Velvet Hotel in the Gay Village is reopening this weekend after an expansion and refurbishment.
The landmark hotel on Canal Street has added 17 new suites after expanding into 3 Canal Street – a former office building – next door.
It’s set to relaunch just in time for Manchester Pride this weekend, which will see thousands flock to the Village for four days of protest and partying.
The four-star Velvet Hotel occupies a former velvet factory and still has historic details like exposed brick work and high vaulted ceilings.
The Signature Penthouse Suite spans 40 sq metres across two levels, with a private bar and seating on the first level and an en-suite bed deck on the second.
The design concept across the entire hotel takes inspiration from the site’s history – a factory warehouse producing velvet in the epicentre of the industrial revolution.
Inside the new-look Velvet Hotel. Credit: Supplied
Eris Koutsoudakis and Maria Kachramanoglou of Meraki Design led the interior design, with a vision that included moody dark hues reference the original commercial heritage of the building.
You’ll find it in plush velvet furnishings, and black bedside tables shaped like cotton reels.
The new bedrooms and suites feature super king-size beds, smart 65” televisions, air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, black-out blinds and ambient lighting systems, with walk-in rainfall showers and underfloor heating in the large bathrooms.
The hotel’s Village Brasserie remains too, with cocktails and offers like Steak Night Wednesdays and lunch deals.
To celebrate its relaunch, Velvet Hotel is running a Stay For Free deal, where you receive the full room booking fee back as credit to be used on food and drink at Velvet Bar and Village Brasserie.
Mr Sean Kilheeney, managing director of Tick Interiors, which oversaw the detailing throughout Velvet Hotel, said: “From our labourers to our sub-contractors, we’ve consciously striven to work with teams who reside in and around Greater Manchester. All of our materials have also been sourced within a 20-mile radius of Canal Street.
“It has been a pleasure working with Velvet to upgrade an otherwise derelict building, with the ambition of continuing the development of the Mancunion economy, and creating jobs within the travel and hospitality sectors.
“We’re incredibly proud of the new look and feel of the hotel, and hope that it provides Manchester’s guests with the best accommodation upon their arrival into the city.”
Velvet Hotel has also been welcomed back into the Mr and Mrs Smith Hotels collection, a travel club for luxury hotel lovers.
Rebecca Puttock, Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel & Villa curator said: “We are thrilled to welcome Velvet Hotel into our collection, and we’re really excited about this partnership. A real gem in the heart of Manchester City Centre, we love the style and uniqueness of Velvet and feel it is the perfect fit for our members.”
To celebrate the relaunch, Velvet Hotel is offering a very special ‘Stay For Free’ getaway, where guests are invited to book their stay and receive the full amount of the booking fee as credit to be used on food and drink at both Velvet Bar and Village Brasserie.
Mr Kim Eivind Krohn, owner of KRO Hospitality said: “The success of Velvet demonstrated that we needed more accommodation, with occupancy above 90% yearly.
“When the opportunity arose to purchase the freehold of the neighbouring no3 Canal Street, we knew this would be the perfect way to expand and enhance Velvet Hotel, the guest experience and bring the former office building back to life.”
Featured image: Supplied
What's On
Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns for its 20th anniversary this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
The award-winning Bolton Food and Drink Festival is returning this bank holiday weekend for its 20th year in the town.
For the last two decades years, Bolton Food and Drink Festival has been taking over the Greater Manchester town for August bank holiday weekend, fusing street food, drinks, music, and entertainment for the whole family to feast on – with the event attracting more than half a million visitors in previous years.
And 2025 is no different… in fact, it’s set to be bigger and better than ever before, as the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary.
This year, iconic TV chef, Marco Pierre White, will make his festival debut, and event favourite James Martin returns for impressive 15th year.
Both will be taking to the stage for live cooking demos and Q&As, while regional chefs from across the North West and beyond will also be serving up free live workshops, sharing their culinary know-how with festival-goers across all four days.
The programme is packed with special events, including the return of the ever-popular Faulty Towers Dining Experience and the crowd-pleasing Sheer Luck Holmes murder mystery, plus a gala dinner on the Friday night.
Author, wine expert and presenter Helen McGinn, aka ‘Knackered Mother’, will also be hosting a wine tasting and afternoon tea in the town’s historic Albert Halls.
Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns for its 20th anniversary this bank holiday weekend / Credit: Paul Heyes & BFDF
Visitors can experience a global selection of food, drink, and artisan crafts across the festival’s stalls, with outdoor bars and live music from the likes of 90s boy band East 17, and legendary disco and soul group Odyssey.
Families can enjoy free activities from Bolton Library and Museum and The Octagon, while roaming street performers bring added fun and entertainment throughout the town centre.
“Bolton Food and Drink Festival is the jewel in our cultural crown – a vibrant celebration of our town’s creativity, hospitality and community spirit,” commented Bolton Council’s Executive Member for Culture, Cllr Nadeem Ayub.
“We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to experience everything Bolton has to offer.”
Bolton Food and Drink Festival is taking over Bolton town centre this bank holiday weekend, starting this Friday 22 August through to Monday 25 August.
Entry is FREE, although you can get tickets special events throughout the weekend online here.
Featured Image – Paul Hayes (via BFDF)
What's On
The Super League Basketball cup finals are coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester is set for more exclusive sporting action as the Super League Basketball (SLB) cup finals are coming to the AO Arena.
Britain’s official basketball league has been through a prolonged period of uncertainty over the last couple of years, but the SLB now looks to be back on track.
Ahead of the 2025/26 Super League Basketball campaign kicking off this September, and Manchester set to host an NBA fixture – just the second time it’s been in our city and the first time in history a regular season game has been played here in the UK – it’s another sporting milestone for 0161.
Combine that with the football now back underway, and it’s fair to say it’s going to be a busy few months for us Mancs.
Announcing the event this month, the confirmation of the host venue comes some 30 years after our very own Manchester Giants (now simply known as Manchester Basketball) first said hello to their old home ground, the AO Arena.
The storied sports and entertainment stadium is still the site which attracted the biggest British basketball crowd ever when our local side took on the London Leopards.
It feels only fitting, therefore, that the legendary arena should host the Men’s and Women’s SLB Cup Finals in a blockbuster double-header on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
With the future of basketball in the UK now looking much more secure after a deal to allow overseas players to register for work visas was agreed, the climate surrounding the British circuit looks a lot healthier than it did at the start of the year.
We are pleased to announce we have received confirmation from Basketball England that they will continue to process Governing Body Endorsements (GBEs) for SLB clubs, ahead of the new Super League season starting next month.
— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) August 7, 2025
Speaking on the important breakthrough, Interim Independent Chair, Sanjay Bhandari MBE, said: “We’re grateful to the Home Office and BE for their clarification in resolving this key issue.
“Clubs have shown real ambition and determination throughout the summer, pushing ahead with roster plans in the face of uncertainty. Now that this issue has been resolved, we can all look ahead to what promises to be a thrilling season of SLB with a full fixture list to be announced in the coming weeks.”
The new official Super League Basketball season will commence now commence on 19 September. As for the finals, both the AO Arena and Manchester City Council (MCC) know how big a deal it is to have booked the games.
John Hacking, the MCC’s Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure, went on to add his own excited statement following the news, too.
“Manchester stands proudly at the forefront of British basketball, and we’re thrilled to welcome Super League Basketball to the AO Arena next year — a world-class venue in a city where elite competition, grassroots development, and community passion come together.
“From vibrant outdoor courts in Hulme to elite fixtures at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester is a city that understands and supports the game at every level.
“Hosting the SLB Cup Final, the showpiece of the premier professional league in the UK, is a powerful endorsement of our growing reputation, proving that we not only understand basketball – but champion it at every level.”
Tickets will be available pre-sale from Wednesday, 20 August, or you can wait to grab general admission next week (Wed, 27 Aug) right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
24th August 2022 
