Travel & Tourism

Liverpool John Lennon takes a pop at Manchester Airport after picking up another travel award

'Which is better? There's only one way to find out: FIGHT!'

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 28th June 2024

Liverpool John Lennon Airport has taken a little pop at their rivals here in Manchester after picking up another big nod in the travel industry.

Although Liverpool’s airport may not be as big and busy as Manchester’s, the main Merseyside terminal was named as the best in the UK according to Which? for 2024, and it’s by no means the first time they’ve picked up the accolade.

Having picked up the same award in 2023 and being rated highly by many other bodies for many years, it’s yet another thing for Scousers to be very proud of in their city and, in fairness, Manchester Airport hasn’t had a great week. As a result, the ever-modest Liverpudlians were gracious in their victory…

Just kidding, they wasted no time in putting together a quick little celebratory poster on their socials that’s turned out to be a bit of a meme at Manchester Airport’s expense.

Touché, John Lennon – not the actual one, obviously.

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Yes, the historic rivalry between Manchester is fiercely fought as it is long-standing. As they rightly put it, they have The Beatles, we have Oasis; they have Liverpool and Everton, we have City and United, but when it comes to airport experiences, they have the clear edge.

Having become the UK’s only airport with a five-star rating from the world’s leading air travel intelligence back in 2019, Liverpool John Lennon has maintained a sterling reputation ever since and the most recent independent survey of passengers found that they top satisfaction levels across the board.

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Which? polled over 4,000 customers, with 83% of them labelling it a “first-class experience from start to finish” and also giving them the best rating for bag drop, passport control, baggage reclaim, staffing, toilets and more. The single terminal also boasts just an 11-minute waiting time to get through security.

Conversely, they named Manchester Airport the worst in the UK for 2023 and still in the top 10 UK for the longest waiting times, with the majority of Manc flyers in agreement that terminals one and three are still in need of significant updating after around £440 million was invested in T2 last year.

@the.manc Flying from terminal 3 at Manchester airport do be that way 😂 Credit: @ThatBitch #manchesterairport #terminal3 #relatable #manchesterthings #holiday ♬ original sound – The Manc

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So yeah, we can still strongly argue the case that we have the music, food, football and plenty of other things here in Manchester, but it’s fair to say that Liverpool John Lennon is currently the superior place to fly from.

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In fact, Manchester Airport had to issue a mass apology to passengers who had flights delayed or cancelled full stop following a major power cut last week.

Hey, we can’t be good at everything, but we’ll get there.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Brit in Seoul (via Wikimedia Commons)/Mike Peel

Travel & Tourism

You can now go on a Wetherspoons package holiday around the UK

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson You can now go on a Wetherspoons package holiday around the UK. Credit: Unsplash, Gonzalo Remy

Cheap pints, those blue floral plates, dodgy carpets and long walks to the loo – if the thought of all this, aka a quintessential Wetherspoons experience, fills you with joy, these new holidays are for you.

A UK travel firm has just launched the nation’s first Wetherspoons holiday, which will whisk you around the UK in a luxury vehicle seeing some beautiful sights and some beautiful Spoons.

Trips will start from £1300 per person, which is a little more expensive than you might expect for a vacation centred around the nation’s famously budget pub chain.

You can pick tours of the North or South, with the former ticking off major cities like Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool as well as the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and Blackpool.

Along the way, as well as taking in the sights of each place, you’ll visit some of the UK’s finest Wetherspoons for a cheap pint and maybe even a Curry Club.

Pubs on the tours include The Sir Wiliam de Wessyngton in Sunderland, the cheapest Spoons’ in the north; The Winter Gardens in Harrogate, one of the country’s most beautiful Wetherspoons venues; and The Velvet Coaster in Blackpool, one of the UK’s largest pubs.

And here in Manchester, Wetherspoons tour guests will get to visit The Moon Under Water on Deansgate. I know – the glamour.

The Velvet Coaster in Blackpool is part of the Wetherspoons holiday package. Credit: Google Maps
The Velvet Coaster in Blackpool is part of the Wetherspoons holiday package. Credit: Google Maps

The new holidays come from travel company MyUKTour, which is renowned for its Bentley chauffeured tours around the UK and Europe.

A spokesperson from MyUkTour said: “All of us at MyUKTour are so excited to start offering this bespoke trip to one of Britain’s best known, and arguably finest, cultural institutions.

“Combining hearty pub grub and craft ales with historical monuments and stunning landscapes, this tour is sure to showcase the very best that Britain has to offer.”

You can enquire here for the Northern version of the Wetherspoons holiday.

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Featured image: Unsplash, Gonzalo Remy

Travel & Tourism

The complete guide to all the food at Manchester’s Piccadilly Street Food Markets

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

When it comes to a lunch break in Manchester we really are spoilt for choice – but there’s a reason so many of us make the pilgrimage to the Piccadilly Street Food Markets every week.

This little huddle of colourful huts on the edge of Piccadilly Gardens is home to some of the best cheap eats in town.

The area has had a major upgrade in recent years from the days when it was just a couple of rows of gazebos, and now you’ll find the same familiar faces whipping up tasty lunches for queues of Mancs, five days a week.

Whether you’re after a healthy falafel wrap, an enormous Star Wars-inspired smash burger, or a proper Indian grill, the Piccadilly Street Food Markets have got your back.

Here’s a quick guide to all the traders currently operating here.

All the food at the Piccadilly Street Food Markets

Rita’s Reign

Rita's Reign in Manchester
Rita’s Reign in Manchester
Rita's Reign in Manchester
Rita’s Reign in Manchester

There’s a reason Rita’s Reign attracts the biggest queues at the Piccadilly Street Food Markets – this is some properly good food.

You can get gigantic boxes stuffed with jollof rice, boneless jerk chicken, curry goat, vegan curry, plantain and more, with prices starting from £7. Unbelievable value for money.

The Bearded Feeder

The Bearded Feeder's Wookiee burger at Piccadilly Gardens
The Bearded Feeder’s Wookiee burger at Piccadilly Gardens

A staple of the Piccadilly Street Food Markets, this stall is somewhere you can still get a filling lunch for a fiver – and you’ll get some pretty solid Star Wars puns on the side.

The Bearded Feeder serves the best smash burgers in the city from just £5, plus loaded fries, filthy hot dogs, tacos, and pulled pork.

Falafel King MCR

On the menu here you’ll find wraps stuffed with fillings that are great value for money.

Falafel wraps start from £5, but you can add in halloumi, aubergine, and fries, make it a meal deal, or order a falafel lunch box or salad instead.

Simply Delicious by Dine with Saira

Simply Delicious by Dine with Saira and Piccadilly Street Food Markets
Simply Delicious by Dine with Saira and Piccadilly Street Food Markets

Rice and three is a Manchester institution, but here lunch boxes include samosas, bhajis, seekh kebabs and loads more.

There’s a good choice of curries and grilled meats, plus samosas with the crispest pastry in Manchester.

Turkish Grill

‘Shawarma, doner, casserole!’ the team behind the counter at Turkish Grill holler out every lunchtime – a pretty effective marketing tactic, judging by the speed their meat dishes go flying out.

You can get a chicken shawarma wrap for £7, loaded with salad, meat, chips and homemade tzatziki.

Famous Philadelphia Cheesesteaks

It’s all about the meat here at Philadelphia Cheese Steak, served on chips, rice, or in huge sub rolls. 

There’s a Buffalo chicken cheese steak, or a classic Philly cheese steak, which are both well worth your attention. 

Nashville Chicken

The portions are as big as the flavours at Nashville Chicken, which serves a proper USA twist on all things chicken.

Expect chicken poutine, buffalo wings, Nashville chicken (obviously) and even a chicken cheese dog.

Piccadilly Bakes

You can’t walk past Piccadilly Bakes without their incredible cookies and cakes catching your eye.

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Here you’ll find chunky cookies with gooey middles stuffed with pistachio creme, kinder Bueno and more, plus old-school chocolate cake and custard and loads more.

The Dutch Fishmen

Have you ever seen a potato being sliced into a spiral, jammed onto a stick, battered, and fried before? Well you have now!

The Dutch Fishmen are another familiar face around Manchester and also serve seafood dishes like cod bites, fried prawns and fish burgers.

Piccadilly Thai

Sometimes nothing will hit the spot quite like a hefty box of Thai food – and this place is a real craving-buster.

Their crispy chilli beef, bright orange sweet chilli chicken, Thai holy basil stir fry and many more dishes are available in mix-and-match boxes.

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BangGaBangGa

This place used to operate under a different name and went insanely viral for its Korean corn dogs, which have molten mozzarella inside that will stretch for miles (okay not quite).

As well as these delicious snacks, they have authentic dishes like Tteokbokki, Korean rice cakes, served in a punchy and spicy sauce.

Chen’s Happy House

A hangover cure, boxed – each lunch at Chen’s Happy House is piled high with salt and pepper flavoured items, fried things, chips, rice, and noodles, with plenty of options.

Their Chinese curry sauce is elite, too.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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