of 7.90 out of 10, as the city apparently hosts a total of 1,204 concerts per year across 116 venues, and even supports 380 music artists and 72 music-related businesses in the process, as well as hosting 26 different music festivals annually too.
“From indie and electronic to arena-filling acts, Manchester continues to punch above its weight as a powerhouse of British music,” SeatPick said in its new rankings of global music cities.
Other UK cities that feature in the top 10 are London at number two, and Glasgow and Bristol and number eight and nine, while claiming the coveted top spot of the list of global music cities for 2026 is the German capital of Berlin.
“What really stands out in this data is that the best music cities aren’t always the ones with the most artists,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO of SeatPick. “Rather, they’re the ones where live music is tightly woven into everyday life.
“Cities like Berlin and Manchester have fewer artists than London, but higher audience concentration per venue, which typically leads to stronger ticket demand and more consistent sell-outs.”
Featured Image – Vishnu R Nair (via Unsplash)
Manchester
Smash-hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie to return to Manchester on 10th anniversary tour
Emily Sergeant
One of the most beloved musicals of the 21st century is set to return to Manchester on its 10th anniversary tour.
Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, two sold-out UK and Ireland Tours, and even an award-winning Amazon Studios film, the smash-hit musicalEverybody’s Talking About Jamie is returning for its 10th anniversary tour, and will be stopping off here in Manchester on one of our most legendary stages.
Set to open in Leeds a decade after the original opening at the Sheffield Crucible, Jamie will be ‘coming home again’ for what is said to be ‘possibly the last time’, as the show heads out to major cities across the UK.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie tells the story of 16-year-old title character, Jamie, who lives on a council estate in Sheffield but doesn’t quite fit in and is terrified about the future, even though he wants to be a sensation.
Supported by his loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies, and steps out of the darkness into the spotlight.
With an original score of catchy pop tunes by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling, Dan Gillespie Sells, and writer Tom MacRae, the musical is said to be one the whole family should experience.
This new 10th anniversary addition of the show coming to Manchester even features a brand-new song to the already-beloved soundtrack.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will be coming to Manchester Palace Theatre on 15 March 2027, and will also be visiting other northern cities on the tour like Leeds, Chester, Sunderland, Sheffield, and Liverpool, as well as other major cities nationwide.
Tickets officially go on sale this week, with presale at 10am this Thursday (5 February) for ATG+ Members and general sale at 10am on Friday 6 February.
Daisy Jackson -
25th August 2022 
