Bella Italia, IKEA, and Yard & Coop are just some of the places offering kids the chance to eat for £1 or free this half term.
With schools across Greater Manchester set to break up for half term at the end of this week, and with many families understandably wanting to keep costs low where possible, plenty of supermarkets, independent and chain restaurants, and pub groups across the UK are offering kids the chance to eat a hearty meal out for as little as £1.
Some are even offering up children’s meals completely free of charge, meaning you really don’t have to break the bank.
So if you’re looking to treat the kids to a meal, but you’re keen to keep things on the cheaper side and save a few pennies, then thankfully, eating out just got a whole lot easier.
Kids eat for £1 or free in Greater Manchester this half term / Credit: Las Iguanas | Yard & Coop
Asda
Asda’s £1 kids meal deal is available all year round, including this half term, and it includes a hot meal or sandwich, drink, and piece of fruit, as well as other treats like as a jelly pot or a jelly squeeze pouch as an alternative to a pack of crisps.
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Morrisons
When you spend £5 or more on an adult’s meal at a Morrisons cafe at any point in the year, not just during the school holidays, you’ll also get a free kids’ meal for those under 16 years old. Children can either build their own breakfast or main meal, and they’ll get a drink included too.
IKEA
If you’re heading to IKEA, you can claim a kids’ meal for just 95p once your shopping is done. Children can choose from pasta with tomato sauce, a soft drink, and piece of fruit for 95p, or upgrade to sausage and mash, or the store’s famous meatballs for £2.50.
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Yard & Coop
The Northern Quarter’s home of buttermilk fried chicken is back offering its popular ‘kids eat free deal’ this half term. Available each weekday from 12pm-6pm, one free kids meal comes with every adult main meal, and children can choose a main, dessert, and cordial drink of their own.
Frankie and Benny’s
A free kids’ meal – including a main, two sides, a drink, and dessert – is available with any adult main meal at Frankie & Benny’s this half term, which could save you on average around £6.80 and only having to pay about £13 in total.
Bella Italia
Order one adult main from Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February, and you’ll get a free three-course kids’ meal as well.
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Bill’s
Up to two kids per table eat free all day at Bill’s from on weekdays this half term when an adult orders any main, so whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, there’s a dish to feed your little one no matter the time of day.
Las Iguanas
Kids eat free all year round when you download the Las Iguanas app, not just this half term, and they can choose from quesadillas, coconut curry, guacamole, and plenty more.
Banana Tree
At Banana Tree, you can get a free kids’ meal when you buy any adult meal this upcoming half term week, with options including ramen, katsu, chicken nuggets, crispy chicken, and sweetcorn fritters on the menu to choose from.
Yo! Sushi
When you spend just £10 at Yo! Sushi this half term, children aged 12 or younger will get a bento box for free, which includes edamame, maki, mixed veggie rice with chicken or prawns and a drink, or little sushi fans can also roll their own if you upgrade to the mini bento box for £1.45.
Featured Image – Frankie & Benny’s
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Neighbourhood Festival’s return to the city centre is looking great with after revealing second wave
Danny Jones
Neighbourhood Festival’s city centre all-dayer is returning to Manchester for 2026 after a year off, and with the second wave of the lineup having just dropped, it’s looking very promising.
Following teasers over the past month or so, it didn’t take long for us to figure out that NBHD Festival was coming back, especially with the Weekender in Warrington having taken a similar hiatus in 2024.
However, when festivals like these take time out, it can be easy to worry whether or not they’ll lose momentum or come back stronger.
Judging by this follow-up batch of acts alone, there’s no doubt NBHD Fest ’26 will be another cracker.
As you can see, as well as the fast-rising grungey alternative and garage rock quartet, KEO, being announced as one of the first big hitters on the list, there are some other familiar names on the lineup.
Especially for us Mancs.
With both Bolton and Altrincham youngsters, Florentenes and The Guest List, both joining the roster, as well as the likes of Bury-born ‘rockabilly’ revivalist Elliot James Reay also featuring on there, there’s a good deal of local talent to be enjoyed as always.
That goes for the regional delegation in general, too, with the likes of Jos River heading back up this way from her base in London, and Leeds’ fittingly named indie four-piece, The North, also booking a slot.
We’ll admit there are plenty of bands and artists coming up from the capital for the all-day festival, but at least they know where the UK’s real home of music is.
For instance, we’re buzzing to see the Red Rum Club boys returning to the NBHD stage once again – they never disappoint, and there are so many other guaranteed top performers on the bill. And that was just this year’s Weekener…
It’s worth reminding, once again, that since its inception in 2016 (yes, it really has been a decade now), Neighbourhood Fest has continued to serve as a proper launchpad for the next wave of superstars, not just here in the North West but across the country.
We still remember seeing the likes of Sam Fender, Holly Humberstone, Declan McKenna, Mahalia, The Lathums and more – some for the very first time – on these city centre stages, and it’s crazy to see how big some of them have gone on to become.
Set to take over some of Manchester’s most iconic venues along the Oxford Road Corridor once again, this is, without a doubt, one of the best dates for independents on the annual live music calendar.
Hosting a total of 11 stages on Saturday, 17 October, for a full day of live music, tickets for this year’s Neighbourhood Festival are on sale now right HERE.
And if you’ve already sorted yours, why not read our review of NBHD Weekender ’26 down below to get you in the mood for the next two editions.
Major DJ forced to pull out of Parklife festival on doctor’s orders
Thomas Melia
A well-known techno and trance DJ will no longer be playing at Parklife this weekend, he’s announced, with just one day to go until his major set.
Anyone heading to Heaton Park over the weekend for Manchester-based festival, Parklife, may notice the lineup looks a little different after one distinctive DJ has pulled out due to doctor’s orders.
Marlon Hoffstadt, who also goes by the moniker ‘DJ Daddy Trance’, was expected to play out on the Matinée stage on Saturday 20 June from 6.30pm – 8pm.
The Germany-based act was taking to the decks right before Manchester’s own Morgan Seatree, who has become recognised for his material which is an ode to house music and is likely to be one of the busiest sets of the weekend.
Hoffstadt had two gigs this weekend; the first being Parklife in Manchester and the second Fête de la Musique in Paris, both of which he has since pulled out of in a newly-published social media announcement.
The Berlin-born music maker has reluctantly called off these upcoming appearances and justified his decision by saying: “As much as I hate missing shows, I need to put my recovery first”.
To much dismay, Hoffstadt received doctor’s advice who deemed him ‘currently not fit to fly’ following surgery, urging him to rest and recover.
Marlon posted today: “I’m so sad to have to share this, but unfortunately I won’t be able to play Parklife in Manchester and Fête de la Musique in Paris this weekend.
“I recently had a surgery and, following my doctor’s advice, I’m currently not fit to fly and need rest and recover.
“I know many of you made plans and were looking forward to it, and I’m so sorry to let you down.
“As much as I hate missing shows, I need to put my recovery first so I can get back to doing what I love as soon as possible.”
As much as the presence of this world-class performer will be missed, there’s still plenty of notable names set to make their mark on Parklife including Zara Larsson, Calvin Harris, Skepta and more.
The outdoor big music weekender has established itself as a rave haven with mainly dance artists and DJs making up its lineup through a variety of curated b2b sets and live performances.
If you’re after immersing yourself in some jungle music, Bradford-native Nia Archives will have you transfixed over at The Valley with her jungle-heavy tunes from 6.30pm – 7.30pm or there’s three more stages to take your pick from.
We’re sure that anyone eager to see the ‘Hands Up In The Sky’ producer live may be frustrated by this brand-new social media announcement however as Hoffstadt mentions it’s so he can “Get back to doing what I love as soon as possible”.
Emily Sergeant -
9th February 2026 
