Your worst nightmare. It’s here, it’s captivating, it’s one of the best Halloween events you can attend in Manchester – it’s ‘Time To Die’.
The brand-new immersive scare experience lands this Halloween right here in the city centre. Time To Die, presented by Manchester Scare Factory, is elevating horror to a whole new level.
Created by the group of innovative professionals behind Diecast, the award-winning Newsham Park in Liverpool and the infamous Area51group, this horrifying masterpiece is like no other and it’s coming to Mancs this autumn.
Delivering two unique scare experiences, ‘The Die Is Cast’ and ‘The Toymaker’, there’s something to rumble everyone at their core and have you crawling in your skin.
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The Dice Master overseeing Time To Die sees all and will watch on as brave souls delve deeper people into his gargantuan labyrinth of fear. Put it this way, once the die is cast, you cannot turn back.
If you dare try, prepare for what they promise will be “20 minutes of adrenaline-fuelled panic”; only time will tell if you’ll make it out alive. And that’s only half of it…
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Visitors will encounter the “face of pure Evil” and the “creator of monstrosities”, as The Toymaker lures you into the “Devil’s own dungeon.” Prepare to push yourself to very the peak of sanity.
All this is waiting for fight fans just a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Station. Manchester natives and visitors from elsewhere have easy accessibility. Halloween lovers cannot miss this.
A pulse-raising way to spend Halloween in Manchester this year. (Credit: Manchester Scare Factory)
As mentioned, Area51 have been scaring the public with their attractions for 20 years now. Area 51 have their frightening footprints all over the UK scare scene, even venturing as far as Dubai; they’re known for their creative creatures, immersive experiences and intense encounters.
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The team hit on Diecast as the perfect location, located right in the city centre; it’s a dream come true for them and anyone who likes the idea of an interactive experience that’ll have your heart jumping out of your chest.
Area 51’s director and designer, Matt Page explained: “We took one look at Diecast and knew it would be perfect; hands-down the best location we have ever seen for an immersive horror experience and right in the city centre.
“It’s the stuff of nightmares even without the ghouls. We look forward to delivering something truly horrifying come this October; this will be brutal!”
Nope — absolutely not. You horror fans feel free but we’re not going anywhere near that. (Credit: Supplied)
Tickets go on sale Friday, 30 August at 10am, priced at just £32 per person. The haunting experience begins on 4 October and ends on 2nd November, opening at 7pm and closing at midnight each night.
Manchester Day 2026 – all the road closures set to be in place across the city centre
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2026 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Sunday 26 July, and as always, it’s set to be ‘the day summer officially starts’ in the city centre – with organisers going all in to make this year’s event one of the very-best yet.
This year’s Manchester Day is promising to have a ‘distinctly Catalan flavour’, as performers from Barcelona head to Manchester to join in the festivities in what is a first for the event.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Heading into the city centre for Manchester Day this Sunday 26 July?
Some transport services will be affected by planned works and road closures, so plan ahead. 🚋
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 23, 2026
As always, activities will be taking place right across the city centre – from St Ann’s Square to Cathedral Gardens, and everywhere in between.
Organisers say there will be plenty of chances throughout the day for visitors, both young and old, to get stuck in, with city’s streets and squares filled with Catalan spirit, along with some surprising links to books and reading along the way.
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
A number of road closures and parking suspensions will be in place / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2026 – Road Closures
Sunday 26 July
From 11am to 3pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Peter Street (Hall Street to Deansgate)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Deansgate (St Johns Street to Cateaton Street)
From 11am to 4pm, the following roads will be closed:
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Cross Street to Exchange Street)
St Ann’s Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Cross Street (Corporation Street to Princess Street)
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 9pm on Saturday 25 July to 9pm on Sunday 26 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Peter Street (Portland Street to Deansgate)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Deansgate (St Johns Street to Cateaton Street)
Central Street (Southmill Street to Mount Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Cross Street to Exchange Street)
St Ann’s Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Cross Street (Corporation Street to Princess Street)
Princess Street (Cross Street to George Street)
John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Clarence Street (Princess Street to Booth Street)
St Mary’s Street (Southgate to Deansgate)
Southgate (King Street West to St Mary’s Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Lloyd Street)
Lloyd Street (Southmill Street to Deansgate)
Dickenson Street (Portland Street to George Street)
George Street (Princess Street to Dickenson Street)
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
St James’ Square (John Dalton Street to End)
Booth Street (Cooper Street to Clarence Street)
Kennedy Street (Cooper Street to Clarence Street)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Cross Street)
Queen Street (Deansgate to Lincoln Square)
On the day, full traffic diversion signage will be in place across all areas affected by road closures, and the Council says it will do its best to ‘minimise’ their duration.
Manchester Day 2026 is taking over the city centre on Sunday 26 July, and will be kicking off at midday right through to 5pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Things To Do
An iconic vintage train is set to pass through Greater Manchester this summer
Danny Jones
Calling all railway enthusiasts: another historic vintage locomotive is set to visit two Greater Manchester train stations this summer.
Whether you’re a passionate trainspotter or just a nearby resident curious to see what all the fuss is about, the cult favourite retro carriages will pass through the pair of Manc boroughs and surrounding areas early next month.
Despite an adjustment in the initial plans, locals will still be able to witness and board the train at multiple stops along the way in the Stockport (Reddish South station) and Rochdale areas.
So, if you consider yourself a bit of a ‘Francis Bourgeois’ figure, or a general public transport connoisseur, pay attention.
Designed by Sir Kenneth Granger and officially launched back in 1976, the fleet was named as such after the top speed of 125mph – simple as that.
Once again, it’s worth noting that the originally proposed route and stops have now been changed due to issues with Network Rail.
As a result of there currently being no standing approval to use the connection from Paignton to Bury on the East Lancs Railway line, they have been forced to change the start and terminus points.
Writing on the dedicated 125Group website, they say: “We are reviewing our options to start as close as possible to the advertised departure point, and it seems likely that Rochdale will become the start and finish point, with all other previous pick-ups retained.
“For those in the far south west, we are looking to see whether we can offer an Exeter to Paignton return – subject to availability of space. We will add this to the booking site shortly, although we may have to limit numbers sold until we are more certain of booking levels to Bristol and Exeter.”
Two 125s, including ‘The Mancunian Princess’, travelled through the SK region earlier this year.
They have reassured that the journey will still be going ahead and have simply advised those hoping to catch it to keep their eyes peeled on the website and their socials for the latest updates.
Kids’ tickets start from just a tenner, and standard passes for the full tour cost £99, with first-class the class option priced at £149 (there’s also a table for two supplement available for £50).
You can see the full map, find out more information, and grab your seats right HERE.
Bet the internet signal on this relic isn’t far off the current standard either, to be fair…
Blake Keeble -
23rd August 2024 
