Manchester City Council has today announced that two mini socially-distanced Christmas Markets will go ahead in the city centre from this week.
The event – which will invite independent local traders in Manchester and across the region who would have been part of the city’s usual Christmas markets – is hoping to provide a “flavour of Manchester’s famous Christmas Markets”, all while supporting businesses during the festive period.
The markets will be located in Piccadilly Gardens and St Ann’s Square, and will offer visitors a seasonal alternative to the high street.
The Piccadilly Gardens markets will include the usual street food traders, along with a range of craft and gift stalls, and is open now until Wednesday 23rd December from 10.30am – 7pm, while the markets in St Ann’s Square will welcome some of the usual Christmas Market favourites for two long weekends.
These will take place between Wednesday 9th December – Sunday 13th December & Wednesday 16th December – Sunday 20th December from 10.30am – 7pm.
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Cllr Pat Karney – Christmas Spokesperson at Manchester City Council – said: “We know people were so disappointed to hear this year’s Christmas Markets could not go ahead [but] public safety must be at the heart of everything we do, and we could not put on our usual world-class event while keeping people safe.
“Since then, we have been looking at ways of supporting the Christmas traders at an important time of year for their businesses, while also attracting people to the city centre in a safe and manageable way.
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“Our Winter Markets have attracted some of the city’s – and region’s – top makers and traders, who provide a real alternative to the high street.”
Geograph / David Dixon
St Ann’s Square
Porky Pig – Yorkshire Pudding Wraps
Eat Greek – Traditional Gyros and Halloumi Fries
Elsie May – Cookie Dough
Mango Rays – Burritos and Vegan Chill con Carne
There will also be the fan-favourite traditional Christmas market pancakes, and gourmet English sausage and German bratwurst too.
Piccadilly Gardens
Week One
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The Crusty Pie Company
Popsters
The Great British Cheese Company
Johnsons Toffees
The Closet Boutique
Zen Experimental
Mandalay Accessories
The Cocktail Co
Amazonas Gifts
Cheshire Cheese Company
Personalised Gifts
Paul Collins
Trolle Trading Limited
Snugglebottle
Priya
Sticky Chocolate
The Olive Tree
Week 2
Snugglebottle
Chi Chi’s
The Little Gift Hut
Mayflower Apiaries
Priya Trading
The Cheese Board
Sticky Chocolate
The Closet Boutique
From The Olive Tree
O’Donnell Moonshine
Malvavisco
Just The Cheese
Amazonas Jewellery
Johnsons Toffees
The Crusty Pie Company
Popsters
The Cocktail Co.
Paul Collins
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The weekend markets will be strictly managed to limit the number of people who can access the stalls at any one time, using a one-way traffic system to ensure social distancing can be always adhered to.
Outdoor markets can trade under the Tier 3 guidelines.
You can find more information about all the stalls via the Manchester City Council website here.
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I’m A Celebrity line-up announced for brand new all-star series in South Africa
Daisy Jackson
The all-star line-up for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa has been announced, with some massive Manchester celebs taking part.
The brand new show is due to air in April and will see some of the series’ most memorable campmates heading to a new setting in South Africa.
Names involved include Bolton-born boxing legend Amir Khan, Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan, and Happy Mondays legend Shaun Ryder.
And that’s just part of the first wave of celebrity contestants – more famous faces will take part in I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, entering the camp as the series goes on.
The new series will ‘push them to their limits and test them like never before’, ITV has said, promising bigger and tougher challenges and an even harsher environment.
Also taking part from the launch episode will be Diversity star Jordan Banjo, TV presenter Carol Vorderman, Olympian Fatima Whitbread, former royal butler Paul Burrell, ex-England cricketer Phil Tufnell, and supermodel Janice Dickinson.
ITV said: “Whilst nodding back to the Australian jungle, I’m A Celebrity…South Africa is a uniquely different series so viewers can look forward to lots of unexpected twists and turns.”
The trailer also shows the celebs taking part in pre-recorded challenges, taking on everything from nasty food to terrifying heights.
I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will air on ITV1 and ITVX from April 2023.
Featured image: ITV
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Commentator Arlo White shows off what the Old Trafford gantry walk looks like
Danny Jones
Ever wondered what it’s like to be up in the gantry in a football stadium, say, Old Trafford? Well, we certainly have.
You see the odd shot of the commentators sat there on the telly from time to time but it never really gives much away either and, at some venues, it’s quite a ways up there. There’s a little bit of allure behind these mysterious parts of footy grounds that most fans will never get to see.
After hours of mindless scrolling on the social media app, we stumbled across the well-known sports commentator‘s channel where he’s been showing off what it’s like to go in the gantry and one of them is his long walk to crow’s nest up at the Theatre of Dreams.
As it turns out, Arlo’s been doing these videos for a couple of years now, revealing how the gantry looks not only at Old Trafford but other big Premier League grounds too, such as down the road at the Etihad, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Tottenham Hotspurs’ sparkly new ground and many more.
Another reason we found ourselves stuck on his TikTok for so long was also because of the other behind-the-scenes details he reveals too, even shedding light on how he prepares for games: note-taking, data sheets, how keeps himself warm up there during those cold nights on comms and so on.
The Manc -
7th December 2020 
