A magical Christmas grotto is coming to Manchester’s Northern Quarter
As well as meeting the main man himself, there'll be appearances from the Ice Princess, Mrs Claus, the Snow Queen, and brother and sister elves Holly and Ivy
A fairy tale grotto experience is coming to Manchester’s Northern Quarter this Christmas, bringing dancing ice princesses and the Snow Queen herself into the heart of the city.
Taking place across four dates in December, Native Manchester and Ducie Street Warehouse will transform into the fantasy land known as ‘Mancunia’ as it presents its popular NQ Grotto experience for the second year.
Featuring an immersive Christmas performance from Santa and his elves, alongside some of their closest friends,the magical grotto experience will take over the towering heights of the Atrium at Native Manchester for four special days.
Image: Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-Photo by Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-
Guests can expect to enjoy a beautiful Grotto theatre performance, with a magical journey unlike no other awaiting families this Christmas at the NQ venues.
The 60-minute experience will be completely family-friendly and feature dances with the Ice Princess, a singalong with Mrs Claus, storytime with the Snow Queen, and silly time with the brother and sister elves Holly and Ivy.
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Children will also get to meet the big man, Santa Claus himself, and tell him all the things that are on their Christmas list this year. Who knows, he might even have a little surprise in store for them.
Image: Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-
Alongside the Grotto experience, there will also be food stalls in the atrium available with festive food and drink offerings from Ducie Street Warehouse.
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Perfect for little and big kids alike, the family-friendly event is set within the trendy, warehouse-chic surroundings of the Grade II listed Ducie Street building, where guests can grab comfortable floor cushions and sit together to immerse themselves in an exciting Christmas wonderland.
Photo by Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-Image: Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-
The NQ Grotto will return to the Northern Quarter at Native Manchester across four dates in December – 4, 11, 18, and 19.
Tickets are available to book now, with each day offering a 60-minute session each at 10 am, 11.45 am, 1.30 pm, 3.14 pm and 5 pm.
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Priced at £12 for adults and £10 for children, entry is free for children under 2. Tickets can be purchased here.
Feature image – supplied
News
Former care home worker who defrauded elderly woman out of £300k arrested after fleeing to Spain
Emily Sergeant
A fraudster former care home worker who’s been on the run for almost a year has finally been arrested in Spain.
Pamela Gwinnett has been arrested in Tenerife, where she fled to in 2025, and will be returned to the UK to face justice for her crimes.
The arrest comes after a meticulous investigation by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) where Gwinnett was found guilty of defrauding an elderly woman, named Joan Green from Chorley in Lancashire, out of almost £300,000 while she was employed as a caregiver at a nursing home.
Gwinnett fled the UK for Tenerife in 2025 in an effortto evade authorities, GMP said.
She was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison in her absence back in October 2025 for a number of offences, including fraud by abuse of position and theft , and at a subsequent Proceeds of Crime hearing, an order for £300,000 was granted… but up until this week, Gwinnett has been on the run and police have been trying to track her down.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) worked alongside the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Spanish authorities to locate Gwinnett and begin the process of her return to the UK where she will serve her sentence.
Speaking in reaction to Gwinnett’s arrest this week, PC Georgia Loughton, who was the GMP officer in charge of the investigation, said: “I am pleased that Pamela Gwinnett will be returned to the UK where she will serve her sentence.
“Gwinnett knowingly defrauded a vulnerable woman out of almost £300,000, cutting off all contact with her family and controlling every aspect of her life.
“She was trusted by Joan, and she used this position of trust to her own financial gain. Joan was isolated from her family and denied from seeing her grandchildren and their children.
“Sadly, Joan passed away in 2022, however we hope that the return of Gwinnett to the UK to serve her sentence gives Joan’s family a sense of justice as they look to move on with their lives.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Micah Richards reveals dad ‘unexpectedly’ died shortly before going on air for England v Argentina last night
Emily Sergeant
Micah Richards has revealed that his dad died shortly before he went on air for the World Cup semi final last night.
The former right back – who most-notably played for Manchester City for a decade from 2005-2015, and for the England national team from 2006-2012 – was one of the BBC’s pundits providing on-air analysis last night as England faced Argentina in a highly anticipated semi final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup last night.
The two teams faced off in Atlanta, and while goals came from both sides, it was ultimately Argentina that reigned supreme – securing a 2-1 win over the Three Lions.
But while much of the country is grieving the fact that football won’t be ‘coming home’ (well, for another two years at least), Richards is grieving on a deeper level.
He took to Instagram after the loss last night to share with his 1.4m followers that shortly before he went on air, his father Lincoln passed away ‘unexpectedly’ – calling him the ‘proudest parent possible’ in a touching tribute.
“He has left us all too soon,” Richards began in his tribute.
“Hwas my greatest fan. He barely missed a game my entire life. He would take me wherever I needed to go when I was a kid and he was the proudest parent possible during my professional career. It was so rare for him to not be by my side.
“I know how much watching England World Cup games means to everyone at home, and how the experience bonds families together across the generations, like nothing else.
“I know, particularly as a proud old-school Yorkshireman, dad would’ve wanted the show to go on this evening. And so it did.”
Georgina Pellant -
29th October 2021 
