A local Manchester brewery is giving away free lager and pizza this week to celebrate the launch of its newest beer.
Created in collaboration with local clothing brand Hikerdelic, the new limited edition beer is called GORP, or Good Old Raisins & Peanuts, and is the latest release from the city’s only craft lager brewery.
The newest drop from Manchester Union Lager, if you time it right you can grab a can (and a slice of Nell’s pizza) for free at Common on Edge Street this Wednesday.
All you need to do to get your hands on a freebie is to sign up for a free ticket with Skiddle here, then make sure you’re one of the first fifty people in the queue at 6pm.
There’ll also be a host of merch available, created by Hikerdelic – a relatively young clothing company born out of the ‘sartorial seeds of Proper Magazine’.
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Hikerdelic has already had great success in limited edition collaborations with the likes of Barbour, Novesta, Holubar and Yogi, after transitioning from writing about clothes to making their own.
The new GORP can has been designed by local illustrator Daren Newman. / Image: Supplied
Image: Hikerdelic
Now, they’re teaming up a bit closer to home, combining a love for the outdoors lifestyle with high-quality, well-designed clothing made to last.
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Their motto is where the peak meets the precinct, unifying the two worlds of rambling and raving, and let’s be honest there’s not much that does that better than a beer.
Promising to be the ‘perfect refreshment after a post-trail hike’, in spite of the name the Pilsner-style beer is actually completely free of peanuts.
The can label has been illustrated by Daren Newman, a celebrated locally-based illustrator who also created all of the typography for Hikerdelic’s branding.
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Speaking on the new beer launch, Manchester Union’s Jamie Scahill said: ‘We floated the idea of a beer with Hikerdelic a few years ago when they hosted a party at the brewery so we’re delighted for the world to try it.
“This is the perfect partnership with one of my favourite clothing brands and Manchester’s only craft lager brewery.”
Mark Smith from Hikerdelic added: “After the last couple of years, the importance of real life things has definitely grown.
“With social media we can interact with our followers but a real product enjoyed in real life can’t really be beaten.
“Working with Jamie and Will has been great and we’re looking forward to getting something a little different to our clothing out there.”
Head down to the Hikerdelic and Manchester Union Brewery present GORP Lager Launch Party this Wednesday, 7 September, at Common in Manchester’s Northern Quarter from 6pm – 10pm.
Shaun the Sheep Sculpture trail appears across Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A flock of adorable, colourful Shaun the Sheep sculptures has appeared in Manchester.
Find The Flock is an art trail of six ‘ewe-niquely’ designed artworks, created by Wild in Art and the Academy Award-winning animation studio Aardman.
Mancs will be able to hunt out all six 160cm-tall Shaun the Sheep sculptures, each one designed and painted by a local or international artist.
From a sheep in Spinningfields with a strawberry for a head, to a colourful ‘Shaun the Shape’ outside Aviva Studios, the beloved character has well and truly moved into town.
The trail has been installed to celebrate the European premiere of Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show at Aviva Studios.
The show comes from acclaimed circus company Circa and Aardman, combining the classic slapstick character with live circus performers.
John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International said: “Wild in Art’s public works create lasting memories in cities across the globe, including here in Manchester where we still enjoy Bee in the City at iconic locations across the city centre.
“Working with Wild in Art and building on our relationship with world-famous animation studio Aardman, Find the Flock is a joyful art trail bringing the excitement of Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show out into St. John’s and Spinningfields.
“We regularly host free activity for families during the school holidays at our home in Aviva Studios, and this winter we’re thrilled to offer a fun adventure to have on your way to or from the venue too.”
Part of the Shaun the Sheep sculpture trail. Credit: The Manc Group
Gillian Fletcher, Director of Estates and Creative, Form Property said: “Form Property as managing agents for Spinningfields and St. John’s are thrilled to be working collaboratively with Factory International, Wild in Art and Aardman to welcome this exciting activation to our communities.
“Find the Flock is a fantastic opportunity to bring people together, spark creativity, and showcase the vibrancy of our neighbourhoods.
“We can’t wait to see everyone interacting with the installations and being part of the experience.”
Ngaio Harding-Hill, Head of Attractions & Live Experiences at Aardman said: “We are delighted to bring Shaun the Sheep to Manchester for the festive season.
“Find the Flock is a wonderful opportunity for fans of all ages to celebrate Shaun’s arrival ahead of his Circus Show premiere at Aviva Studios, and we can’t wait to see everyone join in the fun.”
Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder of Wild in Art, said: “We’re thrilled to be continuing our ongoing partnership with Aardman Animations through our Find the Flock trails, and to be able to collaborate with Aviva Studios again.
“We hope visitors will discover the joy of the trail and see how our incredible artists have brought this iconic and cheeky character to life.”
The Shaun the Sheep Find the Flock sculpture trail will be in situ until 4 January.
Trail maps are available from John Rylands Library or Aviva Studios.
Lily Allen adds another massive Manchester arena show to West End Girl tour
Daisy Jackson
Lily Allen has just announced an extra show here in Manchester, after her previously announced dates in theatres across the UK drove phenomenal demand.
The much-loved British singer sold out some of the nation’s finest theatres in just minutes with her West End Girl tour.
Since then, the star has announced her biggest-ever headline tour, with a run of arena shows coming next summer.
Lily Allen is now set to visit the AO Arena in Manchester not just once but twice, as well as playing other big cities including Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham and London.
West End Girl was released less than a month ago and has received critical acclaim across the board, amassing 150 million streams and sticking near the top of the UK Albums Chart.
The bear-all, scathing, deeply personal record has catapulted Lily Allen back into the spotlight, and now she’s got the arena tour she deserves.
The show – ‘Lily Allen Performs West End Girl‘ – will see the singer/songwriter play her brand-new album in its entirety, in the order the songs appear on the record.
She had already announced two nights at Aviva Studios in Manchester next March, which sold out almost instantly.
Before this era, Lily was famed for her big hits like ‘Smile’, ‘The Fear’, and ‘F*ck You’. It’s fair to say she’s now riding one of the biggest waves of popularity in her career thus far.
Lily Allen is set to play at the AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 19 June 2026, with tickets on sale from 10am on Thursday 27 November.
You can get your tickets right HERE, but we’d be quick about it…
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2022 
