Property

Manchester City Council green-light new venue at Medlock Square, with Mamma Mia! The Party to open the immersive space

What better way to kick things off than with a show?

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 12th June 2026

The smash-hit ‘Mamma Mia: The Party’ is set to land in Manchester next year as the maiden event of another brand-new space set to open as part of the upcoming Medlock Square development.

Etihad Campus has seen a lot of moving pieces over the past few years, be it the building of Co-op Live, the ongoing expansion of Man City’s home ground, the soon-to-launch hotel attached to the stadium and now Medlock.

But those in control of the land are content with stopping there; this looks to be just the start of a whole new evolution for the East Manchester area, with an as yet untitled new immersive arts, experience and events venue also set to join the new slate of projects.

You see another glimpse of the purpose-built mini arena, of sorts, down below.

new arts venue at medlock square manchester
Credit: Medlock Square (publicity pictures)

With plans having now been approved by the City Council, the ‘immersive’ space will be situated between the Etihad, Co-op Live and Medlock Square itself, holding up to 600 guests per performance.

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Currently set to open in late 2027, following the rest of the square’s launch window being fully rolled out, we still don’t know the name of this next addition, but the structure itself will dovetail with the surrounding buildings and areas as part of seasonal activations, live shows and sports screenings, as well as pop-ups, brand collaborations and more.

Looping back, the interactive, multimedia extravaganza that is ‘Mamma Mia! The Party’ will finally be making its Manc debut as part of the 10th anniversary of the all-singing, all-dancing and even all-dining in-demand production.

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As per an official press release from the Medlock Square media team, the show will combine “live music, theatre, food and storytelling” and “offer visitors an unforgettable night out.”

The original UK production at The O2 in London has now surpassed more than 1,500 performances, with a total of 700k guests attending these shows in 110 countries across the globe. Safe to say it’s rather popular.

As for Medlock Square and the surrounding Etihad Campus, Manchester City supporters have also been given another look at the soon-to-open, immersive hotel tie-in experience.

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With a skywalk, rooftop bar, a new MCFC shop and various other bits set to spill out onto Medlock Square, it all feels like a period of wholesale changes over in the blue half of the city – especially with the football club bidding farewell to their manager Pep Guardiola after more than a decade.

Following the new and improved North Stand being named after him in the first of many tributes, the City Football Group (CFG) are also set to commission a statue in his honour over the coming months.

Meanwhile, Medlock Square is also due to open later this year, although an official completion date has not been confirmed.

You can stay up to date with all the latest on Mamma Mia! The Part’s Manchester shows right HERE.

Not forgetting a brand-new women’s football facility, too, there is so much stuff going on over at the Etihad that it can be hard to keep track, but here’s the latest look at some of the rooms set to feature in the hotel of the same name.

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First look at the lavish two-storey penthouse hotel suite opening at the Etihad campus
See more here.

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Featured Images — Publicity pictures (CGIs via Medlock Square)

Property

The legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse has been reborn

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Old Abbey Taphouse will reopen as The Abbey next week

The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme and the surrounding university district area; the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.

But now it appears that the spirit of the venue lives on, under the new name of The Abbey.

Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.

The pub, which closed early last year, has now been carefully and lovingly restored ahead of its big relaunch, which will start in true Manc vision with an exclusive opening night gig.

Glimpses of The Abbey's refurb
old abbey taphouse reopened
The Abbey is reborn. (Credit: The Manc Group)

The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.

There’s also affordable, hearty pub grub, including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.

Bringing The Abbey back to life are a core team of four: Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth.

Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manc venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year.

As for Gareth, he’s the founder of the multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest, meaning that all of them have plenty of hospitality, late-night, live music and events experience between them.

The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston

The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.

The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.

Its restoration and relaunch are part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.

Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.

“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.

“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.

“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”

Ruth from the new Abbey team commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area.

“We’re honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”

the abbey beer garden manchester science park
the abbey pub university of manchester
pieminister menu manchester
Credit: The Manc

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Property

Two towns around an hour away from Manchester named ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Two towns that are around an hour away from Manchester have been named among the ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home.

It’s all according to the latest analysis by consumer choice company Which?, and Lloyds bank.

Getting onto the property ladder remains a struggle for many first time buyers, especially following increases to mortgage rates since the start of spring – but where you buy can make a huge difference, according to Which?, and now new research from Lloyds has revealed the cheapest areas to buy your first home.

Some of the locations on the list are even averaging less than half the price of homes in London, proving the North West is where you want to be to get your foot on the property ladder.

According to research from Lloyds Bank, the most affordable place for first time buyers in the UK is East Ayrshire in Scotland.

But when it comes to the North West, Blackpool is not only the most affordable area in region – ranking at number three on the list – but it’s also the cheapest in the whole of England too, beating Kingston upon Hull by just a few hundred pounds.

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Keys to a new house
Two towns around an hour away from Manchester have been named among the ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott | Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)

The average first time buyer price in Blackpool is £150,780, according to the research.

Following Blackpool, ranking at sixth place on the list, is Hyndburn in Lancashire – which is actually a local Government district with borough status, that encompasses towns like Accrington and Great Harwood – with an average first time buyer price of £155,911.

Along with the most affordable areas for first time buyers, Lloyds has also calculated the areas with the youngest first time buyers too – and the North West also takes that title,

In the UK as a whole, the average age of a first time buyer is now 32, however buyers in some parts of the country are getting onto the property ladder much earlier than others, particularly in more affordable areas outside major cities. 

The area with the youngest first time buyers is the Ribble Valley, according to Lloyds.

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The largest town in this Lancashire district is Clitheroe, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and in less than 40 minutes by car, you can get to Preston, Blackburn, and Burnley, so it’s a pretty well-connected place for also being so affordable.

Featured Image – Stuart Wilding (Geograph)

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