Travel & Tourism

Ancoats toilet block turned into luxury Santorini-inspired apartment

This place is beautiful!

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 23rd June 2023

A former toilet block in on of Ancoats’ many mill buildings has been transformed into an ultra-luxury apartment inspired by Santorini.

With architectural arches, wooden furniture and soft whites everywhere, it will transport you straight to the Aegean sea.

The beautiful luxury serviced accommodation comes from The Jacksonheim Boutique, which is also behind several other destination-inspired apartments around the city.

There are flats themed around neighbourhoods like Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York, as well as Scandi, Japanese and Chicago-influenced homes.

This latest property, known as Santorini Boutique, has taken shape in an old factory mill’s toilet block.

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It’s now a two-bedroom apartment that reflects the aesthetics of the Greek island.

Inside, there’s a purpose-built mezzanine level forming a sleeping nook, bespoke furniture, and stunning curved ceilings much like those found in Santorini itself.

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The Santorini Boutique apartment in Ancoats, Manchester.
The Santorini Boutique apartment in Ancoats, Manchester. Credit: Jacksonheim Boutique
The Santorini Boutique apartment in Ancoats, Manchester.
The Santorini Boutique apartment in Ancoats, Manchester.
The Santorini Boutique apartment in Ancoats, Manchester.

Jacksonheim Boutique says they want the home to be ‘a Mediterranean escape’ in the midst of Manchester’s gritty charm.

Amenities included when you rent the property include high-speed WiFi, Smart TV with Netflix and Prime, a full kitchen, and luxury toiletries.

Jacksonheim Boutique say: “At the heart of our design philosophy is drawing inspiration from our team’s travels and experiences.

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“After a colleague’s journey to Greece, we couldn’t resist incorporating elements that evoke the enchanting allure of the Mediterranean. Inspired by the sun-kissed landscapes of Santorini, we infused this urban oasis with a touch of Greek elegance, creating a harmonious fusion of cultures within these walls.”

The Santorini Boutique apartment in Ancoats is priced from around £166 per night and sleeps six guests.

You can find out more at www.jacksonheim.co.uk/apartments/santorini-boutique/.

Featured image: Jacksonheim Boutique

Travel & Tourism

Beat-Herder Festival 2026 – the wonderfully weird festival we can’t stop coming back to

Emily Johnson Emily Johnson Beat herder festival review 2026

Another weekend done in the magical, mystical world that is Beat-Herder.

For one weekend every year, a farm in Clitheroe transforms into what the organisers describe as “a place full of beats and barminess” – and honestly, they couldn’t have summed it up any better.

Big enough to keep you discovering something new all weekend, yet small enough that you’ll keep bumping into the same friendly faces, Beat-Herder strikes the balance perfectly.

Every corner has something different going on, every stage has its own personality, and every sound system is absolutely dialled in.

Credit: Audio North

Where else can you go for a swim, get a tattoo, pop into church, visit Paris and dance until sunrise? No, we’re not describing a chaotic stag-do… we’re talking about Beat-Herder.

Every stage deserves a mention, but a few really stood out this year.

Julie’s Barn, a.k.a. ‘Gay Paris’, remains one of the festival’s best-kept secrets. Hidden away in the woods, it’s worth every wrong turn trying to find it.

A glowing dancefloor, disco balls hanging from the trees and a crowd that somehow never seems to leave. We even stumbled across a secret ‘Samurai Breaks SSBB’ set that had the place bouncing all the way through until sunrise.

Credit: The Manc Group

Over at Stumblefunk At The Factory, Breakage delivered one of the sets of the weekend. The bass rattled the roof, the crowd never stopped moving, and the whole place felt like it was about to lift off.

It’s also home to one of Beat-Herder’s many weird little surprises, with hidden missions and the chance to spy on other festival-goers. If you know, you know.

The Garage is another annual favourite. DJs squeezed into the front seat of a car while everyone else danced on the bonnet of old scrapped cars, bouncing to the bass that rattled from White Noise Audio’s soundsystem. It’s those ridiculous little details that make this festival unlike anywhere else.

Then there’s Beat-Herder’s Got Talent, which has become a non-negotiable part of our weekend. The winner earns a slot on the main stage, so every act gives it everything. This year’s line-up featured everything from incredible harmonica performances and live bands to rap duos.

But one contestant completely stole the show.

She walked on stage, admitted she wasn’t sure her talent was quite as impressive as everyone else’s, and the crowd fell silent. No instrument. No backing track. You could hear a pin drop. What on earth was this contestant about to do? And then she proceeded to fit her entire fist in her mouth.

Credit: The Manc

The crowd absolutely erupted.

If that doesn’t sum up Beat-Herder, we’re not sure what does. The wonderful woman didn’t win the contest unfortunately, but let’s hope she can get booked for next year, ey?

One of this year’s new additions was The Dub Tub, which quickly became one of our favourite discoveries. Artists like Woody Cook swapped high-energy sets for slower, dub-inspired sessions, creating the perfect place to reset before diving back into the madness.

Oh, and of course, in true Beat-Herder fashion, the DJs were performing in a bathtub, of course. 

And speaking of madness… all the classics are still there. The famous tunnel leading to hidden stages, the weird and wonderful walkabout performers, the random discoveries you’ll never find on a map, the hidden swimming pool, fancy dress costumes, and the constant feeling that you’re about to stumble across something completely unexpected.

Massive credit has to go to everyone behind the scenes. From the organisers to the volunteers and crew, everything runs incredibly smoothly, despite how wonderfully chaotic it all feels. Beat-Herder, you’ve done it again; roll on 2027.

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Credit: Audio North

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

Aitch wells up in trailer for inspiring Netflix documentary about Kilimanjaro charity climb

Danny Jones Danny Jones Aitch climbs Mount Kilimanjaro Netflix documentary

Mancunian musician Aitch has shared a brand-new trailer for his upcoming Netflix documentary charting his inspiring charity climb of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tissues at the ready.

In case you missed it, the Manchester rapper took on the incredible challenge of summiting the highest peak in Africa last year, all on behalf of the Down’s Syndrome Association.

Sharing the first true glimpse at his moving mountain voyage, the Moston-born artist looks to reveal all in this candid chronicling of his fundraising feat.

Writing in the caption, the 26-year-old said: “Gracie, this is for you and the 40,000 other beautiful people just like you. Don’t Be Afraid!”

For anyone unaware of the context, a couple of years back, Aitch – Harrison James Armstrong, to give the Manc his full given name – announced that he would be embarking on the difficult journey that only 40-60% of trekkers ever successfully reach the top.

Raising not only awareness but huge funds for the Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA) UK, it was a testament of love for his sister, Gracie, 16.

Beloved by upwards of 3.1 million followers across his various social media platforms, Grace has become a bit of a community icon and hero all of her own.

Here he is video calling her before his most recent challenge:

They have such a lovely bond.

The inspiration for the 2022 track ‘My G’ with Ed Sheeran on his debut album, Close to Home, the song itself also ended up serving as a significant fundraiser, going on to complete a skydive over Old Sarum airfield with his dad, Mike.

A few clips have been shared on Aitch’s YouTube channel since he first confirmed he would be taking on ‘Kili’, such as his altitude training and other glimpses behind the scenes, but until now, we’ve seen very little footage from the infamous trail itself.

Set to drop later this month, Aitch’s Kilimanjaro doc, entitled Don’t Be Afraid, is releasing on Netflix on Sunday, 26 July – which also just so happens to be ‘Manchester Day‘; we’ll be making sure we don’t miss either of them.

He’s not the only local lad taking on huge obstacles for a good cause.

A local Manc musician is taking on a Three Peaks challenge whilst carrying a full drum kit

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Featured Images — Screenshots (via Netflix/Instagram)/Anthony Trivet (via Wikimedia Commons)

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