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Gabrielle, Ash and Wigan’s very own Starsailor headline Rochdale Feel Good Fest 2026

Tickets are still on sale from £35 each.

Lydia Mastrolonardo Lydia Mastrolonardo - 29th June 2026

Worried you might have missed your chance to attend a festival this year? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Rochdale Feel Good Festival is one of the longest-running and best-value festivals in Greater Manchester, and luckily for us, it’s returning again with a star-studded main stage line-up this August.

On Saturday 8 August, you’ll have the chance to see some big names bringing sing-along anthems to Rochdale, like two-time BRIT Award winner and pop/soul legend Gabrielle, who has recently gained a whole host of younger fans during performances on ITV’s The Masked Singer, eagerly awaiting this performance. 

Other headliners include Northern Irish rock band, Ash, and Wigan-formed alternative rock band Starsailor, attracting fans from far and wide.

You can also expect sets from soul and funk pioneers, The Allergies, and Manchester indie artist, Alex Spencer – who first gained attention busking on the streets and has gone on to support One Direction star Louis Tomlinson across European arenas earlier this year. 

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This festival also proudly showcases upcoming artists too, and this year, two new Rochdale bands will play the biggest gig of their careers – K-ESTATE, who will be adding some house-pop, funk, and indie disco to the mix, alongside brand new rock band, Metro.

Not to mention its beautiful location, with the main stage in the recently restored Rochdale Town Hall Square, against the backdrop of the Grade I-listed town hall.

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Festival gates open at 12pm, so be sure to get down early as there’s plenty going on, including live music across indoor venues, a food and drink village with delicious street food, pop-ups, bars, and much more.

The bi-annual festival is organised by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council with sponsorship from local businesses, including Premier Kia, The Royal Toby Hotel, Hopwood Hall College, and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

Feel Good Fest is set to return later this summer (Credit: Supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)

This is a climate-conscious festival, so to minimise waste on the day, tickets include a reusable drink cup to be collected upon arrival at the festival site.

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Rochdale Feel Good Festival 2026 takes place on Saturday 8 August, and tickets are available online for £35 each.

If you’re feeling like treating yourself, there’s a choice of two luxury VIP upgrade packages from only £90, which grant access to a private indoor bar, hot street food table service, indoor and outdoor seating, a viewing terrace, as well as toilets and rest areas.

Get your tickets HERE.

gabrielle headlining rochdale feel good festival 2026
Credit: Jono Symonds Photography (supplied)

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Featured Image – Publicity pictures/Jono Symonds (supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)

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P1 Fitness – The Manchester gym that strikes the perfect blend of PT and group-based coaching

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester gym classes group coaching P1 Fitness

We here at The Manc team are trying to get fit; it can be hard to find time for the gym when you’re busy, not to mention staying in shape when you’ve got a food scene as good as Manchester’s, which is exactly why P1 Fitness Studio is a perfect match for us.

Maybe you’ve fancied giving a personal trainer a go, or even tried a class or two, but perhaps the schedule, the price, the location or some other factor meant it wasn’t for you.

Whatever your reasoning, if you’re the kind of person who can admit they need a bit of a kick up the backside to get their arse in gear and actually stick at this gym lark, we can assure you this is an ideal place to build the right kinds of habits.

And trust us, they’ll keep pushing to make sure it sinks in.

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Top-end facilities, secure lockers, every bit of kit you’ll ever need and much more (Credit: The Manc)

Aside from the anti-ego environment in general – you won’t catch anyone staring at themselves in mirrors here – it’s also just nice to be around people with similar lifestyles.

Boasting tonnes of positive reviews online, P1 Fitness is a place for busy professionals who aren’t willing to let work and all other time-consuming parts of ‘adulting’ be an excuse to not carve out less than an hour to better themselves.

And for most people, that really is all it takes to start seeing a difference; two 50-minute sessions might not sound like a lot to some, but the effort you put in during the group workouts is more than enough to get the benefit.

They focus on quality, not quantity, making sure every day that you turn up is worthwhile, and no drop of sweat is wasted.

Better still, they keep the numbers low and even break off into smaller groups to explain and tailor workouts to suit each person.

It’s not just weekly blocks stuck on a wall that you have to stick to: everything is flexible, and they do try and give everyone as much one-on-one attention as possible from the P1 staff.

Here’s what some other members have had to say in their recent testimonials:

“The biggest difference isn’t that I’m fitter and stronger. It’s that I don’t have to think about it anymore. Before P1 I’d spend all week telling myself I needed to go to the gym, then I’d be too tired, it’d be busy, I didn’t know what to do, and I’d end up doing nothing and beating myself up about it.

“Now I just turn up twice a week. Someone tells me what to do, I get coached to do it right, then shower, go back to work and my fitness takes care of itself. It’s one less thing I have to worry about.”

Louise

“I genuinely thought I hated gyms. In fact, when I saw one, I used to cross the street to avoid it… Turns out I hated the ‘usuall’ gym experience. Wondering what I was supposed to be doing, fighting for equipment in the crowd and being self-conscious about my form.

“At P1, I simply walk in, everything’s ready – someone coaches me through the session, we have a laugh in the group, and before I know it I’m finished. I actually look forward to training now, which is crazy.

Damien

One of our very own, Lonnie, says it’s given him a sense of “structure, routine and a community” in the gym like never before, and added that “it’s become that third space where people can come together to better themselves in a fun and unique way.”

Abby is ever the hard-working, friendly face; her husband and fellow co-owner, Peter, is a ‘BFG’ who will always push you to your limits but knows when not to beast you; Ben is a great instructor with a great way of breaking down movements, and Mel is the smiling assassin who is as dedicated as she is smiley.

Then there’s Katie, who is somehow juggling a PhD and working at P1 part-time, all whilst being an absolute Duracell bunny of a trainer. All in all, you couldn’t ask for a better team.

Best of all, you can choose when to register for a session based not only on who you prefer working with, but whatever time suits you; you can even put your name down as last-gasp as you like – in fact, we’ve turned up with five minutes’ notice on more than one occasion.

It’s also great to see that they’re more than happy to roll out a mat or pick up a weight and properly get stuck in there with you.

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Credit: P1 Fitness (supplied)

Put simply: much like you, all of these guys have their own special traits, but one thing they do all have in common is an incredible amount of drive and passion for the work they do, not to mention the knowledge and experience to back it up.

We’re not going to give you any harder of a sell than that; all we’ll say is that we’re feeling more positive about our current fitness journey than we have in a long time, and if you want to make similar progress, P1 might just be for you.

So, if you are truly looking to get fitter in a setting where consistency, accountability and community thrive, consider this your sign to finally get serious.

You can find out more and enquire about joining right HERE.

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p1 fitness coaching staff
You won’t find a friendlier team. (Credit: Supplied)

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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A look inside Fusion Manchester’s brand new state-of-the-art student accommodation in Deansgate

Lydia Mastrolonardo Lydia Mastrolonardo

Some brand-new luxury student accommodation is due to open this September just in time for the start of the academic year.

Fusion Manchester is set to have some incredible facilities setting it apart from the rest, and you can already get booking yourself a viewing.

When it comes to those incredible facilities, we’re talking a gym, a yoga studio, three outdoor terraces with views across the city, study spaces, a private dining room, a gaming lounge, and free laundry. Not to mention a coffee lounge with free tea, coffee, and breakfast cereals.

They truly have thought of everything to allow students to thrive and make the most of the Manchester life, including running social events, co-working spaces, and mental health support.

This is Fusion Manchester’s brand new state-of-the-art student accommodation in Deansgate / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (Supplied)

And as for the location? Well that’s just the cherry on top.

Fusion Manchester is nestled in the heart of Deansgate, making it less than a five-minute walk to Deansgate Train Station or tram stop, as well as being in prime proximity to the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University which are both around 20 minutes away on foot – ideal when you’re running late for a class. 

It also could not be in a better spot for making plans on the weekends with new friends, as it’s just a stones-throw away from some of the best cafes, restaurants, concert and retail spaces that Manchester has to offer. 

The rooms boast incredible panoramic views / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (Supplied)

All residents’ rent covers their utilities, superfast Wi-Fi, free laundry, regular housekeeping and access to shared facilities, as well as the building having a 24/7 reception, secure fob entry, and CCTV throughout, to keep students feeling nice and safe.

Rooms range from en-suite accommodations at £265 per week, to classic, premium, or deluxe studios from £345 per week – but hurry, as they’re booking up fast and it’s not hard to see why. 

Read more:

If you’d like to book a viewing or learn more about Fusion Manchester, click here.

Featured Image – Darren Robinson Photography (Supplied)

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