Atlas Bar, located on the corner of Deansgate-Castlefield, has been a cornerstone of Manchester city centre nightlife for more than 25 years.
Now, the popular gin bar is teaming up with charity HUMEN, alongside dozens of other Heineken Star Bars and Pubs for a mental health walk in the hope of raising awareness surrounding male suicide.
Starting from Atlas on 4 December, Manchester-based supporters of the organisation will be walking 5,151 metres (i.e. just over 5k) to and from the venue to remember every man who lost their life to suicide in the last year.
Dubbing the initiative the ‘Pub Pilgrimage’, Atlas Bar and HUMEN are aiming to raise £500,000 for men’s mental health as part of their annual Rise Against Suicide campaign.
Part of the reason Atlas Bar and Heineken have signed up to promote the pilgrimage is a result of HUMEN’s most recent study, which found that 24% of men in Manchester don’t feel comfortable having serious conversations in pubs and only 16% say they can speak honestly about their feelings.
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Their research also yielded the following findings:
29% of men in Manchester admitted to their friends that they are worried about their personal lives and futures, specifically in the social settings of pubs.
12% of Manchester men admitted to needing some kind of support in relation to their feelings and mental wellbeing.
47% of men across the region admitted that they don’t think a pub is the right place to talk about worries or stresses.
78% of Manc men believe their gender should speak more about personal matters between one another in a pub.
As well as promoting sincere and open conversations while socialising in pubs, the organisation is also hoping to promote healthier relationships with drinking, with HUMEN insisting that you don’t need to be teetotal to look after your mental health.
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A staggering 14 men are estimated to take their own life every single day in the UK, making up around 75% of all suicides in the country, and simply having a dialogue when it comes to issues like mental health, loneliness and suicide can help combat that number.
Despite being one of their favourite places to socialise and destress, with the average man spending at least two hours a week in a pub, 33% say they simply won’t share how they’re really doing over a pint. Landlords like the people in charge of Atlas are hoping to change that culture.
Owner Mark Wrigley and Joint MD Elain Wrigley (Credit: Supplied)
Speaking ahead of the event, owner Mark Wrigley said that pubs are an “essential part of communities” and their business in particular is working hard to “create a safe place for our guests to socialise – one where they can talk openly about the issues that matter to them.”
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Beyond Manchester, pubs in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh; Brighton, Birmingham, Nottingham; Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow; Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton are all getting involved with the Pub Pilgrimage. The Rise Against Suicide campaign is aiming to reach further than ever this year.
Furthermore, set up by actor River Hawkins, other notable names supporting the campaign include the likes of Andrew Scott and Bill Nighy, rugby player Danny Cipriani, musician Tom Odell and many, many more.
Hawkins insists that “we all need friendly spaces to talk, listen and connect”, stating that pubs and bars can act not only as the “cornerstone of communities”, but as progressive gathering places that refuse to encourage the ‘drink and forget’ mentality that regularly plagues male social circles.
He went on to remark that, hopefully, by getting people talking and pointing them in the direction when it comes to professional help, the number of metres they’ll have to walk will be lower than next year.
HUMEN isn’t just about trying to encourage men to talk, it’s about providing them with a safe space and outlet to do so. Furthermore, the charity is all about moving beyond the false and limiting notions of what it means to be a ‘man’, a ‘lad’, or a ‘bloke’.
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Their work serves as a reminder to value inner health just as much as outer, helping create a better world for both men and women.
All that being said, Atlas, HUMEN and its supporters are now calling on Mancs to join the initiative and walk a metre for every tragic suicide that could have been avoided with the right help.
Atlas Bar’s ‘Pub Pilgrimage’ starts at 10am on Sunday, 4 December. To do your bit for men’s mental health, you can register to join the walk HERE and, if you can, donate to their JustGiving page — any amount can help make a big difference.
Cheshire Oaks to debut first-ever ice rink with iconic Christmas tree in the middle to skate around
Emily Sergeant
Cheshire Oaks has unveiled its big plans for the upcoming festive season.
With less than 100 days until Christmas is here, and festive events being announced left, right, and centre, Cheshire Oaks has now joined in on the action, and for the first time ever this year will be adding a bespoke ice rink into the mix, which is set to become centrepiece of its festive celebrations this Christmas season.
The Designer Outlet shopping mall is already known and loved in the North West for its Christmas events each year, and 2025 is set to be no different.
The highly-anticipated ice rink attraction will launch in late October, and it’s already promising to be an ‘unforgettable experience’ that organisers say blends the timeless joy of ice skating with contemporary design and community spirit.
A brand-new ice rink is coming to Cheshire Oaks with a big Christmas tree in the middle to skate around / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of the new ice rink will be a custom-designed ice path that gracefully weaves around Cheshire Oaks’ iconic oak Christmas tree in the centre.
The rink itself will be nestled within a dedicated Christmas events space at the shopping village.
“We are incredibly excited to soon introduce this bespoke ice rink experience to our guests,” says Kenny Murray, who is the General Manager at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet.
“It’s more than just a place to skate – it will be a destination where families and friends can create cherished festive moments.”
There’ll be lots of other fan-favourite festive activities returning too / Credit: Supplied
The new ice rink will officially open on Friday 24 October, and tickets will be available soon, with the option to book in advance online or on the day, so keep your eyes peeled.
Alongside the exciting new ice rink addition will, of course, be some of Cheshire Oaks’ fan-favourite Christmas attractions – including the ‘The Big Wheel’ and ‘Santa in the Sky’ experiences, as well as festive film screenings, and the massively popular Winter Village.
The Winter Village is the perfect place to head to if you’re in need of a break from gift shopping and somewhere to soak up the Christmas spirit, as here you can grab a cosy seat and tuck into some traditional German bratwurst from the swing grill, warm up with mulled wine at the bar, and marvel at the UK’s tallest Christmas tree.
You can also book a little wooden hut to relax in, with each hut accommodating up to six people.
The Big Wheel is also one of Cheshire Oaks’ best-loved experiences each year, as here you can simply sit back, relax, and enjoy watching the festivities unfold below you, with each flight taking 10 minutes, or you can upgrade to Santa in the Sky to meet the main man in the most unique way possible.
Find out everything happening at Cheshire Oaks this Christmas here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
Huge vintage home show to take over historic Manchester building next month
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most historic buildings is set to host a huge home show full of vintage finds next month.
The Vintage Home Show is taking over Victoria Baths for their second event of the year.
For anyone looking to add a retro touch to their homes, this is a chance to feast your eyes on a carefully-curated collection of furniture, homeware, ceramics, artworks, vinyl records, and more stocked by more than 60 knowledgeable sellers in a welcoming atmosphere amid the empty Grade II-listed swimming pool.
Planning to renovate in a vintage style? Or looking for one missing piece of the puzzle? This event can help you track down that something special for your home.
From one-off minimalist pieces, to mass-market retro and kitsch classics, with prices for items starting from as little as £1, you’ll have the chance to shop the collections of dozens of quality independent dealers from right around the UK, all under one historic roof.
Browse a selection of vibrant stalls featuring pieces spanning from the mid-century decades to the bold brightness of the 1990s, and everything in between.
No matter what your budget, you’ll find that gorgeous something to suit your impeccable taste.
Once you’ve finished shopping everything you need to transform your home, you can stop off at Victoria Baths’ on-site cafe to treat yourself to a selection of cakes, savouries, pastries, and soup, as well as both hot and cold drinks.
A huge vintage home show will be taking over the historic Victoria Baths in Manchester next month / Credit: Vintage Home Show
The Vintage Home Fair will take over Victoria Baths on Sunday 5 October, kicking off from 10:30am for keen shoppers after ‘Early Bird’ entry, while ‘Standard Entry’ starts at 11am and runs through the day until 3:30pm.
Due to popularity, the event will be operating a timed ticket entry process, that way organisers can manage the numbers of visitors in the building at any one time to allow everyone a chance to see everything.
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Tickets are now on sale, priced anywhere from £2 to £6 depending on the time you go, so you simply need to arrive anytime within your allocated hour and stay as long as you wish.