The transformation that’s taken place in parts of Manchester in recent years is staggering, from huge skyscrapers to ultra-modern office blocks – but it’s part of the old university campus that’s gone undergone the most impressive makeover of all.
Kampus has taken part of the old Manchester Metropolitan University campus and turned it into a bustling neighbourhood that prides itself on its lifestyle offering.
There’s obviously the restaurant and bar scene that’s taking shape around the central garden, which shows off some of the city’s best operators.
But residents of the beautiful and modern apartments also have access to a gym that rivals the commercial gyms in town, a cinema room, private dining spaces and terraces.
The food and drink scene at Kampus
Nell’s at Kampus. Credit: The Manc GroupPollen at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
Kampus has already drawn on some seriously big local names from around Greater Manchester, with plenty more to come.
Nell’s – the New York-style pizzeria from the team behind Common & Co – was in first, with its huge, glass-fronted restaurant and bar.
Then came more – Yum Cha, with its incredible menu of dim sum; Beeswing, where it’s all about the wine and the small plates; Pollen, the award-winning bakery with giant loaves and perfect croissants.
Most recently, Great North Pie joined the Kampus neighbourhood, serving its incredible pies that are stuffed with ingredients from around the north west.
And the hoardings are up for others still to come, like queer cocktail den Red Light and the new ‘creative destination’ Maker’s Quarter.
The amenities at Kampus
The cinema at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
Renting a flat at Kampus doesn’t just get you a flat (though, those are pretty special) – it also gets you access to all the amenities built here by developers Capital & Centric and HBD.
Residents can rent out the private cinema room for movie nights or to watch major sporting fixtures with friends and family.
There are also private dining spaces to help you step up your dinner party game (we all know the struggles of trying to host a big dinner in a one-bedroom apartment), which has a high-spec kitchen as well as huge dining tables.
The lounges and terraces around Kampus are there for residents to socialise and relax together, including rooftop spaces.
At ground level, it’s all about the canal-side garden that’s open to all and surrounded by restaurants, bars and cafes. Huge green plants pour out over the footpaths and benches and in summer, the garden is always hosting some sort of pop-up event.
And there’s Little David Street, a once-forgotten cobbled street that was closed completely for over a decade, but is now restored to even-better-than-its-former glory and steadily filling up with cafes.
The Kampus apartments in Manchester
Inside Kampus in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Kampus has five pet-friendly buildings centred around the garden, each one offering something a little different.
The Grade II-listed Minshull Warehouse was once a Victorian shipping warehouse, now turned into an apartment building that still shows off its original features. There are similar homes in the Minto & Turner historic red-bricked warehouse.
The original 1960s tower block has been upgraded – ‘a tamed brutalist beast’ – with modern interiors but still original touches like exposed concrete and original waffle ceilings.
Then there are the North and South blocks, the former topped with a rooftop village of Dutch houses that have transformed the skyline.
To find out more about Kampus and to book a viewing, visit kampus-mcr.co.uk.
Featured image: The Manc Group
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Aspiring artists can get their work displayed on one of the biggest digital screens in Manchester
Danny Jones
Are you a budding artist looking to get your work seen or know some who is? Well, you might want to pay attention because there’s an opportunity to have your creation seen by countless passers-by and on one of the biggest displays in the entire UK over at the Printworks.
If you’ve passed through the much-loved hospitality and leisure complex over the past year or so, you’ll have noticed their roof is now no longer a roof at all, really; the striking ceiling is now a constantly moving image and the largest of its kind in all of Europe.
Meaning that anyone who got their artworks on there would effectively be securing one of the biggest displays and public installations on the continent.
As Printworks themselves put it: “This isn’t just a screen; it’s an artistic stage viewed by millions of visitors every year, with the power to turn a single artwork into a 360-degree sensory experience.”
With that in mind, they’re giving one lucky individual the chance to grab the spotlight and see their creative expression plastered on the 1,000m² wraparound LED canvas.
“Supporting emerging talent and seeing fresh, creative perspectives is always inspiring, and I can’t wait to see what these young artists bring to the table! It was so surreal seeing my artwork on the digital.”
Past installations have included the ‘Spaces Up-Above’ exhibition by world-renowned light artist, Rupert Newman, as well as an International Women’s Day showcase by Heitzman herself, as a fellow Manchester-based creative.
In case you need a better idea of the sheer scale of this screen and why this is such an exciting opportunity for up-and-coming local artists, here’s how they celebrated Oasis returning to Manchester for their Heaton Park reunion gigs this week:
Synchronised with sound and added motion effects, the competition is now open to students who are currently enrolled in college, university or art school.
Better still, you don’t even have to be from or based in the area to take part – this is a nationwide competition hoping to spotlight the best talents in the UK.
All you have to do to enter this exciting competition in Manchester is simply provide Printworks your details and upload your artwork of choice HERE by Sunday, 3 August.
Nostalgic ready-to-drink Breezer makes UK return after a decade
Daisy Jackson
An iconic ready-to-drink favourite has launched back into the UK – oh yes, Breezer is back.
First launched in the 1990s, Breezers – then pitched as an ‘alcopop’ – were a staple on dancefloors and at barbecues right across the UK.
And now Bacardi has decided to bring these delicious, fruity, easy-drinking bottles back to British shores.
There are three new flavours to try as Breezers return to your fridges – Zesty Orange, Zingy Lime, and Crisp Watermelon.
And Breezer launched back into Manchester last night with a suitably memorable party, turning a spot in the Northern Quarter into a corner shop.
The ‘local Cornerbop’ was stacked with your usual essentials, plus shelf after shelf of these colourful glass ready-to-drink bottles.
Inside the Breezer ‘Cornerbop’ corner shop in ManchesterBreezer is back, in three new flavours
The Breezer relaunch party saw Tarsza and Rennie Peters spinning nostalgic anthems with a modern twist at a pop-up party in a corner shop.
Steve Young, business unit director for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland, said: “We know there is a lot of love for Breezer in the UK, and we are confident a new generation of consumers will fall in love with the new Breezer.
“RTDs are booming, however, the Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages category could do with a bit more excitement. By bringing back Breezer we’re definitely putting the fruity taste into FAB.”
The iconic ready-to-drink classic is back – and better than ever.
Daisy Jackson -
17th March 2023 
