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Thousands of cinema tickets are being given away for FREE across the UK next month

A cinematic experience without spending a single penny.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th February 2025

Thousands of cinema tickets are being given away for free all across the UK next month, and you can get your hands on them now.

As part of Escapes – a project supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) and National Lottery funding giving everyone the opportunity to “enjoy the big screen experience” and “discover independent cinema” – tens of thousands of cinema tickets are now up for grabs in Greater Manchester and across the UK for completely free of charge.

The ultimate aim of the Escapes project is to “bring new audiences” to the cinema, whether you’re someone who always prioritises a trip to the cinema, someone who treasures a visit but only on a special occasion, or someone who’s just keen to discover more.

There is a slight catch though… these tickets are only to see one particular film.

The Penguin Lessons
The Penguin Lessons
You can get free tickets to see The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan next month / Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

But as far as free tickets to cinema go, let’s just say you could do a whole lot worse than taking a trip to see the the new heartwarming drama-comedy The Penguin Lessons on Monday 17 March, before it gets its wider release to the public.

The Penguin Lessons – which is inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who takes up a teaching post in Argentina in 1976 – tells the story of Tom, played by Steve Coogan, who arrives expecting an easy ride, however he quickly finds himself in a divided nation with a class of unteachable students.

After rescuing a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, Tom’s life is turned upside-down, leading to unexpected friendships and profound life lessons.

From the director of the Full Monty and the writer of Philomena, and also featuring a performance from Jonathan Pryce, the film promises to be both “humorous and heartfelt” by combining comedy and drama, and is ideal for film-lovers looking for a story that will bring all the feels this March.

This is the second year Escapes is offering free cinema tickets, after already making a huge impact with more than 65,000 tickets claimed in 2024 alone.

All showings of The Penguin Lessons will be screened with descriptive subtitles.

Escapes is partnering with leading cinema chains, as well as independent venues across the UK throughout 2025.

If a touching comedy-drama about a penguin doesn’t really sound like something up your street though, not to worry, as The Penguin Lesson is only the first film on the lineup in 2025, as Escapes is set to announce a range of other new films to preview all throughout the year.

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Fancy it then?

You can find out more about Escapes, find out which Greater Manchester cinemas are participating, and grab your free ticket to see The Penguin Lessons on Monday 17 March here.

Featured Image – Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)

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A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons

Danny Jones Danny Jones Boddingtons is back on tap draught in Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.

And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.

That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.

With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.

Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.

Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…

Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.

Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.

Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.

The lost art of Boddingtons, and which pubs still serve The Cream of Manchester

Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.

“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.

Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.

In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?

@the.manc The history behind the cream of Manchester #themanc #manchester #boddingtons ♬ Powerful gangster and manly(1070054) – Patricia

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/The Manc Eats

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Subway launches make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ across UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Spudway

Subway is finally launching its viral make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ at all its restaurants in the UK.

That’s right – you can now walk into any Greater Manchester Subway and order a jacket potato instead of a sandwich, and you get to choose exactly what goes on top of it.

Britain has always been a nation of ‘jacket fanatics’, with almost half of Brits claiming the spud to be a British cultural icon, but according to new research by Subway, it’s been found that nearly a quarter (23%) of us have argued with family and friends over how to prepare or serve one.

So it’s fair to say that, yes, us Brits do love ourselves a jacket potato, and this is why ‘Spudway’ is launching nationwide.

The UK-wide rollout of Spudway comes after it was trailed in select sites earlier this year, and then proved so popular that the trail was extended to include more locations.

Now, those fluffy jacket potatoes are available everywhere.

You can choose topping options like the simple Cheese & Beans or Tuna Mayo, or you can opt for Subway specialities like Meatball Marinara, and Chicken Tikka, but the beauty of Spudaway is it’s all fully customisable.

This means you can pick, quite simply, from whatever you fancy at the protein and salad counters, and finish it with your choice of Subway’s wide selection of signature sauces.

“The nation’s love of Jacket Potatoes is unparalleled,” commented Cathy Goodwin, who is the Interim Director of Culinary & Innovation Subway EMEA.

Spudway
Subway has finally launched its make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ all across the UK / Credit: Subway

“The enthusiasm we’ve seen on social media and the strong demand from our guests throughout the trial made it clear that Spudway deserved a permanent place on our menu.

“Made with British potatoes, Irish salted butter, a double portion of cheese, and fully customisable with any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.”

Spudway jacket potatoes are freshly baked in-store daily and can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or a cookie.

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You can tuck into them at your local Subway now.

Featured Image – Subway

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