A brand-new Halloween trail will be leading people through an enchanted and haunted woodland this autumn – and it’s all taking place at Trafford Centre’s little-known Wilderspool Woods.
The 4.5 acre hidden woodland in the grounds of the iconic shopping centre will be taken over by skeletons, bats, and all sorts of other spooky creatures.
But as the event comes from acclaimed The Twilight Trail at Mayfield Park, you’ll be sure to be more mesmerised than terrified. No blood-thirsty zombies here.
There’ll be more than 100,000 lights illuminating a Skeleton Village, laser-filled gardens of mist, and a spooky soundtrack of otherworldly tunes curated by DJ Rasp.
Visitors will find supernatural surprises around every corner, whether it’s colourful bats soaring overhead or glowing LED eyes watching down from the treetops.
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The Halloween Trail will be suitable for all ages and will captivate audiences with the glittering light trail, interactive events, and a massive food and drink programme curated by Freight Island.
A new Halloween trail is taking over the hidden woods at the Trafford Centre. Credit: SuppliedDecadent hot chocolates will be part of The Halloween Trail’s Freight Island-curated food line-up. Credit: Supplied
As you creep and weave your way through the eerie Wilderspool Woods you’ll be able to pick and carve your own pumpkins, toast marshmallows, and throw some shapes at the skeleton disco.
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There’ll even be a skeleton petting zoo, a mysterious Haunted Hotel, and a creepy old-fashioned pub, Ye Olde Skeleton Arms, tucked away in the woods.
The light installations brought to The Halloween Trail will include Helix, a floating ribbon of sparkling light that weaves through the forest, and The Twist, a psychedelic, corkscrew pathway of mesmerising lights.
After making it through the mystical woodlands, visitors can feast on food from top traders including Voodoo Rays (22” New York-style pizzas), and Soft Boi (soft-serve ice cream).
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Formaggi by Lazy Tony’s will be warming up guests with loaded roasties, rich poutine, deep-fried mozzarella and Italian-American toasties, and there’s Cabin Chocolat for decadent hot chocolates topped with fluffy marshmallows, caramel, and sweets (plus a drop of booze for the grown-ups).
Heard, a new burger venture from two Michelin-starred chef Jordan Bailey of Ireland’s Aimsir, will also feature on the trail, whipping up a selection of smash burgers made with eco-friendly ingredients.
Voodoo Rays will be one of the traders serving food at The Halloween Trail. Credit: The Manc GroupFormaggio by Lazy Tony’s will have loaded roasties and loads more. Credit: Supplied
Free parking is available for all ticket holders, or there are easy public transport links via tram or bus along The Bee Network.
Dan Morris, co-founder of Trafford Trails, said: “We’re excited to reveal Wilderspool Wood as the location for this year’s Halloween Trail.
“This hidden space offers the perfect setting for an immersive and exciting Halloween experience. With DJ Rasp’s soundtrack, stunning light displays, and some of the best food traders around, we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors of all ages for a great night out.”
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Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “We’re delighted to bring something new to Trafford this Halloween. Collaborating with Freight Island and other great partners, we’ve created an experience that promises to be a real treat for our visitors. We can’t wait to see Wilderspool Wood lit up at night.”
The Halloween Trail will run from Thursday 17 October to Sunday 3 November.
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £8 for children, £10 for adults, and family tickets from £32 – you can grab yours here.
A £1m health optimisation hub with breakthrough ‘brain health technology’ is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
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 GreenThe new Projuvenate wellness centreProjuvenate is the first North West clinic to offer ExoMindProjuvenate 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.
A ‘saucy’ new Korean fried chicken restaurant is opening in the Gay Village
Daisy Jackson
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 ManchesterA spread of CLUK dishesInside CLUK ManchesterFried chicken with Korean cheese powderInside 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.
Daisy Jackson -
20th September 2024 
