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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A deal has reportedly been agreed for Antony to leave Manchester United
Danny Jones
Currently exiled winger Antony looks like he’s finally set to leave Manchester United, as the Red Devils have reportedly agreed a deal with a Spanish team, Real Betis, to seal his return.
The 25-year-old winger, who joined Man United from Ajax in 2022 at the behest of former manager Erik ten Hag for nearly £90 million all told, has made 96 appearances for the club, but has only played a handful of games under Ruben Amorim.
Most notably, he also doesn’t look to be part of Amorim’s plans, and it looks like the Sevillan side may not have to turn to far-fetched measures after all.
Sharing the update on social media, Daily Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath wrote: “Agreement in principle for Antony to return to Real Betis, according to Spanish sources.
“Talks have been over a deal where the 25yo Brazil forward to eventually move permanently after [an] initial loan.”
As you can see, since these reports, the latest from other sources is that an official bid has now been received, though nothing has been signed just yet.
It goes without saying that Antony, who scored nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances for Los Béticos – many of which came in crucial games – would be keen on the switch.
Once again, it is only believed to be an agreement in principle at this point, but there is understandably a keenness on all sides.
You can see why he was an instant hit with their supporters down below.
Antony quickly looked much more at home in the Betis starting XI than he did in Manchester.
Although it is said that United have not yet accepted the bid, freelance transfer specialist Sam Alex claims that the Premier League club would prefer not to loan him out for a second time.
That being said, as McGrath states, it’s thought that the hope is that they can agree on another short-term spell in the immediate, with a look to sign him full-time at a later date.
Betis have reiterated that they still have a modest budget when it comes to recruitment, and it is unclear whether they’d be able to raise enough money via player sales by January to make it a permanent deal.
United have ended up spending more than £200m this window and are rumoured to be spending further as Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS Sports Group look to try and get the global sporting brand back to ‘the good days’, which the Portuguese coach insists are coming.
Nevertheless, the ex-Sporting boss has now played more Premier League games (29) than he has won points, of which he has amassed just 28 thus far. Those new signings have to start clicking soon.
Featured Images — Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons)/La Liga (screenshot via YouTube)
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BBC needs outspoken Mancs to share their hottest TV takes in brand-new show
Emily Sergeant
Outspoken Mancs are being urged to apply to take part in a new BBC show where they share their hottest TV takes.
We all have opinions when it comes to television, right? Whether it be which show had the best and worst ending, which characters deserved better arcs, or which shows are the most underrated – you name it, someone will have an opinion on it.
Some people, however, like to broadcast or shout about their options a little louder than others do… and it’s these people the BBC is looking to speak to.
The broadcaster is currently in the process of casting for a new digital pilot called People Watching that will give people from across the UK a chance to share their hottest TV takes, straight from the comfort of their own sofa, and is looking for outspoken people from across Greater Manchester to talk the talk and take part.
The BBC needs outspoken Mancs to share their hottest TV takes in a brand-new show / Credit: CoWomen (via Pexels)
A casting call for the new show on the BBC website reads: “Subtitles on or off? What would your winning strategy be on The Traitors? And what is the most overrated show ever made?
“If you have a big personality, an interesting living room, or are part of a household group who love a binge watch – we want to hear from you.”
People Watching is being produced for the BBC by BBC Socials, which likely means it’ll be a show primarily made for online audiences.
To apply to feature on the show, you’ll need to be 18 years old or over, and you must be willing to allow the BBC to film in your home.
Applicants will need to send casting directors a short ‘expression of interest’ in the form of a paragraph or video link, telling them a bit about yourself, your favourite BBC show, and most importantly, your most controversial TV opinion.
The closing date for applications is 1 October 2025, and you can apply by sending an email to [email protected]
Emily Sergeant -
4th February 2021 
