A huge bowling alley is coming to Trafford next month, promising the ‘crown jewels of bowling’ with Ten Pin and Duck Pin bowling, plus shuffleboard, quality street food, arcade games and more.
Called King Pins, the giant new venue will open at Trafford Palazzo on 17 July with two independent street food stands, a dessert kiosk and a full-service bar pouring cocktails, homemade slushies and 20 different beers.
Food traders have just been confirmed for the new opening, with city centre favourites PLY and Little Bao Boy both coming on board to serve up Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas and pan-Asian bao buns respectively.
PLY fans can expect to get their hands on all their Northern Quarter favourites, as well as digging into a brand new King Pins pizza topped with hot dogs, crunchy onion and a secret Goldeen barbecue sauce created exclusively for the new opening.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Image: The Manc Eats
There’ll also be a selection of saucy PLY wings coated in buffalo, BBQ and chip shop curry sauce, classic fries, vegan options and a special kids menu, perfect for the whole family.
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As for the menu at Little Bao Boy, originally founded in Leeds and voted the city’s favourite takeaway during Covid, expect to find the likes of beef beef brisket and salt and pepper aubergine-stuffed bao on a list that celebrates Asian food with a western, contemporary twist.
Meanwhile, King Pins’ dessert kiosk Royal Treats will serve a huge selection of sweet snacks ranging from donuts and soft serve ice cream to endless bags of Pick ‘N’ Mix.
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As for the games on offer, players can try their hands at both Ten Pin and Duck Pin bowling – a variation on the classic using smaller pins and balls – as well as play arcade games, shuffleboard, ice-free curling and air hockey.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
With a whopping fifteen lanes of Ten Pin bowling and six lanes of Duck Pin bowling (a shorter-laned, faster game of bowling that is completely new to the UK), up to 200 people will be able to play at once at the huge new venue when it launches next month.
James Travis, Brand Manager at King Pins, said: “We’re looking forward to finally opening King Pins this summer at Trafford Palazzo.
“The offering at King Pins is like no other, we are all about quality as opposed to outdated family fun. We can’t wait to showcase everything on offer, including a truly state-of-the-art bowling experience and some top-tier local food vendors.
“King Pins will be a place for the whole family to have fun, but equally the space will transform by night into an entertainment venue with music, drinks and bowling which is also perfect for adults looking for something different.”
Carl Fraenkl-Rietti, co-owner at PLY, said: “We are very excited about partnering with King Pins and are looking forward to the launch this summer.
“PLY will be bringing its fun, fresh food to the venue, which is the perfect fit for us. We are all about bringing great vibes, and who doesn’t love playing games, drinking beer and cocktails with a slice of pizza in hand.“
James Ooi, owner at Little Bao Boy, said: “We are very excited to be opening our restaurant in Manchester alongside King Pins, especially after seeing such a huge success at our home site in Leeds and Manchester city centre.
“We can’t wait to start slinging out our Bao Buns from this amazing new venue and we are looking forward to being part of this exciting new launch at Trafford Palazzo.”Designed with all ages in mind, bookings are officially open now for the new kingsized bowling experience. Located close to Legoland® Discovery Centre, SEA LIFE and the forthcoming Nerf Experience, to find out more and book visit the King Pins website here.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
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Be part of the biggest Great Manchester Run ever
Danny Jones
Runners and regular Mancs alike, start lacing up your trainers and sorting safety pins early, because the Great Manchester Run is back for 2026, and you can be part of it.
With sign-ups flying and bibs selling out fast, we really recommend getting a move on and booking your place now to make sure you’re part of what is, without fail, not just one of the most exciting dates on the local sporting calendar, but always a great day for the city in general.
Returning for its 23rd edition and fourth year being backed by principal sponsors, AJ Bell, we can assure it’ll be as well-attended as ever.
In fact, judging by the numbers already and the increasing crowds of spectators every year, this is looking on course to be the biggest Great Manchester Run to date.
The only question is, are you going to help make it the BEST yet by joining the thousands of others already finding the perfect spot to hang their shiny new medal?
Half-marathon, 10k, junior and mini races
As ever, the Great MCR Run isn’t just limited to one event: there are multiple distances, routes and age groups that can race the route in and around the city centre.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner looking to get in a PB, looking to box off your first half, love a 10, or you’re a youngster looking to get in on the action and soak up some of that glory on the day
So, whether you’re a seasoned runner looking to get in a PB, looking to box off your first half, love a 10, or you’re a youngster looking to get in on the action and soak up some of that glory on the day, there really is fun for all ages.
In all seriousness, even watching the massive metropolitan event stood next to the roads with homemade signs promises plenty of atmosphere, but with fancy dress galore, various different activations in the middle of the city, there’s not a chance you’ll get bored.
Even in the years we’ve missed out on running it ourselves (it sold well in advance last year, for instance), the pure buzz we got from joining countless other Mancs cheering from the pavement is enough to keep us coming back time and time again.
All that being said, if you’re looking to sort the perfect Christmas present for a runner, or simply need more reason to give yourself the kick up the backside you’ve been waiting for and just put your name down, this is it.
Besides the full annual marathon in April, running events simply don’t get bigger in this region than this one, so don’t miss out.
Sign up for the 2026 Great Manchester Run right HERE.
Featured Images — Great Run Company/AJ Bell (supplied)
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A candlelit Queen tribute concert is returning to Manchester
Danny Jones
Yes, you read that right: a candlelit concert dedicated to the one and only Queen, with a spectacular West End Cast and a talented live rock band, is coming to Manchester city centre in January.
In fact, it’s coming home, as this wonderful event started right here in 0161 back in 2021.
Concerts by Candlelight themselves host concerts up and down the country at various points throughout the year, but their much-loved ‘Queen by Candlelight‘ special knows all about lighting up Manc venues.
Having since gone on to become an internationally acclaimed live concert experience, we’re glad we still get to see the ‘Princes of the Universe’ on our doorstep.
Credit: Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)
With the likes of Bridgewater Hall and the magical Manchester Monastery all having played host to the promotion on many ocassions, this time Queen by Candlelight is coming to the legendary Manchester Opera House in the new year.
One of our most historic and legendary theatres, it’s only fitting, really, that they be chosen to welcome a night of equally iconic tunes.
But it’s worth reminding more casual fans that these aren’t just British rock and pop anthems; Queen‘s discography is one that still has global recognition to this day.
That’s why this specific show has been taken to virtually every corner of the world, with the incredibly talented cast of singers and musicians delighting audiences in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand and New York, to domestic crowds here in town and down in London’s West End.
‘Queenies’ or ‘Darlings’, as Freddie Mercury used to call them, can expect all the big hits, from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Are The Champions’, to ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and plenty more from the back catalogue.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store this coming January:
With tickets already flying out fast, we really would recommend securing your seats early before they inevitably sell out.
To quote the promoters themselves, “this spectacular celebration of Queen’s biggest hits is guaranteed to rock you.”
Coming to the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, 6 January, you can book your tickets for Queen by Candlelight right HERE.
And if you’ve never been to one of their candlelit events before, you only need to see how much of a ball we had at their country event earlier this year to find out how much fun they are…
Georgina Pellant -
8th June 2023 
