The next stage of the development of Mayfield Park will see a see-through slide built right across the River Medlock.
Striking images released this week show the plans for Mayfield Play Yard, a new adventure playground filled with tunnels and towers.
The massive 14,000 sq ft playground will make up part of the wider Mayfield Park, the first city centre park to be opened in Manchester in 100 years.
The child-friendly space itself will be built around six towers, each reaching 10 metres in height, linked by crawl tunnels, rope bridges, and slides.
The star attraction will be the 18 metre-long slide that will carry its passengers right over the restored river in a transparent polycarbonate tube.
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There’ll also be a 60-degree drop slide, racing slides, and a six-metre spiral slide at the new corner of Mayfield Park.
Plans for Mayfield Play Yard – including its 18m slide across the Medlock. Credit: Supplied
The chimney-shaped towers are a nod to Manchester’s industrial past and were inspired by an octagonal chimney discovered by archaeologists at the Mayfield site.
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The plans also include wheelchair accessible play equipment, like tunnels, slides and roundabouts.
Stepping posts and balance beams through the green space will encourage children to engage with the wildlife and nature around them.
Mayfield Play Yard, which will be the largest public playground in the city, has been designed collaboratively by regeneration specialist U+I on behalf of the Mayfield Partnership, landscape architects Studio Egret West (SEW) and Massey & Harris, an independent play equipment specialist based in Greater Manchester.
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Massey & Harris, which was behind two play areas at Heaton Park, is currently building the play area at its workshop in Stockport before it is transported and installed at Mayfield.
Huw Pritchard, lead designer at Massey & Harris, said: “Mayfield is a unique development which we are incredibly proud to be a part of. As a local company, which has been based in Stockport for more than 70 years, we know first-hand how important green space is to Manchester’s growing population.
“We were aware of the project from its very early stages and thought how fantastic it would be to be involved, so to actually work on it is incredible.”
Max Aughton, project landscape architect at Studio Egret West, said: “Our design concept was for an industrial-inspired play area within nature that will help to tell the story of Mayfield’s amazing history.
Mayfield. Credit: U+I
“We’ve chosen a simple palette of materials including steel and reclaimed brick to create an industrial feel which also gives the trees and planting a contrasting backdrop.
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“The chimney towers resonate with historic skylines of Manchester and Mayfield. Together these features will create a sense that our young visitors are exploring an abandoned landscape where nature has taken over.
“This is a park which people will visit again and again and have different experiences each time they come as seasons change. For children especially, as their confidence grows so too will their use of the play area which features different heights and levels for all ages.
“The towers will sit amongst the canopies of some of the largest trees to be planted at Mayfield and this will give the children a real sense of playing within nature.
“Accessibility and inclusivity are at the heart of the design and we have ensured the entirety of the park and the majority of play area equipment is wheelchair friendly. We can’t wait to see the play area in action.”
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Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, added: “Mayfield Park is going to be a major new green public space for Manchester.
“As a city which values our young people it’s perfect that it will include a play facility as fun and active as this as part of what it has to offer.
“We can’t wait to welcome Manchester people to this new attraction.”
Mayfield Park is due to be completed by autumn.
Featured image: Supplied
Kids & Family
A much-loved Manc grassroots venue is hosting a live screening of The Traitors final
Danny Jones
A beloved grassroots venue here in Manchester city centre is holding a big screening of this year’s The Traitors final.
Consider already there with bells, whistles and a big hood on.
Yes, following the return of The Traitors mainline show this month, not to mention even more versions of the show landing on the BBC in 2026, we’re expecting record-breaking numbers of viewers for this year’s highly anticipated ‘Grand Final’.
With that in mind, Manc favourite arts and entertainment venue, Fairfield Social Club (FSC), will be playing The Traitors season four final on the big screen.
You do not want to miss this, and we don’t just mean the episode: we’re talking about the unparalleled and often unhinged vibes at Fairfield.
Having been to plenty of live events at FSC over the past 18 months or so, from live viewing parties and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia quizzes to nights out with other social clubs and community organisations, we can personally vouch for their hosting chops.
As for this particular watchalong, they’ve promised they’re “going all in for The Traitors Finale 2026, live on the FSC big screen with a full crowd, big reactions and plenty of drama.”
With the team set to deliver a full pre-show Traitors quiz with plenty of prizes up for grabs, and even free drinks for anyone who turns up in a cloak or top-notch Claudia Winkleman fancy dress, there are so many reasons to make this gaff the place you choose as your venue for the final.
We’ll also be making sure to attend their upcoming Lily Allen line-dancing show, because we’re still obsessed with West End Girl.
Like with The Traitors final, don’t worry, they’ve done this dance MANY times before.
Honestly, this place never disappoints when it comes to variety or enjoyment.
As if any of the above wasn’t already convincing enough for you, tickets are just a fiver, and they also include a welcome drink. Doors will open 6pm, and seating plans are simply first-come first first-served.
Not only is that a great deal across the board, but it’s also probably one of the cheapest drinks you’ll find in town these days…
If you fancy joining in the chaos and inevitable chorus of gasps when the Grand Final goes live, you can grab your tickets for the conclusion of this season’s Traitors at Fairfield Social Club right HERE – and we promise you that it will sell out fast.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (via BBC)/Fairfield Social Club (supplied)
Kids & Family
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you’re at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third-party app, Recycle at Boots, uses a ‘Scan2Recycle‘ system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can’t usually be recycled at home, such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you’ve followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store at your nearest location, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you’re also an eco-warrior.
There’s even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, which gives customers 100 Advantage Points when they spend £5 in-store.
Brilliant.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood, with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Manchester Market Street – 32 Market Street, M1 1PL
Salford Regent Park – Regents Park, M5 3TP
Manchester Didsbury – 736-740 Wilmslow Road, M20 2DW
The Trafford Centre – 10 Peel Avenue, M17 8BD
Trafford Retail Park – Neary Way, M41 7FN
If you’re up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
28th January 2022 
