One of Manchester’s most stunning hotels is offering luxury rooms at a bargain rate to celebrate the new year.
With only a couple of days to go until 2025 is officially here, The Alan – which opened to huge success on Princess Street, in the heart of Manchester city centre, back in 2022 – says it wants to give guests the opportunity to stay at the hotel at a “massively reduced” price on selected dates throughout the new year.
This means that, in a clever nod to 2025, a selection of key dates throughout next year will be priced at just £20.25 for an overnight stay at the former warehouse.
You may remember that The Alan already attracted headlines for a similar move, as back when the hotel first opened in 2022, it was giving out rooms to guests for just £1 each.
Having launched on Boxing Day and announced across The Alan’s official social platforms, the limited-time sale is now live, and rooms are to be allocated on a first come, first served basis – with the offer only valid on a selection of room types.
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A number of other discounts will also run throughout the new year too, including ‘Signature’ rooms priced at £40.25, ‘Signature Deluxe’ at £60.25, and even a Suite at ‘£80.25’.
You can stay at The Alan for just £20.25 a night in the new year / Credit: Supplied
As well as the 137 rooms set across six floors of the hotel, The Alan is also loved by guests for its facilities, especially its restaurant and bar, as well as by workers thanks to its large offering of meeting room spaces.
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The hotel is also well-known for offering co-working for guests and locals too, with a set menu and unlimited coffee priced at just £20 per day.
To make the most of the £20.25 offer, you just need to book online using the code 25WINTERSALE under the ‘Group Attendee Code’ option, which will be valid on specific evenings (excluding peak dates) from New Year’s Day up until 21 March 2025.
Andy Burnham urges Greater Manchester residents to ‘switch to the Bee Network’ in 2025
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham is urging Greater Manchester residents to ‘switch to the Bee Network’ in 2025.
With the new year now here, the Greater Manchester Mayor has reflected back on the past 12 months, and has set some goals and intentions for 2025 – which he expects to be a “busy” year full of change and historic milestones for the region.
2025 is, of course, set to start off strong, beginning with the introduction of Bee Network buses to the southern part of Greater Manchester from 5 January.
“Four decades of deregulation will be over,” Mr Burnham declared. “We will finally be back in charge of our entire bus network.”
One week today, GM will make the biggest change yet to our buses – completing re-regulation on time and on budget.
This flurry of delivery should set the tone for the rest of 2025.
The Mayor says that completing this first phase “on time and on budget” is a “huge achievement” for the region, and he hopes this means that 2025 can “begin on a much-needed optimistic note” – adding that in an era where it has felt like “most things are broken or going backwards”, Greater Manchester transport has “bucked the trend”.
He called the Bee Network “the most visible piece of successful public service delivery in recent times”, and said its popularity “proves things can indeed be fixed, moved forward, and made to work better.”
While he conceded that there is likely to be “a bumpy few days” next week until things settle down, Mr Burnham insists he is “confident” that passengers using Bee Network services in the southern half of the region “will soon see a difference”.
This is why he is urging everyone to make full use of it and “leave the car at home”.
Andy Burnham urges Greater Manchester residents to ‘switch to the Bee Network’ in 2025 / Credit: TfGM
Addressing Greater Manchester residents directly as the new year begins, Andy Burnham said: “I hope to ask you to make a New Year’s resolution – switch to the Bee Network in 2025 and to leave the car at home.
“The more that people do this, the longer we will be able to keep our £2 cap in place, hold fares as low as possible, and make the whole transport system flow better for everyone.
“For many years now, Greater Manchester has been growing faster than the UK economy, and our skyline tells the story of that change. But, as with any global city of our stature, congestion is a constant challenge and public transport has to become the priority way of getting around.”
Looking ahead to the highly-anticipated introduction of the London-style transport system in March, Mr Burnham continued: “If people are to buy into [using the Bee Network over a car], I know we have to work even harder to make it feel safer, more reliable and convenient to use. So, on 23 March, Greater Manchester will bring in a London-style tap-in, tap-out payment system, across trams and buses, with a daily cap on what people can spend.
“I hope this flurry of delivery sets a good tone for the rest of 2025.”
Mr Burnham says Greater Manchester is going into the new year “with a spring in our step and a can-do spirit” that he hopes becomes “infectious” to the rest of the UK.
“If the local control achieved with our buses starts to bring similar benefits to housing and skills, then perhaps the country can draw a line under these dysfunctional recent times and start to look to the future with more confidence and optimism,” he concluded.
Featured Image – TfGM
Travel & Tourism
10 major new openings coming to Manchester in 2025
Thomas Melia
Manchester is already bursting at the seams with wonderful restaurants, shops and buildings, but surely we have room for some more incredible sights, right?
2024 also saw the St John’s neighbourhood take shape, with openings like Fenix, Courts Club and Caravan well and truly up and running.
And of course, who could forget the launch of Co-op Live, the huge new arena that’s already hosted some of the biggest names in the world with plenty more to come in 2025.
Manchester’s landscape is an ever-changing one and with the list below is already ‘STACKED’ (hint, hint), it’s safe to say it’s never a dull day for new openings in Manchester.
So here are all the major new launches you can get excited about in the year ahead.
Manchester new openings 2025
Soho House, Old Granada Studios
The rooftop pool at White City House, the London equivalent. Credit: Supplied.
Set to be a multi-storey hub featuring everything from restaurants to a rooftop pool, this extravagant destination is on track to be one of the most glamorous when it opens next year.
If you’re thinking of lying by the pool and taking an ‘Instagrammable moment’ stop right there! Soho House Manchester, much like its London counterpart, will have a strict no phones policy, giving everyone complete privacy.
Its opening has been delayed several times over but it’s looking like 2025 will be Soho House’s year.
Alongside Soho House, this once booming TV news building is also welcoming some neighbours in the form of Mollie’s Motel, fit with a contemporary art collection and live music venue.
The Manchester site is trialling out a first for the Americana-inspired motel company as this is not only set to be their first city-centre location but also features studio suites, unlike their two other locations.
However, they aren’t losing all their authentic touches, this Manchester Mollie’s will have a classic diner stocking ‘New Yorker’ peanut butter and jelly pie.
Inside Chotto Matte, the new rooftop restaurant at Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
A cross of Japanese and Peruvian delicacies, Chotto Matte is big on flavours and sophistication, with each guest treated to a ‘culinary journey’ through every dish they serve.
They really meant business with this restaurant as not only is it ‘high class’ it’s also high altitude, situated on the rooftop of Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development.
Launching the careers of many of our favourite soap stars and breaking the hearts of many locals with its closure in 2023, Oldham Coliseum is ready to return to reign supreme once again.
From Charlie Chaplin to Corrie greats like Bill Roache (Ken Barlow), this North West theatre has said hello to quite a few famous faces over the years.
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After plans were announced not too long ago for a new multi-million pound but much smaller new site, it’s great to see this drama institution remain in its original and much-loved home instead with a major refurbishment planned.
Opening in time for Christmas/Panto season 2025 – read more here.
Power Hall, Science and Industry Museum
The Light Lab at the Science and Industry Museum / Credit: Science Museum Group
Since 2019, this incredible part of Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum has been closed for restoration works and has been dearly missed by all visitors.
The plan for this renovation sees the Museum preserve its original historic elements while making way for new spaces for playing and learning in.
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There will also be a gantry crane connected to the Power Hall which towers an impressive 8 metres high and 72 metres wide, wow.
National Portrait Gallery Unframed, MediaCity, Salford
Two people looking at a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I at FRAMELESS Manchester / Credit: FRAMELESS
The London based gallery is moving up North to create a ‘ground-breaking’ new experience which sees paintings in a completely new light, literally.
Some of the world’s most famous paintings are about to be brought to life in an immersive digital experience, in collaboration with FRAMELESS Creative.
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The long-term partnership which will be based in Salford bringing new art experiences to wider audiences via an all-new digital exhibition.
This site will be designed around an expansive open plaza which will house a large stage, perfect for all varieties of family-friendly events and shows.
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This Oxford Road hotspot is bringing a much-loved concept for visitors and locals alike combining street food with live entertainment and bars, a perfect city centre attraction.
Treehouse Hotel has confirmed details of its first restaurant, and a summer opening date. Credit: Supplied
Nothing like a bit of shrubbery to break up the grey-scale skyscraper landscape of Manchester and this next new opening has taken it to the next level.
If there’s one thing ‘Treehouse Hotel’ is doing well it’s branding, from the restaurant titled ‘Pip’ to the decked-out green interior and exterior, this place is a nature lover’s paradise and will majorly transform a building that’s been a bit of an eyesore for years.
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Making its grand arrival to the massive hotel scene in Manchester, their website seems to hint at a Spring launch with rooms bookable from April onwards.
A mock-up illustration of the planned safari lodges. Credit: Supplied.
From a green-space themed hotel to a lodge that sees you face to face with all kinds of different animals, 2025 is making us all be at one with nature, and none of us are complaining.
There will be four different styles of lodges all inspired by and themed around traditional timber African safari lodges, with the first plans submitted in 2022.
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Some of these incredible new staycation suites overlook a refreshing lake while others are set next to an enclosure full of free-roaming giraffes.
Royal Nawaab will turn Stockport pyramid into a curry house. Credit: Supplied
From two football stadiums to Victoria Baths, a Grade II* Listed swimming pool, Manchester has a lot to say for itself, even more so with Stockport Pyramid, a Northern landmark which is soon to double as an Indian restaurant.
This iconic symbol of Stockport is about to undergo a miraculous transformation into an Indian restaurant and banquet hall, perfect for all foodies SK1 or further afield.
Emily Sergeant -
30th December 2024 
