That being said, instead of tucking you into a lovely motor vehicle, this time we’re letting you nestle down in a converted and cosy shipping container just outside of Greater Manchester.
Titled Hous Viridis, which is simply Latin for ‘green house‘, this unique staycation is covered from floor to ceiling with sage green paint.
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The living area and bathroom at ‘Hous Viridis’, where you can stay in a converted shipping container (Credit: Hous Viridis)
The green doesn’t stop there either, as there’s an array of potted plants and shrubbery throughout this 960 square foot property.
There are four distinct sections inside this quirky staycation property, including a kitchen, living and dining area, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
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Whether you’re after a romantic getaway, a trip with friends or even a mini family gathering, you can have it all at Hous Viridis as it sleeps up to eight people.
This shipping container turned glamping pod has plenty of amenities to stop you from getting cabin fever, including a 50-inch TV, American-style fridge freezer, Nespresso coffee machine and, of course, the secret to turning almost anyone into a good cook: an air fryer.
The outdoor space at Hous Viridis, which is a converted shipping container less than an hour from Manchester (Credit: Hous Viridis)
It also has its own vintage cocktail cabinet with a selection of glasses and a handful of recipes; the only thing you need to bring is the alcohol.
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If inside this shipping container ever gets a little bit too stuffy, there’s an outdoor area which boasts everything from a hot tub to a fire pit and a hot stone pizza oven.
‘The Hous’ even has a herd of adorable pygmy goats which they keep as pets, and if given enough notice, you can get access to the paddock if provided permission from your hosts.
You might also unintentionally bump into an animal or two, as this staycation spot is a wildlife haven home to rabbits, hares, birds of prey and more.
You may be wondering after hearing all this good news if there’s a catch, and the Hous Viridis website gives you one warning: the weather…
“Being in Yorkshire, we can experience all four seasons in one day, so pack for all weather eventualities”. To be honest, since we’re from Greater Manchester, if this is the only downside, you can count us in.
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Whether you’re after winding down in the Yorkshire or want to experience sleeping over in a converted shipping container, you’re sure to have a memorable stay.
You can find out more information about Hous Viridis and enquire about bookings right HERE.
Rules around booking driving tests in UK change from today to make system ‘fairer’
Emily Sergeant
The rules around booking driving tests in the UK are officially set to change from today in a bid to make the system ‘fairer’.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced new rules for car driving test bookings, putting learners ‘firmly in control’ of their own booking, as it is now against the law for third parties – including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services, as well as driving instructors – to make bookings for someone else.
It will also be a breach of DVSA’s terms and conditions for the booking service for third parties to change, swap, or cancel a driving test for someone else.
Learners should only ever pay the official DVSA fee – which is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
The Government says the new rules aim to make booking driving tests ‘fairer’ for learner drivers.
While driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of of learners, they will still be able to advise learners on when they are ready to take a test, as well as set their available times to prevent learners from booking tests at times that do not work for them.
Following on from changes to test alterations which were introduced at the end of March, from 9 June 2026, further restrictions will come into force limiting learners to moving their test only to one of the three nearest driving test centres.
The DVSA has also pledged to continue increasing driving examiner capacity to help provide more tests for learners to book.
“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test, and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices,” commented Beverley Warmington, who is the DVSA Chief Executive.
“These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others.
“These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test.”
Featured Image – Pxfuel
Travel & Tourism
What it’s like to stay in Manchester’s surprisingly affordable new mid-century hotel, Mollie’s
Daisy Jackson
There’s a fine line between ‘tastefully retro’ and ‘your nan’s spare room’, but the city’s newest hotel – Mollie’s Manchester – lands firmly in the former.
Designed by the same team behind Soho House, this (surprisingly affordable) mid-century hotel feels like stepping into the 1950s… if the 1950s had Pelotons and Dyson Airwraps in the wardrobes and enough aesthetic lighting to make everyone look faintly famous.
Whether you’re booking the classic rooms, usually priced from £109, or the huge suites, you can expect the same level of design detail.
Think terrazzo tiles, teak panelling, sage greens, burnt oranges, and interesting textures on every sittable surface.
And unlike some hotels that punish you for booking the ‘basic’ room by giving you a view of an air conditioning unit and a kettle balanced on a luggage rack, every room type at Mollie’s feels far more premium than the actual price tag.
For our stay, we were welcomed with batched cocktails and a mini fridge filled with treats like canned wine (which feels deeply respectful of modern traveller needs), plus a Grind coffee machine, fluffy robes, giant TVs, rainfall showers, and Cowshed toiletries.
If you end up on the better side of the hotel, you’ll have views of the city skyline from your bed, your sofa, or your bath.
Design details in a Mollie’s Manchester roomGrind coffee machine in the roomA Dyson Airwrap in the wardrobe of a studio roomAnd an actual Peloton bike in your room, tooThe beautiful bedroomA bunk room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterViews from your bedA Mollie’s Motel suite
There are bunk rooms you can book too, where up to four people can climb into stylish wooden sleep pods, so cool I’m immediately planning a girls’ night out where someone can hand me a martini as I climb into a luxury bunk bed.
Downstairs in Mollie’s, which has taken over the former Granada Studios, you’ll find a cocktail bar that seems to pay homage to the building’s history.
Studio IV has vintage TV screens above the bar, music performances and DJs on stage, and cocktails inspired live music you can enjoy from a loungey vintage-patterned sofa.
Breakfast at Mollie’s ManchesterCocktails in Studio IVMollie’s Diner is open nowBurgers and fried chicken at Mollie’s DinerStudio IV cocktail barInside Mollie’s Motel & Diner Manchester
Then there’s Mollie’s Diner, which fully commits to recreating 1950s Americana. Inspired by a vintage Cadillac, the interiors are all deep burgundy leather booths, glowing globe lights, and polished chrome details.
The menu is exactly what you want from a diner like this: thick milkshakes, burgers, steaks, and fried chicken in the evenings; waffles, French toast, eggs any style in the mornings.
Mollie’s Manchester may be inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood – but it’s heralding in a new Golden Age of hotel for Manchester too.
Thomas Melia -
5th September 2025 
