What's On

Pop-up Santa’s grotto, festive food offers, and more at Printworks in Manchester this Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th December 2022

A whole host of festive events and food offers are taking over the Printworks this Christmas, and families are being encouraged to make the most of it.

With the Christmas season officially here, and the big day itself fast approaching, there’s still time to escape the chilly weather outside by getting yourself down to Manchester‘s landmark entertainment complex in the heart of the city centre for all sorts of festive fun.

There’s lots of indulgent festive food offers to take advantage of, as well as a handful of special discounted events packages.

Already proving to be proper success though is the venue’s pop-up Santa’s Grotto.

Held in partnership with the Once Upon a Smile charity, free to attend, and now open from 10am-12pm on Saturday 17, Sunday 18, and Wednesday 21 December, families can swap their Santa hats for sombreros at Chiquito and pay a visit Father Christmas and his favourite elf in a pop-up traditional grotto that’s been festooned in Christmas garlands, decorations, and a dash of faux snow.

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While little ones are queuing, there will also be an opportunity to write their letters to Santa and post them in the special letterbox that goes straight to the North Pole.

There’s a pop-up Santa’s grotto inside Chiquito at Printworks Manchester this Christmas / Credit: Printworks

Elsewhere at the venue, for those who fancy spending a bit more time with Santa before Christmas Day, then you can head over to Hard Rock Café for a special breakfast with the big man himself in what is always a hugely-popular event

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Families can enjoy a buffet-style breakfast along with festive fun and games from 8:30am-10:30am on 17, 18, and 24 December.

If it’s a cosy movie night that you’re after, then head over to Vue for festive showings of some Christmas movie classics, as the cinema will be screening family favourites like Home Alone, Elf, Muppets Christmas Carol, and The Grinch.

Or if it’s a panto you prefer, Vue Cinema will also be showing some theatrical performances on the big screen, including popular shows like Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story, and CBeebies Panto: Dick Whittington and His Cat. 

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There’s also a whole host of festive feasting offers to make the most of / Credit: Printworks

Treetop Adventure Golf is also an ideal place to hit up if you’re looking to enjoy a day of rocking around the tropical mini golf course with all kinds of delicious festive food and drink.

Speaking of food and drink, there’s a wide range of restaurants inside Printworks that are ready to cater to each families’ festive feasting needs.

Frankie and Benny’s is accepting bookings for family Christmas parties and will be serving up a Christmas special kids’ menu, including an Elf on a Shelf burger, and a Jack Frost Christmas Tree for dessert.

Nandos is bringing the festive cheer to families with new limited-edition flavours like the all-new maple and orange spice, PERi-PERi Chicken gravy, and Macho sprouts. 

A range of discount event packages are also on offer / Credit: Printworks

Yates has a new set Christmas menu for adults and a festive kids menu filled with classic dishes starting at £7.49 per child, while O’Neill’s is also cheffing up a Christmas party menu and festive buffet menu filled with all sorts of bite-sized delights.

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Planning a big festive get-together this month?

You’ll be able to make it hassle-free by enjoying a festive buffet Menu at Walkabout – with meals starting from just £9.99 per person and available in Gold, Silver, and vegan packages.

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Find out more about everything happening at Printworks Manchester this Christmas here.

Featured Image – Printworks

What's On

Christmas bin collection dates 2024 for every Greater Manchester borough

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

IT’S CHRISTMAAAS! Well, nearly, and among the endless lists of tasks we have to get through this festive period, bins can be one we completely forget about, that’s why we’re here to save the day.

With 10 boroughs to get through, let’s cut to the chase and find out those utmost important dates for when you need to put your bins out over the holiday period.

Whether you’re busy wrapping presents or you’re a self-proclaimed ‘Christmas Dad’ waiting to gather up all those paper scraps, here are all the bin collection dates you need to be aware of across Greater Manchester.

Manchester Central

Anyone living in Manchester city centre will be glad to know there are only a handful of changes with a few bin dates remaining the same.

There are no changes to collections on Monday 23 December and 30 December, Tuesday 24 December and Tuesday 31 December.

Later in the week, Wednesday collections will move to Friday 27 December and Thursday 2 January, with Thursday collections moving to Saturday 28 December and Friday 3 January.

Friday collections will be moving to the weekend falling on two dates, Sunday 29 December and Saturday 4 January respectively.

Bolton

The changes in Bolton are quite simple, dates are very close by to the usual bin collecting service, giving you a Christmas that hopefully runs smoothly.

Both Monday 23 December and Tuesday 24 December dates remain the same with no changes whatsoever.

Wednesday 23 December sees burgundy bins collected two days earlier on Monday 23 December, grey bins pushed back to Friday 27 December and beige bins on Tuesday 31 December.

On Thursday 26 December, burgundy bins will be collected on Tuesday, 24 December, grey bins on Monday 30 December and beige bins moving to Tuesday 31 December.

Bury

In terms of Bury, most of the bins days are very easy to remember, especially since they’re all either a day later or the day before.

Collections due on Tuesday 24 December have been rescheduled to Monday 23 December with services on Wednesday 25 December taking place on Tuesday 24 December.

Any bin dates due after Wednesday 25 December are planned for one day later than usual, except for collections due on Tuesday 31 January and beyond which remain the same.

Rochdale

Anyone in Rochdale may have to be eager eyed as this Greater Manchester borough’s schedule is a little trickier as the dates aren’t falling the day before or after.

Services due on Wednesday 25 December have been altered to Saturday 28 December.

The following collection on Thursday 26 December is moving to Monday 30 December.

Then the Wednesday 1 January pick up will be happening on Saturday 4 January.

With it being the festive season, those pesky blue bins can never quite fit everything in, you can leave out a small amount of flat packed cardboard boxes as long as they’re dry.

Oldham

For Oldham residents, the bin collection dates and recycling rounds have been announced too giving everyone a chance to prepare for any unusual swaps.

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Bins due on Wednesday 25 December will be collected three days later on Saturday 28 December,which also includes green bins and food caddies. 

Collections scheduled for Thursday 26 December will take place five days earlier on Saturday 21 December but green bins and food caddies won’t be emptied. 

Collections on Wednesday 1 January will be on Saturday 4 January minus green bins and food caddies which will be collected as normal on Wednesday 8 January. 

Real Christmas trees can be chopped up and recycled in green bins minus the base with Arkwright Street Household Waste and Recycling accepting trees and Christmas rubbish too.

Stockport

For Stockport, information surrounding bins and collections is quite limited with residents having to enter their own postcode to find out anything necessary.

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There will be no collections on Wednesday 25 December, Thursday 26 December or Wednesday 1 January.

Information differs depending on location so you can access recycling and collection details HERE.

Tameside

Now onto Tameside where one bin in particular is missing out on all the fun, finding its collections delayed by just over a week.

Brown-bin collections will cease across the borough on Wednesday 25 December and restart on Wednesday 8 January.

On Wednesday 25 December, the green bin will be collected on Friday 27 December with black and blue bins collected on Tuesday, 31 December.

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This Thursday, 26 December sees a green bin collection on Monday 30 December while black and blue bin collection on Thursday 2 January.

From Friday 27 December to Tuesday 31 December services will run as normal with disruption on Wednesday 1 January, except for brown bins.

This year on Wednesday 1 January if you are due a green bin collection, it will be collected on Friday 3 January and both black and blue bins collected on Monday 6 January.

Then from Thursday 2 January to Tuesday 7 January all bin collections will stay the same except for brown bins which are being collected the following day, Wednesday 8 January.

Real Christmas trees can be recycled on behalf of Willow Wood Hospice, Ashton, between 6 and 10 January. Register for collection HERE. Alternatively, chop it up and put it in your brown bin.

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Trafford

It’s Trafford’s turn next and you’ll be happy to know that four dates see no changes to your usual bin collection dates.

On Monday 23 December and Tuesday 24 December there will be no change to any of the original bin services.

Wednesday 25 December and Thursday 26 December on the other hand will both get collected on Friday 27 December.

Same again with Monday 30 Decemebr and Tuesday 31 December, there is no scheduled changes for the bin collection day.

In terms of 1-3 January, all services will be the day after (1 Jan moves to 2 Jan etc.).

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Salford

Next up in Salford, there are very minimal changes to your usual bin collection dates with only a few minor replacements.

Only three collection dates will be affected with every other service remaining the same as it was prior to the Christmas period.

The collection for Wednesday 25, December will take place on Saturday, 21 December; Thursday, 26 December now on Saturday 28 December and Wednesday 1 January swapping to Saturday 4 January.

Wigan

Tuesday 24 December is moved to Monday 23 December while Wednesday 25 December is shifted to a new date of Tuesday 24 December, both one day prior.

Any collections on Thursday 26 December are changing to Friday 27 December while the Friday 27 December is moving to Saturday 28 December, one day later.

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From Wednesday 1 January to Friday 3 January every collection changes to a day later, after this, normal service starts again.

An additional point to take note of is that green bin collections will be suspended from 29 December until 10 January. These services resume on the week starting 13 January or 20 January, depending where you live.

To check bin collection days over the festive period, residents can refer to their bin collection calendar which does feature key Christmas dates like the rest of Greater Manchester or visit HERE.

when are the bin men coming christmas manchester 2024?
That should be all your bin collection dates for Greater Manchester this Christmas. (Credit: Wikicommons)

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Last but not least, it goes without saying that we urge you to keep waste down to a minimum and recycle wherever you can.

Merry Christmas, Mancs!

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

Featured Image: Supplied

What's On

Full list of road closures announced for Manchester’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display 2024

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Road closures will be in place as Manchester city centre prepares for its spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

Once the hustle and bustle of Christmas dies down, Boxing Day has been and gone, and we enter the time where nobody knows what day it is, everybody then begins waiting for New Year’s Eve to arrive, and for 2025 to bring new beginnings and a fresh start.

And case you missed it, Manchester City Council confirmed last week that Manchester will be celebrating the occasion with a bang.

Spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display confirmed for Manchester

Last year was the first year since 2019 and post several COVID lockdowns where Manchester city centre hosting one of its famous fireworks displays that “say goodbye to the old and welcome in the new”, and it went down a huge success with residents and visitors alike – so it makes sense that it would return again for 2024.

Families from all across Greater Manchester are invited to the “fun-filled event” this Tuesday 31 December from 10pm.

This year’s end of the year celebration marks the first time St Peter’s Square has been used for the New Year countdown event, and also the first time that New Year fireworks will be let off from the roof of Manchester Central Library.

Spectacular New Year's Eve firework display confirmed for Manchester
Spectacular New Year’s Eve firework display confirmed for Manchester. Credit: Unsplash, Chris Curry

Around 20,000 people are expected to attend the free to head on down to.

You can expect “high spirits and party tunes” throughout the night in the run-up to the midnight countdown and fireworks – which will end at 12:30am.

The Council says that, in order to ensure “a safe and celebratory event for all”, security staff will be keeping a close eye on revellers to minimise any disruption and allow everyone to see in the new year together.

To best accommodate the event and everyone attending, the following road closures and parking suspensions have been confirmed:

Road closures

From 7:30am – 2pm

  • Peter Street westbound (Mount Street to Lower Mosley Street)
  • Peter Street eastbound (Deansgate to Lower Mosley Street)
  • Oxford Street (Peter Street to Portland Street)
  • George Street (Oxford Street to Dickinson Street)
  • St James Street (Oxford Street to Dickinson Street)
  • Bale Street (Lower Mosley Street to Hall Street)
  • Hall Street (Bale Street to Oxford Street)

From 9pm – 2am

  • Lower Mosley Street (Windmill Street to St Peter’s Square)
  • Princess Street (Cooper Street to George Street)
  • Back George Street (Princess Street to Dickenson Street)

Parking suspensions

From 8am on 29 December – 6am on 2 January

  • Peter Street (Mount Street to Lower Mosley Street)

From 6pm on 30 December – 6am on 1 January

  • Oxford Street (Lower Mosley Street to Portland Street)
  • Lower Mosley Street (Windmill Street to St Peter’s Square)
  • Princess Street (Cooper Street to George Street)
  • George Street (Oxford Street to Princess Street)
  • Back George Street (Princess Street to Dickenson Street)
  • Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
  • Southmill (Windmill Street to Bootle Street)
A number of road closures and parking suspensions will be in place / Credit: Unsplash

Portaloo toilet facilities, including accessible toilets will be available on site and the Lloyd Street public toilets will remain open until 1 am.  

Hot drinks and food will be available on site, but alcohol is not permitted.

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There will be no tram services through St Peter’s Square from 8pm on 31 December until the end of the fireworks display.

Full details of Metrolink service and accessible shuttle buses can be found here.

Featured Image – designecologist (via Unsplash)

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