Aldi, Morrisons, and M&S are among the many retailers that are looking for thousands of temporary staff to help out over Christmas.
With the festive season fast approaching, and most British stores having already unveiled their Christmas ranges for 2024, three of the country’s biggest supermarkets are gearing up for what is always one of the busiest times for the retail industry by launching massive UK-wide seasonal recruitment drives.
The three major retailers, Aldi, Morrisons, and M&S, are on the look out for an army of temporary workers to join their teams.
Tens of thousands of jobs are on offer, including plenty here in Greater Manchester.
ldi, Morrisons, and M&S are all looking for thousands of temporary staff this Christmas / Credit: Aldi UK | Morrisons
Aldi is looking to hire 3,500 store colleagues in the run-up to Christmas, and there’s a wide range of permanent positions available too, alongside temporary ones.
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With roles on offer including Store Assistants, managerial positions, and cleaners, Aldi is seeking team members to help replenish stock, assist customers, and maintain its already-high standards of service during the festive period and beyond.
Over at Morrisons, up to 3,000 extra colleagues are wanted work in its stores, food manufacturing sites, and logistics operations nationwide to help meet increased demand over the busy festive period – with a wide range of roles on offer, including customer assistants, home delivery drivers, and manufacturing and warehouse operatives.
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No prior experience is necessary for most roles at Morrisons, and lots of the jobs have flexible working patterns too.
You can apply for the thousands of roles online now / Credit: Aldi UK
Finally at M&S, more than 11,000 roles need to be filled, with both Customer Assistant and Christmas colleague positions now open to apply for, who all play an integral role in delivering the festive service shoppers come to expect from the retailer.
New colleagues will join M&S from mid November, with a range of different start dates, and flexible working patterns available to choose from.
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Aldi, Morrisons, and M&S all follow in the footsteps of Sainsbury’s, which also launched a nationwide recruitment drive last week and is looking for a whopping 20,000 temporary staff across the UK to help out this Christmas.
Fancy a job then? You can apply for Christmas roles at Aldi here, at Morrisons here, and at M&S by heading here.
Featured Image – M&S
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The new James Bond game is full of Easter eggs – including a nod to Manchester United
Danny Jones
Even if you’re not a big gamer, you may have seen that a rather popular new James Bond game recently dropped: 007 First Light – and if you’ve played it yourself, you will have no doubt come across many Easter eggs and references throughout, including one to Manchester United.
As we happen to be currently playing it for ourselves, we’ll admit that hearing any mention of our hometown or even just quintessentially UK nods that any Brit would enjoy was likely to result in putting a grin on our faces.
That being said, apart from whenever the next FIFA—sorry, EA Sports FC drops, we weren’t expecting to hear Man United brought up in one of the biggest video games of the year.
In fact, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that nobody has this on their 2026 bingo card.
Credit: @CaptPierce93 via r/Manchester (screenshots shared to Reddit)
It may just be a slightly tongue-in-cheek throwaway line in a cutscene, but it’s still been enjoyed by many around the world.
As player ‘CaptPierce93’ writes in his caption of his Reddit post sharing the snippet: “The game has a good splash of product placements that don’t get overwhelming; an earlier portion of the game even has radio chatter of a Manchester City and Liverpool match as well.”
He’s right as well: we’ve come across lots of different little interesting nuggets and cameos during our limited playtime, and it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to seeing what else we can spot.
While any Mancunian or true, dyed-in-the-wool United fan will no doubt squirm a little at the use of ‘Man U‘ (we’re thinking like when people ‘Manny’), it’s still pretty cool nonetheless.
You can see the specific scene in full down below.
Such a surreal few seconds.
There’s something very satisfying about hearing ‘Greenway’ – played by recognisable British actor Lennie James (Snatch, The Walking Dead, Blade Runner 2049) – utter the words “Stretford End”.
And before you ask, no, he isn’t a Red: the South Londoner is a Spurs fan and is also said to have a soft spot for Valencia, as it happens.
We’re pretty sure there aren’t any other Manc references to keep your eye out for, but we’ll let you know if we stumble upon more as we continue playing the game.
There’s something about videogame Easter eggs, in-jokes and refs like these that we never tire of; you just never know what little tidbits are going to inspire someone…
Featured Images — IO Interactive/Screenshots via Reddit
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Where to watch the 2026 World Cup in Manchester
Danny Jones
The 2026 World Cup is undoubtedly the biggest sporting event happening this year, and for those still wondering where is best to watch it, there are plenty of places in Manchester to make sure you don’t miss a second of the action.
We’re not going to get carried away and declare this as ‘England’s year’, but let’s just say we’ve got a very good squad and a head coach who has won some of the biggest footballing trophies on the planet.
That being said, we have every reason to feel positive, especially with so many great Manc pubs, bars and more screening the World Cup games.
So, let’s not drag this out like a long VAR any check: here are 26 of the best places to watch the 2026 World Cup in Manchester city centre and beyond…
26 top places to watch the World Cup in and around Manchester
1. The Grosvenor – Oxford Road Corridor
Up first on our list is the old Footage pub, which these days has been updated to The Grosvenor. They’re teaming up with Fireball for a big fan zone, including everything from free shots of that famous cinnamon whisky and other giveaways to quizzes, games and more.
One of Manchester’s biggest and best new food halls and bars, House of Social, is also hosting its first-ever big tournament viewing party, with five big screens being installed. Standard entry is free, while seated (£15) comes with a free drink included and a comfortable view of the action, and VIP (£30) tickets come with £15 to spend on food, too.
In addition to pre and post-match parties with live music and even a margarita truck out in the garden section, not to mention the terrace benches with heated canopies, this one is a great package all-around. Tickets are right HERE.
In at number three, we’ve got The Faraday over in the Northern Quarter (formerly Seven Sins, for anyone unaware), which has all the games you could need – and we don’t just mean the ones up on the telly. They’ve got pool, shuffleboard, darts, and more, not to mention live music throughout the week.
Rounding off our top four (the Champions League spots, if you will) is the very impressive space set up by Boundary over at The Union on Manchester Metropolitan University’s campus.
Not just for students, this is much more than one for the uni kids: besides the pub itself, they’ve turned the gig and club room into a huge fan zone, with live DJ sets, super cheap drinks, 100 FREE cans of Jubel to give away for those earliest to the first game, and even 10p off Carling every time England score.
Say no more; book your spot for the Three Lions games HERE.
Darts and pool on offerHUGE screensFree Jubels, anyone?…Credit: The Manc Group
6. Definitely Maybe – NQ
Next up, we have Manchester’s dedicated Oasis pub, Definitely Maybe, also over in NQ. You may associate this place more with Britpop and/or pre- and post-gig vibes, but the brilliant Afflecks music bar also has three large screens in the main room, not to mention tables and regular standing tickets available.
Food and drinks packages will also be available, and there’s even a Green Room that can host private screenings of up to 60 guests. With live music in steady supply from Friday to Sunday, this might be ideal for those weekend games;reserve your spot now.
Number six is, of course, the now-famous Road to Victory, which returns for every big international competition. Having been at multiple places before landing at Manchester’s AO Arena, it’s now a bigger party than ever, with smoke machines, confetti cannons, giveaways, and interactive stuff for supporters to fill the break, just to name a few highlights. As close to being in the stadium itself as most will get this June and July – sign up HERE.
8. Victoria Baths – Chorlton-on-Medlock
From Road to Victory (RtV) to ‘Victory at the Baths’, over Chorlton way, is also holding a big fan zone for the latest international tournament. We don’t need to tell you how stunning a space this will be to watch ‘the beautiful game’, but it will also have some of the best acoustics in the business when those goals go in, the limbs go up, and the pints are sent flying. Find out more and grab your tickets while you can.
Similarly, their old neighbours at Depot Mayfield are bringing back their own building-wide watchalong party, ‘We Are Football Festival’. Operating in partnership with 4TheFans, the fan park specialists return for World Cup 2026, with several big rooms to be made the most of. You can find out all you need to know down below.
One entry on the list that may surprise you is Zouk Tea Bar and Grill over at The Quadrangle, just off Oxford Rd. Now, it goes without saying that there’ll be some unreal Indian and Pakistani scran being served up here over the summer, as there is every single day, but they’re also putting up big screens for select games over the next month or so. Book your table with food starting from £29 per person HERE.
Now, we thought we’d lump a few of these into one, because St John’s – just off Deansgate and behind Spinningfields – is gradually becoming one of the fastest-growing districts in central Manchester city centre, not least of all thanks to the brilliant food and drink scene over in this small slice of the city. With Trading Route, Courts Club, Stables Tavern and now ‘The Green’ all helping create a great atmosphere ahead of this year’s sporting summer, food, drink, and pure vibes will be in full flow.
Find out what they’ve got on right through until August.
12. O’Malleys – Central
Heading over to O’Malleys on Portland Street, right in the heart of the city centre, we may be bursting with some great Irish bars and pubs in Manchester at the moment, but O’Malleys MCR undoubtedly has some of the cheapest pints and value for money across the board. They’re doing free entry throughout, and they’re showing every single game, so you don’t just have to be backing British teams.
Heading toward the outskirts for a spell, Hotel Football, which sits in the shadow of Old Trafford, is obviously a footy-obsessed venue from start to finish, but this isn’t just limited to Man United affairs. This World Cup, they’re showing every England game and even offering special stay-overs, with dinner, as well as bed and breakfast included. Find all the options HERE.
This package comes with a stadium view and tour of Man United’s Carrington complex (Credit: Supplied)
14. GRUB On The Docks – Salford Quays
As we cross the halfway point, and since we’ve strayed just beyond the city centre, we thought we’d shout out the fantastic festival feel being set up for GRUB On The Docks over at MediaCityUK. Formerly known as BOX on the Docks, this new-look outdoor leisure and live entertainment hub will hopefully serve as the perfect suntrap, not to mention there’ll be plenty of boxes showing the football itself.
Any place offering free fan zones gets a big thumbs up from us, and fortunately, we already know plenty of people heading back to Nell’s for World Cup watchalongs. Nell’s Pizza and frozen cocktails speak for themselves, but in case you weren’t aware, they have a big projector up at their Kampus location, as well as screens at their other sites, such as Common, The Beagle, and over in Salford Quays, too
The Manchester Blues Kitchen site just off Deansgate is another one that we can vouch for when it comes not only to watching the biggest sporting fixtures, having watched the Super Bowl there every year for the past half a decade, but also the footy – in fact, we watched the last Euros final in there and while the result was gutting, the night overall was excellent. It’s first-come, first-served, and their latest Southern-inspired food menu feels like the perfect fit for the North American tournament.
Credit: The Manc
17. Society – Central
Another food and beer hall, Society, is another ideal spot to watch the World Cup in Manchester this summer. Not only do you have rows and rows of tables and benches to seat fans, multiple kitchens to choose from, and a great selection of locally-brewed bevs, but you’ve also got the outside area to hopefully soak up sun, suds, and energy from the crowd during the breaks. Hopefully, we’ll be at least 1-0 up in most matches by the time the whistle blows for half-time.
Beloved Manc bar and nightclub ‘JBs’ is bringing their dedicated England fan zone back for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and if you spent any time during the last edition, you’ll know the atmosphere in here is great. Complete with shiny new booths, multiple screens, a DJ booth and more, the ‘Clubhouse’ upstairs is well worth a go for a game or two. Find ticket prices and all their other events listed HERE.
Credit: The Manc
19. The Lawn Club – Spinningfields
Heading back over towards Spinningfields direction, Lawn Club on Hardman Square is another great alternative for World Cup screenings, especially as you’ve got the indoor hut, complete with cocktail deals, AND the roomy beer garden outside. For those who haven’t stumbled across it before, here’s a better idea of how it’s going to look based on previous years:
Holding viewing parties for the 2026 World Cup at their two flagship homes – the taproom and their first-ever beerhouse, Seven Brothers are also offering bookings, from just you and your partner, to big private hire for groups of mates and work colleagues. Spaces for England’s first game against Croatia on Wednesday, 17 June, are already filling up, so email either venue to reserve your spot ASAP.
Credit: Supplied
21. 11 Central – Salford Quays
Speaking of the Seven Bros Brewing Co., another one of their brands over at Quayside in MediaCity is another place that will be showing all England games, at the very least, throughout the 2026 World Cup. This still relatively new Salford Quays spot may go overlooked in foodie terms at times because of Central Bay next door, but one thing they do better than their neighbours is live sport on the box.
No. 22 is the brilliant Black Cat Club, brought to you by the same team behind the Michelin-recommended El Gato Negro and Canto tapas restaurants on King Street and Cutting Room Square, respectively. To toast this year’s tournament and the last time England won the World Cup, they’re serving up a ‘Geoff Hirst’ deal, where you can grab three small plates for £19.66, or four-pint pitchers of Black Cat Lager, Red Stripe or Moretti for the same price. Here are all of their packages.
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Credit: Press shot (supplied via Black Cat Club)
23. Dirty O’Sullivans – Albert Square
From Mediterranean influences to more Gaelic goodness, another recently opened Manc Irish bar is also offering great deals for this year’s World Cup, including giving away 1,000 FREE pints to those who pre-book their table at this increasingly popular pub just off the corner of Albert Square. Sort yours HERE.
As we approach the final minutes of this round-up, if you will, we thought we’d throw in another favourite gaming and activity bar of ours in the form of Electric Shuffle. You can pay either £25 or £50 as a deposit, redeemable off your bill at the end when putting your name down, and you don’t have to book. a shuffleboard table to be in the room – though why wouldn’t you? Bookings are live now.
25. Diecast – Piccadilly East
Our penultimate pick of the bunch, we couldn’t complete this squad selection without giving a nod to Diecast over towards Back Piccadilly and the edge of Ancoats. A previous RtV host, this massive Manchester drinking hall, beer garden, gig and club venue is still well-equipped to hold a big World Cup watch party all of its own. Although all early bird tickets have already sold out, general admission is still on sale for just a tenner, so don’t wait around.
26. Albert Hall – Peter Street
If we’re in extra time, we can’t think of many better places that stressful eleventh hour than Manchester’s iconic Albert Hall; in fact, we have done almost exactly that for the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, and we promise you we made some unforgettable memories in here no matter how it all ended. They’re keeping things simple here: £5 entry, and the first 100 get a free pint – tickets can be found HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
21st October 2024 
