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Christmas karaoke, candy cane axe-throwing, and more – how to spend a festive day out at Great Northern

Tonnes of activities, all under one roof.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 16th December 2022

Belting out Christmas karaoke classics at an après ski-style village, throwing axes that look like candy canes, and feasting on new foods are just a handful of the things you could be getting up to over the next few festive weeks.

And all of this is on offer just in one place too.

Great Northern is a historic Grade II-listed leisure complex that’s home to some of the best-loved restaurants, bustling bars, eclectic independent businesses, and unique activity opportunities in the heart of Manchester city centre all year round, so if you’re looking for somewhere to escape the cold and get into the festive spirit, then you know where to head on down to.

Here’s our picks for four of the best places to go for a proper festive day out at Great Northern before we say goodbye to December.

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Throw candy cane-themed axes and feast on festive food

Whistle Punks

Merry Axemas / Credit: Whistle Punks

Fancy throwing some candy cane-themed axes and sipping on some mulled wine this Christmas?

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A trip to Whistle Punks at Great Northern is always an unforgettable experience, with each 70-minute session designed to make both newcomers and axe-throwing pros alike excel, with lots of top tricks taught to you by instructors, all before you take part in head-to-head tournaments to decide who is the throwing champ in your group.

But through the Christmas period, everything is just that little bit more festive.

Not only is there mulled wine on offer, plenty of mince pies and pigs in blankets to feast on, and special prosecco receptions available for those who enjoy the high life, but the axes you’ll be throwing are also red and white striped like candy cane, just to the whole thing even more Instagrammable.

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Tickets to Axemas at Whistle Punks Manchester start from £22 per person, and you can find out more and book your session here.

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Say hello to Santa, belt out Christmas classics, and do shots off a ski

Bar Hütte

Have you seen that popular après-ski village Bar Hütte is back?

Back and better than ever this year, with 15 cosy Alpine cabins dotted across the Great Northern square courtyard bringing a lively, festive, and vibrant atmosphere to the city centre, Bar Hütte is a great place for both families and groups of friends to head on down to at any time of the week during the festive season right through until the New Year.

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Inspired by some of the coolest après ski bars in Europe, Bar Hütte has everything from live music and free-flowing festive drinks, to the chance to try out the bar’s legendary ‘shot skis’, as well sing-along to all of your favourite tunes inside a private wooden karaoke cabin that’s festooned with twinkling tights.

The Gingerbread Old Fashioned, The Alpine, and Bar Hütte’s famous mulled wine are just some of the festive themed drinks and cocktails that can be brought to you by your very-own hütte host, all while you belt out Christmas karaoke classics.

Bar Hütte is also the only bar in the UK to serve up authentic Bombardinos – a warm Advocaat-based drink topped with cream that’s especially popular in Italian ski resorts.

For the little ones looking to say hello to the big red man himself, the family-friendly Santa Claus Club gives you the chance to meet Santa and get a picture with him, all before singing-along in a karaoke hutte for one hour, sipping on hot chocolate, and playing with some free colouring pads.

You can find out more about everything happening at Bar Hütte this year here.

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‘Get galactic’ and skate the day away

Paradise Skate World

Get Galactic / Credit: Paradise Skate World

Paradise Skate World is one of Manchester’s newest roller rinks.

A hugely-popular addition to the Great Northern Warehouse this year, Paradise Skate World is currently hosting a series of ‘Get Galactic’ parties every Saturday throughout December, and it means families and groups of friends can head on down and have a cosmic Christmas celebration.

With the party starting at 6:30pm and running through to 9:30pm, the skating isn’t all the fun you have to look forward to.

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While making your way around the rink, you’ll also get to enjoy a live DJ, make the most of a glitter face painting station, and try out a brand-new selection of Christmas cocktails and mocktails – including this year’s special, the ‘Intergalatic Reindeer’.

Make suer to keep an eye out too, as alien elves will also be rocking around the rink.

You can find out more and book here.

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Tuck into an authentic Polish festive feast

Platzki

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Platzki / Credit: Phil Tragen

What better way to finish off your festive day out than with a proper Polish festive feast at Platzki

A fixture in the city since 2018, this popular Deansgate spot with a gorgeous plant-filled terrace that backs onto the Great Northern Warehouse, prides itself on providing an interesting list of Polish wines and vodka, alongside an ever-evolving menu filled with traditional dishes like dumplings, pork neck and meatballs – all served on beautiful Polish-made plates imported from abroad.

Serving up a new Ukrainian-inspired breakfast menu from 10am every weekend throughout the festive season, as well as lunch from 12pm-5pm, and the main evening menu from 5pm-9pm, Platzki is a real gem in the heart of Manchester city centre.

Read more:

If you’re a fan of Polish cuisine, or you’re keen to try something new, then Platzki is well worth a look in, and we can’t recommend it highly enough here at The Manc.

You can read more about why we love Platzki here.

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Find out more about everything happening this Christmas at Great Northern here.

Featured Image – Great Northern Warehouse

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You can get a mobile massage treatment in your office – just like us

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

We’d like to introduce you to the pioneering personalised service offering massage treatments on the move at practically any location including direct from your office – including to those of us here in Manchester.

In a world where you can get practically anything delivered straight to your door, it wasn’t going to be long until some genius invented a way to get a massage from the comfort of your own office.

And that genius is none other than, Ruuby.

Named ‘London’s first digital beauty concierge’, Ruuby have been pampering the nation’s capital for almost a decade before branching out to further locations.

Ruuby beauty services UK
The gorgeous set up provided by Ruuby
ruuby massages UK
Look at that lovely branding on the towels.
They did wonders with our otherwise plain downstairs office space. (Credit: The Manc Group)

In October 2024, the company expanded beyond its domestic reach in the likes of the capital, the Cotswolds and Surrey into Europe, making its first mark Switzerland: the perfect country for both luxury and essential beauty treatments with a tailored experience.

The month following saw the group moving up North and all the way to Manchester, where people can now book professional treatments best suited to them, right on their doorstep.

If you’re feeling sceptical still, you can take it from us here at The Manc; we couldn’t tell you how relaxing and comforting these massages are.

There are a range of treatments available and we opted for two bespoke massages, a sports massage and a deep tissue massage.

Each experience is suited to your personal needs meaning each massage therapist will be able to fine-tune their relaxation abilities to what benefits you best.

After choosing the bespoke massage that I felt would work best for me, I went into this with no prior massage experience and I came out feeling taller, broader and more refreshed. Highly recommend.

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Mid-day office massage? Yes, please.
ruuby office massages
How relaxing. What a shame you have to go back to work after!
Credit: The Manc Group

My masseuse guided me throughout the whole process and we soon discovered that I was able to tolerate much harder pressure than I thought which helped release tension I didn’t even know I had!

The same applies to how firm you’d like your session to be, as the masseuse can help with a brief overview of your time together, but the amount of pressure you like is down to personal preference.

It’s not just massages either: there’s everything from waxing, nails and hair to physio and IV drips; how about getting Marbella ready in less than an hour with a spray tan service set up wherever you are?

As Ruuby is a mobile and remote work environment, there are a number of at any time up and down the country, meaning your next beauty slot could be as little as an hour away, find out more HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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An award-winning Manchester cocktail bar is serving a Tiny ‘Tini martini cocktail flight

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson An award-winning Manchester cocktail bar is serving a Tiny ‘Tini martini cocktail flight

Martini cocktails are one of the world’s most iconic and stylish cocktails, and come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, despite classically being made with only a few ingredients. 

If you’re still dipping your toes into the world of the vodka martini cocktail, or if you’re a super fan always eager to try a new take on this beloved drink, can we introduce you to the ‘Tiny ‘Tini’ flight?

This clever creation is as photo-worthy as it is delicious – three miniature martini cocktails, served perfectly chilled in ‘flight’ form on a tray in one of Manchester’s very best bars, Blinker. 

The Tiny ‘Tini has been launched by legendary vodka brand GREY GOOSE to celebrate the resurgence of vodka martini cocktails (vodka is one of the core ingredients, the other is typically vermouth). 

Blinker, which was earlier this year named the 22nd best cocktail bar in the UK, is already famed for its menu of vodka martini cocktails , so was a perfect choice for the GREY GOOSE Tiny ‘Tini collaboration. 

Here, they’ve created three different miniature takes on the classic cocktail- the house martini cocktail, made with GREY GOOSE vodka, house vermouth, orange bitters and an olive; the Spanish Gibson, with sherry and onion brine (if you’re a fan of savoury cocktails, this is the one for you); and the champagne martini cocktail, with GREY GOOSE vodka, champagne cordial, Lillet Blanc and orange bitters (a gateway martini cocktail for the uninitiated). 

Each of the three perfectly sized drinks is served in a special frosted miniature martini cocktail glass and is the perfect size for flavour exploration – while also staying perfectly chilled down to the last sip.

The Grey Goose Tiny Tini martini cocktail flight is available at Blinker in Manchester
The Grey Goose Tiny Tini martini cocktail flight is available at Blinker in Manchester

Best of all, the Tiny ‘Tini flight also makes vodka martini cocktails that little bit less intimidating. 

Lexa Ulijaszek, UK Ambassador for GREY GOOSE commented: “When it comes to the vodka martini cocktail, size does matter for some. 

“Sometimes a full-sized martini cocktail can be a little bit too intimidating. Or over the course of great conversation between friends, the final sip of your drink may not be as superbly chilled or balanced in taste as the beginning. 

“As a result, the offer of a ‘sip sized cocktail’ is gaining traction across many of the UK’s most influential bars.

“A sip size GREY GOOSE Tiny ‘Tini is the perfect solution – beautifully crafted, expertly chilled, elegantly served with rich taste. A flight of three petite drinks allows you to responsibly enjoy the perfection of the ‘first sip’ of a martini cocktail while also experiencing a range of unique flavours.

“The trend is very much a UK-wide affair, with some of the best bars across Manchester, Edinburgh and London all serving the GREY GOOSE Tiny ‘Tini – ushering in a brand new and bold ‘sip sized’ era for the vodka martini cocktail.”

The GREY GOOSE Tiny ‘Tini flight at Blinker in Manchester costs £12 and is available until 30 April.

Sip responsibly.

Read more: Blinker – The award-winning cocktail bar in Manchester serving retro Breville toasties

Featured image: Supplied

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