Just when you think the city centre has reached its peak, entire new neighbourhoods with exciting new openings spring up out of the blue.
Take, for example, Ancoats – just a few short years ago it was more run-down mill than run clubs and martinis, and now it’s a buzzing neighbourhood with a Michelin star and some of the UK’s most respected restaurants and bars.
The newest contender for the coolest neighbourhood in Manchester is Piccadilly East, a previously overlooked tangle of roads, warehouses and canals just behind Piccadilly train station.
It’s all change round here though, with loads to see and do to keep you entertained.
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And it’s not all about the food and the drink and the culture and the nightlife (though there is a lot of that) – it’s also about the new homes that have been built here, like The Castings.
The design-led development has 352 homes, ranging from well-thought-out studios to spacious three-bedroom apartments, some of the best views in the city, and unreal amenities. More on that later.
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For now, this is your essential guide to Piccadilly East.
Burgerism and Sureshot Brewery / Credit: The Manc Group
Food and drink
Diecast* – The big name in this new neighbourhood is Diecast, a sprawling food, drink and music spot with masses of outside space, 64 combinations of frozen daiquiri, New York-style pizzas, and even retro caravans you can sit in.
Ramona and The Firehouse* – It started as a teepee serving Detroit-style pizzas slices, and has now expanded into the neighbouring MOT garage, which has been transformed into a glittering party palace serving fire-cooked meats, flatbreads, and pure disco.
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Tariff and Dale* – A long-time favourite in the Northern Quarter, with the sort of natural industrial charm that so many have tried and failed to replicate, Tariff and Dale is known best for its classic cocktails, British beers, and wood-fired pizzas.
Freight Island – Want to be spoilt for choice for your dinner? Piccadilly East rubs shoulders with Freight Island, a massive food hall and entertainment space that plays host to loads of great traders from across the North West, including the award-winning Burgerism.
Diecast and Cloudwater Brewery / Credit: The Manc Group
Cloudwater* – Arguably the most well-known craft brewery in Manchester, if not the UK, Cloudwater has its own taproom here in Piccadilly East, where you can sip on delicious beers directly above the brewery itself.
Track – Another spot where you can drink your beer as close to the source as possible is Track (happily, directly across the road from Cloudwater), which has built a beautiful taproom inside its huge brewery where you can crack open a can while you watch beers being canned in front of you.
Sureshot – Part of the unofficial Piccadilly Beer Mile (there are a lot of brewers working around here) is Sureshot, a brewery with some of the funniest beer names in Manchester and an excellent taproom too.
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Shopping
Northern Flower* – Want a new little leafy mate for your new pad, or a bunch of flowers to treat a special someone (that special someone could be yourself)? Then Northern Flower is the spot for you. It’s a long-standing florist in the Northern Quarter, a short walk from Piccadilly East.
The Norah Store – Okay this is technically in Ancoats, not Piccadilly East, but the beauty of the new neighbourhood is that it’s very central. The Norah Store sells vintage-inspired womenswear, all designed by female designers and other small independent business owners.
Literally the entire Northern Quarter – Actually, if you end up living in Piccadilly East you’re incredibly well-placed for some of the best independent shopping in the North West. In the Northern Quarter alone you’ll find vintage shops, boutiques, comic book shops, florists, bakeries, record shops, lifestyle stores, and more.
Northern Flower and The Norah Store / Credit: The Manc Group
Nightlife and hotels
The Warehouse Project – When it comes to nightlife, Piccadilly East is at the heart of quite possibly the most famous clubbing series in Europe – The Warehouse Project. Taking over Depot Mayfield every autumn and winter, it attracts the biggest names in dance, electronic, house and more for several weeks of pure fun.
Leonardo – Time to rest your weary head? The new Leonardo Hotel has plenty of spacious bedrooms, and is a familiar sight now thanks to its striking Jenga block-style exterior with plants spilling out from every level.
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Dakota – Another hotel in this neck of the woods is Dakota, a luxury spot with phenomenal rooms that’s played host to more than a few celebrities since it opened in 2019 (cough cough, Hugh Jackman…)
Culture
Mayfield Park – One of the best things for locals to do around Piccadilly East is to check out the new Mayfield Park, Manchester’s first new city centre park in 100 years. It was recently awarded a prestigious Green Flag award, with judges saying they had ‘never seen such an outstanding urban park’.
Ancoats Marina – There’s more valuable outside space to be found near Piccadilly East, with Ancoats Marina and all its charms right across the road. You can grab a coffee, a pastry, a wine or a pint, and soak in the waterside views.
Co-op Live and Mayfield Park / Credit: The Manc Group
Co-op Live – Piccadilly East is walking distance for most people to the brand-new Co-op Live arena, a staggering new music venue that’s already hosted some of the biggest music names in the world, with plenty more to come.
Events – There are always things happening at all of the places we’ve mentioned already, whether you’re wanting to browse a Maker’s Market, dance into the early hours, or even go to a Batman exhibition (this one has sadly departed but something similar will surely follow).
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Property
The Castings – When it comes to where to live in Piccadilly East, The Castings is a clear favourite. Its apartments have been finished to the highest standards with huge bedrooms with massive built-in wardrobes, well-equipped kitchens complete with top-of-the-range appliances, and stunning living spaces that are flooded with natural light.
The building also has its own gym, kitted out with Technogym equipment that includes a free weights zone, squat rack, and cardio equipment, or taking on a class in the studio where virtual instructors are available seven days a week.
Then there’s an on-site home working hub with 12 desk spaces, three private booths, and a bookable meeting room, plus a media room with a huge sofa and 86” TV.
And just off the working hub is one of several roof terraces which looks out over a small but green square below.
The Castings / Credit: The Manc Group
Transport
The easiest commute in the world awaits you from Piccadilly East, which is (as the name suggests) right beside Manchester Piccadilly and all the many trains that pass through it every day.
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You’re also very close to key stops on the Metrolink tram stop, bus routes, and are walking distance from all of Manchester city centre.
From here, you can hop on one train or one tram all the way to the airport if you want to get further afield.
*Indicates that The Castings residents can get discounts and perks at these neighbourhood heroes.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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The UK’s biggest padel event lands in Stockport with an all-star cast of top professionals
Danny Jones
On Monday, 10 August, what was billed as the UK’s ‘biggest and best’ padel event got underway in Stockport, as the Sci-Mx Padel Series came to Manchester Padel Club (MPC). Safe to say it didn’t disappoint one bit.
Hosted at the impressive Heald Green facility in Gatley, the Summer 2026 tournament, which saw everyone from total beginners to the cream of the crop turn up in force and fine form, drew a sold-out crowd of over 400 – and that was just the first day.
Running until 5pm this following Tuesday (11 Aug), the competition saw four all-weather and one outdoor courts taken over by padel’s hottest prospects and plenty of plucky underdogs.
More importantly, however, chatting with those not only right at the heart of this particular sporting showcase but the game as a whole gave us a wider appreciation for the craze than ever.
Credit: The Manc Group
First off, props must be given to Sci-Mx and the MPC, which put on a super slick opening afternoon, with plenty of live music, refreshments, bleacher seating, not to mention merch to grab for those who really want to look the part.
Besides the usual trickle of famous faces you regularly see at pro-am events across the country, they even had sports commentator Sam Matterface on the mic to add that extra bit of live flair to the action.
We expect no less for day two tomorrow.
We were lucky enough to catch everyone from last-minute sign-ups and people who have never picked up a racket before to the literal number ones, including UK no.1 Christian Medina Murphy, and even Agustín Tapia, currently ranked the best player in the world.
The men’s exhibition to round off day one at Manchester Padel Club – which saw these two come face to face with separated partners – showed just how fast the best of the best play, demonstrating a frightening level of talent (you can watch the full livestream HERE).
But, to be honest, we were pretty blown away by the high standards from the off, even among the so-called ‘amateurs’ the sports nutrition brand assembled. They certainly didn’t look it to us…
Credit: The Manc
Sarah Horrocks, who heads up the Padel Foundation and partnered sports apparel brand, Palair Sport, was made up with the “family-friendly atmosphere” they’ve managed to deliver on opening day, too.
“It’s very much been a ‘bring anyone along’ approach”, she told The Manc, “and that’s exactly what communities need when it comes to sport. The turnout’s been amazing, especially on Monday.
“You can always fill a padel court these days, but lots of people will have never seen this level before, so having everyone here is special, and hopefully, it’ll inspire the kids and adults here to keep playing and influence that next generation.”
We also got to chat with Team GB padel player, Nikhil Mohindra, who spoke about how impressed he was with the calibre of talent on show even before the pros stepped out.
“It’s such a privilege to be involved with Sci-Mx and the Manchester Padel Club. It’s a very professional put-together event. It’s also exciting to see Sarah and the Foundation continuing to give people who’ve never had the chance to play sport full stop, let alone just padel, in underprivileged areas.
“Getting to not only play and film some content with the best players in the world, but also teach and instruct some of these younger players how to actually hit these shots – it’s a really unique opportunity to do that, so it’s an honour to be involved.”
Sarah and NikhilCredit: The Manc
As absolutely useless beginners ourselves, we also asked him for some useful tips to help us get started.
“I think in tennis you try and hit through the ball, whereas here, the softer you play, the better, as it’s a much more tactical sport; it’s about positioning, and because the courts are only 20×10, it’s about finding those gaps. The lob is the main shot here, so get used to using that and the glass as early as possible.”
Asking the pair what it is that they think has inspired this ongoing padel phenomenon and boom in courts opening across the North West, they believe it has a hugely “wide appeal”, with everyone from youngsters, ex-pros and even current athletes looking for something to mix up their schedule.
They also think a key part of its rapid growth here in the UK also comes down to how quickly people can improve, with Nikhil quipping that once people go online and check out the points, they’re often easily “tempted to come and give it a go for themselves.”
As for Sci-Mx, locally-born owner Sandy Chadha made it clear how key that element of access and the aim of making it for everyone was a core pillar of the event. Speaking ahead of the first ball, he said: “This is a massive coup for the Manchester Padel Community.
“We are bringing top-class talent to the region and throwing the doors open for two unforgettable days of world-class talent. It was important to me that accessible to all fans, whether you’re a first-timer or play every week; the aim is to bring everyone together in this state-of-the-art facility to watch the best players on the globe face off in my hometown.
Some of the best on planetAnd quite literally the best in the world, Agustín Tapia
After seeing the rapturous applause from the intimate but packed-out crowd at Manchester Padel Club on a random Monday evening, we can confidently say we’re more keen to try our hand at it than ever.
Last but not least, if you fancy doing your bit for a good cause, you can donate to the Padel Foundation’s ‘Sport For Everyone’ fundraiser right HERE.
Manchester Arndale’s Summer Scran Fest returns with the best foodie deals all month long
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Arndale’s Summer Scran Fest is back, and there’s some absolute foodie bargains to be had right across the shopping centre throughout the month.
Looking for the best foodie deals in Manchester city centre this summer?
Summer Scran Fest is back, bringing a month-long celebration of tasty food, refreshing drinks, and unbeatable offers over at Manchester Arndale.
It’s the Arndale’s annual food and drink festival, giving visitors exclusive access to limited-time offers, with a mix of high-street favourites, local foodie hotspots, and even leisure experiences taking part, meaning eating out in the city centre is more affordable ever – whether you’re here for lunch, fuelling a family day out, or just popping in for a mid-shop treat.
Running right through until 31 August, there’ll be discounts across 30+ restaurants, cafes, kiosks and leisure venues, all under one roof.
Manchester Arndale’s Summer Scran Fest has returned with the best foodie deals all month long / Credit: The Manc Group
This year’s lineup includes a balance of Manchester’s most-loved chains and local indies.
Think household names like McDonald’s, Krispy Kreme, and Subway taking part, alongside local gems like Archie’s, Michael’s Coffee House, and Coffee Break, as well as the Arndale’s newest residents like Wingstop and Joe & the Juice joining in the fun this year too.
Shoppers can expect everything from buy one get one free deals, up to 25% off menus, kids eat free promotions, and more exciting ways to save.
No matter whether you’re craving burgers, pizza, milkshakes, matcha, or something in between, Summer Scran Fest has your cravings (and your bank balance) covered.
As mentioned though, ‘scran’ might be in the name, but it’s not just foodie offers you can look forward to this month, as there’s also deals on at leisure venues too – including mini golf and burger combos, free drinks with gaming sessions, and plenty more to keep everyone entertained.
Daisy Jackson -
11th September 2024 
