The clocks have finally gone forward and this signals the arrival of the longer nights for Greater Manchester and the UK at large, which can only mean one thing: some stunning after-work sunset walks are on the cards.
If you’re eager to make the most of the sun while we have it at our fingertips, these walks are on hand to get you on the go and treat your eyes to some unforgettable views.
It’s not every day we get the sun shining down on us here in gloomy Manchester, so we’ve got you covered with some sunset hotspots that are nothing short of a delight.
Take a stroll with us, won’t you?
Five of our favourite sunset walks around Greater Manchester
1. Dovestone Reservoir – Oldham
Just imagine the light bouncing off here.You can see what we mean.Hard to remember this is on our doorstep sometimes. (Credit: Clive Gliddis via Geograph)/Richard Thorpe (via Flickr)
Is there any category this walk doesn’t find itself fitting into? If it’s not already one of the prettiest or ‘Best Boxing Day walks’, now it finds itself claiming its latest title as one of the best sunset walks in Greater Manchester too.
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Dovestone Reservoir in Oldham has been a walker’s wonderland for Mancs and trekkers alike thanks to its wide footpaths that offer a much nicer and less cramped experience.
Due to its valley location and neighbouring rolling hills, you can expect to see some gorgeous views of that lovely sun as it reflects onto the already impressive reservoir.
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2. Chorlton Water Park – Sale
It’s hard to find a picture of Chorlton Water Park that doesn’t have a four-legged friend in it (not that we’re complaining).We managed to source one of an equally stunning creature.Credit: The Manc Group/Monica’s Photographs (via Instagram)
A relatively flat and accessible walk, Chorlton Water Park is an easy route with some beautiful views, even more glorious when the lake and greenery catch the golden and pink hues of the sunset.
This is a dog walking hot spot, so not only are you getting outside and admiring this stunning green space, you’re also getting a chance to see some of Greater Manchester’s cutest little pups.
Being an open space with shrubs and, most importantly, a large lake, come sunset you’ll be able to capture the silhouette of Canadian geese, which makes for the perfect Instagram photo dump.
Aside from being one of the highest points in Bolton, this prime sunset spot has lovely architecture and terraced gardens for you to roam through before you admire the golden hilltop views.
With summer houses, archways, waterfalls, Rivington Pike has every box ticked and maybe even a few more you didn’t even know you had.
Be warned, when people talk about getting their steps in, this place doubles down on that statement. Luckily, not only will you lose yourself in the surroundings, but there are also a lot of stone staircases you’ll encounter along the way.
4. Peel Tower – Bury
The sunset is almost as impressive as Peel Tower itself over in Bury.A stunning postcard spot and one of the best sunset walks you’ll find close to Manchester. (Credit: @fell_n_mountain via IG)
Situated in Ramsbottom, an idyllic town in Bury, Peel Tower finds itself overlooking a vast and clear landscape, perfect for anyone trying to witness a distraction-free sunset.
As you wander up to meet the mighty stone structure perfectly placed among a flurry of tall grass, you’ll encounter lots of shrubs and a few well-trodden unofficial walkways.
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This route is circular and the views are one-in-a-million, encompassing everything from Manchester to North Wales and Derbyshire (weather-dependent, of course).
This next sunset walk is one that people flock to, and it’s fair to say this setting is probably one of the most famous, with people who have visited describing it as‘the best sunset spot’ in Manchester.
Werneth Low, which borders Stockport and Tameside, has seen itself become a viral star much like the popular Mam Tor; walkers and photographers alike are out in their masses waiting to capture the perfect picture.
You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world once you ramble your way up this Greater Manchester point of interest, and you might even see a plane contrail or two, as the airport is less than half an hour away.
Honourable mention: Blackstone Edge – Rochdale
A glorious sunset over Blackstone Edge, just outside of Rochdale.Credit: (@to_lay_myhead_uk via IG)
Here at The Manc, we know there are lots of fabulous walks in and around Rochdale, but when it comes to admiring the sunset, this one takes the biscuit.
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There’s a reservoir, a rocky incline, plenty of moorland and views across the whole of Rochdale, including a distant Hollingworth Lake, all covered in a honeydew sky.
After a trek upon the Pennines, you can stop off at The White House: an acclaimed pub which welcomes dog-walkers, cyclists and everyone in between, promising a hearty meal and proper good pint after a meander around the moors.
Manc music icons James on headlining Neighbourhood Weekender and staying power
Danny Jones
There aren’t many bands that can say they’ve made 18 studio albums and been playing live music for over 40 years – certainly not from Manchester, anyway – so when we got offered the chance to speak to Manc royalty, James, about headlining Neighbourhood Weekender, it was a no-brainer.
We were supposed to get just 10-15 minutes with long-serving bassist Jim Glennie from Moss Side, who has been part of the furniture of the band since he was a teenager.
What actually happened was we ended up nerding out music and chatting about James for over 40 minutes. It was a joy.
Here’s how it went.
Chatting with Jim Glennie from James
Credit: The Manc Group
So we’ve obviously seen you on the big stage at Neighbourhood [Weekender] before, back in 2021. What are your memories of it?
Yeah, I mean it was ‘the big gig’ for us. It’s kind of just down the road from Manchester, obviously, so kind of our home support and yeah, it was just a wonderful thing to do. I kind of like festivals where you’re in a town or city and you just kind of take over the place for a couple of days – I love that.
I think that gives them a real character of their own, and yeah, I really, really enjoyed it; amazed and loving the fact that they’ve had us back again as well!”
That’s the wonderful thing about when you play a show like this: it’s not just you’re there to do your bit, you kind of have a day out as well, so you get to go and see loads of other bands, which is brilliant. Looking forward to spending time back in Manchester too; my family is still there and my granddaughter’s coming with four of my mates.
Brilliant. Well, since you brought it up, who on the lineup are you looking forward to seeing there?
I mean, on our day, I know there’s The Wombats, The Snuts— I love the Snuts. I was reviewing their first single in the early days before they had any success and I just absolutely loved it. I remember just kind of praying they’d they’d do alright, and they did.
The Slow Readers Club – we’ve played with those a lot, too. I think they’re so underrated, and I think they should be absolutely huge. So again, we’ve got loads of mates playing, which is quite nice.
A lot of Northern names in there as well. What is it you think about artists from those regions and our crowds that sets us apart?
I think it kind of goes without saying that there’s an independence of thought and character, and I don’t think that those are bad qualities in music. Also, the fact that to some degree you can be left to your own devices; you’re not in London where there’s the spotlight directly on you, you know?
You can kind of keep yourself to yourself a little bit, perhaps and also just focus on what’s important: the music. I think it was probably more prevalent when we were starting off because unless you were an A&R man who could be bothered coming all the way to Manchester, you were left alone.
I think it’s a little bit different now with socials because I there’s more of a window into people’s worlds, but I still think it’s true that you’re physically away from it slightly that you can just get your head down and develop your talent, your skill, write songs properly without the pressures of either being reviewed or people trying to sign you or all the gubbins and nonsense and distractions that comes with it.
When you start inevitably dealing with the business, initially, you need to focus on being an artist, writing songs, and becoming strong – becoming strong as a unit. If you’re a band, the relationships need strengthening before you take it out into the big wide world. Otherwise, you’ve had it.
Absolutely. And what about Manchester, specifically?
Well, that’s another positive thing that’s supported by all the amazing music that’s come from Manchester. I mean, it always has, you know. We always seem to have this rich vein there. I think it’s also kind of second city syndrome.
Birmingham would probably debate whether they’re the second city, but there’s definitely a chip on the shoulder that adds character and the desire to not just do something but prove something.
I think it’s very different in Manchester now, but certainly when we started out, a fair chunk of what drove people to be in bands was poverty and unemployment. You wanted some way out, potentially, or at least just in the moment to do something that was positive and enjoyable.
Manchester’s an incredible place. Whenever we go back there, we’re bowled over by this feeling of positivity, the change and sheer transformation that’s happened there over the last couple of decades. Very different place.
Yeah, I think we definitely take it for granted at times. Touching on it there, what was it like coming into this whole thing? Can you remember what it felt like when it all started kicking off?
I mean, we struggled with the industry to start with. The industry kind of couldn’t really find a place for James, I think, because we’ve always been a little bit difficult as people to some degree, but also musically, we don’t really easily fit into a category.
As soon as you’ve got your head around what we’re doing, we tend to change; as soon as you’ve got your head around what we’re doing, we tend to change, so I don’t think the industry particularly likes that – I think it’s more of a struggle for them.
You know, it’s probably what’s kept us here: I think that wanting to move on and change and shift even if it doesn’t help the industry label and package you. What supported us was playing live, and predominantly playing live in the North.
— ᴍᴀɴᴄʜᴇꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴜꜱɪᴄ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ™️ (@MANCHESTERMUS10) January 11, 2024
It’s where we lived, it’s where we were from and building the fan base in and around Manchester. We got huge here before the rest of Britain knew who we were. You know we’ve sometimes been considered ‘Manchester’s best kept secret’, and it often felt like we were.
We had a massive Manc following, and that’s what fueled us and gave us our self-belief. You go from 500 to 800, then it’s 1,200, and it really does drive you.
It’s hard sometimes when you’re in a band or you’re an artist because you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. It feels very easy just to pack it in and think nothing will happen, but the people of Manchester kept us going.
Yeah, I mean even around the area or at other gigs and festivals, you see that logo everywhere – did you ever realise it was going to become such a big thing?
It was by happenstance. I mean, our merchandise empire just went bonkers and our t-shirts just went silly. I think a lot of people used to wear James shirts not even knowing it was a bloody band – absolutely fine, no problem with that, by the way.
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I think it was a mixture of two people: I think it was like Justin, our head honcho when it came to merch and then our actual band manager, Martin. I don’t think we realised at the time it was anything.
Well, similar to that point on the shirts is the music: I know part of it obviously is a product of having been around for so long, but what is your relationship like with having so many songs that people know and love even if they don’t realise it’s James? That’s something I noticed growing up.
I think that’s very true – you hit the nail on the head there. I think a lot of people do know more James songs than they probably realise, and that’s fun at festivals in particular. You know, we do a James [headline] gig and it’s a very different kind of journey.
They can two and a half hours or something of us taking our time through the back catalogue, but in a festival you can’t get away with a lot of that. You’ve got to deliver, you’ve got to pull people in – you’ve got to get their attention and batter them around the head before that final uplift end curve of hits.
Musicality-wise, we cover such a broad spectrum of things, but we do want to send people away tired, sweaty, hot, knackered, and losing their voice from shouting and singing. That’s what we’re aiming for: big grins on their faces and the challenge of pulling people in. It’s the best job in the world.
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I mean Tim [Booth, frontman], he’s always been famed for his dancing; we batter him with great tunes, so we make him dance. He’s not as young as he used to be, none of us are, but it’s what he does and he loves it – we’re still amazed by his energy to this day.
No matter the ups and downs we’ve had in the past, we’re really enjoying ourselves up there, and things are going well for us right now.
There have been times in the past where we’ve been successful, but we’ve felt bloody struggles, and it’s easy to ball this up. If you’re not careful, you can make a real mess of it. It’s easy to have one of the best jobs on the planet and it takes you a while to fully appreciate it.
Words of wisdom. What about sound? If you had to describe the current James vibe, what would it be?
Wow, I mean that’s really difficult because I have absolutely no objectivity on this at all. None, that’s all right. We don’t consciously decide where we’re going to go with the songwriting; we always react to what we’ve just done; we kind of want to build on it but not do the same, so that’s why we kind of zigzag.
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I mean, I suppose we’re most known for, you know, anthemic, uplifting tunes and I’ll take that as a description any day of the week. But we’re kind of more than that. We’ve got a cello and a violin in the band, we love using technology and there is just the traditional bunch of guys with guitars bashing around some chords and having a sing-along. We’ve got a f*** of a lot of songs we have!
Fair enough, haha. What about an underrated song that you don’t feel gets enough love?
I mean there’s things like ‘Curse Curse’, which I think the band love but we’ve ended up calling it ‘Rehearse Rehearse’ because we always used to do it in soundchecks and then in the gig we’re doing the soundcheck. It sounded amazing and then we’d never do it in the gig for some reason.
Another song called ‘Oh My Heart’, which again I think the band absolutely adore but for some reason we don’t put in the gigs; ‘Play Dead’ off Whiplash, and I think that’s coming [into the setlists]. We’re going into rehearsals at the end of April to start doing the shows for the summer, and we’re going to work on some new old songs to put in the set, so yeah, some of them might be in there.
The songs I enjoy the most change as the months and years go by because it’s all so different and I’m sure that will be the same case for the festivals because we’re reframing it now and that’s absolutely fine.
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You mentioned Whiplash there but what about Yummy?! I’m sure waiting around for a number one album all these years must feel like you’re pulling your hair out at times. How did you all react?
We’d had three number threes and four number two albums, so I’m much more practiced at my coming second speech than I was at my coming first! You know, always the taking part that counts, so it was a shock and a surprise that I actually was bothered – I didn’t think I’d be bothered!
It meant a huge amount to me and all of us when we got to number one, it actually did. I think we were all taken aback by how surprised and how kind of pleased we were by that as some kind of mad achievement in all of this. Only 18 tries of getting there – we eventually made it, so don’t give up!
More than anything, I think it was a big deal for the fans, you know? It meant a lot to them as well because they’ve been cheering us on all these years, so yeah, we were really pleased with it.
Hey Folks, Because of you, Yummy is the number one album this week.🩵🩵🩵🥳🥳🥳 Thank you so much. Your passion and love continually drives us on to reach for the stars, whilst staying planted on the Earth. Long may it continue. Nothing but love.
An incredible amount of persistence. Just for those who don’t know, how many albums have you actually made?…
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18 and we’re working on the 19th now. We’re constantly writing in James; we don’t stop and then promote an album and then start again – we’ll quite often start writing the next before an album even comes out. We’ve got sessions coming up and May, and that [next record] will be out in May.
It’s just a continual process for us; we’ve always done it, it’s just finding the time that’s the big problem.
I mean, I can’t think of many more bands that are this level of prolific. How do you still keep things fresh after all these years?
It’s still as fresh as it ever was and we’re still really enjoying it. As I said before, we’re getting on well: that makes a huge difference – it means you can be happy. You’re not just in an amazing job, but you can actually be happy and enjoy it to its full.
I don’t know how long it’s going to last, haven’t the foggiest, but we’re going to keep going as long as it feels we’re relevant, as long as we feel that we’re keeping up to the standards that we’ve set for ourselves in this, regardless of anybody else’s – and I think that’s standard is quite high.
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We’ll keep going and we’ve enjoyed it too much to consider stopping now. You’re right: we’ve done a tonne of work, but we don’t tend to look over our shoulders too much.
The 40th anniversary kind of changed that slightly because we’re always just you tend to get pulled into what you’re doing, do you know what I mean? But you don’t tend to kind of stop and look backward over the journey because it’s still going on.
It’s been all my adult life. When I started in the band that kind of morphed into James, I was in school. I was only 15, and it’s ridiculous that things have got gone this far and that we’re still here and going out there and playing shows and enjoying it. People keep coming year after year.
It kind of feels like the epitome of just working harder at it and having patience. We just kept chugging along, which I don’t think you can say for many bands.
So, if you had advice to give to those younger bands and artists starting out, what would it be?
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I suppose the main thing is for people is doing it because you love it. You know you’re in it to be a musician or to write songs because you love it, because it comes from your heart. It’s not about fame or success, and they shouldn’t get pulled into any of that kind of nonsense.
It’s about creating stuff which you can be proud of. Do something that moves people, that’s important to you, and be solid enough; show some belief, and that is difficult because it’s hard at times, but going through it in a band as opposed to a solo is a little easier. If you’re feeling down, you’ve got three or four other people to pull you along and vice versa. I think you need that.
Work at the relationships. Don’t just presume because you’re a bunch of mates in a band, everything’s going to be cool. Don’t take that for granted. Really work at making sure that the relationships between the people are strong because there’ll be a lot of pressure and they’ll be tested.
At the end of the day, you have to put the hours in: it’s not going to just sit there and wait until you pluck it from a tree. You’ve got to graft; you’ve got to get sore fingers and blisters. Bash it out and know and learn your craft, then go and take on the world f***ing world.
Amen.
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A daft joke that got a big laugh – we’ll explain one day… (Credit: The Manc)
James are one of the headliners for this year’s Neighbourhood Weekender Festival, and we can’t wait for them to tell us to ‘Sit Down’ over and over again as thousands of gig-goers ignore them.
Come on, as far as puns go, that’s an absolute tap-in.
They’ll join the likes of Stereophonics, The Lottery Winners, The K’s and countless others in filling Warrington’s Victoria Park with a full weekend of music.
You can see our chat with fellow headliners The Wombats down below:
15 of the best record shops in and around Greater Manchester
Daisy Jackson
When it comes to listing things that define our city’s culture, music and Manchester go hand-in-hand; we’re up there with one of the most influential music places on the planet, and we’ve got the best record shops to go with it – no exaggeration.
In fact, we’re sure you can relate when we insist that some of our earliest memories of coming into town are when we came to shop for new music and flick through old records for hours.
That being said, in the age of streaming and digital music dominating much of how we consume our favourite tunes these days, the record shop is one of the last bastions of that lovely analogue tradition of not just listening to music but devotedly collecting for decades.
So, for those of you audiophiles who still like to flip through a proper LP or try and find a gem amongst the old, well-thumbed singles from back in the day, we thought we’d put together a list of the best record shops in Greater Manchester. You’re welcome.
The best record shops in Manchester city centre and beyond
1. Sifters Records – Burnage
The vinyl action around Greater Manchester may be concentrated around the city centre, but you’ll find comfortably one of the best record stores out in Burnage.
The musician used to shop here when he was a teenager, way before Oasis started releasing their own records, and their impact on the surrounding community and other local artists is massive.
The shop was opened more than 40 years ago by Mr Sifter himself, Pete Howard, who stocked it with 700 of his own LPs.
Inside now you’ll find a massive collection of rare and vintage records.
2. Piccadilly Records – Northern Quarter
Piccadilly Records, ironically in the Northern Quarter instead (Credit: The Manc Audio)
This is arguably the city’s best-known (and most-photographed) record store, with its orange sign and pretty patchwork of vinyl covers in the window.
Part of Manchester’s music scene since 1978, the shop thrived in the post-punk era of the 1980s.
Following relocation and new management in the 90s, it’s widely considered one of the world’s best independent record shops — yes, the world — and is always at the heart of Record Store Day with queues forming at least a day before.
You’ll find it in the middle of Oldham Street, right in the beating heart of the Northern Quarter.
3. Vinyl Exchange – NQ
One of the GOATsAlways busy on RSDAn NQ favourite (Credit: The Manc Group/Vinyl Exchange via Instagram)
Another Northern Quarter institution is Vinyl Exchange, which has stood on the corner of Oldham Street and Dale Street (give or take a few metres) since 1988.
Its impressive catalogue of collectors’ editions and fan favourites makes Vinyl Exchange a popular site with people of all ages – including, apparently, some of the world’s most iconic musicians themselves. Regular shoppers have included Tim Burgess, Johnny Marr, and Bez.
Sprawled across two floors are CDs and records spanning just about every genre, from rock and indie, metal, punk, alternative, experimental, industrial, psychedelic and soundtracks.
Vinyl Revival, also Northern Quarter (Credit: The Manc)
It’s all about Manchester’s musical history at Vinyl Revival, which proudly toots the horn of the city’s local bands from the 1960s to the present day.
Sandwiched in between a sex shop and an old pet store, it’s been here sat here in NQ for almost 30 years and stocks a massive range of vinyl, CDs, t-shirts and posters.
Their Record Store Day collection is always up there with the very best, so keep your eyes peeled.
Bury‘s only independent record store spans two floors in a beautiful Grade II-listed building on Market Street in the heart of the town.
As well as its new and used vinyl collection — which you can test out on a turntable and headphones set-up — there’s a cafe serving hot and cold drinks, food, snacks and fresh cakes.
It pulls in a lot of live music from some massive names too, with recent intimate gigs and meet-and-greets from The Lathums, Inspiral Carpets and The Cribs.
And the queues for Record Store Day always start a good 20 hours before it opens for the big day…
6. Kingbee Records – Chorlton
A proper throwback of a shop‘r LesChorlton’s Kingbee Records (Credit: X/Facebook)
Once again, while many of you living outside the city centre might often complain ‘there aren’t enough record shops near me’, those of you living in Chorlton will know that isn’t a problem you have to worry about.
You don’t need to hop on a tram into town or wander your way down some miscellaneous backstreet to spot the sunny yellow frontage of Kingbee Records, a place that has been a staple in Chorlton for as long as most of us can remember and owned the entire time by Les Hare.
The shop buys and sells all styles of music, with a stock that changes daily.
Charmingly, their website bio says (and strap in for this):
“You can’t move in here on Saturday afternoon for errant dads who’ve been sent out for a loaf and taken a musical detour, indie hipsters discovering krautrock and discovering the 80s on 50p sevens, serious spending collectors eyeing the big pieces on the walls, disco mums with prams in the 12′ racks, reggae obsessives sifting the boxes for super heavyweight ska, still sharp in their 50s chaps in good shoes, evaluating the latest northern stock, Big shot US house DJs in town for the night and doubling up on obscure electro on sale at a snip, king bee WAGs huffing and puffing at the door while their loved ones spend half of next months mortgage on a pile of Cds that remind them of pramless teenage freedom, old fellers in the jazz racks lost in a world of trios, blue note and bossa, Beatle nuts buying different issues of records they already own, mods and sods, pop gods and odd bods – people who know that music is the only real magic in life.”
Kingsbee Records, in their own words
Say no more.
7. Eastern Bloc – NQ (sensing a theme here?)
Eastern Bloc isn’t just about food and bevs, it’s about records too (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Anyone who’s spent time soaking in the sun on Eastern Bloc‘s benches in NQ come spring and summertime will know that it’s one of the pure joys in life, however, it surprised us to learn how many people still don’t realise it’s much more than that. Upstairs, you’ll find (for our money) one of the best record shops anywhere in Greater Manchester.
Starting out as a record store back in 1985, ‘E Bloc’ soon became a cultural institution and music mecca in the Manchester music scene, helping launch bands such as the Inspiral Carpets and hosting many an in-store signing for the likes of The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays.
It’s also responsible for breaking plenty of the new dance music back in the day, being one of the only shops in the UK to import dance music from around the globe and with one of the owners even going on to become part of Manc electronic legends, 808 State.
Countless names have come through here to get their hands on the latest vinyl promos down the years, and it remains a cutting-edge corner of the electronic scene, especially to this day.
They don’t always take part in RSD, but it doesn’t mean it still isn’t a place to waste an afternoon looking through their catalogue and sinking a couple of pints.
8. Clampdown Records – Piccadilly
We’d well and truly label this an old-fashioned record shopping experience (Credit: Facebook)
Clampdown Records is another city centre sweet spot located on Paton Street at the back end of Piccadilly.
Not be confused with the record-pressing company, the honest little independent record store has the charm of somehow always feeling quiet but cosy – well, except for when it comes to that one Saturday in April, obviously.
It started out life as a mail-order service only before posting up in the Corn Exchange in 1990. Sadly, following the IRA bombings six years later, they lost most of their stock and had to start again from scratch.
Nevertheless, cut to more than 30 years later, and they’ve been open every day since, stocking some of the best rock, punk, indie, funk, soul and jazz records, both old and new.
Better still, it’s also one of the best places to exchange music, with healthy trade-in prices as owner Neil Clarke is always looking to add big collections to his catalogue.
9. Vinyl Resting Place – Afflecks
An Afflecks institution (Credit: Facebook)
And then, of course, we have Vinyl Resting Place: arguably the greatest name for a shop we’ve ever come across anywhere in 0161.
Located on the third floor of the ever-enchanting Afflecks Palace, the record store is taped in the Hacienda black and yellow with a sign and might be on the busiest shops in Afflecks on any given day — and that’s saying something.
Run by fellow enthusiast Alistair Hall, who makes sure the soundtrack to this site is also on point, Vinyl Resting Place is, without a doubt, one of the best places to buy and sell records in Manchester. It really is as simple as that.
From our experience, he’s also a very hands-on owner and is always happy to help you sift through as many records as he can stomach in the search for a winner, stocking a wide variety of stuff beyond his go-to classic rock staples.
10. FOPP – Central
FOPP on Brown Street — silly name we know, but a good shop nonetheless (Credit: FOPP)
Now, you might be forgiven for mistaking FOPP for a HMV — after all, they are owned by the same people — however, this place is much more and after being rescued by the music and entertainment store chain a few years back, they’ve downsized and have done better than just steady the ship.
With just six locations across the UK at present (Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Nottingham, Cambridge and Manchester), this quirky music shop sells everything from vinyls to games and DVDs, books, random merch and more.
Tucked away on Brown Street just across the way from the Arndale, FOPP is like HMV with an added feel of Forbidden Planet and still has plenty of traffic through its doors each and every day.
It’s also been the site of some really big signings in recent years, such as the Pixies, Declan McKenna, Idles and countless others. It’ll be packed for Record Store Day, so make sure to get there early.
11. Empire Exchange – Piccadilly
Last but not least, we have Empire Exchange, which as they famously note is much more than a record store and is always a joy to wander around.
If you’ve never come down from the station and towards Piccadilly Gardens without hearing the speakers blaring music out of the front door to passersby all day long, have you ever really been to Manchester?
Empire Exchange on Newton Street sells everything from vintage records and retro CDs to comics, memorabilia and all manner of other trinkets.
Starting out from nothing more than a young stamp collector’s obsession, it spawned into two shops (the old one up on Shudehill) before downsizing to this one legendary location over 20 years ago.
It was opened by two mates, John Ireland and Ian Stott, and although Ian sadly passed away in 2021, John and his son Dave have been keeping their love of music and collecting things alive.
Now, if that doesn’t sum up how special places like record stores are, then I don’t know what does.
Last up on our list of a dozen brilliant shops selling vinyl and hidden gems from the Manc music scene is one of the newest on the record store circuit. It also happens to have one of the best names too.
Fittingly called Withy Groove in relation to the historic Stores over the road, this new addition to Shudehill is buried in a basement just next to Rambo’s Tattoos and really does feel like you’ve stumbled a well-kept secret. There are very few of those left these days.
They’ve got a dedicated section for rarities and super valuable special editions too, and we spent a good long while flicking through it, believe us.
In fact, we were such big fans that we did a whole little feature on this new curiosity located just on the edge of NQ, so click HERE to find out more.
13. Rubber Ducky Records – Islington Marina
When you listen to a certain track sometimes you can feel like you’re ‘Walking On Sunshine’ or ‘Flying Without Wings’ – Well this shop doesn’t make you feel like you’re floating, you actually are.
Specialising in all things dance, trance, house and more, Rubber Ducky Records is just off the Northern Quarter, docking up in and around Islington Marina.
Shop owner Myles also loves to show off his collection by spinning his records during DJ sets up and down the country, including right here in Manchester.
14. Vinyl Fetishes – Pollard Yard
Vinyl Fetishes – Pollard Yard’s LGBTQIA+ owned music shop with its many pop offerings.The selection at Vinyl Fetishes specialises in pop releases.
If you can’t get enough of pop music, this is the place to go (and you’ll also never want to leave).
Vinyl Fetishes is fairly new to the Manchester record shop scene, and it has definitely made a name for itself, stocking practically all variants of Parklife headliner Charli XCX’s monumental ‘Brat’ album after it hit our ears last summer.
One thing’s for sure: school is back in session, as you’re about to be educated on every single pop diva that has graced planet earth, from Whitney to Madonna, Mariah to Gaga, all the staples are covered.
Record shop owners Bobby and Angie, Off The Record at Bury Market.Racks upon racks of holy grail (vinyl), especially Elvis.
If you leave a record shop feeling ‘All Shook Up’ or you’re bank account screams “You’re the devil in disguise” after one too many purchases, then this record shop is ideal for you.
Right in the heart of the much-loved Bury Market, you’ll find none other than Off The Record, the music shop with a ‘Burning Love’ for King of Rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis.
Fear not, though: it isn’t just the Graceland star who sits pretty on their shelves; music lovers can find everything from Metallica to some of the best deep cuts of reggae. This really is a shop for all.
Now, this is by no means an exhaustive list; we know full well that there are plenty more locations up there that many of you would consider among the best record shops in Greater Manchester — that’s what the comments section is for.
But that’s what the love of music is all about, right? Blindly trying to make your way through all of the incredible records and artists in the world, knowing full well it’s an impossible task and you’ll never listen to it all, as well as sharing it with your mates and getting them onto their new favourite band.
Record shops are one of the perfect places to do that and play your part in the eternal circle of a music lover’s life: never even scratching the surface of all the music out there but eagerly awaiting to play it to your friend, whilst watching their face light up as they discover a new obsession, and vice versa.
Thomas Melia -
12th April 2025 
