The rich cultural landscape of Manchester means that the city has been home to number of notable cinemas and entertainment complexes over the years.
But perhaps none are more iconic to our generation than the Showcase Cinema.
The Showcase Cinema – which occupied the site of the famous Belle Vue entertainment complex – was one of the first multi-screen venues to open up in Manchester, bringing blockbuster flicks, quick queues, and car parks to fit a 1,000 cars along with it.
It was unlike anything the area had ever seen before when it first opened back in 1989.
The hustle and bustle of excitable film fans filled the foyer, hallways, and 14 screens of this beloved Hyde Road hangout right up until the world ground to a halt and it was forced to temporarily close its doors due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March of last year.
The cinema’s owners had grand plans to reopen the 13-acre site to the public once restrictions were lifted, but sadly none of that came to reality.
It was announced in October 2020 that the closure of the Showcase Cinema would be permanent.
The effects of ongoing restrictions were seen to be slowly crushing the unrivalled collective cinema experience right across the UK, and Belle Vue’s community hub became one of the latest fatalities.
While you unfortunately won’t be able to grab tickets to see the newest James Bond or Marvel movie within the cinema’s four walls in the future, the building that thousands have stepped foot in over its 30-year life still remains intact on the site it’s always stood.
The only difference is, it looks a little different than you might remember.
A series of photos captured by local urban explorer Exploring with Jake – known to his 47K+ followers for “exploring abandoned buildings and old work places in the UK” – show the cinema’s well-known frontage appearing rather run-down, and the inside looking like a shell of its former self.
It’s a pretty eerie sight for anyone who has fond memories of the place.
The rare photos, which were posted to social media earlier this week, have captured the attentions of people all across Greater Manchester, going on to rack up thousands of interactions, shares and comments.
Everything from smashed windows and empty popcorn cabinets, to abandoned control rooms, gutted cinema screens, and long out-dated promotional posters for films still yet to be released, mean the site of the former cinema no longer resembles the popular hub it once was.
Sure, it’s an eerie sight for now, but it won’t be one for long.
Showcase Cinema agreed to sell the land to Manchester City Council last year, and a formal planning application to redevelop the extensive plot was officially lodged last month.
This news also gave Mancunians a glimpse at plans for The Co-Op Academy Belle Vue – which will be a free school for 1,200 pupils – for the first time, before it’s expected to welcome its first set of Year 7 students this September.
The plans released to the public showed a modern L-shaped building split into three ‘zones’.
It starts with a two-storey sports block, which will boast a sports hall, auditorium, and a drama studio, and the central three-storey building includes the school’s reception, a community hub with a library on the floor above, and a dining hall.
An adjoining sports hall also has a separate entrance for out of hours use by the wider Belle Vue community, alongside a 140-space car park.
To the rear of the proposed building – which is currently a car park – two large playing fields will be provided, along with a multi-use games area (MUGA) and training grids, which would have three courts to accommodate tennis and basketball courts, a five-a-side football pitch, and practice areas for netball and hockey.
Things are going to look very different.
Sir Robert McAlpine / Space Architects
Fancy having a scroll through a couple more photos?
You can view the full collection of photos of the abandoned Showcase Cinema site on Exploring with Jake’s Facebook page here.
And that’s not all there is to see either.
If you’re keen to look a little further around the site of the former ‘showground of the world’ that was Belle Vue, including both photos and a video tour of the iconic greyhound dog racing arena and motorcycle speedway tracks – which were the home grounds of Elite League team Belle Vue Aces from 1988 until 2015, and then used for stock car and banger racing from 1999 until 2019 – then be sure to head on over to Exploring with Jake’s page and check out the most recent posts.
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Oasis are being linked with a massive outdoor gig next year
Danny Jones
After 16 long years of waiting, Oasis are officially the biggest band on the planet again (not that they ever really stopped), and now they’re being linked with a rather big outdoor gig at the storied Slane Castlenext year.
They’ve already done Knebworth, so why not tick another one off the list?
With the Live ’25 reunion tour well underway, and rumblings over what they’re going to do once this run of global comeback shows is done, Britpop fever hasn’t just had fans of the band reliving the 1990s – it’s practically taken over the music world.
There’s already plenty of talk circling – including a potential return to Knebworth – but now Oasis is pretty much the first and only name being tipped for a huge headline slot at Slane Castle, after 2026 dates were slated by the estate’s owners.
Slane Castle hosted natives, U2, for their Go Home live concert film back in 2002. (Credit: Sara Einarsson via WikiCommons)
While Harry Styles played Ireland’s historic and equally iconic venue back in 2023, the Co Meath concerts, located in the heart of the Boyne Valley, have somewhat dried up in recent years.
Prior to the former One Direction star, the last major musicians to play there were rock and heavy metal veterans, Metallica, more than half a decade ago.
However, the new lord of the manor, Alex Conyngham, is now looking to carry on where his father, Henry Mountcharles, left off in carrying on their live music legacy; and given that another legendary rock and roll band is pretty much anyone can talk about at the minute, their name has already been put forward.
As per the Drogheda Independent writer, John Kierans, Conyngham is reported to have said: “We want to bring the shows back, we miss them. It is not just about the revenue, but keeping the name of Slane as a rock venue on the map.
“It is what Slane Castle is known for, and I don’t want that legacy to fade away. This is one of the world’s great rock and roll venues with the most natural setting. We are working on plans, and hopefully we can pull something off for next year.”
While Oasis are due to play two nights at Croke Park in Dublin later this month, there is now a strong belief/expectation that a number of 2026 dates will also be announced. But will the stars align?
Slane Castle are said to be in negotiations to stage a massive concert in 2026.
Croke Park theoretically has a concert capacity of 82,000, but I'd love to see them at Slane Castle. Saw Oasis and REM there in 1995. It was epic. pic.twitter.com/CYf6VDDgPw
— 🟥 deli⁷ | just a person🥢ᶠᵘᵗᵘʳᵉ'ˢ ᵍᵒⁿⁿᵃ ᵇᵉ ᵒᵏᵃʸ (@na_do_saram) August 3, 2025
It’s also worth mentioning that they’ve played the 1,500-acre grounds before. Twice, in fact.
The first occasion was in July 1995, supporting R.E.M just before they hit arguably the height of their own powers with the release of their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? just a few months later, on 2 October.
Burnage‘s most famous sons and their bandmates go to do it all over again in 2009 (the same year they would eventually split up), with some incredible ‘warm-up acts’ in The Prodigy, Kasabian and Glasvegas.
Let’s be honest, either of those artists could probably book and sell out the place these days, so god knows how much a ticket for that lineup would set you back present day.
Regardless, if there’s one band that fits the billing to bring back the Slane Castle gigs at their boldest and best, it’s the almighty Oasis.
Whether or not the heavily rumoured 2026 dates are domestic to the UK and Ireland, we’ll have to wait and see, but the clamour is already there, no matter where they sign on to perform.
If you were at Heaton Park or had the fortune of seeing any of the Live ’25 shows, you’ll know they still sound as good as ever.
Featured Images — Sitomon (via Flickr)/Kinsie84 (via Wikimedia Commons)/Press Shots
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Viral store POP MART announces opening date of highly-anticipated Trafford Centre store
Emily Sergeant
Viral retailer POP MART has confirmed the news that fans have been waiting with bated breath for.
You may remember that a couple of months back, it was announced that POP MART – the Chinese collectables retailer home to the phenomenon that is the Labubu – would be opening in Greater Manchester‘s biggest shopping complex, the Trafford Centre, later in the year, and now the opening date has been confirmed.
Once POP MART opens its doors, shoppers can expect to find exclusive gifts, hot products, and plenty of surprises in store… oh, and big queues too, presumably.
The new 1,400 sq ft store will feature a full range of POP MART collectables – including the most iconic IPs and blind boxes, and fans and collectors will be able to shop from limited-edition ranges and get their hands on seasonal exclusives only available at Trafford Centre.
The new store opening at Trafford Centre takes the brand’s UK presence to double figures, and forms the brand’s goal to make its popular characters ‘accessible’ to more people across the country than ever before.
“POP MART aims to celebrate entertainment and pop culture to a growing community of designer toy collectors,” commented Peter Shipman, who is the Managing Director and Head of Europe for POP MART.
“The opening of our Trafford Centre store expands our UK presence and helps to bring playful and engaging experiences to customers.
POP MART has announced the opening date of its highly-anticipated Trafford Centre store / Credit: The Manc Group
“Trafford Centre’s vibrant retail environment, strong footfall, and strategic location strengthens our opportunity to access both loyal fans and new audiences, and we look forward to seeing visitors embrace the fun collectable toys and retail experience.”
Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at Trafford Centre, says POP MART is a ‘brilliant addition’ to the shopping centre.
Emily Sergeant -
4th February 2021 
