Manchester City Council says plans for a new attraction in Manchester Town Hall that tells the story of the iconic building and showcases some of its unique treasures and artefacts have taken a big step forward.
And it means visitors can explore hidden spaces on a new tour once it reopens.
In case you’re not up to speed, Manchester Town Hall, which officially opened all the way back in 1877, has been closed since 2018 while the ‘Our Town Hall’ project – one of the biggest heritage schemes the UK has ever seen – is carried out, and the Grade I-listed building is currently being repaired and restored to “safeguard it for future generations”.
As well as this, the building is also being sympathetically-upgraded to modern safety and access standards before it’s set to reopen to the public in 2024.
An important part of the huge restoration project involves ensuring that the Town Hall’s story is told in “an immersive and interactive way”, according to the Council, and this including telling the tales of the people who have played a part in its long history and the treasure trove of objects they have left behind.
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A new exhibition will let visitors explore Manchester Town Hall’s fascinating history when it reopens in 2024 / Credit: Mather & Co
Which is why the Council has appointed Wilmslow-based exhibition designers Mather & Co to create a new ‘visitor experience’ to welcome people back to the once the Town Hall finally reopens.
The 328 sq m ground-floor exhibition space will be free to use with no admission charges.
If all of that wasn’t brilliant enough as it is, there will also be a chance to go on brand-new guided tours to explore some of the town hall’s hidden spaces rarely, if ever, been open to the public before – such as the Victorian police cells, courtyard area, and clock tower.
A new exhibition will let visitors to Manchester Town Hall explore its fascinating history and civic treasures when it reopens in 2024.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 21, 2022
“This new attraction will open up this beloved building as a destination,” said Cllr Luthfur Rahman, lead member for the Our Town Hall project.
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“It will give visitors the chance to explore its fascinating heritage, see more of its collections, and learn the fascinating and sometimes surprising stories behind them. It will be a welcome addition to Manchester’s varied cultural scene and we look forward to sharing more details of what people can see when Manchester Town Hall reopens in 2024.”
Sarah Clarke – Managing Director at Mather & Co – added: “We want visitors of all ages to experience the story of the Town Hall using their senses, through discovery, experimentation, hidden reveals, exploration, and play.
“We don’t want this experience to be a museum, we want to create a memorable experience with personality.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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A FREE family-friendly lantern parade is returning to Altrincham this Christmas
Thomas Melia
There’s a family-friendly lantern parade making its way back to Altrincham town centre this Christmas and it’s completely free.
If you thought the Christmas season couldn’t get any better, you were wrong, as now you can have your very own Rapunzel moment as Altrincham welcomes the return of its lantern parade.
Before these dazzling paper creations light up this Greater Manchester town, there will be a very exciting Nativity Trail spread across various locations starting at Stamford Square.
Not only this, you can also expect a range of family-friendlyactivities running throughout the day featuring everything from live music and storytelling.
And if you’re after getting stuck in yourself rather than just watching from the sidelines, there’ll be lantern making workshops taking place on the day.
Although these classes will be free for all to enjoy, any families looking at attending will still need to book a ticket to create and design their own lantern at at OYEZ Arts in Altrincham Town Hall.
Previous lantern parades that have been held in Altrincham have seen lots of exciting and fun festive surprises with live donkeys trotting through the town last year.
The event itself encourages parade-goers to gather in Goose Green from 4pm before the official walk and lighting takes place from 4.45pm.
This illuminated walk includes a full Nativity cast, local schoolchildren, lantern puppets alongside a live soundtrack courtesy of Sale District Scout and Guide Band.
With the lantern parade finishing in Stamford Square and expected to last just under one hour, there will be a live Nativity performance happening at 5.30pm.
Mandy White, Director of Altrincham BID, said: “The Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey truly capture the spirit of Christmas in Altrincham. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, explore the town and celebrate the festive season.”
Altrincham’s Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey returns on Saturday 13 December from 12pm with lantern lighting at 4pm onwards – all events and further info. HERE.
Featured Images – Supplied (via Altrincham BID)
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‘Disgraceful’ Manchester sex offender jailed after messaging several young girls under 16
Emily Sergeant
A sex offender from Manchester has been charged with 35 offences, including messaging several young girls while on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
William Howarth, from the Miles Platting area of Manchester, appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison – with a further six years on licence.
The 23-year-old’s sentencing follows an investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) after Howarth was found to be in possession of an unregistered mobile phone in a visit from his offender manager in 2023.
Howarth was subject to routine checks due to him being an already-registered sex offender managed by GMP through a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and it was here where he had to register his mobile device and hand it over to his offender manager from our Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) during home visits.
After Howarth’s phone was seized by police, forensic analysis revealed a number of messages were sent to several young girls under the age 16.
#JAILED | On Thursday at Manchester Crown Court, William Howarth (28/7/2002), of Miles Platting, was sentenced to 15 years & 8 months with a further 6 years on licence – after previously pleading guilty to the 35 offences involving messaging young girls pic.twitter.com/HrYKCVay2l
An investigation was immediately launched, and with the help of police forces across the country, GMP managed to trace the children Howarth had been in communication with – who ‘bravely’ agreed to give their accounts.
Police say Howarth displayed ‘controlling’ behaviour over the children he had been in contact with, not allowing them to refuse his requests.
When the children attempted to make a stand and refuse to send further images to him, Howarth would threaten them by stating if they didn’t do as he asked, he would post their images online.
In a hearing at Manchester Crown Court last week (10 November 2025), Howarth pleaded guilty to the following 35 offences – including 11 counts of breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and possession and making of indecent images of children.
Speaking following Howarth’s sentencing, Detective Constable Joshua Cresswell, from GMP’s Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT), commented: “I’d like to thank the brave child victims in supporting our investigating through agreeing to give us their harrowing accounts of how Howarth came in contact with them.
“Howarth is a disgraceful predator and belongs behind bars away from causing further harm to children.”
Emily Sergeant -
21st June 2022 
