Manchester’s newest arts venue has been named one of the ‘Greatest Places’ in the world by leading publication TIME.
Anyone who has stepped foot inside Aviva Studios since its grand opening back in October last year will tell you that it was well worth all those years of eagerly waiting, as it’s an absolutely mesmerising place – and the impressive lineup of upcoming shows and cultural exhibitions only go to prove that even further.
But now, it’s not just us Mancs who are singing its praises, as Aviva Studios has got a shiny new title to shout about from the rooftops.
That’s because the the world-leading venue – which is the home of Factory International – has been named by TIME as one of the ‘World’s Greatest Places’ for 2024.
The media publication is known for shining a light on extraordinary destinations to visit and stay across the globe each year, and the new Manchester city centre-based cultural centre is one of 100 places to be highlighted this time.
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To compile the list, TIME solicited nominations of places – including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, parks, and more – from its international network of correspondents and contributors, as well as via an application process.
2024’s list was apparently put together with an eye toward those places that offer a “new and exciting experience” to the public.
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TIME has also referred to Manchester as an “emerging cultural capital”.
TIME has named Manchester’s newest arts venue as one of the ‘World’s Greatest Places’ / Credit: Marco Cappelletti (courtesy of OMA and Factory International)
Explaining why Aviva Studios has been chosen for this year’s list, the full listing on Time.com reads: “The long-anticipated performing arts campus on the grounds of the former Granada Studios had star power behind it long before its first show premiered last October, as Aviva Studios is the first cultural institution in the UK designed by the powerhouse architecture firm, Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), co-founded by Rem Koolhaas.
“This latest development, revitalising an industrial tract along the River Irwell, serves as the new permanent home of the Manchester International Festival.
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“Since 2007, this biennial arts fest has premiered new works from acclaimed creators like David Lynch and Yoko Ono in the unlikeliest places all across the city, including staging a theatrical adaptation of the Italo Calvino novel Invisible Cities deep within a derelict train station.
The media publication has also named Manchester as an “emerging cultural capital” / Credit: Marco Cappelletti (courtesy of OMA and Factory International)
“Now Manchester is emerging as a cultural capital, new shows will debut under this one roof all year round.
“The opening season kicked off last fall with Free Your Mind, a modern dance interpretation of The Matrix, by native son and Oscar-winner Danny Boyle.”
Councillor Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council, said this accolade is further proof Manchester has created a “world-leading venue which is garnering global attention”.
“It’s great that more potential visitors will learn about the wide range of incredible art that’s accessible to residents at Aviva Studios,” she added, “and this sort of increased awareness boosts our visitor economy and helps create and support jobs.”
Featured Image – Marco Cappelletti (courtesy of OMA and Factory International)
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Major travel warning issued ahead of Manchester Pride this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Of course, Manchester Village Pride returns to the city centre this weekend from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August – with four days of music, live performances, and entertainment taking place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and of course, the annual Pride Parade will be taking to the streets from 12pm on Saturday too.
Starting at midday on Liverpool Road, the Pride Parade will travel through the city centre via Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, and Whitworth Street, all before arriving in the Village and closing out at around 4pm.
Pride may be the biggest event in Manchester this weekend, but given the fact it’s a bank holiday too, it’s by far the only thing happening.
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
As thousands of visitors gear up to visit the city in the next few days, travel warnings have been issued by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), as road closures are in place and major traffic congestion is expected across the city centre.
For the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a full list of road closures and parking suspensions have now been published.
Drivers are advised to avoid travelling into the city centre by car if possible, particularly on Saturday, and should use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains – instead to best avoid all the closures.
But for those who do need to drive, they’re being strongly advised to ‘allow plenty of extra time’ for their journeys and check routes before setting off.
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
Wherever possible, drivers are advised to park on the same side of the city as their route, as travelling across the city to reach a car park could add additional time to the journey.
“Plan ahead if you’re travelling over the bank holiday weekend,” Manchester City Council said in its travel warning.
“A number of other major events are taking place across the city, including live events at Wythenshawe Park and Manchester United’s first home game of the season, which are likely to increase demand on tram services and roads in and around the city centre.”
You can find out everything you need to know about Manchester Village Pride here, and see the full list of road closures here.
Featured Image – TfGM
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Aldi on Market Street is officially open again, with a major upgrade
Daisy Jackson
Good news for literally everyone in the city centre – Aldi on Market Street is BACK after a major upgrade.
The supermarket in the Manchester Arndale has been closed for what feels like an eternity (okay, three weeks) while it was given a refurbishment as part of Aldi’s Enhanced Project Fresh initiative.
The closure had left some shoppers less than impressed, with locals previously taking to social media to say it had ‘ruined my f***in day‘.
But after weeks of waiting, the Market Street branch is now back open, and Aldi says there are plenty of changes for shoppers to discover.
The revamped store has been given a new floor layout, upgraded refrigeration and repositioned departments, all designed to make navigating the shop a little easier.
Having popped in this morning, we can confirm that the aisles feel significantly less claustrophobic than they did previously.
One of the biggest additions is a brand-new in-store bakery, alongside expanded chillers and an enhanced fresh produce section.
Buzzball BiggiesThe new Aldi bakery on Market StreetAnd magnums of Aldi’s own chicken wineLoads of new self checkoutsThe aisles feel much wider and calmer in the new Aldi Market Street
There’s also a larger food-to-go chiller, while the freezer section has been redesigned with easy-to-browse freezers.
And for anyone who has ever found themselves trapped in a city-centre supermarket queue, Aldi has also introduced an improved queuing system for its self-checkouts, with the changes intended to ease congestion during the busiest periods.
Store Manager Mark Strickland said: “We thank our customers for being patient during this period of closure and we hope the improvements we’ve made to the store create a noticeably better experience for our shoppers.
“The new floor, upgraded refrigeration, and repositioned departments now make shopping at Aldi Arndale easier and more comfortable than ever.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming back familiar faces and new customers to showcase what we’ve achieved.”
The makeover forms part of Aldi’s wider investment programme across its stores, including the rollout of updated CO₂ refrigeration systems.
According to Aldi, the carbon reduction from the completed programme will be equivalent to the amount of energy used to heat more than 6,500 homes.
So, while Mancs might have had to survive without their Market Street Aldi for a little while, there’s now a shiny new reason to head back into the Arndale.
Emily Sergeant -
29th July 2024 
