It was first teased back in February – but the green light has finally be given for the brand-new £60 million outdoor surf centre in Trafford.
The approved plans for Modern Surf Manchester – based on Barton Dock Road in TraffordCity – primarily include a leisure complex that’s set to house the region’s first surf lagoon, giving beginners, learners, and even professionals the chance to test their surf skills in a fun, safe, and natural-looking environment.
The lagoon will be powered by Wavegarden – a company specialising in man-made wave technology that promises “perfect, ocean-like waves” of up to 8ft.
That’s not all either, as the approved plans also show the complex boasting several other interactive attractions for visitors to have a crack at, including a pump track and fitness zone, half-pipe skateboarding area, bouldering and balancing zones.
A number of on-site bar and restaurant facilities are also planned.
The approved plans also show the complex boasting several other interactive attractions for visitors / Credit: Modern Surf
“We’re delighted that Trafford Council has approved our proposals for Modern Surf and are very grateful to residents for the extraordinary level of support we have received,” said Billy McKinney – Managing Director of McKinney Group.
“Modern Surf will complement the already excellent leisure-based activities in TraffordCity and help to inspire the next generation of surfers and athletes [and] we hope to create 100 FTE jobs when operational, as well as supporting many more during the construction phase.
“Look out for more updates over the coming months.”
The lagoon will have man-made wave technology that promises “perfect, ocean-like waves” of up to 8ft / Credit: Wavegarden
The site in TraffordCity will be owned and managed by Peel L&P, and complemented the new £250 million Therme Manchester wellness resort already been approved nearby, which will feature indoor pools and warm water lagoons, a wave pool, slides, swim-up bars, botanical gardens and spa facilities.
James Whittaker – Executive Development Director at Peel L&P – added: “We are thrilled to hear that planning permission has been granted for Modern Surf which will bring something unique to the already strong leisure offering.
“Our vision is to be the UK’s number one destination for the retail, leisure, and business in a sustainable environment where over the last 25 years we have created over 17,500 jobs and invested over £1.6 billion.
“Alongside Therme Manchester, Modern Surf will be another fantastic leisure attraction to TraffordCity that will complement all the surrounding businesses.”
Modern Surf Manchester is expected to open by 2023.
Featured Image – Modern Surf
Things To Do
‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
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Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
Emily Sergeant -
24th September 2021 
