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A two-day sustainable fashion event is coming to the Trafford Centre

Find pre-loved gems, sustainable fashion shows and expert talks.

The Manc The Manc - 21st September 2022

A two-day sustainable fashion event is coming to Manchester shopping complex the Trafford Centre this month,

The leading shopping and leisure destination will champion circular fashion, environmentally conscious fashion and new season trends with a selection of pre-loved fashion sales, ticketed live expert talks and spectacular fashion shows.

Aiming to inspire shoppers to reinvent their wardrobe whilst championing brands that are taking more steps to adopt greener practices, Trafford Centre will come alive with spectacular fashion shows and dance fusion performances whilst showcasing key A/W trends from the centre’s vast array of fashion retailers.

The public can also expect pre-loved fashion sales from We Are Second Life, whilst ticketed live expert talks will be hosted in-store by Selfridges. Meanwhile, styling sessions will be hosted by John Lewis, with support from charity partner, Smart Works, championing sustainable initiatives. 

Image: We Are Second Life
Image: We Are Second Life

Read more: Energy bills to be halved for UK businesses for the next six months

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Zoe Inman, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting a 2-day fashion extravaganza at Trafford Centre; an opportunity to showcase the incredible range of fashion brands on offer, whilst highlighting brands that are championing sustainable initiatives.

“The centre will come alive with fantastic entertainment, inspiring shows, and informative talks, whilst also giving the public the opportunity to purchase pre-loved items – we are looking forward to delivering another huge-scale event that continues to escape the ordinary.”

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Across the two days, specially-choreographed fashion shows will take place in The Main Dome, championing the themes of re-wearing and restyling whilst also showcasing the latest A/W trends.

A team of eight young dancers from troop Dance Fusion will also be on hand performing a high-energy routine to entertain shoppers alongside the diverse fashion shows. 

Elsewhere, Selfridges will host X3 ‘in conversation with’ live talks focused on its Materials, Models and Mindsets pillars as part of the wider ‘refashioned’ event.

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And Smart Works, a UK female employment charity that dresses and coaches women for interviews and job success, will partner with John Lewis to offer styling sessions in the department store’s dedicated styling lounge.

Tickets for the Smart Works styling are priced at £10 per person. As part of the experience, customers will be treated to a glass of prosecco on arrival, a John Lewis goodie bag and an interactive session of styling from both Smart Works Greater Manchester and John Lewis, with all funds going to support the Smart Works Greater Manchester charity.

Smart Works Head of Wardrobe Trustee, Kay Barratt said: “We use fashion as a force for good, with our dressing room stocked with pre-loved and new clothing to dress women in preparation for their interviews. 

“Shopping your wardrobe, learning how to take pieces from one season to the next and mixing pre-loved and vintage has never been more in fashion. We look forward to sharing styling tips and tricks at Trafford Centre’s refashioned event that will not only save the planet, but also your pocket too.” 

Read more: A Japanese souffle pancake house is opening in Manchester

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Rob Lorrimer, Event Manager at we are second life fashion said: “What could be better than great fashion at small prices, all in the effort to help save our planet.

“We are delighted to partner with Trafford Centre on its refashioned event.”

The two-day sustainable fashion event will take place on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October at the Trafford Centre. See the full schedule below.

REFASHIONED EVENT SCHEDULE 

Friday 30 September 

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  • Fashion Show and Dance Performance: [2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm] The Main Dome
  • We are second life sale: The Orient
  • Smart Works X John Lewis Styling Sessions: [11:30, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00] John Lewis Styling Studio
  • Selfridges live talks: Selfridges store 

SELFRIDGES LIVE TALKS

12:00 PM – 13:00 PM – ‘REFILL’: 

The importance of sustainable beauty.

Hosted by L’Oréal Blackett & guest speaker.

16:00 PM – 17:00 PM – ‘REPAIR & RESELL’: 

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Instead of buying new, what else can we do?

Hosted by L’Oréal Blackett & guest speaker from CEO of Sneaker ER Alan.

18:30 PM – 19:30 PM – ‘REDUCE’: 

Investment pieces for a more sustainable wardrobe.

Hosted by L’Oréal Blackett & guest speaker Sophia Rosemary

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Saturday 1 October

  • Fashion Show and Dance Performance: [11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm] The Main Dome
  • We are second life sale: The Orient

Fashion brands on offer at Trafford Centre include luxury and high street favourites from Selfridges, John Lewis, Levi’s, H&M, North Face, Havaianas and many more.

Feature image – The Trafford Centre

News

Tailgaters and middle lane hoggers warned to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A warning has been issued to tailgaters and motorway middle lane hoggers urging them to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style.

Do you find yourself guilty of two of the biggest driving sins from time to time?

Well, according to the latest figures released by National Highways, one in three motorists have admitted to middle lane hogging in their lives, while one in four have committed acts of tailgating on some of the UK’s fastest roads.

These shocking survey findings – which were released back in early March as the Government-owned road management company launched a new campaign – showed that lane hogging was among the behaviours that are most likely to cause motorists and passengers to feel ‘frustrated’, and tailgating was most likely to cause feelings of unease, stress, and anxiety.

Nearly a third (32%) of drivers admitted to lane hogging ‘at least occasionally’ while driving on England’s motorways and major A roads, according to the survey – which polled 2,500 adults between the ages of 16-75.

On top of this, almost seven in ten adults in England (67%) said close following or tailgating is a ‘serious problem’ on these types of roads, but nearly a quarter (23%) admitted to doing it from time to time.

Tut-tut.

Tailgaters and middle lane hoggers have been warned to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style (Credit: IPTC/Ronald Hudson)

It’s these very statistics which have led National Highways to issue an urgent warning that calls on these motorists to “carefully consider” their driving habits, as “little changes can change everything”.

Lane hogging and tailgating both fall under the offence of ‘careless driving’ in England, with the country’s police forces having the power to hand out on-the-spot fines of £100 and three penalty points to those who commit such offences.

“Middle lane hogging and tailgating are far more than mere annoyances for drivers,” warned RAC road safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis, adding that these actions “put everyone on the roads at risk.”

He continued in his reaction to the release of the latest National Highways figures: “Closely following another motorist could easily result in a serious collision should the driver ahead need to brake sharply for any reason, so the fact nearly one in four drivers admitted to doing so on some of England’s fastest and busiest roads is frightening”.

Mr Dennis said he understands that offenders “might find these habits hard to kick”, but that’s why the urgent calls for motorists to make changes are “so important”.

“By understanding that how we choose to drive affects others, we can each make a real difference to the safety of our roads,” he concluded.

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Featured Images – AA

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A guide to the brand-new Co-op Live Arena: drinks prices, how to get there, capacity and more

Danny Jones Danny Jones Co-op Live Manchester guide important info

The brand spanking new Co-op Live Arena finally opens this week and while it might be a touch later than expected, it’s still a huge deal for Manchester and the region as a whole.

While the inaugural pair of shows by British comedy legend Peter Kay might have been postponed due to unexpected power supply problems, that’s exactly what test events are for and Co-Op Live is still due to open its doors to the public later this Saturday as they welcome The Black Keys.

Boasting a jam-packed and ambitious programme already, with shows lined up well into 2025, there’s a lot to take in and as always with new venues, it can be helpful to know all the important details before your first visit – and we’re all in that boat in this case.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you sorted with a whirlwind guide to the Co-op Live.

Everything you need to know about Co-op Live Manchester

Let’s start with why everyone’s getting so excited. Well not only is it going to become the UK’s biggest indoor entertainment venue and one of the biggest in Europe full stop, boasting a maximum capacity of 23,500 people but, like the newly opened Aviva Studios, it’s also set to bring huge revenue into the city.

All told, the total cost of the venue has clocked at approximately £365 million, making it one of the most expensive buildings to ever be erected in the region.

With the arena promising to rival not only the biggest and best venues in Manchester but the UK in general, they are looking to “change the way business is done within the music, sports and live entertainment industry“.

Attracting not only huge artists, comedians and other live acts but now even the likes of the UFC later this year, it really is poised to be an all-purpose entertainment space.

Who is Co-op Live backed by?

So who exactly is behind this huge new addition to the city? Well, there are a few big names involved, first and foremost the City Football Group (yes that one – they are neighbours after all).

Man City owner and UAE royal Sheikh Mansour has put forward the lion’s share along with the Oakview Music Group, co-founded by American music mogul and ex-Ticketmaster CEO, Irving Azoff.

Thirdly, another key investor who has played a big role in the marketing for Co-op Live, in case you haven’t already seen him in the promos, is Harry Styles.

Putting in an undisclosed amount into the building as a minority equity shareholder along with Emma Spring, co-director of his record label Erskine Records, Emma Spring, his brand alone is set to help rake in big sums for the venue.

The former One Direction star speaks ahead of Co-op Live opening to the public.

Those drink prices…

Yep, a lot of you will have surely heard about them already and if you haven’t about Co-op Live’s drinks prices yet, you might want to sit down for this one.

As confirmed by many accounts on social media, the cheapest pints available at the flashy new arena are £8.35 for a Grolsch, with Guinness, Asahi and Salfordian brewers Seven Brothers‘ IPA all setting you back £8.95. Double pints are priced at £16.35 and £17.45.

If you’re looking to save money with bottles or cans, you’ll still be paying around seven quid and wine will cost you £8.95 or £9.25 for 187ml or 200ml servings, respectively. A bottle of vino clocks in at £35 and sprits range anywhere between £9.50 and a whopping £17.40 for a tequila. Yikes.

You’re better off sticking to a soft drink at £4.80 for a pint and that way you can still save money in case you need a bite to eat, as pies are £8.25 and you’ll have to cough up £11.50 if you want a burger. We’ll let you draw your own conclusions on this front, though we’re sure we could make an educated guess.

Seating chart and venue map

co-op live venue
Seated for Peter Kay
seating plan co-op live
Standing and seated for Olivia Rodrigo
Credit: Ticketmaster

You’ll find the typical arrangement for seated events and standing gigs above but, like most modern event spaces like this, the ‘top-in-class’ venue will likely be able to shuffle into different configurations where needed.

As you can see, there a three main tiers – the ground floor standing area in the lower bowl, level one seating and the upper tier – and there are a total of 32 bars, restaurants and various lounges wrapped into the entire complex.

When it comes to how you get into the arena itself, guests are encouraged to consult their gate (A-G) allocation through their tickets on the dedicated Co-op Live app, which also includes all info regarding shows and the latest announcements from the venue.

Here’s a wider look at the lay of the land:

A rough guide to getting around Co-op Live (Credit: Supplied)

How to get to Co-op Live, parking and more

Tram

Now, as for how you’ll get to shows at Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad Campus stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

If you want to take another new and improved arm of the Bee Network public transport system, not only is there a whole host of routes that drop you off close to the venue but there’ll also be a free shuttle bus from the city centre to and from events between 20 April-30 June 2024.

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.

Better still, as part of Manchester City Council and TfGM embracing the new addition to the skyline, they’re also helping cover the costs of people’s journeys when using public transport.

Co-op Live and TfGM to offer FREE trams and buses to and from new arena for all event ticket holders

Getting there by car and parking

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue but this must be pre-booked ahead of time. Parking will be released up to 4 weeks before the event and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the Etihad Campus is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, it’s also just a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

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Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the boke all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

Co-op Live opening and closing times

While times will obviously change depending on the show, you can expect doors to open around the standard window between 6-7pm.

That being said, the venue is urging visitors to arrive at evening events in the main bowl no later than 9pm. As for curfew, Co-op Live gigs are due to finish by 11pm unless otherwise stated.

Accessibility info

One thing they’re taking very seriously at the Co-op Live is accessibility and after teaming up with disability charity Attitude Is Everything, you can find a full guide to access the arena HERE.

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Having installed lowered service counters, step-free access to all floors, a designated respite room, support for assistance dogs, hearing loops for those with aids/implants, ambulant seating and plenty more, they’ve got it covered so all you have to do is come along and enjoy the show.

Read more:

And that just about wraps up everything we can think when it comes to what you need to know ahead of Co-op Live’s grand opening at the end of this month.

It’s set to be a world-leading venue and we can’t wait to see it lit up in its full glory when the first acts roll through the doors of big shiny black box this weekend.

Speaking of, once the action is underway, there’ll be a lot of acts coming thick and fast. It’s a new era for Manchester’s live music and entertainment scene.

What’s on at Co-op Live, Manchester’s huge new arena with packed programme of gigs and shows
Here’s your guide to everything happening at Co-op Live so far – and there’s a lot of it.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Co-op Live

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