There’s a Pokémon art trail and treasure hunt-style event taking over the Trafford Centre in just a few weeks time.
And the best part? It’s absolutely free to get involved with.
As part of a brand-new partnership with the Trafford Centre, the Pokémon Company International introduced its new interactive event at an artistically-inspired reveal over the weekend, and now, the company has announced that a special treasure hunt will take place at the shopping centre next month.
‘Pokémon: Art Through the Ages’ will take over the Trafford Centre from 17 October, and run right through until 13 November.
Those who head on down to the Stretford-based shopping mall will get to discover hidden art of the 151 Pokémon that were originally discovered in the Kanto region through an interactive trail – which event organisers say showcases “a wide variety of artistic techniques and styles” from across the ages.
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There’ll be cave paintings, stained glass, and more for families and Pokémon fans of all ages to enjoy free of charge.
Not only that, but there’ll also be 10 hidden oil paintings for visitors to seek out too, which each have a secret code on them to unscramble, and those who successfully unscramble the code will then get to get their hands on a free limited-edition, double-sided poster from GAME.
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Fans will even be able flex their creative skills at the Main Stage area in the Orient, where there’ll be special art workshops designed especially for kids.
If you fancy taking a break from art hunting, then you can meet Pikachu on the new Pokémon Bus instead and make the most all of the fantastic photo opportunities, or watch Pokémon movies and episodes of the Pokémon animated series, and grab a booklet full of additional activities to complete at your own leisure.
Even more goodies will also be up for grabs throughout the event too, including a certificate for finding all 151 Kanto Pokémon.
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Speaking ahead of the start of the new event, Peter Murphy – Senior Director of Marketing at The Pokémon Company International – said: “We are thrilled to announce such a creative partnership with Trafford Centre.
‘Pokémon: Art Through the Ages’ will take over the Trafford Centre from 17 October / Credit: Trafford Centre
“Exploration is an element which is key to Pokémon, and we can’t wait for kids and families to embark on their own journey to complete the Kanto Pokédex and see Pokémon depicted in such unique art styles.”
“When initially sourcing a suitable location for this fantastic event, the Pokémon team were inspired by the unique architecture that is iconic of Trafford Centre,” added Bruce Gardner – Brand Experience Director at Trafford Centre.
“We have worked collaboratively with Pokémon, our Partners such as Transport for Greater Manchester, Clear Channel and our retailers to ensure Pokémon fans can escape the ordinary and experience a unique, memorable and fun-filled day out.
“We can’t wait.”
Featured Image – Trafford Centre
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Major travel warning issued ahead of Manchester Pride this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Of course, Manchester Village Pride returns to the city centre this weekend from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August – with four days of music, live performances, and entertainment taking place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and of course, the annual Pride Parade will be taking to the streets from 12pm on Saturday too.
Starting at midday on Liverpool Road, the Pride Parade will travel through the city centre via Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, and Whitworth Street, all before arriving in the Village and closing out at around 4pm.
Pride may be the biggest event in Manchester this weekend, but given the fact it’s a bank holiday too, it’s by far the only thing happening.
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
As thousands of visitors gear up to visit the city in the next few days, travel warnings have been issued by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), as road closures are in place and major traffic congestion is expected across the city centre.
For the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a full list of road closures and parking suspensions have now been published.
Drivers are advised to avoid travelling into the city centre by car if possible, particularly on Saturday, and should use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains – instead to best avoid all the closures.
But for those who do need to drive, they’re being strongly advised to ‘allow plenty of extra time’ for their journeys and check routes before setting off.
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
Wherever possible, drivers are advised to park on the same side of the city as their route, as travelling across the city to reach a car park could add additional time to the journey.
“Plan ahead if you’re travelling over the bank holiday weekend,” Manchester City Council said in its travel warning.
“A number of other major events are taking place across the city, including live events at Wythenshawe Park and Manchester United’s first home game of the season, which are likely to increase demand on tram services and roads in and around the city centre.”
You can find out everything you need to know about Manchester Village Pride here, and see the full list of road closures here.
Featured Image – TfGM
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Aldi on Market Street is officially open again, with a major upgrade
Daisy Jackson
Good news for literally everyone in the city centre – Aldi on Market Street is BACK after a major upgrade.
The supermarket in the Manchester Arndale has been closed for what feels like an eternity (okay, three weeks) while it was given a refurbishment as part of Aldi’s Enhanced Project Fresh initiative.
The closure had left some shoppers less than impressed, with locals previously taking to social media to say it had ‘ruined my f***in day‘.
But after weeks of waiting, the Market Street branch is now back open, and Aldi says there are plenty of changes for shoppers to discover.
The revamped store has been given a new floor layout, upgraded refrigeration and repositioned departments, all designed to make navigating the shop a little easier.
Having popped in this morning, we can confirm that the aisles feel significantly less claustrophobic than they did previously.
One of the biggest additions is a brand-new in-store bakery, alongside expanded chillers and an enhanced fresh produce section.
Buzzball BiggiesThe new Aldi bakery on Market StreetAnd magnums of Aldi’s own chicken wineLoads of new self checkoutsThe aisles feel much wider and calmer in the new Aldi Market Street
There’s also a larger food-to-go chiller, while the freezer section has been redesigned with easy-to-browse freezers.
And for anyone who has ever found themselves trapped in a city-centre supermarket queue, Aldi has also introduced an improved queuing system for its self-checkouts, with the changes intended to ease congestion during the busiest periods.
Store Manager Mark Strickland said: “We thank our customers for being patient during this period of closure and we hope the improvements we’ve made to the store create a noticeably better experience for our shoppers.
“The new floor, upgraded refrigeration, and repositioned departments now make shopping at Aldi Arndale easier and more comfortable than ever.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming back familiar faces and new customers to showcase what we’ve achieved.”
The makeover forms part of Aldi’s wider investment programme across its stores, including the rollout of updated CO₂ refrigeration systems.
According to Aldi, the carbon reduction from the completed programme will be equivalent to the amount of energy used to heat more than 6,500 homes.
So, while Mancs might have had to survive without their Market Street Aldi for a little while, there’s now a shiny new reason to head back into the Arndale.
Emily Sergeant -
26th September 2022 
