Manchester’s Backyard Cinema is set to open tonight on the rooftop of Depot Mayfield – and it’s absolutely incredible.
It’s not just about the film screening itself here (though that’s pretty luxurious too).
The whole experience will transport you to a theatrical land, using film sets, themed tunnels, and live actors to bring it all to life.
Cinema-goers enter the experience through the 150-year-old former door to Mayfield Railway Station, popping out on what was previously the train station’s platform.
Inside the cinema space itself. Credit: The Manc Group
The old waiting room has been converted into a pizza and pints bar, with dark green tiles around the bar.
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A huge, fairy-tale style shopping street now takes up most of the platform space – think snow-covered shop windows and even a Tavern bar with a castle turret jutting out of it.
Once you’re suitably fed and beered in the courtyard, it’s through the door into Dr Portelli’s Antiques and Curiosities, a mock-shop filled with colourful glass bottles and trinkets.
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Feeling the magic yet? There’s loads more to come.
One of the Backyard Cinema experience rooms. Credit: The Manc GroupYou enter Backyard Cinema through a Narnia-style wardrobe. Credit: The Manc Group
Next, Backyard Cinema’s actors throw up the doors to a wardrobe full of fur coats, and your Narnia-style journey continues.
Squeezing through the racks of clothing, you’ll find yourself in a tree-lined tunnel dotted with ancient lanterns overhead.
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Then it’s choose-your-own-adventure as the maze continues – a rose-lined Beauty tunnel or the much more mysterious Bravery tunnel.
The Waiting Room bar. Credit: The Manc Group
Whichever you choose, you’ll come to a trickling fountain, with more doors leading off to each of the four seasons.
When you’ve had enough of exploring, it’s into the enormous cinema space itself, where rows and rows of plush custom bean bags line up in front of a state-of-the-art cinema screen.
We’re talking waiter service, blockbuster films, and seasonal cocktails.
Choose your own adventure in the Backyard Cinema maze. Credit: The Manc Group
Movie fans should expect a mixture of brand new releases including the acclaimed Elvis biopic starring Tom Hanks, the new Top Gun: Maverick and The Batman, plus cult classics and Christmas hits later in the year.
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The team has just teased out a list of cult classics too, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Die Hard, Hocus Pocus, Addams Family Values, Beetlejuice, plus other favourites such as The Greatest Showman, Frozen 2, Beauty and the Beast.
Elsewhere, there’ll be a run of family favourites showing including The Greatest Showman, Frozen 2, Beauty and the Beast, and the brand new Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Then come Christmas time, organisers are planning to go all-out with screenings of festiva favourites like Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, The Holiday, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street.
Backyard Cinema will open from Wednesday to Sunday, starting from 21 October until 4 December, and from Monday to Sunday, from 5 December until 2 January. Show times are 12pm, 4pm, and 8pm, although these will vary depending on the day.
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Visit the Backyard Cinemawebsite here to check screening times and buy your tickets.
Featured image: The Manc Group
What's On
Manchester Museum’s iconic T-Rex Stan is moving for the first time over 20 years
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum’s iconic T-Rex Stan is moving locations for the first time over 20 years.
Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex at the heart of Manchester Museum’s Fossils Gallery, is on the move from one historic building to another, as he leaves his home in the Museum next spring for a spectacular residency in a Grade II-listed Edwardian swimming pool.
That’s right – the famous dinosaur is heading on holiday to Victoria Baths, where he’ll be on display in the Gala Pool, marking the first time he has left Manchester Museum since arriving there in 2004.
The process of moving Stan to Victoria Baths is already being tipped as a ‘gargantuan task’.
Manchester Museum’s iconic T-Rex Stan is moving for the first time over 20 years / Credit: The Manc Group
It’s expected that the move will take a team of specialists a full week, as at 12-metres long and 3.7-metres tall, big boy Stan is roughly the size of a double decker bus and his bones must be dismantled and reassembled in a strict order to ensure counterbalance and stop him from toppling over.
During the residency at Victoria Baths, Stan will be on display to the public but will also act as the centrepiece for a full programme of events – with more details set to be announced soon.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for people to experience this incredible Tyrannosaurus rex in an entirely different context,” explained Georgina Young, who is the Acting Director at Manchester Museum.
“Not only is Victoria Baths breathtakingly beautiful, but their team will bring renewed creativity to encounters with Stan.”
Anthony Baker, CEO of the Victoria Baths Trust, added: “Victoria Baths would like to state for the record that we did not invite a T-Rex skeleton into our Grade II-listed swimming pool. Stan has made his own arrangements and we are simply going along with it.
“He is insisting that we open our doors for free so that as many people can visit him as possible and it is very difficult to say no to a giant dinosaur, especially when he asked so nicely.”
Stan the T-Rex will be at Victoria Baths from 22 March to 19 April 2027, and he’ll be free to pop in and say hello to.
Featured Image – Stephen Gidley (via Flickr)
What's On
Full list of road closures for Manchester Village Pride 2026
Emily Sergeant
The full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Village Pride this weekend have been released.
Manchester Village Pride is a beloved celebration of LGBTQ+ life in Manchester, known for bringing thousands of people into city centre every August bank holiday weekend for four fun-filled, glitter-covered, disco-driven days… and although 2026 may look a little different to usual, you can always count on the city to welcome everyone in.
Every year, the lineup offers a wide range of activities for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to join together and celebrate, as well as provide opportunities to advocate for equality, engage families and young people, and celebrate queer arts and culture.
This year’s event is set to kick off this Friday 28 August and round out on bank holiday Monday (31 August).
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
And of course, for the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a number of road closures and restrictions will need to be put in place, and Manchester City Council has now published a list of everything you need to know.
It’s advised that anyone making their way into and around the city centre this weekend use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains.
But for those who need to drive, you’ll want to pay attention to this list before setting out on any journeys.
The full list of road closures for Manchester Village Pride 2026 has been released / Credit: The Manc Group | Supplied
Saturday 29 August
All roads in this list will be closed from 6am to 7pm:
Liverpool Road (Water Street to Deansgate)
Wollam Place (30m south of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road)
Potato Wharf (Castlefield Hotel entrance to Liverpool Road)
Old Medlock Street
Lower Byrom Street (40m north of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road)
Duke Street (Rice Street to Liverpool Road)
Stone Street (Liverpool Road to Bridgewater Street)
Barton Street (Bridgewater Street to Tonman Street)
Southern Street (Bridgewater Street to Liverpool Road)
Bridgewater Street (Collier Street to Deansgate)
Tonman Street (Liverpool Road to Longworth Street)
Saturday 29 August
All roads in this list will be closed from 9am to 7pm:
Deansgate (Trafford Street to Peter Street)
Quay Street (Little Quay Street to Deansgate)
Peter Street (Deansgate to Oxford Street)
Camp Street (Deansgate to Longworth Street)
St James Street (Deansgate to Longworth Street)
Jerusalem Place (Jacksons Row to Deansgate)
Marron Place (Jacksons Row to Deansgate)
Watson Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Bootle Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Bootle Street)
Lower Mosley Street (Windmill Street to Oxford Street)
Oxford Street (Peter Street to Whitworth Street)
Chepstow Street (Great Bridgewater Street to Oxford Street)
Portland Street (Oxford Street to Abingdon Street)
Princess Street (Faulkner Street to Whitworth Street)
Whitworth Street (Beaver Street to Fairfield Street)
Samuel Ogden Street (Bombay Street to Whitworth Street)
Sackville Street (Bombay Street to Whitworth Street)
Fairfield Street (Whitworth Street to London Road)
Minshull Street (Fairfield Street to Aytoun Street)
Back Acton Street (Fairfield Street to Ebden Street)
Minshull Street (Fairfield Street to Ebden Street)
Bus lanes will also be suspended on Bridge Street from Gartside to New Bailey Street, Whitworth Street West from Deansgate to Albion Street, and Portland Street from Princess Street to Newton Street, on the Saturday (29 August) too – running from 6am to 7pm.
Daisy Jackson -
21st October 2022 
