Spinningfields Thai restaurant Thaikhun is giving out free meals in Manchester tomorrow to welcome new undergraduate students.
It will park its signature tuk-tuk at the University of Manchester between 12-5pm offering freshers free rides and a private tour around the city, ending at the restaurant.
Students will be dropped at Thaikhun on Hardman Street, Spinningfields, to enjoy a pad thai on the house – a famous national dish made with your choice of protein, Thai rice noodles, egg, spring onions, sweet turnip, bean sprouts, tofu, peanuts, vegetables and a tamarind sauce.
Protein options meanwhile include chicken, pork belly, roast BBQ pork, prawn, beef, tofu and plant-based chicken, leaving plenty of choice for meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans and pescetarians alike.
Normally priced at £10 a dish, for one day only students in the city will be treated to a freebie on the house.
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Kim’s pad thai recipe has stayed the same for nearly 2 decades and has won awards. / Image: Thaikhun
At the age of just 15 with big dreams and an entrepreneurial spirit, Kim left her village to set up her own Pad Thai cart. / Image: Thaikhun
Simply by taking a picture of themselves dining at Thaikhun, groups could also be in with a chance to win a complimentary meal for four.
Becky, Restaurant Manager at Thaikhun Manchester, explains: “We’re so excited to be bringing this exclusive and totally unique experience to Manchester Freshers Week, offering students a free ride in a tuk tuk and a complimentary Pad Thai at Thaikhun. We can’t wait to welcome students and freshers into our restaurant to enjoy our signature dish for free, for one day only.
“They can also win a dining experience for four guests by simply uploading a photo of themself either at the restaurant or with the Thaikhun tuk tuk, which will be based at the University campus, using #ThaikhunTakeover on Instagram. We will select a winner at random after the event and contact them the next day where they can redeem their prize within 30 days.
“We encourage all students in the city to enter, no matter what University you’re at. It certainly won’t be one to miss!”
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Image: Thaikhun
Image: Thaikhun
Located on Hardman Street, Spinningfields, Thaikhun offers Thai street food inspired by the food markets of Bangkok.
Pad thai is a dish especially close to its heart, being one of the first dishes its founder Khun Kim ever perfected .
At the age of just 15 with big dreams and an entrepreneurial spirit, Kim left her village in rural Khiri Mat for the busy streets of Bangkok. Kim’s main passion has always been food and so, in 1993, she set up her first Pad Thai cart.
Through pure dedication and hard work, she expanded the business to run several street food stalls and won an award for the delicious flavours of her Pad Thai recipe, which is still proudly used across Thaikhun’s restaurants today.
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Kim almost met her husband Martin whilst working on that stall in 1997 – and shortly after she moved to Leeds, Martin’s hometown, to start building her Thai restaurant empire.
Feature image – Thaikhun
News
Police issue statement after triple stabbing at Manchester high school
Emily Sergeant
A formal update and police statement has now been issued following a stabbing at a high school in Manchester earlier this morning.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers were called to reports of a stabbing at a school on Plant Hill Road in Blackley – confirmed to be Co-op Academy Manchester – earlier this morning (Tuesday 9 June 2026), and when they arrived on the scene, they discovered that two students and a teacher had been injured.
Staff were quick to detain a girl to ensure no further harm came to pupils or staff, before police arrived shortly afterwards.
A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault, and remains in custody for questioning.
At this time, officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and have stated that there is no wider threat to the public.
The police have issued a statement after a triple stabbing at a Manchester high school / Credit: GMP
As mentioned, three people were injured during the incident – a 14-year-old schoolgirl, a 14-year-old schoolboy, and a 27-year-old male member of staff. All were taken to hospital, however thankfully, their injuries are not believed to be serious, and they are stable at this time.
Giving a statement following the shocking incident earlier this morning, Chief Inspector Jon Shilvock said: “We understand that this incident will have cause concern to pupils, staff and the wider school community.
“The incident was swiftly and quickly dealt with by staff before officers attended to arrest the girl. There is believed to be no wider threat at this time, and we thank everyone for their support as emergency services dealt with this.
“We are not looking anyone further in connection this with this incident.
“Officers will remain at the school and within the area to provide a visible presence and community reassurance.”
Featured Image – Google Maps
News
The Weeknd at Etihad Stadium, Manchester – setlist, stage times, tickets and more
Daisy Jackson
The Weeknd’s enormous After Hours Til Dawn world tour will touch down in Manchester this week for two huge stadium shows.
The Blinding Lights singer had previously skipped our city in favour of London, but added two gigs at the Etihad Stadium last autumn, along with new dates in Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, Copenhagem, Munich and Lille.
The 2026 After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour has taken the Canadian diamond-certified global star across the globe.
The Weeknd’s seventh concert tour has been going since 2022, but has evolved over the years ahead of its return to Manchester.
Last time he performed in Manchester back in 2023, some fans were upset with his giant view-blocking moon balloon – but thankfully, The Weeknd is leaving that at home this time.
Instead, you can expect more pyrotechnics and lasers than the Etihad Stadium has ever seen, and a setlist packed with hits.
Here’s everything you need to know for The Weeknd at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
What dates is The Weeknd performing in Manchester?
The Weeknd is heading to Manchester this week. Credit: Sebastien Nagy
Thursday 11 June
Friday 12 June
Tickets for The Weeknd at the Etihad Stadium
If you’re hoping to go along to The Weeknd in Manchester, but haven’t sorted tickets yet, worry not.
There’s still really good availability on tickets at the time of writing, especially for Thursday 11 June.
You can see the latest ticket availability for Thursday 11 June HERE and Friday 12 June HERE.
Remaining tickets are priced like so:
Limited view seats – £84.20
Seated tickets – £123.10, £155.75, £204.50
General admission pitch standing – £144.70
East or West pitch standing – £177.50
Expected setlist for The Weeknd
The incredible staging that The Weeknd will bring to Manchester. Credit: Sebastien Nagy
This is the most recent setlist The Weeknd has been using for his South American leg – but it has been changing as the tour has progressed.
This looks like a long setlist, but he does shorten a lot of these right down into one huge mash-up of his hits.
Baptized in Fear
Open Hearts
Wake Me Up
After Hours
Starboy
Heartless
Faith
Cry for Me
São Paulo
Rio
Take My Breath
Sacrifice (Swedish House Mafia remix)
How Do I Make You Love Me?
Can’t Feel My Face
Lost in the Fire (Gesaffelstein cover)
Timeless
Often
I Was Never There
Given Up on Me
The Hills
Creepin’ (Metro Boomin cover)
Niagara Falls
One of the Girls
Stargirl Interlude
Out of Time
I Feel It Coming
Die for You
Is There Someone Else?
Wicked Games
Call Out My Name
The Abyss
Save Your Tears
Less Than Zero
Blinding Lights
Encore
Without a Warning
House of Balloons
Moth to a Flame (Swedish House Mafia cover)
Stage times
VIP Early Access – 4.30pm
Turnstiles open – 5pm
Prince 85 – 6.15pm
Playboi Carti – 7pm
The Weeknd – 8.10pm
Curfew – 10.30pm
Who is supporting The Weeknd in Manchester?
The first support act for The Weeknd in Manchester is Prince 85, a frequent collaborator and mysterious music producer and artist.
Up next will be rap sensation Playboi Carti, another of The Weeknd’s collaborators, who’s known for hits like Magnolia, Sky, and Shoota, as well as his fashion-forward aesthetic and high-energy live shows.
Georgina Pellant -
21st September 2022 
