A neighbourhood in Greater Manchester has been named as one of the coolest in the world in Time Out‘s annual list.
Of the 51 locations on the list, 16 are in Europe, including one right on our doorstep.
In recent years, Ancoats has crept up lists of this type thanks to its surging food and drink scene and mass redevelopment, turning it from an industrial landscape into an urban paradise.
But it’s not actually Ancoats who got the recognition this time – instead, eyes have turned back to the Northern Quarter.
Time Out said that the pedestrianisation of the area, which started during the pandemic but has been made permanent, has made for a ‘fresher’ visiting experience, according to Time Out’s Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World list.
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The magazine also said that the area ‘always seems to be one step ahead’ when it comes to trends, and placed the Northern Quarter in 30th place.
Mackie Mayor got a name-check in the Coolest Neighbourhoods list. Credit: The Manc Group
In the listing, it praised the area’s independent businesses, name-checking Ezra and Gil, Oklahoma, Vinyl Exchange, Mackie Mayor and Band on the Wall.
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They wrote: “Despite ongoing competition from Ancoats next door, as far as we’re concerned the Northern Quarter has reclaimed the title of Manchester’s coolest neighbourhood for 2022.
“Stevenson Square and some surrounding streets have been permanently pedestrianised, making for a fresher stroll around the centre of the city’s café and bar culture, with its stunning mix of Georgian houses, Victorian pubs and modern hangouts.
“No matter what the trend, the Northern Quarter always seems to be one step ahead – whether it’s vegan dining, pop-up bars or even the street art adorning its walls and shop shutters.
“In fact these murals, part of the Outhouse Project supported by local art shop Fred Aldous, exemplify the neighbourhood: always changing and moving forward whilst remaining respectful of the past.
“The perfect day: Take breakfast with a strong coffee at Ezra and Gil, followed by a browse for quirky handmade knick-knacks in Oklahoma and a flick through the records at Vinyl Exchange.
“Spend the afternoon picking out something special in the Craft and Design Centre before heading to pioneering food hall Mackie Mayer for dinner.
“End the day with a gig at Band on the Wall before retiring to the best aparthotel in the city, Native.”
Time Out polled 20,000 city-dwellers and asked local experts to come up with the ranking, which had Colonia Americana in Guadalajara, Mexico in the top spot.
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The highest-placed UK neighbourhood on the coolest list was Cliftonville in Margate, which came eighth.
The other UK neighbourhoods that placed higher than the Northern Quarter were Shawlands in Glasgow (11th) and Walthamstow in London (17th).
Kelham Island in Sheffield also got a nod, placing in 35th.
Time Out also said: “‘Cool’ is probably the most subjective quality going. But the neighbourhoods we’ve featured below are, simply put, incredible places to be right now.
“They’re areas with accessible, cutting-edge culture and nightlife; brilliant and affordable food and drink; lively street life and big community vibes.
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“They’re distinctive districts that you can walk across in half an hour or less, but could spend a whole day or more exploring. They’re great areas for people to live, visit and stay.
“They’re places that mix up the best of the old and new schools. Locals love them, and you will too.
“These are the world’s coolest neighbourhoods right now. Let’s get exploring.”
Trafford Centre announces opening hours for 2025/26 festive season – including Boxing Day
Emily Sergeant
Trafford Centre has published its full list of opening hours for this current festive season.
We all know that the Christmas period is one of the busiest times of the year for the retail industry, with people flocking to the shops in their millions to snap up festive gifts for their loved ones, and it only gets busier from Boxing Day onwards too when all the sales launch, offering shoppers some unmissable deals and bargains.
And nowhere in Greater Manchester gets busier during the festive season than the Trafford Centre. After all, with more than 200 stores all under one room, it’s not hard to see why.
This year, shoppers can make the most of extended opening hours at the Trafford Centre right through to New Year’s Day – with late night shopping until 11pm on selected dates in December leading up to the big day.
Alongside being a one-stop-shop for gifts, there’s also dozens of festive events and new Christmas lights to enjoy at the Trafford Centre too, so visitors can tick everything off their list and have a great day out while they’re at it.
The shopping centre will be open from 9am – 5pm on Christmas Eve, so you can whip round and grab any last-minute presents, before it’s closed fully on Christmas Day, and then opens again bright and early at 8am on Boxing Day.
Trafford Centre Christmas Opening Hours 2025/26
18 and 19 December: 10am – 11pm
20 December: 10am – 10pm
21 December: 12pm – 6pm
22 and 23 December: 10am – 11pm
Christmas: 9am – 5pm
Christmas Day: Closed
26 December: 8am – 8pm (some stores may be closed, please check with individual brands)
27 December: 10am – 9pm
28 December: 12pm – 6pm
29 and 30 December: 10pm – 10pm
New Year’s Eve: 9am – 5pm
New Year’s Day: 12pm – 6pm
It’s also worth noting, however, that not every store inside the Trafford Centre will be open on Boxing Day, so you’ll need to check with individual brands ahead of time.
For the restaurants, stores, and leisure venues that are open, you can check their specific trading hours on the Trafford Centre website here.
When it comes to festive event, The Grotto is open until Christmas Eve for pre-bookings only, and the Christmas fairground and ice rink, Big Wheel, and Gandeys Snowstorm Firebird show are all open until 4 January (closed Christmas Day).
Featured Image – Trafford Centre (Supplied)
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Greater Manchester’s ‘clean taxi’ plans backed by government funding
Danny Jones
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) ‘clean taxi’ initiative has been officially backed by the UK government, with an extra boost coming from a leading electric vehicle brand.
Millions of pounds are set to be pumped into the scheme over the coming years as the North West at large strives to become greener.
The Mayor himself, Andy Burnham, has made environmentally conscious travel a core part of his plans for the city region ever since he took up the post back in 2017; now he and his team are helping link up with connections in the capital to secure further investment.
With the new £8 million Hackney Support Fund being put into action as we speak, a further £2m is now set to go towards Manchester city centre and its surrounding boroughs via LEVC.
LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) have done away with classic petrol and diesel engines in their particular corner of the automotive industry, setting a more eco-friendly example for metropolitan cities up and down Great Britain.
As a result, Manchester City Council and the GMCA as a whole are looking to take a leaf out of their book as part of their wider carbon reduction targets, with local authorities having recently reaffirmed their five-year ‘climate change action plan’.
For context, the Hackney Support Fund in question is a series of government-backed grants aimed at helping taxi drivers replace older black cabs with more modern, zero-emission capable vehicles.
Not only that, but LEVC will also be offering licensed carriage drivers extended warranties on new and used TX cabs – like their new ‘eCity powetrain’ pictured above – as well as taxi scrappage allowance on other models.
Like any part of the country, our region itself has its own clean air goals, and with the continued expansion of the Bee Network continuing to advance that progress, we’re heading in the right direction.
It goes without saying that adding a fully-fledged fleet of cleaner, more energy-efficient EV taxis into that mix could help benefit these greener pursuits.
Managing Director at LEVC, Chris Allen, noted that the company has “helped the capital achieve legal air quality targets for the first time” and strongly believes that they can do the same up North.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our taxi trade is a vital part of Greater Manchester’s transport network and supports the local economy.
“That’s why we’re working hard to secure funding and practical support to help drivers upgrade to cleaner, greener vehicles – improving air quality for everyone, while protecting livelihoods. By backing our taxi trade, we’re building a fairer, healthier city-region for all.”
Daisy Jackson -
11th October 2022 
