The property market may be slowing down across the UK, but it’s a different story here in Greater Manchester as house prices continue to soar in 2023.
There’s no doubt the property market in our region has been booming over the last decade or so, with average house prices seeming to rise year-on-year, and more and more areas becoming sought-after as the places to live.
But when we look at the wider UK housing market, house prices are currently on the decline.
After what had been continuous price hikes as a result of a high demand for properties following the pandemic, recent figures from Nationwide and Halifax have shown a consistent fall in the average house prices over the last five months – which is of course great news for buyers, but not so good for those looking to sell.
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House prices are rising the most in these Greater Manchester areas / Credit: Geograph
Here in Greater Manchester though, a handful of residential areas have seen house prices continue or start to soar in 2023, and the Manchester Evening News has decided to shine a light on 10 of them in a recent round-up.
The paper used data from HM Land Registry and looked at what the average price of a house was back in October 2022 compared to February 2023 to find out where prices are rising the most.
10 Greater Manchester areas where house prices are rising the most
(Average price as of February 2023 listed)
Bramhall, Stockport – £494,819
Broadheath, Trafford – £349,190
Bowdon, Trafford – £897,758
Heaton Chapel, Stockport – £358,329
Cheadle Hulme, Stockport – £365,327
Heaton Norris, Stockport – £300,921
Whitefield, Bury – £274,705
Radcliffe, Bury – £231,989
Audenshaw, Tameside – £221,088
Ardwick, Manchester – £204,743
The affluent leafy suburb of Bramhall in Stockport took the top spot on the list, with data showing that the average cost of a home in the area is now £494,819 – which has gone up by £48,558 from £446,261 in October 2022.
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The average cost of a home in Broadheath in Trafford was £303,094 back in October, but this has now jumped up to £349,190 in February, where as in Bowdon – which has always been one of the most expensive places to live in the region – the average price was £855,886 in October, but this has now risen by £41,872 to reach £897,758.
Bramhall, Broadheath, and Bowdon are the places where prices are rising the most / Credit: Alan Cleaver (via Flickr)
Heaton Chapel and Cheadle Hulme in Stockport are both seeing fast price hikes, with the average cost of a home now being £358,329 and £365,327.
Two of the most popular areas in the borough of Bury, Whitefield and Radcliffe, have also seen house prices rise on average, with the Tameside town of Audenshaw also seeing homes get more expensive, and while the Manchester suburb of Ardwick may be sitting in tenth place, prices are still on the rise.
We may only be two months into 2023, but it’s predicted that in these 10 areas of the region, house prices will only continue to rise.
Featured Image – Roger Kidd (via Geograph)
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The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 29 July – 4 August 2024
Emily Sergeant
It feels like we’ve been saying this for weeks on end… but summer might actually be here now.
Although the weather’s been quite hit or miss as of late, now that little Mancs across our region have broken up for the school holidays, and August is arriving this week too, it’s hard to deny that the sunshine season is here.
Greater Manchester‘s social calendar is packed full of festivals, cultural celebrations, and wholesome family-friendly events especially for the summer too, but if you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do, don’t worry, as we’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 29 July – onwards
Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine / Credit: Science Museum Group
More than 100 objects and stories collected during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic are now on display as part of a new exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum.
The groundbreaking new exhibition, titled Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine, explores the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed, while uncovering the inspiring stories of scientists and innovators around the globe who collaborated to tackle the worldwide COVID-19 challenge along the way.
Manchester has been transformed into “a palaeontologist’s playground”.
Back by popular demand, dozens of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs have descended on the grounds of Heaton Park for the summer, and this means our region has become the closest thing to Jurassic Park in real life.
Dino fans of all ages have the chance to get up close and personal with around 40 of the big beasts over the next couple of weeks.
Did you see that a huge Batman experience has now swooped into Manchester?
Having taken over Depot Mayfield in the city centre, and offering fans a chance to see real jaw-dropping props and costumes from the actual Warner Bros. archives, this exclusive event brings the cinematic world of Batman to life.
Through a series of themed rooms, exhibitions, and a comic book and gaming area, Batman Unmasked is packed full of items from this iconic character’s film history.
The Trafford Centre’s massively-popular summer celebration is back, and tickets are only £2.50 each.
Back by popular demand for plenty of family fun, only this time with a new name, Bright Lights, Big Fun has seen a retro fairground and a massive 600sqm beach perfect for sunbathing and sandcastles pop up outside the Greater Manchester shopping centre, alongside a splash park with loads of water jets, and so much more.
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There’s also a yummy selection of food and drink traders on site to take your pick from if you’re feeling peckish after getting stuck into some fun and games.
Find out more and get yourself some £2.50 tickets here.
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Wild
Manchester Museum
Monday 29 July – onwards
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Wild / Credit: Manchester Museum
A groundbreaking new immersive exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world is now open at Manchester Museum.
‘Wild’ look at how people are creating, rebuilding, and repairing connections with nature, and how the natural world has traditionally been presented and idealised through Western art, as well as looking at some unique approaches to environmental recovery too.
The exhibition will also crucially look at how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world more wild.
Did you see that John Rylands Library has been named one of the best free UK attractions families should visit this summer?
The historic Grade-I listed building on Deansgate in the heart of the city centre has claimed a coveted fourth spot on a new top 10 list, according to a new analysis of TripAdvisor ratings of free UK attractions.
With the summer break right around the corner now, plenty of parents, carers, and guardians across Greater Manchester will likely be looking for a ways to keep the kids entertained and educated while schools are out for six full weeks – especially ways that are Manchester weather-proof and don’t break the bank too much too.
In fact, internet searches for ‘free tourist attractions near me’ are said to have risen by +5000% over the past 30 days.
John Rylands houses one of the UK’s most unique collections of books and manuscripts, and was found to have an average five-star TripAdvisor rating of 75.2%, according to the study – with visitors describing it as “definitely worth the visit”.
Olympics 2024 – Official Team GB Fanzone / Credit: Team GB
Manchester is one of a handful on UK cities chosen by Team GB itself to host an official Olympics fanzone with a big screen this summer, and the best part of it all is, it’s absolutely free for everyone to enter and make the most of.
A big screen playing all the major sporting action and coverage highlights has been set up at The Lawn Club in Spinningfields.
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This means that, for the next couple of weeks, sports lovers in the city centre are able to tuck into an all-day food and drinks lineup, all while they watch the Games surrounded by other equally-enthusiastic fans.
Cheshire Oaks has brought its popular The Great Summer Social event back for another year, and there’s currently loads to get involved with while schools are out.
Not only is there a bunch of retail offers and promotions to make the most of, as well as free family-friendly interactive activities to get involved with too, but there’s also a big wheel, a mini golf course, a big screen showing sporting events, DJs blasting out tunes, and a wide variety of street food and drink vendors across the Designer Outlet.
One of Greater Manchester’s best-loved outdoor dining concepts has returned for 2024, and there’s a proper tasty lineup of traders.
‘Kargo on the Docks’ – which is MediaCity‘s al fresco dining pop-up, in place of the former Box On The Docks – has had itself a bit of a “glow up” and has taken over the waterfront and gardens with a fresh wave of local food traders and stunning artwork by Salford-based creatives, all as the sun shines down on Salford Quays this summer.
Did you see that legendary pizzeria Rudy’s has opened its seventh Greater Manchester site over in Altrincham this past week?
NEW OPENING – Rudy’s Altrincham / Credit: The Manc Group
The wildly popular Manchester-born brand has taken over the former OneCentral food court in the heart of the town, and the new site’s been kitted out in classic Rudy’s style, filled with hanging plants, exposed brick, chalkboard menus, and colourful wooden tables.
And of course, the menu shows off classic Neapolitan pizzas.
Favourites include classics like Marinara, Margherita and Calabrese, plus more modern combos like triple pepperoni with burrata and hot honey, as well as rotating specials.
Greater Manchester just can’t get enough of dinosaurs, apparently, as A major Jurassic World exhibition that’s been mesmerising visitors all over the world is arriving here in Manchester for the summer from this Friday.
Based on the beloved blockbuster film franchise, this official award-winning experience is one of the fastest-selling exhibitions in history.
Manc visitors will be able to walk through the iconic Jurassic World gates, explore some richly-themed environments, and encounter a life-sized Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors, and the most fearsome dinosaur of all, the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex.
A free festival with a lineup packed full of activities, workshops, live music, and more is coming to HOME this weekend.
The independent arts venue in the heart of Manchester city centre is inviting familie to the first of its two weekend-long festivals this Saturday and Sunday to get stuck into everything from interactive theatre and circus skills workshops, to dance, hands-on crafts, and so much more.
Everyone’s favourite little blue engine has once again made a long-awaited return to Greater Manchester for the summer.
The beloved Day Out With Thomas experience is said to be “a train ride like no other”.
Families will have the chance to hop onboard the East Lancashire Railway’s replica of the cult-classic blue train character when he returns this weekend for a 45-minute trip through the Greater Manchester countryside.
Featured Image – Jurassic World: The Experience | The Manc Group | HOME MCR
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Iconic Thomas the Tank Engine replica to travel through Greater Manchester again this summer
Emily Sergeant
Everyone’s favourite little blue engine is making another return to Greater Manchester once again this summer.
Tickets are now on sale and they’re already selling fast.
After delighting little Mancs and families throughout the region during countless successful events over the past couple of years, East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has announced that the Thomas the Tank Engine replica train is back by popular demand now schools are out, and will return to its tracks next weekend.
In case you aren’t too familiar with the beloved Day Out With Thomas experience, it’s said to be “a train ride like no other”.
Everyone’s favourite little blue engine is making another return to Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: ELR
Families will have the chance to hop onboard the replica of the cult-classic blue train character when he returns next weekend for a 45-minute trip through the Greater Manchester countryside.
The journey begins at Bury Train Station, where you’ll be greeted by The Fat Controller, meet Sir Topham Hatt, say hello to Thomas on the platform, and then climb aboard a carriage, all before Thomas makes a final stop at the beautiful Ramsbottom station.
The doors to Bury Transport Museum will also be open across the weekend and will be hosting loads of fun free activities.
There’ll be Thomas-themed stories, and engaging and interactive activities to make the most of, as well as amusing performances by Sodor’s mischievous station sweepers, Rusty and Dusty, who’ll be entertaining with singing, dancing, and laughter all day long.
Not only that, but you can also expect fun fair rides, face painting, balloon art, and so much more throughout the weekend.
ELR’s Chairman Mike Kelly is “thrilled” about Thomas’ return next weekend.
The ‘Day Out With Thomas’ experience is said to be “a train ride like no other” / Credit: ELR
Mr Kelly said Day Out With Thomas events hold “a special place” in the heritage railway’s calendar, adding that: “They remain one of our most beloved experiences, as Thomas is cherished by people of all ages and this makes the event a source of joy, not just for children, but also for parents, grandparents, and our volunteers.”
Day Out With Thomas tickets are now on sale for next Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 August – with prices starting at £13.70 for kids, and £22.70 for adults.