Travel & Tourism

I spent 24 hours inside a Tesla in Greater Manchester

And I could've done longer...

Kristen MacGregor-Houlston Kristen MacGregor-Houlston - 4th June 2023

I hate cars. Well, hate is a strong word. I’m very uninterested in cars. As long as they get me from A to B without blowing up, I’m happy.

So when Tesla got in touch to see if I would be interested in trying one out, I was a little apprehensive. Surely it’s just a bit of a gimmick? The tech isn’t quite there yet? It’s just a car, who cares? I was wrong. After about four seconds, I cared.

Arriving at the Tesla showroom on Wellington Road in Stockport was like stepping into the future. Everything was sleek and clean with free coffee from one of those fancy pod machines where they’re all a different colour and you don’t really know what you’re getting but it’s free so who cares?! I did feel slightly out of place with all the fancy cars – how did this lad who grew up in Hazel Grove end up in here?

But the keys (well… a credit card-shaped key, because Tesla LOVES fancy tech) to my shiny blue Tesla Model Y in my hand, I was off to explore the north west and test it out.

The newest Teslas come with so many features, from built-in ‘Camp Mode’ to Netflix, that I thought I may as well just not leave the car for a day – bar bathroom breaks and other essential errands.

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With so many features to try, my first stop was Leeds to visit the team at The Hoot for some car-eoke. The drive there was super smooth and I even let the car’s autopilot do most of the work for me. It was scary to begin but once you’re used to it it makes motorway driving a dream. The car-eoke feature is a great opportunity to blast out some ballads and keep everyone entertained.

Then it was back across the M62 to pick up a couple of Manc mates, heading off to Chaiiwala’s new drive-thru in Bolton.

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Read more: The Indian drive-thru that knocks McDonald’s out of the park with price AND quality

The Tesla outside Chaiiwala
Chaiiwala in Bolton. Credit: The Manc Group

Let me tell you, there is nothing more entertaining then unexpectedly flooring it and seeing your co-workers’ shocked faces as they’re soaked with colourful iced tea. Fuelled with delicious Indian street food, we sat and played around with the settings, finding it hilarious (because we are overgrown children) that you can set everything from the indicators to the horn to make fart noises. Less hilarious when I forgot to undo the settings and turned up to a client meeting with the car farting everywhere…

The Model Y is big enough to sleep in, with mattresses available from Tescamp on Amazon. My husband and I took it to a field in Rochdale to sleep under the stars – which you can see through the Tesla’s expansive sun roof. The Tesla has camping mode, which keeps the car cool and comfortable throughout the night.

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With all the driving around and camping overnight, the Tesla needed a charge. Handily, the built in Google Maps could direct me to my closest Tesla supercharger, which can be found at the Trafford Centre. The perfect opportunity to get a bit of shopping in and catch an episode of something on Netflix IN THE CAR while it charged, which only took about 40 minutes.

Car charged, it was time to recharge my own batteries, driving on over to Oldham to try out the incredible cakes at Wonderlust Bistro & Bakery – a true hidden gem that everyone should check out.

Surprisingly, we were still hungry after that and luckily for us the Tesla has an ‘I’m hungry’ button (which I would like to have by my side at all times), so we let the car decide. It chose the delectable Lily’s Vegetarian in Ashton, where we could barely make a dent in the huge menu of Indian dishes.

I ended up having the car for around two weeks and I was genuinely heartbroken to give it back. It drives so well, has so many cool features and you feel special driving it. Everyone looks at you with awe when you’re in it too… even if you then startle with them with a very loud fart noise.

About the car

  • The Model Y is their fully electric, small crossover SUV 
  • It can drive up to 330 miles on a full charge 
  • It can do 0-60 in as little at 3.5 seconds
  • Has surround HD cameras – perfect for manoeuvring and showing your blind spots when changing lanes
  • Build in HD screen with access to Netflix, Disney+ and games
  • Autopilot for self-driving fun
  • 5 star rating for safety
  • Huge boot capacity with storage in the bonnet too
  • Individually collapsible seats in the rear
  • Pet mode to keep your pets cool and comfortable if they have to be left in the car
  • Camping mode – so you can take the Tesla anywhere and sleep in it
  • Off Roading capability with superior traction control
  • Dual motors independently controlling the torque for the front and rear wheels
  • Superfast charging – charge up to 150 miles in just 15 mins
  • Tesla vision – detects nearby cars to help prevent collisions
  • Expansive glass roof
  • 15 inch touchscreen display
  • Over air software updates
  • Fully customisable to each driver – it remembers your seat position and everything!

You can find out more at www.tesla.com/modely.

Featured image: The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

A brand-new immersive ‘walking theatre’ and XR experience has landed in Greater Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Walking theatre XR experience Trafford Palazzo

We hear the word immersive thrown around a lot these days, but if the notion of walking through some of your favourite fantasy and sci-fi worlds in a state-of-the-art XR tour doesn’t fit the definition, we don’t know what does.

Get ready to pull on a headset and be dropped into a different universe, Mancs.

This is Immersia XR: an industry-leading immersive entertainment and XR (extended reality) experience has just been unveiled right here in Greater Manchester.

Anyone for a ride on a magic carpet?

Credit: The Manc Group
Credit: Immersia XR (supplied)

Immersia XR specialises in what they call ‘Walking XR Theatre – a new term for a new kind of experience’, and boasts big plaudits across the board, with an average Google rating of 4.8 from dozens of reviews already.

Having just made its Manchester debut to the public at Trafford Palazzo (located right next to 0161’s famous Trafford Centre) this summer, the new addition brings cutting-edge technology blended with iconic family-favourite tales in an “unforgettable walk-through format.”

A lucky few have been treated to our first time, including us here at The Manc, and you’ll have to take our word for it when we tell you it’s a truly incredible experience.

It’s the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, and although there are other similar VR and AR offerings around the region, you won’t find anything quite like ‘walking theatre’ and this free-roam experience.

Credit: Supplied

As you can see above, there are a number of experiences to be enjoyed right from the off, including two modes inspired by childhood classics, Alice in Wonderland and Tales of Aladdin.

Ever fancied trying your hand as an astronaut and walking on the surface of the moon as you look back at the Earth below? Course you have! No training involved in this one, either.

Take that, Katy Perry, you can keep your short-lived Blue Origin nonsense to yourself.

Immersia XR’s ambition doesn’t stop there, though, as they are also preparing to introduce the exciting new ‘Terracotta Army’ experience in the near future.

Here’s a glimpse at how it looks inside the goggles:

Already open to the public and running up until Sunday, 6 July 2025, Immersia XR is fun for all ages, with kid-friendly zones and accessible narratives built into the experience.

Best of all, there are actually very few bells and whistles; no screens, no controllers – it’s just you walking through the story of your choice.

Immersia XR’s founder, Ian Xiang, said: “We’re not just launching a new attraction—we’re pioneering the future of storytelling. Walking XR Theatre is where cinema, theatre, and technology converge to create magic. You don’t just watch the story—you walk through it.”

Tickets are on sale now, with adult prices starting from only £17, children (ages 3–15) from just £12, and family tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) from £54. Great value for money.

Concession tickets are also available for students and over-65s, priced from £16, and group bookings of 10 or more receive 10% off. You can even get 20% off all ticket types with the early bird code: PRESS20. You can grab yours HERE.

Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group

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Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)

Travel & Tourism

Motorists can be fined £1,000 for blasting music with swear words while driving

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Driving in the sun

Did you know that blasting explicit music while driving could land you with a hefty fine?

No, neither did we… but it turns out that it’s completely true, as motoring experts are warning drivers to be mindful of the rules when it comes to playing high-volume music from their cars with the windows down – especially if the tunes you choose to proudly play for all to hear contain swear words or inappropriate language.

Now that we’ve had a taste of the warmer weather, and summer is really not that far away, driving with the windows rolled down is common to let a breeze flow through.

But this simple action could cost you.

“There isn’t a specific offence for playing music with swearing or explicit lyrics in the comfort of your own vehicle, however context does matter,” explains Graham Conway, who is the Managing Director of Select Car Leasing.

Motorists can be fined £1,000 for blasting music with swear words while driving / Credit: David Emrich (via Unplash)

“For example, if you’re playing music containing swear words in a public place, such as while stopped in traffic, driving past a school, or through a busy pedestrian area, and someone nearby feels alarmed, distressed, or harassed, then you could be committing a Section 5 offence of the Public Order Act of 1986.”

The maximum penalty for this type of offence is a fine of up to £1,000, and even a possible prosecution.

Graham added: “While it’s relatively rare, it can happen in more serious or repeated cases where members of the public have raised concerns.”

As well as fines being issued by police, local authorities also have the power to control noise from loud cars if they’re parked in the street or on private property, as an Abatement Notice can be served under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act, and unfortunately, fines for this can rise up to £5,000 if the case is taken to court. 

Drivers are being warned to be mindful as the weather gets warmer / Credit: RawPixel

“Excessively loud music isn’t just a nuisance, it also poses a significant safety risk,” Graham continued.

“It’s crucial that drivers can hear important road sounds, such as emergency vehicle sirens, car horns, and other audio clues that warn of potential hazards, but with your music blaring, you might miss those vital audible signs. 

“Being able to respond quickly to changing circumstances is a key part of staying safe on the road.”

Read more:

Certain police forces have also been trialling the use of noise-detecting cameras, which use microphones, cameras, and number plate recognition technology to identify vehicles emitting noise above a certain decibel limit – with immediate £100 fines if caught.

Featured Image – Darwin Vegher (via Unsplash)

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