The list of pubs and bars closing across the UK is growing depressingly large and brewing giants Stella Artois are as fed up with it as the rest of us.
It was only earlier this week that we learned two beloved Stockport boozers, Doctor Feelgood and The Glass Spider, were sadly shutting down due to rising energy bills and overall business costs, not to mention people simply not having as much money to go out at the minute.
With that in mind, Stella wanted to try and help those in need and, naturally, their idea to support struggling owners that I’m sure you all immediately thought of: turning pub signs into nudey Renaissance-style paintings. As you do…
Drummed up in partnership with Hospitality Action, a charity for those in the service industry, Stella Artois’ UK arm has put together a novel new campaign in hope of raising money for local publicans and it’s a truly brilliant idea. Now, this is what we call ‘high art’.
As you can see in the short advert, with around 400 UK pubs sadly closing in the last year alone — not to mention countless others in the wake of the pandemic — Stella have teamed up with some seriously talented artists to reimagine some iconic pub signs as oil paintings.
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Nudity being an essential component, of course.
The clever and comedic initiative dubbed, ‘The Pub Renaissance‘, will see art collectors or people who simply want to do their bit for a worthy nationwide cause bid on these limited edition artworks, as well as be able to buy affordable prints to hang up back at home.
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All of the proceeds will go towards a fund which collected by Hospitality Action and distributed across various watering holes in need of financial assistance across Britain. Quality stuff.
Collaborating with painters from the likes of the Lake District and London, to as far as Australia and Iceland, the aim was to get each of them to come up with their own inspired take and, in defiance of the nation being stripped of important gathering places, they decided to strip their signs instead.
After all, Stella Artois is best unfiltered and they thought the same should go for the patron saints of these precious pubs, hence them now hanging above the door completely ‘au naturel’.
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As they put it: “Revealing a royal modesty here. An imperial side-boob there. No aristocratic private part was kept under wraps.” Quality stuff.
You can bid for any one of Stella Artois’ 12 Pub Renaissance paintings or grab yourself a print HERE, or simply donate to Hospitality Action directly if you wish. Let’s help save our pubs.
BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is returning to Greater Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is coming back to Manchester once again, and they’re bringing yet another phenomenal lineup with them.
National radio station and overall upcoming music connoisseurs, BBC Radio 6, are back with their music festival, and just like years previous, it’s taking place across Manchester.
Over the years, the festival has brought some of music’s biggest names to lots of local venues, putting on an array of brilliant live performances.
Last spring saw the arrival of rock band Gossip and Irish singer CMAT, both taking up residency in O2 Victoria Warehouse, Lily Fontaine of English Teacher at Band On The Wall, while DJ Seinfeld went B2B with Salute in Depot Mayfield.
Leading this glowing roster of performers is Ezra Collective, a Mercury award -winning band known for their brilliant jazz productions, and then from one Mercury-winning band to another, Lily Fontaine won’t be riding solo this year, instead she’s bringing all the crew with her, as English Teacher are set to perform at this huge festival.
Fat Dog, whose debut album is titled ‘Woof’, are joining in on the fun with Scottish band Mogwai also making a feature too.
There’s even a chance for an exclusive first listen too, as Kae Tempest will be debuting new material right here in Manchester.
Ezra Collective are performing at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.English Teacher make a return to Manchester for this special event.Fat Dog are also playing the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.
All performances will be taking place at a multitude of venues, like the previously mentioned O2 Victoria Warehouse, Depot Mayfield, and Band On The Wall, as well as loads of other events at entertainment bar, Yes.
Every highlight, alongside live and recorded live performances, will be taking place at MediaCityUK in Salford, in order to keep everything Manchester central.
BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is happening from 26 – 29 March 2025, with tickets going on sale from 6 February at 10am here.
MediaCity’s new £2.5m indoor activity park confirms opening date just in time for half term
Emily Sergeant
A brand new indoor activity park is set to open its doors in Greater Manchester, and the launch date has now been revealed.
In case you missed it, it was announced towards the end of last year that Salford had been chosen by Oxygen Activeplay as the location for its next venture, and will be descending on Quayside MediaCity this month with state-of-the-art equipment and activities to help local families stay active whilst having fun at the same time.
Oxygen will sit above bustling food hall Kargo MKT, taking over the former site of I’m a Celebrity Jungle Challenge.
Following a £2.5 million investment, the new park will feature more than 30 trampolines, a mega-air bag, a high ropes course, a ‘Rollglider’ aerial ride which flies over the facility, and Oxygen’s signature illuminated sensory experience ‘Excite Tunnel’, along with even more “epic” activities.
A series of optional games and dance parties will also be on offer during each play session, and the new Manchester park will also host ‘Peaceful Play’ sessions designed for neurodivergent guests, who prefer a calmer and quieter playing environment, as well as there being a ‘Toddler Venture Zone’.
A cafe serving drinks, snacks, and meals is also set to overlook the park.
But, up until recently, the date when the exciting new venture would be welcoming in the public for the first time remained under lock and key.
A new £2.5m ‘state-of-the-art’ indoor activity park will be opening at MediaCity / Credit: Jamie McPhilimey
It’s been a long time coming, but after 6,000 hours of hard work from the construction team, it has now been confirmed that Oxygen at MediaCity will open on Monday 17 February , just in time for half term.
Doors will open at 9am, and pre-booking is advised.
“With Oxygen at MediaCity being our tenth park, we knew we had to do something really special, so we have some really big and exciting plans,” teased Oxygen Activeplay CEO, Stephen Wilson, ahead of the new park opening in a couple of weeks time.
Danny Jones -
6th April 2023 
