Feature

Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 — dates, locations, prices and everything you need to know

They're FINALLY back and we couldn't be happier. Merry Christmas!

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th November 2023

Rejoice, Manchester it’s that time again — famously the most wonderful time of year, and you know what that means: we’ll soon be filling our faces with bratwurst, cheersing steins of Bavarian beer and filling our houses with far too many festive trinkets because the Christmas Markets are back.

We’re not even tooting our own horn when we say this, it’s just a fact that the Manchester Christmas Markets are some of the best and most popular on the planet and this year we celebrate 25 years since the seasonal stalls first opened up in 0161 and started a legendary annual tradition.

It doesn’t matter how many years roll by, we still await their arrival like little kids waiting for Christmas morning and set our schedules for what time we’re going to head out on which day to cross off the must-haves on our markets checklist.

With that in mind, we thought we’d help you put together your own plan of attack this holiday season and give you all the info you need to know to make the most of the 2023 Manchester Christmas Markets. You can thank us later.

When do the Manchester Christmas Markets start this year?

The Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 will return to the city on Friday 10 November.

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The main hubs, across locations including Piccadilly Gardens — a.k.a. the ‘Winter Gardens’ come this time of year — King Street and St Ann’s Square, will all be open until 21 December.

But the Cathedral Gardens site, which is home to the ice rink, opens a little earlier each year and is already welcoming customers, with a handful of stalls operating through until 31 December.

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That means that 2023’s dates for the main Manchester Christmas Markets will span a whopping six weeks. Heaven.

Opening and closing times for the Manchester Christmas Markets

These are the opening and closing times for each of the Manchester Christmas Markets sites:

  • The Winter Gardens (Piccadilly) – Open daily from 10am-9pm (street food stalls open until 6pm, craft stalls open until 8pm)
  • King Street – Open daily 10am-9pm (Craft stall open until 8pm)
  • St Ann’s Square – Open daily 10am-8pm
  • New Cathedral Street – Open daily 10am-8pm
  • Exchange Square and Corn Exchange – Open daily 10am-9pm (Craft stalls open until 8pm)
  • Market Street – Open Monday to Saturday 10am-8pm. Open until 6pm on Sundays
  • Cathedral Gardens – Open daily 10am-9pm (Craft stalls open until 8pm)

All the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 locations

mcr christmas markets map 2023
The official map of the Manchester Christmas Markets locations this year.

The markets will be sprawling right across the city centre as usual, with wooden huts lining the streets at nine different locations this year.

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Manchester City Council has now confirmed all the places you’ll be able to enjoy the Manchester Christmas Markets, and you can find out more about what’s on offer at each one here.

The council have also published a handy map to help you plan your route around the Manchester Christmas Markets.

  • Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens
  • St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street
  • Market Street
  • King Street
  • New Cathedral Street
  • Exchange Square
  • The Corn Exchange
  • Cathedral Gardens

How much is food and drink at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023?

Until the Manchester Christmas Markets open on Friday 10 November, we don’t know exactly what the price of food and drink will be.

But as a few stalls have already opened alongside the ice rink, we do know a couple of traders’ prices.

The Yorkshire pudding wrap — which has huge queues forming every year (rightfully so) — has gone up a little and will now set you back £10, a £2 increase on last year.

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Mulled wine has also gone up to £5.50 from £5 last year, and don’t forget to factor in the price of a Christmas Market mug deposit with your drinks too!

To be honest, we’ll pay obscene amounts for those unreal deep-fried pigs in blankets that debuted last year. My word…

Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 mug design and price

The Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 mug design
The Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 mug design

Every year the Manchester Christmas Markets has a limited-edition mug design, and this year the collectable souvenir has taken inspiration from the Nutcracker.

There are two different sizes and 2023 designs to collect when the markets officially open next week.

When you order a hot drink at the markets you’ll be charged a £3.50 deposit for a mug (that’s up from £3 last year).

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You can then return your cup when you’re finished to get your money back, or take it home as a memento.

Last year, the Manchester Christmas Markets mugs were so popular they ran out before the markets had even finished – but they’ve ordered extras this year to be on the safe side.

Travel advice and how to get to the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023

Transport for Greater Manchester has urged people to use public transport wherever possible to travel in and out of the city centre for the Manchester Christmas Markets.

That’s because of all the events running alongside the festivities, from huge football matches to gigs at the AO Arena to Black Friday sales.

The Bee Network app will help you to plan your journey and you can read all the latest travel advice here.

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The best hotels to stay in for the Manchester Christmas Markets

Now, for those of you travelling into town to sample our world-famous markets — as literally thousands do every single year — you might be in need of somewhere to lay your head after a few too many steaming mugs of Glühwein.

Fortunately, since this city continues to be such a popular tourist attraction all year round, there are plenty of hotels to suit whatever your budget is.

In fact, you’re so lucky that we already put together a list of the best hotels in Manchester a little while back, so you’re welcome in advance.

The best, biggest and boujiest hotels in Manchester city centre
It wouldn’t be a very good summary of the markets without a few pointers on where you can crash for the night.

Read more:

And that should do you for now and your guide to the 2023 Manchester Christmas Markets — we’re sure most of you know the score by now: it’ll be a big, cold, a bit busy but utterly wonderful as it always is.

We’ve found the trick is to try out a few days during the week if you want to beat the rush and then come back at the weekend for the full-bellied crowds brimming with festive cheer.

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There really is nothing like it in our opinion and we’ll be sure to keep bringing you plenty of updates on all things Christmas Markets-related going on in Manchester over the next couple of months.

Happy holidays, you lovely lot!

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

Featured Image — David Dixon (via Geograph)/The Manc Group/Wikimedia Commons/Supplied

Feature

You can ‘run and rave’ as part of this new charity-driven social in Manchester city centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones Run The Streets MCR running social event Manchester city centre

If you’re looking for a fun new way to spend a night out or thinking about getting into running but maybe haven’t quite found the right way in for you just yet, this new Manchester run social that starts and ends with a good old-fashioned party might be right up your street.

Run The Streets MCR is a community-led and charity-driven fitness and social event that recently launched in Manchester and has already developed a bit of a cult following in the space of only a couple of months.

The concept is simple: it’s a running social where you can meet new people whilst getting your yards in, just not quite as you know it. Instead of people turning up for a 5k and then heading home, the fun carries on at a host venue where people can keep chatting and mingling whilst having a boogie.

And the best part is that not only is it more of a causally paced, low-pressure jog and crucially social-first, but it’s all for a good cause too.

How it began and the purpose behind the event

Started out by East Manchester locals and lifelong mates, Liam Parker-Worsley and Sarah Edwards, (‘Sezzle’ to those who know her among the Manc running circles), Run The Streets started out as a running social concept at its very core but has now become truly bigger than the sum of its parts.

While the ‘run and rave’ idea has been done before, this particular event is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester and after facing some serious obstacles to get it off the ground and plenty of adversity at the very first hurdle – for lack of a less punny phrase – they’ve managed to turn it into a force for good.

After pivoting the model at the start of 2024 to be completely non-profit, the monthly event is now helping bring people together for a good time, from the tarmac to the tiles, all whilst raising money for the likes of The Running Charity (TRC).

Not only do all the proceeds from the super affordable tickets – we’re talking the same price you’d pay for a decent pint in town these days – go straight back into running the next social, but they also help fund the chosen charity for that month.

Be it national causes like TRC, which recently received huge support from the incredible ‘Hardest Geezer‘s run across Africa, or charities strictly local to Manchester, everyone involved is striding towards a goal – quite literally.

What is Run The Streets MCR?
Meet the team behind the new non-profit run social in Manchester.

Offering a different kind of night out

Speaking to The Manc, co-creator Sezzle says the mission statement is simple: “Everyone’s welcome and you can meet new people whilst running but at the same time we’re giving back to the community.

“We’re supporting local charities, artists and DJs, as well as local running clubs who want to get involved. Essentially, it’s just about bringing people together, which is what run clubs do, but we’re also in a big city and not everyone wants to go out and just drink at a bar all night.

“You want to keep fit, it’s good for your mental health, but you also still want to be social and enjoy yourself. Run The Streets is that Mancunian through and through but everyone’s invited.”

Sober for five months now, she acknowledged that outlets like this are crucial, insisting: “I don’t want to stop going out and having a good time or meeting new people, so this is a way that you can still go out on a Friday night and enjoy a party atmosphere with no pressure to drink”.

run the streets manchester running social
This is what the start of a night in trainers, hi-vis and glow sticks looks like. (Credit: Supplied)

The ‘by Manchester for Manchester’ ethos

Her partner in crime Liam echoed that party-run description, reiterating that whilst people can still get a bit boozy if they like, it’s all about “providing an alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to drink and want to be included but might have felt a little alienated otherwise”.

A fellow Tameside native, he explained how Run The Streets has already partnered with zero-alcohol brands like Clean Break for their inaugural event back in March and now alcohol-free favourite Lucky Saint for their sophomore social this month.

They’ve also already managed to get sports brands involved in the event, offering giveaways, running shoe try-ons and more, most notably hosting the Fight Day 5k across the city centre in partnership with Matchroom Boxing.

“It’s not about the financial aspect for us”, says Liam, “we only charge for tickets to sustain the event and pay for the talent, hiring spaces and so on… It might be different venues, different charities etc., but as long as we focus on core issues to Manchester with a cultural element that’s important to us, we’re happy with that”.

Sez couldn’t agree more, adding: “At the end of the day, we’re Mancs, we’ve watched the city grow into what it is today. When it comes down to it everyone knows about the Manchester spirit, it’s a hard-working area and there’s such a community to this place – we want to make sure everyone feels welcome.

“We look out for each other. That’s how it’s always been.”

Their recent running event with Matchroom ahead of the Gill vs Barrett fight at AO Arena. (Credit: Run The Streets MCR)

Roots in the running and wider Greater Manchester community

Chatting with Tom Lewis, founder of Manchester’s annual 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness and Chairman for the Run The Street’s official host club, Manchester Road Runners, he said that they became interested because they “really liked the idea of sponsoring different charities every month”.

Confessing that it felt like “a natural crossover” given MRR’s size and ethos, as well as their own non-profit work with the British Heart Foundation and Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, he said the “overall response from the first event was incredible – everyone just loved it”.

“There were people dancing on the streets as they saw us come past and there were so many videos on social media. That sort of stuff can really help get people into running who wouldn’t necessarily consider it in the first place.”

“I think it’s going to grow really quickly; the first event sold out and I think the next ones will too, definitely. It’s great to see what just a random group of friends can accomplish when we come together.”

This massive Manchester running club where jogs finish at the pub is the best
Manchester Road Runners is helping bring huge numbers to the event already.

Liam himself couldn’t speak highly enough of the Castlefield-based group, insisting that “me and Sez find a lot of happiness and solace” at MRR.

While they are affiliated with others like KOKO (Keep On Keeping On’s Manchester arm) and Stretford Run Club that they want to help promote, the hope is that events like this might help people who run but don’t attend a club might give them a try in the future.

Regular ambassador and volunteer at both organisations, Natasha Barclay – who herself is over a year into her own sobriety journey – described the flagship event as “such good fun, really welcoming” and filled with plenty of people who had never even run before.

Nat also urged people not to be scared if they’re first-timers to run socials or running full stop, reassuring that “no one gets left behind; even if you can’t really run, you’ll always make it back, have a good time and meet others in the same boat”.

She went on to add: “Run The Streets MCR is all about giving back to the running community which I think can often get overshadowed by social media and certain brands. The spirit can sometimes get taken out of it but this run social puts its straight back in whilst helping Manchester business and DJs.”

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When we asked the guys to sum this whole experience up in three words or less that weren’t ‘rave and run’, they came up with some pretty telling answers too. “Community, soul and fun”, “alternative Friday fun” and our personal favourite: “Simply for Manchester”.

It’s also worth reiterating that these guys have done it completely off their own backs and are doing so on an entirely voluntary basis on top of their full-time jobs, sometimes juggling two or three different roles. It’s been built over countless late nights and dinner hours, all for the love of running and the city.

The second ever Run The Streets MCR running social and party kicks off this Friday, 26 April from 7pm at Joshua Brooks, with a light 5k around our lovely city centre starting at 7:30pm before heading back to the venue for more tunes, dancing, glowsticks and general good vibes from 8pm onwards.

You can grab the last few remaining tickets HERE and we hope to see a few of you there on the night.

guy running with a speaker in manchester
Come rain or shine, there’s always tunes to keep you going.
run the streets mcr deaf institue
The turnout at the last Run The Streets Manchester social at The Deaf Institute.
Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Run The Streets MCR

Feature

What to expect from Soho House when it finally opens in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The rooftop pool at White City House

Soho House Manchester is surely one of the city’s most hotly-anticipated (and long-awaited) new openings.

The luxury members’ club has been slowly transforming the Old Granada Studios in the city centre into a multi-storey hub that will include restaurants, bars, bedrooms, event spaces, a gym, and – notably – a rooftop pool.

At one point, its grand opening was locked in for 2022 – but now we’re in 2024 and still no official opening date has been announced.

But there’s good reason for that – you cannot rush perfection. And you can expect perfection when annual membership costs close to £3,000.

We may still be looking at the same set of artist impressions for Soho House Manchester, but after a whistle-stop tour of several other of their UK locations, we finally have an idea of what to expect from their first venture north.

One thing you’re guaranteed to find is attention to detail. 

Not one inch of Soho House is overlooked when it comes to their design – every corner, nook and cranny has been considered and made beautiful.

Every site is different from the last, lifting inspiration from the building it takes over and the history of the local area.

Bedrooms at White City House in London
Bedrooms at White City House in London
A lounge area at Soho House's White City House
A lounge area at Soho House’s White City House
White City House's bar
White City House’s bar
Pen Yen, a Japanese restaurant in Soho House
Pen Yen, a Japanese restaurant in Soho House
Another Soho House lounge space
Another Soho House lounge space
The rooftop pool at White City House
The rooftop pool at White City House
Click or swipe through the gallery above to see inside Soho House’s White City House

For example, White City House, constructed within the iconic, circular former BBC HQ, has collages of nostalgic programmes, analog TVs stuck to the walls, and mid-century modern furniture that tastefully nods back to the building’s most significant era.

But then you head to the very first Soho House location, tucked in a tall townhouse in the heart of bustling Soho, and it’s all about elaborately patterned wallpapers, plump colourful cushions, chintzy curtains.

With Soho House Manchester taking shape inside Old Granada Studios, we can expect a nod to our city’s broadcasting heritage, probably some 1960s-inspired interiors (this building held the Beatles’ first television performance in 1962), and hopefully not a Hacienda stripe in sight…

You want another example of attention to detail? Every Soho House even has its own stripe, used on its towels and stationery and other items dotted around the spaces. For Manchester, it’s going to be a navy and ochre wave pattern.

So while there are similarities between every location, this is far from being a copy-and-paste brand.

The same applies to the customer service. It’s quite remarkable to sit and watch how staff at each House will greet members by name at just a glance, very much like that scene in The Devil Wears Prada but I can’t see a panicked Emily Blunt whispering in anyone’s ear here.

Another recurring feature at Soho House will be total privacy. There’s a strict no-photos policy that means even the most A-list of guests (yes, including Harry Styles) can relax and enjoy the space without the fear of having their picture sold to a tabloid.

The pool at Soho Farmhouse
The pool at Soho Farmhouse
Soho Farmhouse bedrooms
Soho Farmhouse bedrooms
Private dining space at Soho Farmhouse
Private dining space at Soho Farmhouse
The 'Lazy Lake' hot tubs at Soho Farmhouse
The ‘Lazy Lake’ hot tubs at Soho Farmhouse
Another Soho House restaurant
Another Soho House restaurant
A look around Soho Farmhouse before Soho House opens in Manchester

If you whip out a phone, you’ll be told politely but firmly not to take photos or videos… not that many people even try. The application process to become a Soho House member is rigorous, so once you’re in, almost everyone plays by the rules.

And it really is private. One does not simply walk into Soho House, even if you do have cash to spend. In fact, the only way you can set foot into these hallowed halls without being a member is to be invited as a guest of an existing member.

Memberships are generally offered to those working in the creative industries, so you’re never more than a few metres from artists, music industry bigwigs, actors, dancers, writers, designers and more.

Inside any one house, you probably will spot a famous face or two (on our trip to Soho Farmhouse I clocked a legitimate Hollywood A-lister), but you might not notice – they’ll be treated the same as every other guest, and will be relaxing safe in the knowledge that they’re not about to be pestered for a selfie.  

Restaurants for Soho House Manchester haven’t been confirmed yet, but our tour of existing locations included several signature restaurants that would be very welcomed in our city.

We could get Pen Yen, a vibrant Japanese restaurant; or Little Berenjak, a sister site for the Persian restaurant in London that is so popular, it’s nigh-on impossible to get a table.

Picante, Soho House's signature cocktail
Picante, Soho House’s signature cocktail
Attention to detail even includes complimentary condoms in the bedrooms
Attention to detail even includes complimentary condoms in the bedrooms
An event space in the original Soho House
An event space in the original Soho House
Bikes at Farmhouse
Bikes at Farmhouse

One thing we’re sadly not likely to experience here in Manchester is the peace and tranquility enjoyed at Soho Farmhouse, where features include a heated outdoor pool and hot tubs sunk into the lake, pretty green bikes you can cycle around on, and cosy rooms built into wooden cabins or ‘piglet’ style huts.

But if you sign up for the ‘Every House’ membership, you can at least pay it a visit.

But what is on the cards for us is a rooftop pool with sunbeds and a bar; an enormous gym space (Soho House has said this is a priority, and after seeing how busy the gym at White City House is, I can see why), fitness studios; a steam room and sauna; a ninth-floor late-night bar and live music space; casual lounge areas serving food and drink; a formal restaurant; an events space with a bar and DJ booth; 23 bedrooms of varying sizes; and an 80sq metre two-bedroom private apartment. Phew.

Set to be the first Soho House site in the north, it will join other UK sites across London, in Oxfordshire, in Somerset, in Windsor and in Brighton.

An exact opening date for Soho House Manchester is expected to be confirmed soon.

Soho House Manchester – memberships and application process

The full membership gains you access to all 41 Soho Houses globally, and costs £2,950.

But if you want to just use Soho House Manchester, that will cost £1,925.

There are cheaper memberships available for under-27s.

As part of the application process, you’ll need to supply a headshot, information about your work and industry, links to your online profiles, and several other titbits about yourself.

It helps if you already know a couple of existing Soho House members who can refer you, too.

And you must confirm that you’ll abide by the house rules, which you can see here.

Soho House Manchester memberships are open now and you can apply here.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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