Following on from their impressive and closely-ran 2022/23 campaign, Manchester United Women are gearing up for a huge and historic WSL fixture as the Manchester derbyapproaches this month.
After very nearly winning both the Women’s Super League and the Women’s FA Cup last season, not to mention qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever, Man United Women are looking to build on that progress and put a big marker down against local rivals and fellow title contenders Man City.
Better still, they want to ensure this is an even bigger occasion than ever, as not only is the Women’s Manchester derby being held at Old Trafford for the first time ever but the club is also looking to make the much-anticipated match a historic one by getting as many fans through the doors as possible.
With the women’s team breaking a club record late last year as 30,196 supporters turned up to watch the home side smash Aston Villa 5-0, United are hoping to go one better this year by bringing in even higher attendances and maybe even break the WSL record. There’s no better game to do it in.
The current record for best attendance at a WSL game belongs to Arsenal, who had 54,115 fans travel to the Emirates for their match against Liverpool just last month. The game ended in a 1-0 defeat but saw them smash the previous record, also set by the Gunners themselves (47, 367) against Spurs.
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Since Old Trafford‘s capacity is nearly 75,000 and the Manchester derby remains a much bigger fixture than its equivalent in North London, both in the men’s and the WSL, surely us Manc can do better? Especially given the fact that match tickets for women’s games are still so affordable no matter how big the team gets.
Manchester, as it has always been, is on the up in every department: music, art, food, fashion and more, but there’s nothing that this city does better than sport. 0161 has always had a deep connection with football but the city is truly becoming one of the biggest champions of the women’s game.
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The same goes for women’s football, which thanks to the likes of the Lionesses‘ success at Euro 2022 and incredible efforts at the World Cup, is growing larger and faster than ever before and there isn’t another place in the UK where interest is on the rise like it is here in 0161.
The WSL Manchester derby is one of the biggest fixtures on the Manc sporting calendar. (Credit: Man United Women via Instagram)
Setting an example with their performances on and off the pitch and serving as huge ambassadors for the women’s game to a next-generation eager to get stuck in, there aren’t many bigger and more inspiring club fixtures in the world right now than the Manchester derby.
As both teams are on the rise and guaranteed to go neck and neck for the title again this season, this is a game you don’t want to miss and since it’s two of the best teams in the land are played at both major home grounds for the first time in history, they know how big a clash this is — question is, do you?
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With Manchester at the forefront of women’s football and sport in general as it has always been, not only are they giving you the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a truly special and global movement, but you can even play your part in history by helping them break the attendance record.
Best of all, with tickets to watch the derby between Man United and Man City Women still just £15 for adults and as affordable as £7.50 for under 16s and those over 65, you won’t get many livelier, family-friendly atmospheres than under the light at Old Trafford. You can grab yours HERE.
Featured Image — Manchester United Women/Manchester City (via Instagram)
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Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to Manchester next month
Daisy Jackson
One of the world’s silliest and most-loved experiences is returning to Manchester this year, offering people the chance to step inside the world of Fawlty Towers.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience sees immersive theatre blend with a three-course dinner, bringing Britain’s most infamous hotel to life.
Fans of the hit 1970s comedy will enjoy two hours of mayhem led by Basil, Sybil and Manuel, all while tucking into a delicious era-appropriate meal.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience has become an immersive dining phenomenon, scooping awards and selling out venues across the globe since launching almost 30 years ago.
In the years since, it’s welcomed more than one million guests, celebrated 13 years of its West End residency in London, and hosted celebrations for 50 years of the original BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
And now it’s Manchester’s turn, with the event returning to our city between 3 and 15 February.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to ManchesterThe event is hosted by actors playing Basil, Sybil and ManuelAround 70% of the action is improvisedGuests are served a three-course 70s-inspired meal during the Faulty Towers experienceCredit: Rosie Powell
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience will be taking over the Voco hotel on Portland Street for a limited run, starring Aaron Millard as ‘Basil’, Rebecca Norris as ‘Sybil’, and Simon Hourihan as ‘Manuel’.
You can definitely expect two hours of theatre, chaos, and a 70s-inspired three-course meal, but with around 70% of the performances completely improvised, we can’t tell you much more than that…
Producer Jared Harford said: “It’s such a joy to be bringing Basil and the team back to Manchester. After such an incredible 2025 celebrating 50 years of Fawlty Towers, we can’t wait to continue sharing the laughter, chaos and community spirit that make this show so special.”
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience in Manchester:
Tuesday 3 February to Sunday 15 February
Tuesday to Saturday – doors open 6.45pm, seating and show starts 7.30pm
Saturday and Sunday – doors open 12.45pm, seating and show starts 1.30pm
Ticket prices, all including three-course meal and two hour immersive experience:
Tuesday to Thursday dinner, and Saturday or Sunday lunch – £67.50 pp (including fees) Friday or Saturday dinner £71.50 pp (including fees). Bookings can be made via the box office on (+44) 020 3700 3138 or online at www.faultytowersdining.com
Autotrader and viral food brand SpudBros are opening their first jacket potato drive-thru
Daisy Jackson
Autotrader has teamed up with SpudBros, the UK’s viral jacket potato trader, to open the first jacket potato drive-thru in Manchester.
The UK’s largest automotive marketplace is working with the SpudBros duo on the new Autotater drive-thru, where the duo will be handing out free jacket spuds – and which can also value your car in less than 10 seconds.
You’ll be able to visit the one-of-a-kind drive-thru for one day only next month, picking up a baked potato from an exclusive menu that includes the Autotater (a twist on a classic loaded spud) and the Curry In A Hurry (SpudBros’ signature garlic chicken curry).
You’ll also be able to tune into the Spud FM radio with SpudBros co-founders Jacob and Harley. Autotrader and SpudBros have teamed up for the drive-thru experience off the back of new research that has shown 44% of UK drivers have no idea what their car is actually worth.
The same research has also revealed that half of those surveyed are unsure how to determine the value of their car.
So now Mancs will be able to have their car instantly valued in less than 10 seconds, by Autotrader’s award-winning valuation service*, simply by visiting the Autotater drive-thru on 12 February.
Autotrader will be dishing out free valuations, to help ensure car owners don’t get small potatoes for their car and are empowered to choose when it’s the right time to sell.
Autotrader and viral food brand SpudBros are opening their first jacket potato drive-thru
This will be the first drive-thru for SpudBros, a brand which grew a traditional jacket potato van into a national sensation, finding viral fame on TikTok.
With a cult following of more than 4.8m people on TikTok and Instagram, the pair are now bringing their trademark energy offline for a drive-thru window with free spuds.
Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Autotrader said: “We know no one loves admin, which is why we want to make it easier and quicker for people to find out the true value of their car, in under 10 seconds.
“There’s something fun about that moment of surprise when you finally see what your car is really worth. Once you have that information, you can decide what to do next – whether that’s selling, upgrading or simply showing off to your mates.”
Jacob and Harley Nelson, the founders of SpudBros commented: “This is a big one for us. We’ve fed people across the country and even internationally, and Manchester is one of our most requested visits, so this is a really exciting opportunity.
“We love doing things that get people talking, and we also love cars, so teaming up with fellow Northern brand Autotrader lets us serve up something new that we feel passionately about – a free spud, a car valuation, and telling the story through social media.”
The Autotrader drive-thru will open in Manchester on 12 February, at Depot Mayfield. Tickets will be available through a draw on the Autotrader website for a limited time only.
To be in with a chance to get on the guestlist and for more details on the event, head HERE, and to join the millions who value their car free with Autotrader, visit HERE.
You can also follow @autotraderuk on Instagram for the latest updates.
*Highly Commended Winner of the 2025 Car Dealer Power Award in the Used Car Valuations category.
Danny Jones -
3rd November 2023 
