An ambitious £37.5 million restoration project has been set out to expand and transform Haigh Hall in Wigan to “its former glory”.
An underground bunker cinema, world-class dining experience, astronomy displays, and the transformation of a derelict zoo site into an information and visitor centre are all part of Wigan Council’s plans to overhaul the historic hall.
Haigh Hall dates back 1840, and stands proudly amid the picturesque surroundings of the ever-popular Haigh Woodland Park.
The overarching restoration project has seen funding pumped into the site to make much-needed repairs to all aspects of the building.
The ultimate goal is to transform it into a community space.
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The historic Haigh Hall in Wigan is to be transformed in £37.5 million restoration project / Credit: Dunk (via Flickr)
According to the plans set out by Wigan Council, the transformation project will include a new world class dining experience, an underground bunker cinema, an art gallery for ‘Theodore Major’s visionary work’, and a rooftop terrace for astronomy.
The derelict gateway lodges are set for a revamp as well.
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One of the most significant aspects of the restoration project will see a derelict zoo on School Lane just off the main complex – which closed in the 1990s, and has been left vacant ever since – transformed into a new visitor attraction and learning centre, with a “multi purpose garden pavilion” and education and training hubs to provide more activity space.
A new 16-space car park will also be created – and all of this is already on top of the ‘five floor masterplan’ to restore the hall itself.
There’ll be an underground bunker cinema, world-class dining experience, and the transformation of a derelict zoo site / Credit: Wigan Council
Speaking on the restoration project, Cllr Chris Ready – Portfolio Holder for Communities and Neighbourhoods at Wigan Council – said: “Our Haigh Hall masterplan would transform this iconic landmark into an attractive arts, culture and heritage visitor destination of national significance; one which will celebrate the rich character and unique story of our borough.
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“On top of the restoration of the Hall itself, our plans for the wider grounds include bringing this derelict area back into use with the creation of an attractive community space capable of supporting various community activities and educational opportunities.
“We are committed to engaging with local residents throughout the process.
“We will be developing a full traffic and transport strategy for the whole site which will consider issues such as parking capacity and access routes to support our ambitions while having minimal impact on residents.”
Featured Image – Wigan Council
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Emily Sergeant -
21st September 2022 
