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
The Cut and Craft are hosting a bottomless Boxing Day brunch this year
Danny Jones
This holiday season, The Cut and Craft are hosting an extra lavish take on their usual bottomless brunch on Boxing Day.
Suddenly, we’re looking forward to 26 December maybe even more than our mam’s Christmas dinner…
Yes, the much-loved steak and seafood restaurant is already well-known for one of the best bottomless brunches in Manchester, not to mention evening meals, but they always elevate things even further over the festive period.
Promising top ingredients, the best booze labels you could ask for, as well as stunning service in an even more stunning room, you can’t go wrong if you’re looking to make the most of your toasts this Boxing Day – and don’t worry, vegetarians: there are some great options for you, too.
Typically held over a long weekend, The Cut and Craft bank holiday bottomless brunch will be held for the last time this year on the final Friday of 2025. You couldn’t ask for more perfect timing than that.
The group have transformed the beautiful room in the heart of the city into what they’ve dubbed “a scene straight out of Miracle on 34th Street.
Adorned with grand wreaths, the reliable warmth of twinkling fairy lights, stockings hanging in front of the fire in ‘The Gossip Room’, plus Santa guarding the wine cellar, the only thing more inviting than the space is the menu.
Besides the usual 90 minutes of non-stop Moët & Chandon champagne, as well as DJs, live entertainment and dancers, the food offerings include flat iron steak and chips served on a hot stone with a grilled tomato and signature salt.
If you prefer something to steer away from the red meat/have already had plenty over Christmas, you can go for grilled seabass with Duchess potatoes, gremolata, hazelnut and cauliflower sauce, OR opt for the halloumi fajitas packed with roasted peppers and onions, guacamole, salsa and chive sour cream.
You can even load these up even further with the addition of free-range British chicken breast, rump steak (if you change your mind on the day), and even king prawns.
We’re almost drooling just thinking about all this – as are our mates from The Hoot after confirming the same promotion is available at their equally gorgeous sites over in Leeds.
Veggie options are Cut & Craft’s ‘Redefine Flank Steak & Chips’ (tender flank-style cut of plant-based steak), or spicy cauliflower wings, served with broad beans, English garden peas, buckwheat, baby gem, baby spinach, broccoli couscous, toasted cashews, pistachio crumb, and maple-mustard dressing.
Once again, all of this can be tweaked here and there by the exceptional waiting staff; for instance, if you’d rather wine than champers, you can always swap the bubbly for Whispering Angel Rosé, which will be served straight from their limitless fountain.
Guests who fancy visiting Cut and Craft for Boxing Day 2025 can choose between a bar table with unlimited Whispering Angel drinks only from just £55, or go all out with a restaurant table and a dish from the set brunch menu starting from £75.
The full Moët fizz upgrade package will set you back £100, if you’re really looking to indulge yourself this year, and who could blame you? It’s a long, old winter, after all.
If you’re interested in securing your seat at 38-42 Mosley St, bookings are available from 1pm onwards, and you can reserve your table right HERE.
Three Manchester pubs are officially serving some of the best Guinness in the UK
Daisy Jackson
Guinness has released the first edition of its Harp Guide, which has highlighted the best pubs around the UK to grab a pint of the black stuff – and three are here in Manchester.
The iconic Irish brewery has singled out just 35 British pubs that are serving worthy pints of Guinness stout.
Of the three in Manchester that made the list, one is a legendary Irish pub in the city centre, while the other two are neighbours out in the suburbs.
Up first is – unsurprisingly – Mulligans of Deansgate, an authentic Irish pub in the heart of Manchester city centre that’s been a popular watering hole for Mancs for more than a century, selling more than 13,000 pints a week.
The pub expanded last year and now has two spaces – its traditional, den-like ground floor, and its much larger live music space with vaulted ceilings upstairs.
Pádraig Brady, owner of Mulligans, said: “Being recognised in the inaugural Guinness Harp Guide is a real privilege.
“It’s no secret that every pub gets the same kegs of Guinness delivered, but what makes the difference is everything that happens after that.
“The right equipment, correct cellar procedures and conditions, staff who know how to pour it perfectly, the atmosphere, the daily live music – it all matters. We’ve always focused on doing things consistently, and being the sole Manchester city centre pub in the guide is testament to that consistency.”
Mulligans in Manchester is in the Guinness Harp Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
Next in the Harp Guide is Kennedy’s in Didsbury, a pub which has only been open since August following the success of its original location in Altrincham.
The pub recently welcomed Yard & Coop into its kitchens too, so you can get a traditional Irish spice bag with your Guinness.
Kennedy’s said: “We are super excited to announce that we, amongst 34 other bars across GB, have been selected for the Offical Guinness Harp Guide 2026.
“Not only is this an exceptional achievement within the Guinness community, but it’s an accolade that represents everything we work towards here at Kennedy’s Irish Bar.
“The Guinness Harp Guide celebrates those few bars that capture the warmth, character, and vibrancy that makes enjoying a Guinness so special, and of course, those that serve beautiful Guinness’.”
Completing the list is The Station pub, also in Didsbury, a cosy local favourite and key stop on the legendary Didsbury Dozen pub crawl.
This popular Irish pub has sports, live music three nights a week and a serious love of Guinness – and now it’s officially one of Britain’s best spots to drink it.
These are officially the spots to head if you’re a discerning Guinness fan.
The Manc -
26th May 2021 
