Manchester’s neighbourhood Kampus is gearing up to host a solid ten weeks of back-to-back block parties from its canal-side garden.
From laid-back disco vibes to escapist California beach sounds, Irish folk parties, raucous Mexican festivities to smooth NYC jazz, each weekend will see guest DJs take to the decks to spin tunes from different corners of the world.
Kicking off from Friday 15 April, the neighbourhood will play host to a range of eclectic patio parties with free-flowing beer from Manchester brewery Cloudwater.
Image: Kampuis
As for food, Ramsbottom favourites Levanter will be moving into the Kampus Bungalow for a residency -serving up tapas, giant paella and charcuterie boards aplenty over the ten-week period.
Every Saturday and Sunday from 11am, the team will be putting on a special Spanish brunch with a rotating menu and special Bloody Mary cocktails from Cloudwater on tap, using a different base spirit and garnish each week.
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The residency – to takeover the Kampus gardens and Bungalow – will run until Sunday 26 June 2022.
Paul Jones, co-founder of Cloudwater, said: “The vibe at Kampus last summer was knock-out, with people dancing in the gardens and sipping craft beer overlooking Canal Street.
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“We’re properly excited about this line-up. We not only wanted to celebrate the best of Manchester’s scene, with local DJs and artists, but cherry-pick the best produce from around the world and showcase it during a run of epic neighbourhood parties.
Image: Levanter
“The global weekenders mean we can not only rotate our own beers, but serve up amazing imported drinks from our friends in Europe and the US to the Manchester crowd.”
The residency is further expansion for Ramsbottom favourites Levanter.
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Born from founder Joe Botham’s love for Flamenco music and Andalusian culture, the restaurant and sister brand Baratxuri went on to gain critical acclaim – with rave reviews from national food critics, awards and a place in the Michelin Guide.
Based at The Bungalow, the canalside concrete block on stilts at Kampus, they’ll be serving up food from 11am to 9pm Thursday to Saturday, and 11am to 8pm on Sunday throughout the residency.
Giant paella will be served in the garden from 3pm on weekends, with both meat and vegan options.
Joe Botham, owner of Levanter and Baratxuri, said: “We’re all about serving delicious, Spanish food in a way that’s unpretentious, traditional but above all social. It’s about the shared experience of having great food and spending time with the people you love the most.
“This residency will be perfect for that, visitors can expect giant paella cooked outside, hand-carved Jamon Iberico de Bellota and a raft of our favourite dishes we picked up on our travels around Spain’s stunning villages.
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“We’ve done our own thing and gained an awesome following at Levanter, but we’ve always loved collaborating with like-minded people. Coming to Kampus is like coming home, it’s got that neighbourhood feel that we love and loads of our old mates who’ve gone on to found great brands that are due to open here too.”
Image: Kampus
The Cloudwater X Levanter global weekender line-up will include:
Manchester Long Bank Holiday (14-17 April)
Known Manchester DJs and homegrown city favourite beers
Spain (21-24 April)
Spanish house music, specially imported Basqueland beers and cider, plus Record Store Day pop-up featuring indie record shops selling and spinning hot records.
California Bank Holiday (28 April – 1 May)
Beach soundtrack, surf rock and hip hop, with guest beers flown in.
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Mexico (5-8 May)
Cinco de Mayo celebrations, with traditional décor and Latin party vibes.
Ireland (12-15 May)
Fresh imported beer from our neighbours, folk music, spoken word artists and stalls.
New York (19-22 May)
Eclectic mix of Jazz in all its forms, paired with beers from the best NYC breweries.
Canada (26-29 May)
Fresh beers from Toronto’s finest, including Bellwoods, Sonnen Hill and Goodspeed breweries.
The Queer Ju-Beer-lee Festival Bank Holiday (2-5 June)
Celebrating the Best of British in honour of Queen Liz! Party bags and street party at the ready, pouring fresh beer from the Queer Brewing Project.
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Portugal (9-12 June)
Fun-twist on a Portuguese party, with Fado and Flamenco tunes, with port-infused Bloody Marys.
New England USA (16 –19 June)
Levanter dishes with beers from some of the highest rated breweries in the world.
Manchester closer (23-26 June)
Manchester favourites to celebrate our home town, with back-to-back tunes!
Feature image – Kampus
News
Greater Manchester’s homicide rates have now dropped to a ‘historic’ low
Emily Sergeant
Homicide rates in Greater Manchester are now at the lowest they’ve been for 25 years, according to new figures.
Thanks to a major programme introduced by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to prevent violent crime and keep communities safe, known as the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), it has been revealed that the region’s homicide rate has fallen by 32% in 2025 to what is its lowest level on record since 1990.
If you’re unfamiliar with what the VRU is, it brings together GMP, Greater Manchester Probation Service, health and education professionals, youth justice, local authorities, and the voluntary, community and faith sector to address the underlying causes of violent crime.
It’s this multi-agency approach that’s said to be delivering ‘tangible results’ and driving a reduction in violent crime in Greater Manchester.
As well as homicide rates, the VRU’s partnership work with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is also said to be having ‘major impact’ across the region on issues like knife crime.
Thanks to operational activity helping to disrupt serious violence and remove more weapons from the region’s streets, the police have also recorded that knife crime in Greater Manchester has fallen by 15% in the last year too.
Following a steady decline since 2021, rates of personal robbery have fallen by 17% in the last year in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester’s homicide rates have now dropped to a ‘historic’ low / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Additionally, A&E attendances due to assault decreased by 3% in the same time period, with a 9% reduction among young people aged 10–24, and ambulance callouts for assault also fell by 9% in relation to this.
GMCA says that the reductions in demand for emergency services, as revealed in the latest figures, prove just how much the VRU’s combined prevention and enforcement approach is working.
“These latest figures show the real progress being made in tackling violent crime and making our streets safer,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham.
“Reductions in knife crime and homicides don’t happen by chance – they come from early intervention, our strong partnership with the police and our work with communities to tackle the root causes of violence.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Beyond The Music moves to MediaCity for the first-time ever
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester arts festival and conference Beyond The Music is back for 2026, but this time it will be heading to MediaCity for a Salford debut.
The long weekender is still a relative newcomer when it comes to the Manc events calendar, but it’s quickly gathered plenty of repute not just in the North West but within the industry as a whole.
Holding just its third edition later this year, Beyond The Music ’26 is set to be the most ambitious yet, spread across the three days and promising an impressive lineup both in terms of live performers, but also speakers, industry experts and wider activities.
With MediaCity and dock10 hosting their inaugural Beyond The Music, it’s another big win for the second city, with Sports Personality of the Year sticking over Salford way for the foreseeable future, along with other events like the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Awards moving to the Quayside.
Much of the BBC’s World Cup coverage is also being hosted at their Salfordian studios and main Northern base this summer, too.
Given that so many big annual dates have now made the switch to central Manchester – the BRITs and the MOBOs, just to name two recent examples – you could say it only makes sense to spread things out across the surrounding boroughs and their equally rich heritage.
Not that you should need reminding, but Salford isn’t just part of the region: it’s a city all of its own right that boasts an immense amount of pride over what is nothing short of a sterling musical history.
As for the 2026 Beyond The Music programme, besides both the local artists and more international creatives than ever, there’ll be keynote conversations, industry showcases, and wider networking opportunities for anyone looking to immerse themselves deeper in this world.
You’ll have to wait a little while longer for a full live music lineup, but watch this space…
Mayor Andy Burnham and friends help launch Beyond the Music at MediaCityUK (Credit: Mark Waugh)
Sarah Pearson, Co-founder of Beyond The Music, said in an official statement: “Beyond The Music’s mission is to seize this moment, to come together and drive meaningful and lasting change in the music and content industry.
“It’s undeniable that the impact and importance of music and content are stronger than ever, but this is not reflected in their perceived value.
“The ethical and economic infrastructure of the music and content industries demands urgent attention and bold reform… It is our responsibility to protect creativity in order to ensure it doesn’t just survive but thrives. Things may feel difficult, but they are still possible.”
Mayor Burnham added: “Greater Manchester has always been at the forefront of cultural innovation, and Beyond The Music is a vital opportunity for the sector to come together and address the challenges and opportunities facing music and content creation…
“With its move to MediaCity and a bigger-than-ever programme, Beyond The Music is helping to cement our city region’s place at the centre of the creative economy.”
Taking place between 7-9 October 2026, you can register for early bird tickets right HERE. Roll on an even more extensive festival season than ever.
Georgina Pellant -
25th March 2022 
