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Manchester Opera House announces revised dates for socially-distanced Sleeping Beauty production

The theatre is "determined to stage this wonderful production" as safely as possible.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 4th December 2020
Palace & Opera / ATG Tickets

Manchester Opera House has this week released revised dates for its new socially-distanced production of Sleeping Beauty this Christmas.

Following England’s second national lockdown coming to an end, and a return to the government’s new “tougher” three tiered regional system commencing – with Greater Manchester having entered into Tier 3 restrictions – Manchester Opera House has confirmed that the opening of Sleeping Beauty will be delayed.

The production – which was due to open next week – will now begin on Thursday 24th December 2020, and run until Sunday 10 January 2021.

Manchester Opera House said it is “determined to stage this wonderful production” as safely as possible.

The pantomime – which has been created especially for Manchester Opera House in this unprecedented year – will be “a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime” and it’s set to be packed full of comedy and laughter to allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.

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Funding from The National Lottery has helped panto return to the Opera House Manchester this year.

Speaking on the release of the revised dates, Sheena Wrigley – Theatre Director of Manchester Palace & Opera House – said: “Given the downward trend of the virus in the city, and the community’s campaign for the reduction of the Tier level at the next review, we continue to be hopeful that we can stage the show this Christmas, opening a little later than planned on 24th December.

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“We thank all of our customers for their patience at this time as we work to get affected bookings rescheduled,

“And [we] are also grateful The National Lottery for their continued support to enable the rescheduled performances to go ahead.”

It was also announced last month that NHS staff are to be given free tickets to the opening night performance as a thank you for all their hard work during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic this year, but this has now also been rescheduled to the performance on Friday 8 January at 7pm. 

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All original ballot entries remain valid, and winners will be contacted from 7th December.

Palace & Opera / ATG Tickets

The relaxed performance of Sleeping Beauty – has been specially adapted to allow those with autism, sensory and communication disorders, learning difficulties or anyone who would benefit from a more informal setting to enjoy the performance, comfortably – has also been rescheduled.

This will now take place on Wednesday 6 January at 1pm. 

Customers will be pleased to know that there are no changes to the originally-announced cast and can expect to see Salford-born comedian Jason Manford as Muddles, alongside Blackpool’s own Jodie Prenger as The Enchantress, Billy Pearce as King Billy, Eric Potts as The Queen, Jenny Gaynor as Carabosse, Louis Gaunt as The Prince, and Sarah Goggin as Princess Beauty.

Aside from free / discounted eligibility, ticket prices start from £13 per person.

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Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Manchester Opera House’s capacity is being reduced by 50%, there’ll be staggered arrival times and one way systems in place, with sanitising stations placed around the venue, and deep cleaning taking place between every performance.

You can grab your tickets and find more information here.

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IRONMAN Bolton guide 2026 – course map, key times, travel advice and all the essential info

Danny Jones Danny Jones Ironman Bolton 2026 guide

The annual IRONMAN competition here in Greater Manchester has come back around for 2026, with the 70.3-mile Bolton challenge returning for a fourth edition this weekend.

Just the third consecutive iteration of the middle-distance triathlon since the event became permanent once again in 2024, this incredible feat of endurance still draws just as much support as the 14 full-length versions that concluded the year prior – if not maybe even more.

From a spectator’s point of view, the shorter (but still ridiculously impressive length) arguably makes for a much better day out cheering from the sidelines overall, and these superhuman specimens definitely need as much support as they can get.

With that in mind, we thought we’d put together a list of all the important information ahead of the race, from details around the three stages themselves to the whereabouts in Bolton it will pass through, guidance when it comes to getting there, and much more.

IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton 2026: everything you need to know

The IRONMAN route through Bolton – course maps, transitions and more

For starters, we’re sure most, if not all, of you taking this on are already fully familiar with the routes they’ll be taking over the course of Sunday, 7 June, but perhaps for the select few who haven’t and the benefit of those cheering on from the sidelines, here’s how it looks…

The swim

First up is the open-water swim across Pennington Flash Country Park and nature reserve, which is technically located in Leigh, but this will be your first foray over Wigan way on the day.

bolton ironman swimming section

Bolton Ironman bike ride course

Moving on to the cycling section after the first transition, the IRONMAN official global series-approved course largely hasn’t changed all that much in recent memory, with the route taking you through parts of the borough, including Bolton centre, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Lostock, Middlebrook and more.

You will also head towards Leigh and Pennington, once again, as well as Atherton and near Golborn before making your way back over to Bolton proper.

Running route

Finally, things will be rounding off with a half marathon right in the heart of the old Lancashire town, with the approximately 21.1 km course seeing you complete two loops before crossing the finish line in the shadow of Bolton Town Hall. Box office stuff.

bolton ironman running route

You can also see each of the transition maps and download all course sections to your GPX right HERE.

2026 event schedule and estimated timings

With the sold-out Night Run and IRONKIDS tie-in events taking place the day prior, following sign-ins on the Friday evening (5 Jun), full IRONMAN 70.3 athlete registration will be open from 8am on Saturday, with the check-in at the aforementioned Town Hall closing at 3pm sharp.

Bag and bike check-ins for RED and BLUE groups for the first two transitions from 8 and 9am, respectively; each will close around 4pm, so once again, don’t wait around and put any of this off.

Our advice, as always with these things: get there early and have it done and out of the way as soon as possible so you can focus on the long couple of days ahead.

There will also be an official swim practice held at Pennington Flash from 11am-1pm for registered athletes only, so take that into consideration, too.

As for the race day itself, times will obviously vary between participants, but here’s a breakdown of the activity blocks and when people need to be present for pick-ups by the shuttle buses, etc:

bolton ironman race day event schedule
You can consult the entire event schedule in full HERE

Road closure and travel info

Now, as travel advice, it goes without saying that an event this big and spanning multiple Greater Manc areas doesn’t go ahead without serious planning and preparation infrastructure-wise.

With that in mind, as you can see above, there are shuttle buses available for both IRONMAN challengers and their fans, with pick-up points in central Bolton and from Leigh Sports Village (LSV).

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As always with big events like this, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) are advising people to take public methods of transportation wherever possible, especially given the multiple road closures and diversions over the weekend.

Full list of road closures announced as IRONMAN 2026 takes over Bolton next weekend
You’ll find all the specific diversion details in here.

Getting there by train

Bolton is well connected to all main railway stops in Manchester and is only roughly a 20-minute journey from the city; Bolton train station itself is only a 10-minute walk from the Town Hall, as well.

By bus

As for hopping on a bus, there are various Bee Network lines and other services across the region that will take you into Bolton town centre. You can plan your journey (with diverted routes taken into account) right HERE.

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Parking

If you must drive, please be advised of the road closures mentioned above, and as for car parks, you will find spaces at the following locations:

  • LSV – Over 1,000 free car parking spaces are available on the site; access to these car parks is via Sale Way, situated directly off the A579 Atherleigh Way.
  • Pennington Flash Country Park – Over 300 parking spaces with a £2.50 all-day pay-and-display charge.
  • Bolton town centre – Various designated parking spaces across the town, all are subject to charge, with the option to pre-book some spaces in advance.

Spectator spots, volunteering, and other supporter info

Last but not least, getting that extra energy from those standing roadside or even on the shore for the duration of IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton is essential for these legends to make it through to the end, so if you’re spectating on the day, here’s some extra advice.

Fan hotspots include Atherleigh Way for the swim start and a good view of the cycling course; the same goes for The Retreat on Chorley New Road for the bike and running routes. Meanwhile, The Crown pub in Horwich is a popular stop-off during the two-wheeled action, as is the Old Kiln Lane Climb.

St Luke’s Church in Lowton is also another great viewing zone, with coffees being handed out to plen ty of supporters, too, and of course, anything near Le Mans Crescent or into Bolton town centre for the heart of the whole IRONMAN Festival weekend is always a great atmosphere.

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For instance, there’s also a brand-new expo village and fan area, where people can enjoy everything from poster making and temporary tattoos to photo opps, bib decoration, as well as various other games and activities for all ages – not to mention food and drink across the IRONFAN area.

All we have left to say is good luck to everyone taking on the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 in Bolton this Sunday. It’s truly inspiring stuff, and we sincerely hope you get lots of noise and buzz from those watching on.

Here’s a look at how it went down last year…

There’s nothing quite like it…

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE

Featured Images — Press shot (via IRONMAN)/IRONFREAKME/Francis Franklin (via WikiCommons)

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Manchester’s iconic Victoria Baths to turn into a dancefloor for a new phones-free daytime rave series

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Victoria Baths is turning into a dancefloor this autumn.

That’s right – the iconic Grade II-listed venue will become the home of a new series of immersive daytime raves from October, as Escapism launches inside the empty swimming pool space – promising to champion electronic music culture in Manchester and provide a new chapter in ‘elevated’ daytime experiences.

Created from the visionary mind of Geoff Oakes and joined by founding partner Dez Derry, Escapism is a new bespoke events company dedicated to creating carefully curated electronic music experiences in extraordinary locations… with Victoria Baths being the latest.

Musically, Escapism will aim to offer an expertly curated lineup headed by an extended four-hour set from Grammy-winning duo Deep Dish, pioneering DJ Smokin Jo, and rising talent Pattn.

Beyond the music, you can expect a selection of yummy street food vendors, specialist barista coffee, and fully stocked bars, while a second room in the venue will be transformed into an immersive installation to create an ‘alternate atmosphere’ that complements encourages exploration on the day.

Central to the Escapism philosophy is a ‘commitment to genuine connection on the dancefloor’, and this means that the event will operate a strict no-phones on the dancefloor policy.

The inaugural Escapism event takes place at Victoria Baths on Saturday 10 October, running from 3:30pm until 11:30pm.

Read more:

Due to limited capacity and demand for this intimate event, tickets are expected to fly and are on sale now here.

Featured Image – Chris Payne (via Unsplash)

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