A new ‘Fireground’ experience has opened up inside an old museum, and it gives kids the chance to play at being firefighters for a day.
Newly-opened attraction Fireground Rochdale has replaced the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum in Rochdale’s old fire station, and it has everything from fully-restored fire engines, historic horse-drawn fire carriages, and manual hand-operated pumps, to an immersive Victorian street scene, and a scene from the blitz complete with lighting and sound effects all under one roof.
But probably one of the best parts about the new attraction for children is the countless interactive display elements that are there to teach them about the fire service’s impressive and extensive history.
Some of these interactive elements include fire engine toy replicas, a driving simulator game, the chance for kids to try on some firefighter costumes and helmets while sitting inside a real fire engine, and so much more.
One of the activities that’s proved most-popular is the child-sized fireman’s pole to slide down.
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Fireground has replaced the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum in Rochdale’s old fire station / Credit: Fireground Rochdale (via Facebook)
Inside the main building of Rochdale’s historic Maclure Road Fire Station, the new Fireground Rochdale is four-times bigger than the original museum.
It’s part of a £1.6 million renovation project that’s been five years in the making.
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Explaining a little bit more about Fireground on its website, the company states that its mission is to “explore, preserve and make accessible the history of fire, fire engineering and the fire and rescue services in the Greater Manchester region and, through our collections and resources, to further the education and promotion of fire safety in the community.”
And it’s fair to say that the reviews for the new Fireground have been glowing, with one parent and blogger, Katrina Heywood, saying it was “the best time” after visiting with her young son Joseph last month.
Another parent left a recent review claiming the family-friendly experience is “a great place to visit with lots of history and interactive activities”.
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“The staff were so friendly, welcoming and engaging,” another parent added in their review.
The immersive experience gives kids the chance to play at being firefighters for a day / Credit: Fireground Rochdale (via Facebook)
As well as getting to make the most of all of the interactive displays and historical elements of Fireground, there’s also a cafe on site serving hot drinks and cakes, as well as a small shop selling toys, helmets, books, and other firefighter-related products.
A number of events are planned at the museum later this year – including an ‘Easter Trail’ on 14 & 16 April, a ‘Mega Machines’ event on 25 June,’ and a Family Fun Day’ on 20 August.
Tickets for children and concessions cost £5, adults £7, or family tickets for £20, and children under the age of four visit for free.
For more information and bookings, you can visit the Fireground Rochdale website here.
Gladiators Live Tour to make ‘triumphant’ return to Manchester on UK arena tour
Emily Sergeant
The Gladiators Live Tour will make a triumphant return in 2026.
Following its explosive debut in 2025 and overwhelming fan demand, the Gladiators Live Tour is set to head out on a UK tour later this year, bringing the iconic phenomenon back to arenas nationwide for an electrifying new run of shows, and making a stop off in Manchester, of course.
Audiences will, once again, have the chance to experience the action-packed spectacle featuring the stars of the hit BBC reboot series on an epic scale.
The 2025 live tour thrilled audiences nationwide, selling over 200,000 tickets and proving the arena spectacular is ‘bigger, bolder, and more electrifying’ than ever, and that energy is only set to continue this year when the show returns to Manchester’s popular AO Arena.
GLADIATORS, READY!
Following its epic debut in 2025 the triumphant live show brings the energy to Manchester on 14 & 15 Nov!
This adrenaline-fuelled event sees the legendary Gladiators storm back into the arena to face fearless contenders in a heart-pounding live adaptation of the smash-hit television phenomenon.
Expect iconic fan-favourite events, breathtaking stunts, epic head-to-head battles and the unforgettable Eliminator finale.
Featuring stars from the hit BBC series, audiences are being told to expect a truly immersive, high-octane experience, as arenas are transformed into modern gladiatorial battlegrounds complete with purpose-built sets, spectacular lighting, and cinematic staging.
The Gladiators Live Tour 2026 kicks off in Aberdeen on 10 October, before heading to other major cities like Glasgow, London, and Birmingham, as well as northern locations like Leeds and Newcastle, and of course, Manchester’s AO Arena for two nights on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November.
Tickets officially go on sale this Friday 27 March, with two shows per day available, and you can grab them when they go live here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
An official and completely FREE Manchester Marathon fan zone is returning for 2026
Danny Jones
Yes, last year’s newest and official Manchester Marathon fan zone is returning for 2026, promising more positive pre- and post-race vibes than the first time around.
Here’s hoping for some lovely sunshine to go along with the atmosphere on 19 April.
Set to host the city centre’s runners and spectators for just the second time, Circle Square’s Symphony Park will be home to the 2026 Manc Marathon fan park, complete with independent pop-ups, big screens to watch all the action on, plus plenty more.
Best of all, it’s completely free to enter all day long for participants and those of you cheering your loved ones along, as well as being an ideal all-ages spot for families to relax and enjoy.
Located just moments from the finish line, just outside the University of Manchester along Oxford Road Corridor, you simply follow it down towards the tall Vita Group and Bruntwood SciTech buildings.
Circle Square itself hosts many events and activities all throughout the year, and they couldn’t resist getting back in on the raceday party once again, as more legends are set to take part than ever.
For context, 2025 saw more than 35,000 sign-ups, but this April is expected to see a whopping sold-out crowd exceeding 42,000 – a record number for the annual event.
With that in mind, finding a place to fit all of them and the countless fans who come along to cheer them on from the sidelines is paramount, so it’s a good job the Symphony Park x MCR Marathon fan zone will be open from 9am on the day.
Here are some more scenes from the last edition:
Credit: Jody Hartley (supplied)
Although more are set to be revealed nearer the time, visitors can expect “a lively schedule of entertainment, food and drink pop-ups, family-friendly activities and special offers from our community of independent businesses and brands.”
Set to close around 5pm as the hordes of runners will doubt either head home for a long bath, leg rub or straight to the pub for their victory pints, we can assure you lots of time will be spent on the square.
Emily Sergeant -
20th January 2022 
