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16 giant inflatable monsters are now looming over Manchester – here’s where to find them

Halloween is back in the city.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 25th October 2023

Halloween has returned to city once again… and this year, even more giant inflatable monsters than ever before have taken to the streets.

It’s been a long time coming, but spooky season is now officially here in Manchester.

Returning for its eighth year, Halloween in the City – which is organised by Manchester BID and CityCo, and is the country’s biggest Halloween celebration – is back for some more frightful fun this week, and just as it’s always been known and loved for, the family-friendly festival will be filling the city centre with things that go bump in the night.

Thousands of families are expected to head into the city wearing their spookiest costumes for the two-day FREE event taking place this weekend.

With the celebrations set to begin at 10am on both days, there’s a jam-packed lineup of events and activities for everyone to get stuck into – including the Monsters Rock! Music Festival, Walk the Plank’s legendary Monster Party Procession, and so much more.

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If you’re looking to get in on the action early though, then you’ll be pleased – or frightened – to find out that the iconic MCR Monsters have already arrived.

They’re now looming over the city’s rooftops in greater numbers than ever before.

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Created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, the colourful collection of giant inflatable monsters have invaded the city centre from today right up until Halloween itself next Tuesday (31 October), so for those who dare to stay in the city as night falls, popular landmarks and buildings will be turning a ghoulish green to help make a Manchester a terrifyingly good place to be this Halloween.

16 giant inflatable monsters are now looming over Manchester / Credit: The Manc Group

There’s a total of 16 monsters to spot at more than a dozen locations, and here’s where you’ll need to head on down to to find them.

  1. Manchester Arndale, Exchange Square – Above Next, M4 3AJ
  2. Selfridges Exchange Square, M3 1BD
  3. Exchange Square (28 & 29 October only) – Festival Entrance, M3 1BD
  4. Exchange Square (28 & 29 October only) – Music Stage, M3 1BD
  5. Corn Exchange Manchester – Inside Exchange Square, M4 3TR
  6. Harvey Nichols, New Cathedral Street, M1 1AD
  7. New Cathedral Street (28 & 29 October only) – Near Ted Baker M1 1AD
  8. The Royal Exchange Manchester, St Ann’s Square, M2 7DH
  9. Castlefield Viaduct, Duke Street, M3 4PU
  10. AO Arena, Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, M3 1AR
  11. AO Arena, Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, M3 1AR
  12. New Century Hall, Miller Street, M4 4AH
  13. New Victoria, Corporation Street, M4 4DZ
  14. KAMPUS Aytoun Street, M1 3GL
  15. The Church, Chorlton Street, M1 3HN
  16. Depot Mayfield, Baring Street, M1 2PY

As mentioned, the MCR Monsters are part of the wider annual Halloween in the City celebrations.

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Organised by Manchester BID on behalf of retailers, restaurants, and businesses in the city centre, the two-day event includes a fancy dress challenge, a monster procession, a monster music festival, and so much more.

They’re part of the annual ‘Halloween in the City’ celebrations / Credit: The Manc Group

The ‘Monsters Rock! Music Festival’ will take over New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Market Street and Exchange Square, with live bands, DJs, rides, circus acts and even monster portaloos, while Walk the Plank’s popular ‘Monsters Rock Out Procession’ is back by popular demand after 2022’s success.

The frighteningly-good carnival will feature giant puppet monsters, stilt walkers, and a live band partying their way through Manchester Arndale and Market Street.

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Thousands of families are also expected to take part in the ‘Team Trick vs Team Treat Challenge’, where you can win points for your team, and you’ll even be able to take to the ice on a spooky outdoor ice rink too, as Scare Skate returns to Cathedral Gardens for another year.

Find out more about everything happening for Halloween in the City 2023 here.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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A £1m health optimisation hub with breakthrough ‘brain health technology’ is opening in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Projevenate is now open in Manchester

A brand-new £1m health optimisation clinic is set to open near Manchester Airport this month, with a North West-first breakthrough ‘brain health technology’ offering.

Projuvenate will be a flagship 3350 sq ft medically-led clinic, with ExoMind™, offering non-invasive treatment for mental wellness. 

The space will be bringing cutting-edge treatments to Greater Manchester that are normally associated with high-end private wellness clinics in London. 

Projuvenate promises three key wellness pillars – health optimisation, physiotherapy, and aesthetic wellness. 

Part of its health optimisation pillar will be ExoMind, a breakthrough treatment that uses targeted electromagnetic stimulation to deliver precise pulses to key areas of the brain linked to emotional regulation, focus, and motivation.

Early trials of this FDA-approved treatment show 88% of patients report improved mental wellness, with 78% experiencing better mood, sleep, and emotional regulation. 

Other health optimisation treatments include HaloRed™ salt and red light therapy, longevity treatments, and intimate health solutions such as electromagnetic pelvic floor training.

There’ll also be elite physiotherapy as part of Projuvenate’s offering, with rehabilitation and injury prevention from experts in elite sport. 

Advanced equipment patients will be able to access includes the R-Force™ anti-gravity treadmill, targeted cryotherapy, and more.

It's open now at Manchester Green
It’s open now at Manchester Green
The new Projuvenate wellness centre
The new Projuvenate wellness centre
Projuvenate is the first North West clinic to offer ExoMind
Projuvenate is the first North West clinic to offer ExoMind
Projuvenate will offer physiotherapy in a state-of-the-art gym
Projuvenate will offer physiotherapy in a state-of-the-art gym

And the final pillar, aesthetic wellness, offers non-invasive treatments to enhance appearance, strength and confidence, from skin and face therapies to injectables, body sculpting, and hair vitality.

Projuvenate is founded by Dr Libby Artingstall, a former consultant psychiatrist, and her brother Rob Artingstall, an experienced performance physiotherapist and Head Physio with England Rugby League.

They hope to bridge the gap between healthcare, rehabilitation, and proactive wellbeing.

Dr Libby Artingstall said: “Throughout medical school and much of my career as a doctor, the focus was on what happens when the body or mind goes wrong. But I became increasingly compelled by the question: how do we help people stay well, not just now, but long into the future? That’s what led to Projuvenate.

“Wellness isn’t one-dimensional. At Projuvenate we bring together advanced aesthetic wellness, expert physiotherapy, and science-backed health optimisation to support the skin, body and mind in a fully integrated, medically led environment. ExoMind™ is the perfect example of this philosophy—giving people an evidence-based way to support clarity, focus, and emotional strength.”

She added: “This opening marks a new era for health in the North West. People no longer need to travel to London for these preventative therapies. We’re proud to be putting Manchester on the map for clinical excellence and proactive care that supports every dimension of wellbeing.”

A medical consultation is £75, redeemable against treatment within three months, is required before starting any treatment or programme.

Treatments start from £45 for HaloRed™ therapy, and a six-session ExoMind™ package is priced at £2,200.

Projuvenate will open on 18 September at Manchester Green. 

Find out more about Projuvenate Manchester HERE.

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Featured image: Supplied

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A ‘saucy’ new Korean fried chicken restaurant is opening in the Gay Village

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Korean fried chicken

A brand-new Korean fried chicken restaurant and cocktail bar is set to open on Canal Street this week. 

CLUK is promising some big deals and amazing giveaways to celebrate its launch in Manchester, including free food and prize draws. 

The newcomer in the heart of the city will specialise in Korean-style crispy fried chicken, but also warming ramen bowls, and salt & pepper classics. 

Signature dishes will include Korean cheese-powder fried chicken, and Cheese Volcano Chicken. 

CLUK will also serve dishes like kimchi cheese loaded fries, salt & pepper chicken, and huge sharing platters. 

You can customise your Korean fried chicken order by size, choosing between wings and boneless and picking a flavour out of honey garlic, sweet and spicy, honey mustard, and honey and sour. 

They promise it’ll all be ‘saucy, crunchy, and seriously addictive’. 

That’s all washed down with ice-cold beers and creative cocktails, like martinis, spritzes and sours. 

CLUK is now open in the Gay Village in Manchester
CLUK is now open in the Gay Village in Manchester
A spread of CLUK dishes
A spread of CLUK dishes
Inside CLUK Manchester
Inside CLUK Manchester
Fried chicken with Korean cheese powder
Fried chicken with Korean cheese powder
Inside CLUK Manchester
Inside CLUK Manchester

The CLUK team are hoping to create a fun late-night dining option for this buzzing corner of the city centre. 

To celebrate its launch on Thursday 18 September, CLUK have announced a whole heap of promotions. 

This includes free chicken bao for the first 50 guests to visit during the first five days. 

Over the two week launch period, visitors can spin the wheel whenever you spend £12 – spend £24 and spin twice. 

And there are big prizes available – the top prize is a £100 gift card or £50 cash, with other prizes including free drinks, food and a £3 voucher as a consolation prize. 

Plus, anyone who buys a gift card and tops it up with £100 will receive a free beer or cider. 

When those two weeks are up, CLUK will run a £1,000 prize draw.

To find out more about CLUK, head HERE. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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