Set in a beautiful 19th Century building in Manchester’s civic quarter, Whitworth Locke aparthotel is right in the middle of all the action.
As someone who works in Manchester but lives over in Leeds, this hotel couldn’t be more ideal for me. Less than 10 minutes from both Piccadilly and Oxford road train stations and St Peter’s Square Metrolink station, the ease of getting to the hotel set off my stay to a flying start.
While the beauty of the building is astonishing, it’s almost one of those hidden gems you might miss if you weren’t looking.
Nestled in between the two sides of the building a stunning conservatory marks the main entrance with comfy seating outside I imagine to be an absolute sun trap when Manchester’s weather decides to be kind to us.
As you walk through the glass-roofed bar to get to reception you literally can’t help but be in awe. New York architects, Grzywinski+Pons, embraced the cotton mills’ original features and designed a space to show off bricks and pillars but softened them with pastel paints.
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A stunning conservatory marks the main entrance. Image: Whitworth Lockethe glass-roofed bar with cobbled floors. Image: Whitworth Locke
The bar area has an inside-outside feel, cobbled floors and covered in plants with light beaming in from all angles. Even if I wasn’t spending the night, I could see myself spending the afternoon enjoying some cocktails in this space.
I immediately had a cheery welcome as I approached the reception to check in, which I think really does make all the difference. I was asked about my day, if I needed any help finding my way around Manchester (actually incredibly useful for someone who gets lost as much as I do) and talked through all of the hotel amenities.
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The hotel hosts a large gym, perfect for yoga, which is free to use over your stay but I opted out as I wouldn’t have the time. There’s also a lovely coffee shop, Foundation Coffee, serving breakfasts, toasties and of course a lovely cup of joe.
The main attraction though, in my eyes, is the free to use co-working space which takes up a huge part of the ground floor. Happily being used by throughout my visit, the Wi-Fi was great, the seats were comfy and although it was busy, it was nice and quiet.
A large seating and working area.Comfortable king-sized beds.
Now let’s get onto the rooms, I had the privilege of trying out one of the suites and what a treat it was. Rooms are decorated with blush pink and pastel green with brass finishes, very chic and brings almost a holiday feeling even on a rainy day in Manchester.
It’s not all about style though, there’s a fully-equipped kitchen with a huge fridge, lovely comfortable king-sized beds and loads of space to unpack your things. An added touch that really made me feel special was the hand written note hoping I enjoy my stay along with a bottle of red wine and chocolates. Safe to say, you know the way to my heart Whitworth Locke.
The fully-equipped kitchen.
My handwritten note and bottle of wine.
Overall, I woke up feeling very refreshed from a good night’s sleep and even more so after a long waterfall shower. It was really easy to check out, they even looked after my luggage for the day, and with the great location I was out and on a train to my first meeting of the day with pure ease.
The moment we’ve all been waiting for, let’s talk money. Double rooms are from £99 in low season, and from £199 in high. Competitively I think it is good value for money, the facilities and location matched with the service and cleanliness there isn’t really anything I could knock.
If you’re after a really central Manchester stay with a lovely team and a super cool aesthetic, you won’t go wrong with this one. Book your stay here.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Travel & Tourism
A brand-new live music series with big Northern names is coming to Blackpool
Danny Jones
An all-new live music series is coming to the beloved Northern seaside town of Blackpool, and there’s already plenty of big regional names booked for the inaugural slate of gigs.
What’s more, you won’t have to wait long for it to get underway, as the first date is this July.
Being organised by well-known local record label and promoters Scruff of the Neck, the brand-new multi-date event marks its debut edition through the summer and all the way into autumn.
Announcing a raft of 27 different acts in total, the inaugural Blackpool Live looks set to be a belter – and we’d be very surprised if this first year isn’t the start of something very special…
BLACKPOOL LIVE 2026
We are proud to reveal the full lineup of 27 amazing artists all heading to Blackpool this summer as we bring the best live music to one of the UK’s premier getaway locations. pic.twitter.com/kWVGtqbl4T
— Scruff of the Neck (@scruffoftheneck) June 26, 2026
As you can see, already confirmed for Blackpool Live 2026 are the likes of Feeder, Doves, The Fratellis, resurgent indie landfill throwbacks, The Enemy, Happy Mondays, The Pigeon Detectives, and even Oasis’ reunion support stars, Cast.
But even the so-called ‘warm up’ slots for each day of shows are filled with plenty of popular up-and-coming talent, as well as already established headliners in their own right.
From youngsters like our very own Alex Spencer, as well as fellow Mancs IST IST and Slow Readers Club (just to name a handful) to the likes of We Are Scientists, Inspiral Carpets, The Futureheads and more, the maiden live music crowds set to descend on Blackpool’s Winter Gardens are set to be spoilt.
Spread across multiple stages over the next few months, this fledgling event is not only a celebration of bands and artists from across the North, but a great way to spotlight grassroots music venues and the town in general.
Designed by illustrator Rod Hunt, you can see a map giving you an overview of key sites that will be partnering with the festival down below.
Credit: Rod Hunt (supplied)
Inspired by a trip founder Mark Lippmann and some friends took back in 2006 – travelling all the way from Hazel Grove in Stockport to see Arctic Monkeys at the historic Empress Ballroom – this fresh live music promotion is a story two decades in the making.
After an initial smaller outing with just three groups on the bill last year, 2026 is the first proper iteration of the Blackpool Live vision.
Speaking ahead of its launch, Lippmann said in a statement: “People always ask what the best gig you’ve ever been to was, but when you think about it, you remember so much more than the band. You remember who you were with, what you did before the show and how the whole day felt.
“Blackpool is uniquely placed to create those experiences. You can jump on a train, spend the day by the sea and finish it watching incredible live music in one of Britain’s most iconic venues. That’s what Blackpool Live is really about.”
You can find out more information about all of the headline shows and grab your tickets right HERE.
Featured Images — Press shots (Sonic PR)/Rob M Whittaker (via WikiCommons)/WHP (supplied)
Travel & Tourism
Chester Zoo is staying open ‘after hours’ this summer so you can see the nocturnal animals
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo is keeping its gates open late into the evening across two special weeks this summer.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo has, once again, announced the return of Afterglow for the summer, which is known and loved for offering visitors the rare opportunity to explore the zoo and its 30,000 animals after hours… but for the first time, daytime visitors can now enjoy the hugely popular event without needing a separate ticket.
Unlike previous years, visitors will no longer need to leave Chester Zoo‘s grounds and return with a separate event ticket.
Instead, guests can spend the entire day exploring the zoo before enjoying Afterglow‘s evening programme, all as part of a standard admission ticket.
Chester Zoo’s is opening ‘after hours’ again this summer so you can see all the animals at sunset / Credit: Chester Zoo
Afterglow offers you the unique chance to encounter some of the world’s most endangered species during golden hour – which, for many animals, is one of their most active periods.
From 3pm until 8pm each day, giant elephant, giraffe, and peacock puppets will welcome visitors into the zoo, while life-sized dinosaurs roam the site with theatrical performances and interactive encounters.
The programme also features giant bubble displays, comedy street theatre, fairground rides, and live music performances.
A number of special experiences designed just for adults are on the lineup this year too, including quizzes in Chester Zoo’s very own pub and an adults-only silent disco inside one of the zoo’s oldest animal habitats.
Chester Zoo’s Afterglow returns for 2026, running on exclusive dates between 31 July – 16 August from 3pm until 8pm, with tickets now on sale ranging in price depending on whether or not you buy a full-day ticket or just for the afternoon into evening slot.
And the best bit? Every ticket helps fund conservation projects protecting threatened species in more than 20 countries.
They’re already selling fast, so ook your tickets online in advance here.
Abbie Bartlett -
26th April 2024 
