Manchester is a vibrant city brimming with personality; whether it’s the Industrial Revolution or a musical revolution, Manchester is at the epicentre of both. There is something for everyone, from shopping at the Trafford Centre to watching football at Old Trafford. Manchester is brimming with things to see and do. However, it’s also the birthplace of some game-changing technological advances and the site of many historic firsts. There is no doubt about it; Manchester has something for everyone.
What makes it so great?
Here are a few reasons why many people love Manchester so much.
The city invented the first programmable computer. Baby, a machine made from surplus war parts that ran the world’s first stored programme, was created in 1948 by developers Fred Williams, Tom Kilburn, and Geoff Tootill. Kilburn wrote the file (the only one he ever wrote), and it ran for the first time on June 21, 1948. While today’s computers are sleek, light, and stylish, Williams and Kilburn’s creation weighed more than a tonne and had less computing power than a calculator, with tasks taking approximately 52 minutes to complete.
Manchester is the birthplace of the industrial revolution
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It is the site of the birth of the Industrial Revolution. Manchester’s then-unknown city experienced massive growth in the late 18th century. Between 1760 and 1840, the region experienced a creative boom that resulted in new manufacturing processes and cultural developments. Manchester, which eventually became the world’s first industrialised city, was responsible for the first-ever inner-city railway, the country’s first working canal, the world’s first steam-driven mill, and it became the world’s largest primary producer of cotton. Today, you can see this incredible work ethic reflected in the city’s symbol: the yellow and black worker bee, which can be found all over the city.
The city has produced a whopping 25 Nobel Prize winners. Manchester has a heady dose of beauty, with a winding canal, Castlefield Locks, and flower-adorned bars – but it is also a city with brains. Did you know that the University of Manchester is home to 25 Nobel Prize laureates? This incredible achievement distinguishes the city as a global leader in innovation and research excellence. Of the 25, 11 were for physics breakthroughs, and nine were for chemistry breakthroughs; the most recent award, given in 2010 to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, was for their advances in the study of the nanomaterial graphene and its exceptional properties.
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At Manchester University, the atom was split for the first time. As if having more than a dozen Nobel Prizes wasn’t enough, the University of Manchester can also lay claim to being the first place where the atom was split. This historic event occurred in 1917 while British physicist Ernest Rutherford, who was born in New Zealand, was working at his laboratory off Oxford Road. It was a game-changing discovery that would lead to advancements in both nuclear power and health care, giving rise to radiotherapy techniques used to treat cancer patients.
Nightlife
When it comes to Manchester’s nightlife, you’ll be utterly spoiled for choice. It has one of the most vibrant nightlife scenes in the country, with significant club establishments and both large and small live music hotspots. Manchester has an impressive live music heritage, and the talent that flocks to the city on a regular basis cements it as one of the most suitable locations in the worlds of rock, indie, and alternative. It’s also a major stop on most bands’ tour schedules.
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If you prefer a quieter night out, Manchester’s bars range from cosy and one-of-a-kind to downright bizarre. From a more cultural perspective, there is a wide range of theatres and picture houses to keep everyone entertained. One thing is sure: you will not be bored when the sun goes down in this town.
With the way the world is evolving, everything is going online. You can watch a film, listen to music or play at a casino online. In Manchester there are many clubs, bars, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and casinos to choose from and therefore you don’t have to stay in. There are, of course, benefits and disadvantages of going out or staying in to partake in these activities. Let’s take the casino industry, for example. Real land-based casinos may provide an “experience,” but they are pretty pricey. When you go to a Manchester casino, for example, you can’t spend all of your money on gambling. You must purchase tickets, pay for hotel accommodations, and set aside additional funds for travel. Online casinos, on the other hand, provide a pure gambling experience. There will be no “unexpected” costs. Online operators provide access to a huge selection of casino games via any smart phone or desktop computer from virtually anywhere. No need to dress up, brash your shoes or shave. Nowadays most of them are regulated, meaning they must conform to stringent responsible gaming rules, practices and tools, ensuring safe gambling and peace of mind for the players. With the introduction of live casinos and human dealers the gap between land-based casinos and virtual ones has become smaller than ever. One of the most established and much fun UK casino online is 888, a veteran operator offering exclusive games you will not find anywhere else and most probably will exceed your expectations.
Conclusion
Perhaps it’s the city’s heritage of musical talent and club innovation or the combination of party-loving students and young city slickers. However, there’s no doubt about it: Manchester is a stomping place to go out at night. Choosing where to drink and dance, from grungy clubs to stylish bars, can be a daunting task. But an enjoyable one nonetheless as you are simply spoilt for choice. There is literally something for everyone in Manchester, which is why it is one of the best tourist attractions in the UK.
Manchester
Fans are preparing to pay tribute to Mani from The Stone Roses ahead of his funeral service
Danny Jones
Stone Roses fans and Greater Manchester locals alike are getting ready to pay their respects to the late, great, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, following his tragic passing last month.
As well as details surrounding his funeral being announced earlier this week, the iconic Manc musician’s cause of death has also finally been revealed.
While Hatton’s service featured a high-profile cortège which started all the way from his hometown of Hyde, past multiple landmarks and ending at the Etihad Stadium, those local to Mani’s family home on the edge of Stockport are also being welcomed to help send him off.
It's the funeral of Mani of the Stone Roses on the 22nd. He lived locally. This poster is asking people to line the route of his funeral cortege to "show that he truly was adored". pic.twitter.com/X0DYHl10Hp
He had been struggling with emphysema for some time; he was declared dead at his home in the suburb of Heaton Moor, and is said to have died peacefully in his sleep.
As you can see from the posters put in various places around the area, residents wishing to pay their own tributes to Mani before his private funeral service at Manchester Cathedral are encouraged to line the long street leading down from St Paul’s and Heaton Moor United Church as he heads towards the city.
Departing Parsonage Road from 10am on Monday, 22 December, before turning right onto Heaton Moor Rd, then Wellington and eventually on to the Cathedral, you can expect plenty of people to show up.
One of those people will be his former bandmate and another influential guitarist, John Squire, who is one of many famous musical names to have honoured him in their own way over the last few weeks.
Other members of The Stone Roses, as well as Primal Scream (who he joined in 1996), are expected to join the close family and friends at the service itself.
Nevertheless, we have no doubt that plenty will be observing the funeral in their own way.
So, for those of you also looking to honour him, you know what to do; and to quote the poster itself, “together we can show this local legend and his family that he was truly adored.”
Plans to transform Chorlton’s old shopping centre have been green-lit
Danny Jones
Yes, after a prolonged period of uncertainty, the plans put together for redeveloping Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre are now moving forward.
Following an extensive consultation period back in 2023 and planning permission having now been approved by Manchester City Council, the transformation of the long-neglected retail complex has been green-lit, and the project will be moving forward even sooner than you think.
As confirmed earlier this week, Stretford-based construction company PJ Livesey will be working in tandem with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to deliver the major regeneration, which will see even more living spaces and leisure facilities arrive in the already thriving suburb.
Following an official press release on Thursday, 18 December, we’ve now been given a latest glimpse at what the developers are hoping the new Chorlton Cross district will look like.
Credit: Font Communications (supplied)
Plans for the transformation of both the high street and the old Leisure Centre date back to 2023 and even further when taking into account the Council asking the public for their thoughts on what should happen with the area, but Chorlton Cross, specifically, has been the subject of debate for some time.
The bulk of units in and around the largely forgotten shopping centre are now empty, with just a few hold-outs still clinging on to their space.
Now, following extensive feedback from native Mancs and those who have flooded into the South Manchester town over the past decade, the approved plans have now been revealed.
They include:
A mix of 262 one, two and three-bed apartments, all with access to outdoor space through balconies and gardens
20% affordable homes available through a mix of tenures, with 18.5% of these being available for social rent
Around 3,500 sq metres of public open space, including a fully walkable route through Manchester Rd and outdoor seating areas to encourage people to stop and dwell
A mix of flexible retail spaces, such as a new ‘Makers Yard’ suitable for smaller, start-up businesses
Up to 60 new trees across the site with maximised retention of existing trees
Manc filmmaker, Bernard Leach – who has been making videos about the region since 2007 – shared a longer look at how the vision for this next chapter in Chorlton‘s residential and retail history is currently shaping up earlier this month.
As you can see, some sections of the old Lancashire village and ‘cum-Hardy’ parish could look rather unrecognisable sooner than you think.
Should everything go ahead as scheduled, those involved are hoping to get work underway in the New Year, with the ‘decommissioning’ of all existing buildings, including Graeme House, undergoing demolition by early 2026.
With the majority vacating their premises in recent years, it’s fair to say that it’s been vastly underutilised for far too long.
Posting on social media back in September last year, nearby resident Nigel Woodcock wrote: “Serious question, not just councillor-baiting, but can anyone explain why the retail businesses in Chorlton Precinct were booted out before any decisions were made about what’s going to happen to it?
“It makes no sense to me. No plans have even been submitted, so far as I’m aware, so why kick out those businesses and leave it derelict for so long? The land and buildings are actually owned by the combined GM Local Authorities, so one might expect a modicum of political and business nous to be applied.”
Similar to the new plans being put together for the stretch of land between Castlefield and Salford, most are just glad something is finally happening with the space.
Commenting on the plans progressing, PJ Livesey’s Managing Director, Georgina Lynch, said in an official statement: “This is a landmark moment for Chorlton, marking the transformation of the former shopping centre into a vibrant new hub for the community.
“Working closely with Manchester City Council, we’ve carefully balanced the delivery of much-needed new homes – including 20% affordable – with the creation of lively, welcoming spaces to shop, relax, and spend time.
“This site is at the heart of Chorlton, and we’re bringing it back to life, cementing the area’s reputation as a truly great place to live.”
What do you make of the Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre regeneration plans?
The Manc -
26th May 2021 
