One of Manchester’s best-loved independent convenience store brands is finally opening up in MediaCity this weekend.
And you can bag yourself some free ice cream to celebrate.
A Few Scoops – which specialises in alcohol infused ice-cream, sorbets and ice-pops – is bringing its showstopping pink tuk tuk, affectionately known as Jolene, to the launch of the highly-anticipated MediaCity General Store this weekend, and will be parked up outside the new venue to serve 100 scoops of ice cream to visitors free of charge.
Jolene will be parked outside MediaCity General City on Saturday 1st May from 12-6pm, with scoops limited to one per person and whilst stocks last.
A Few Scoops
A born and bred Manchester business launched in June 2019, A Few Scoops is the brainchild of Alanna Atkinson who wanted to create a way to blend her love of ice cream with her favourite tipples, and the addition of Jolene set Alanna on her way to serving the ice cream of dreams to the city.
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The launch of the MediaCity General Store will mark Jolene’s intrepid journey across the city centre and beyond, so keep your eyes peeled for new location announcements.
“When we started A Few Scoops, we knew we didn’t want a standard ice cream van,” Alanna said.
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“We wanted something that was different that made everyone whip out their phones to take a photo [and] we think we’ve achieved this with Jolene and we’re so excited to be at the launch of MediaCity General Store, offering out 100 free scoops for customers to enjoy”.
Pxhere
Some of the unique ice cream flavours up for grabs at this weekend’s launch include Espresso Martini, Old Fashioned and Pina Colada (vegan).
For sorbets, vegan Peach Bellini and Mojito are both on the menu.
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If a tipple doesn’t quite take your fancy though, the non-alcoholic options include coke float ice cream, and a cherryade sorbet.
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.
Featured Images – Gwen Trannoy / Jack Davison (Press Shots)
News
Four men arrested and hundreds of cannabis plants seized during police raids in Radcliffe
Emily Sergeant
Early-morning raids were conducted in Radcliffe this week, and it saw four men arrested and hundreds of cannabis plants seized.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, at around 8am yesterday morning (14 April), officers from the Radcliffe Neighbourhood Policing Team attended an address on Bridgefield Street, following an investigation into drugs supply within the local area.
When they entered the property, police found six rooms filled with cannabis plants at various stages of their growth cycle, as well as various lighting equipment, fans, pipes, and other drug-growing paraphernalia.
In total, 663 cannabis plants were seized by officers.
The electricity used at the premises was also discovered to have been ‘illegally bypassed’, and GMP says work is now ‘ongoing’ to ensure it’s safely disconnected.
Following the raids, GMP confirmed that four men – who are aged between 33 and 55- have been arrested on suspicion of producing a Class B drug and abstracting electricity, and they remain in custody for questioning at this time.
The raids were said to come as part of GMP’s wider work in tackling drugs supply.
“This was a great result for the local neighbourhood team, who secured four arrests and seized hundreds of plants,” commented Chief Inspector Michael Barton, from GMP’s Bury district.
“Drug dealing is not something that is a victimless crime.
“The violence between gangs and exploitation of vulnerable people is something that we unfortunately see across Greater Manchester, and is something we are constantly working to tackle.”
Emily Sergeant -
28th April 2021 
