Entrepreneurial Prestwich residents are now renting out their back gardens as ‘luxury camping’ ahead of next year’s Oasis gigs.
The suburb is home to Heaton Park, which is set to host five of the band’s massive reunion gigs as well as the annual Parklife festival.
But the beautiful park is a strictly no-camping zone, with thousands of music fans having to make the trek back into Manchester after each gig.
There are often long queues for shuttle buses and trams between Heaton Park and the city centre, and many just brave the three-plus-mile walk instead.
Accommodation options around Prestwich are pretty limited, too.
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Enter this smart cookie, who’s cashing in on the music events and offering up their own land as a ‘luxury campsite’.
You can pitch up your own tent in their walled garden, which is right by the side of Heaton Park itself.
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And although you’re basically kipping in someone’s back garden, they do add in a fair few lovely trimmings.
You’ll have access to ‘posh loos’ with hot water, which are cleaned three times a day.
There are charging points, free bottled water, and a communal tent with seating so you can relax with any other Oasis fans who are camping out.
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The hosts will even chuck in a hot breakfast with tea, coffee and juice to set you back up the next day.
The Airbnb listing says: “Luxury Secure Campsite in a walled garden by the side of HEATON PARK.
“The campsite is within the grounds of an 18th century Old Vicarage accessed through an electric gate.”
And now for the bit you’re actually interested in – the price.
The Oasis camping Airbnb listing comes with posh loos! Credit: AirbnbThis patch of ground could be yours as people start renting out their gardens as Oasis camping. Credit: Airbnb
This clever sausage is charging a whopping £450 per night, for the privilege of lying on the ground just metres away from the Oasis gig.
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It’s a bit cheaper to stay over Parklife weekend, at £300 a night.
And when there isn’t a big gig like Oasis on, you can go camping here for just £250 a night.
Green light given for new train station in Greater Manchester town without one for 60 years
Emily Sergeant
The green light has been given to build a new train station in a Greater Manchester town that’s been without one for 60 years.
It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of Golborne will soon be able to hop on a train out of there, and that’s because a planning application to connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, that was submitted back in November of last year has been approved by Wigan Council.
This means connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.
Plans to deliver a new £32m train station in Golborne have reached a milestone moment. 🚅@WiganCouncil has given the green light to the planning application for the station and #TfGM have appointed a local company to design it.
In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.
The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which ‘significant investment’ has been put into.
A CGI image showing an aerial view of the proposed Golborne train station / Credit: TfGM
The planning approval milestone will also help to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people both in the town and in the wider Wigan borough.
Now that plans have been approved, this means TfGM, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Wigan Council, working with Government, will now develop a full business case and detailed design throughout this year.
To deliver this work, TfGM has appointed Golborne-based engineering firm Murphy to develop the final station designs.
Subject to approval from the Government, work to make the Golborne station vision finally become a reality will begin in 2026, and it’s hoped that the first trains will stop there in 2027.
Featured Image – TfGM
Travel & Tourism
Tram disruption to continue into the evening following damage in city centre
Daisy Jackson
Disruption to Metrolink trams will continue into the evening as engineers scramble to repair damage to an overhead line.
Power has now been restored following an earlier incident but services are still unable to run through Deansgate-Castlefield, a crucial stop in the city centre.
It’s left trams operating on a revised service pattern while damage to the overhead line is repaired.
Earlier today a driver in Manchester city centre reported a loss of power and damage to a pantograph – which is used to connect trams with the overhead power lines.
Images now shared by TfGM show the damage that has taken place, with the pantograph collapsed onto the roof of the tram.
The new tram service pattern began at 3pm and will continue until further notice, as follows:
Altrincham – Cornbrook
Eccles – Cornbrook
Manchester Airport – Firswood
East Didsbury – Firswood
Rochdale Town Centre – Exchange Square
Bury – Ashton-under-Lyne
Trafford Centre – Wharfside
Customers are able to use their Metrolink tickets on Bee Network bus services and some train services while the disruption continues.
TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, Ian Davies, said: “We are sorry to anyone whose journey has or will be impacted because of today’s disruption.
“Power has now been restored, and the cause has been identified as damage to overhead lines near to Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink stop.
“Specialist engineers will be making repairs today and staff will remain out on the network to assist passengers with their journeys.
“We have had to make some changes to services while the repair work takes place, and I’d encourage people to continue to check the Bee Network app, website and social channels for the latest information and advice for the remainder of the day.”
Daisy Jackson -
2nd September 2024 
