The Mindful Drinkers Hamper. Image: The Cocktail Club
If you promised yourself you’d stick to dry January after overindulging during the festive period, but are now quietly regretting ever considering the idea, don’t worry.The Cocktail Club has got you covered with the next best thing.
The online drinks retailer is taking a proactive approach to ‘Dry Jan’ this year with a new Mindful Drinkers Hamper – filled with 0% ABV bevs, non-alcoholic cocktail mixes and healthy treats.
For £38, you’ll get:
Some low ABV and non-alcoholic drinks from Fungtn Beer, Humble Warrior, Lucky Saint, Dalston Rhubarb 0% G&T and Wills Kombucha.
Cocktail ingredients, including Warners 0% Pink Berry, ginger beer and raspberry jam.
Some tasty and guilt free snacks from Hippeas, Brave Foods and Eat Real.
Non-alcoholic cocktail recipes to transform you into a mixologist.
And some mindful drinking tips from the people behind Humble Warrior and Fungtn.
The Mindful Drinkers Hamper. Image: The Cocktail Club
Tom Bronock, director at The Cocktail Club, said: “No alcohol shouldn’t mean settling for no taste. It’s very possible for drinks to be healthy and delicious at the same time, as we’ve proven with our new Mindful Drinkers Hamper.”
“For those opting for a healthier start to the year and looking to curb their Christmas drinking, alcohol can be a tempting hurdle.
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“With our new box though, customers won’t have to compromise on flavour or settle for bland drinks; at The Cocktail Club, we’re big believers that every drink – alcoholic or not – should never compromise on taste!”
Get your hands on your own hamper here and make your dry Jan a little less dry.
News
Manchester Village Pride reveals first wave of artists for 2026 with ‘historic’ fair pay union agreement
Emily Sergeant
The first 10 acts taking over the main stage this summer for Manchester Village Pride 2026 have now been announced.
In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced back in October last year that Manchester Pride – the charity / organisation that ran the Manchester Pride Festival – had entered into voluntary liquidation, but was then confirmed earlier this year that it would return, once again, this August bank holiday weekend as Manchester Village Pride CIC.
And now organisers have announced the first 10 acts who’ll playing the festival this year, alongside a landmark commitment to fair pay – marking the first UK union of its kind for a Pride event.
Manchester Village Pride 2026 wristband holders will be treated to a wide range of pop hits and queer performances this year, as the first wave of acts includes the iconic Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner, Danny Beard, noughties R&B and hip hop collective, Booty Luv & Big Brovaz, and award-winning singer Alison Jiear.
Russell Small and vocalist Katherine Ellis, as well as powerhouse singer Michelle Lawson, Newcastle’s drag cabaret comedian Gladys Duffy, and three of Manchester’s best-loved drag performers, KY Kelly, Misty Chance, and Shania Pain, also join the lineup.
This first wave reveal is said to be one of the first of many announcements coming up, as the new organising team curates a lineup that ‘reflects its core promise’ – rebuilding Pride for the community.
Central to this promise is a guarantee that all artists performing at Manchester Village Pride will receive fair pay, and that professional industry standards will be upheld.
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This commitment was formalised last week through a partnership with Equity, establishing a historic precedent for Pride events across the UK.
Manchester Village Pride has revealed the first wave of artists for 2026 / The Vain Photos | Manchester Pride
“Our Village party is returning thanks to the incredible support of our LGBTQ+ community, especially those who have already purchased wristbands to help get us up and running,” commented Carl Austin-Behan, who is the founding board member and spokesperson for Manchester Village Pride CIC.
“We cannot wait to see these ten icons take to the main stage, and we are just getting started.”
Carl added that the important difference in the festival this year is that organisers are ‘putting on Pride for the community with grassroots values at its heart’.
He added: “That means paying artists properly and being completely transparent about where the money goes. No one at the organising level is taking a salary this year – funds from wristband sales go straight into event logistics, artist pay, and our five amazing charity partners.”
Manchester Village Pride 2026 will take place this August bank holiday weekend from Friday 28 – Monday 31 August, and you can get your wristbands here.
Featured Image – The Vain Photos (@thevainphotos – Supplied)
News
Olivia Dean at Co-op Live, Manchester- tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
The multi-award winning Olivia Dean is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester for two nights of her The Art of Loving Tour this April.
Pop and Neo-soul superstar Olivia Dean is continuing her phenomenal past 12 months by performing an arrangement of her hits and deep cuts from her newest LP The Art of Loving across the globe.
Dean recently scooped up four BRIT awards and three MOBO awards at the end of March right here at Co-op Live and now she’s returning to teach Manchester how to be ‘Nice To Each Other’.
The ‘Man I Need’ singer entered the music scene back in 2019 and instantly caught the attention of music lovers and critics alike, going on to receive a Mercury Prize nomination for her debut album Messy.
Gig guide | Olivia Dean at Co-op Live, Manchester – all you need to know
Olivia Dean is heading to Manchester for two shows at the impressive Co-op Live this April / Credit: Gwen Trannoy (Press shot)
Olivia Dean UK tour dates
Wed 22 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Thu 23 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Sat 25 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Sun 26 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Wed 29 April – London, UK – The O2
Thu 30 April – London, UK – The O2
Fri 1 May – London, UK – The O2
Sat 2 May – London, UK – The O2
Thu 11 June – London, UK – The O2
Fri 12 June – London, UK – The O2
Are there tickets left for Olivia Dean at Co-op Live?
Olivia Dean is bringing The Art of Loving Tour to Manchester on 25 and 26 April / Credit: Jack Davison (Press Shot)
Now… here comes ‘The Hardest Part’, answering a question that’s on everybody’s lips and althought it might be ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’, getting tickets to Olivia Dean’s gig might be difficult.
These tickets are in very high demand and have sold-out on all major ticketing platforms, so if you’re up for seeing this powerhouse, you might have to set up reminders on Ticketmaster or official resale sites like Twickets.
Olivia Dean setlist for 2026 tour
The ‘Man I Need’ songwriter is performing live in Manchester at Co-op Live / Credit: Jack Davison (Press Shot)
The Art of Loving Tour hasn’t officially kicked off yet but based off the name of this current run of shows, we can only hope her sophomore album gets played in full.
Here is the track list for The Art of Loving:
The Art of Loving (Intro)
Nice To Each Other
Lady Lady
Close Up
So Easy (To Fall In Love)
Let Alone The One You Love
Man I Need
Something Inbetween
Loud
Baby Steps
A Couple Minutes
I’ve Seen It
Stage times for Olivia Dean at Co-op Live, Manchester
Doors for the ‘I Could Be A Florist’ hitmaker are set to open from 6.30pm with no official starting time listed yet.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning you’ll have plenty of time to say ‘Ok Love You Bye’ and make it home in time before it gets to midnight.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
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Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
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For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Hannah Starkie -
13th January 2021 
