GRUB is set to bid farewell to Red Bank this week with one almighty closing weekend party.
After five unforgettable years at Red Bank, GRUB, one of Manchester‘s original and best-loved street food markets and social hubs, is set to say goodbye in the best way it knows how – with a three-day blowout of food, booze, music, and memories this week.
You many remember earlier this year that it was announced GRUB will ‘cease to exist’ in its current form this autumn, as the building they have occupied for the last five years, on Red Bank in the Green Quarter, will be undergoing redevelopment.
The much-loved venue confirmed that it will be going back to its roots and ‘returning to the street’ as a travelling food festival filled with street food chefs, pop-up bars and ‘unbeatable vibes’.
But before then, it’s time to say goodbye to the beloved Green Quarter venue first.
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GRUB is throwing a big three-day closing party full of ‘food, booze, music, and memories’ / Credit: The Manc Group
From this Thursday (25 September) through to Saturday 27 September, GRUB regulars are invited to come together for one final massive send-off packed with 2-for-1 cocktails, shooters and tacos, a non-stop 72-hour Happy Hour, and GRUB’s resident DJs going back-to-back as the cellar is drunk dry.
This Thursday will be the final ever ‘Fizzy Quizzy’ event, so expect huge prizes, free-flowing fizz deals and the chance to win parts of the bar – literally.
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Then Friday is a night of GRUB resident DJs going back-to-back until late, before the closing weekend peaks on Saturday with prices so low, you might think GRUB has lost the plot.
“Everything must go, and it is going out with a bang,” GRUB said in a statement.
While this may be the end of Red Bank, it’s not the end of GRUB, as in the meantime, GRUB fan favourites like Sip & Paint and Baby Mosh will live on just down the road at sister venue, Fairfield Social Club.
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“Red Bank has been our home for over half a decade, and we’ve loved every minute of it – the community, the traders, the parties, the memories,” explained Jason Bailey, who is the co-founder of GRUB.
“We’re so excited for this closing weekend, which will be a proper knees-up in true GRUB fashion, and even more excited to show you what’s next.
“Manchester, we promise it’s going to be special.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
What's On
Chester Zoo’s spectacular light trail returns this winter with a new route and new animals for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s popular winter light trail is set to return with a redesigned route and some magical new animals for 2026.
Produced by Chester Zoo in partnership with Sony Music and Culture Creative, Lanterns & Light has become a popular fixture in the region’s festive calendar over the years, and it’s back this winter – transforming the zoo after dark with thousands of festive lights, colour, and wildlife-themed displays.
The 2026 trail has been redesigned with some exciting new installations, including the dazzling Suspended Jellyfish underwater display, a mirrored disco tunnel, a glittering pea-lit canopy, and Floating Feathers.
New for this year too, visitors will also get to encounter parrots, dolphins, and a giant polar bear among an expanded cast of life-sized animal puppets, all brought to life by specialist performers.
More than 140,000 people visited the trail last year, but for the first time ever in 2026, the event will also host two adults-only evenings, one on 19 November and another 8 December – giving grown-ups the chance to enjoy the trail without children.
Alongside the new additions, plenty of much-loved features will return too, including the walk-through Cathedral of Light and atmospheric Fire Garden, as well as the chance to meet Father Christmas in a snowy setting.
Visitors can also enjoy marshmallow fire pits, festive food, and warming drinks, alongside a funfair at the entrance.
But Lanterns & Light isn’t just about Christmas, as every ticket purchased helps fund Chester Zoo’s vital conservation work, supporting projects protecting threatened wildlife and restoring habitats in more than 20 countries around the world.
“Lanterns & Light is a chance to have a brilliant night out, but it also helps us do something much bigger,” explained Gemma Wright, who is the Head of Guest Experience at Chester Zoo.
“Every ticket helps support Chester Zoo’s work to prevent extinction, from protecting threatened wildlife in the places where it lives to caring for and breeding endangered species here at the zoo.
“So, while our visitors are enjoying the lights, puppets and festive atmosphere, they’re helping to give wildlife a brighter future too.”
Lanterns & Light returns to Chester Zoo from 13 November 2026 through to 3 January 2027.
Tickets are on sale and available now from £19.50 for children and £27.50 for adults, while babies under 12 months go free. You can book yours here.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
What's On
Manchester Art Fair returns this autumn with more than 180 exhibitors under one roof
Emily Sergeant
One of the UK’s largest art fairs is back in Manchester this autumn, bringing more than 180 exhibitors together all under one roof.
Not only is it one of the UK’s largest and one of the most significant art fairs, but it’s by far one of the most celebrated cultural events in Greater Manchester‘s social calendar too.
Designed for the collector, the curator, and those who are just simply curious, the event draws in tens of thousands of visitors, and will feature lots of new and returning galleries and artists this year – all of whom will be showing new works.
2026’s edition will be its biggest yet too, as the event is returning to Manchester Central for four days this year instead of the usual three.
Returning from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 November, the fair will have more than 600 artists there for an exceptional showcase of modern and contemporary art, with thousands of works available to discover and buy from both world-renowned names and some of the most exciting emerging creative talent.
In a significant move, the fair’s highly anticipated Preview Night will move to Thursday evening, opening an expanded programme of art, talks, workshops, and new experiences across the four days that follow.
Leading the lineup of new features are Manchester Art Fair’s Art Masterclasses, which have been created for developing artists looking to advance their creative practice.
These new experiences will sit alongside a rich programme of artist talks, panel discussions, Q&As, live demonstrations, and other hands-on creative workshops.
More than 180 exhibitors will all gather together under one roof / Credit: Supplied
Manchester Art Fair 2026 will first open at Manchester Central with an exclusive preview night on Thursday 19 November, before it then continues on Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November – with tockets now on sale.
Tickets are priced at £15 for a day ticket or £25 for a preview night ticket, including access throughout the weekend, all with booking fees applying.
Emily Sergeant -
24th September 2025 
