There’s a breadcrumb of new information in the ongoing wait for Soho House to arrive in Manchester – and it’s one to get excited about.
The renowned members’ club brand is currently transforming the old Granada Studios building into a luxury destination.
As well as a hotel occupying the top three floors, there’ll be a bar and terrace, workspace, and a rooftop swimming pool.
Until now, we’ve all got an understanding of what’s to come with Soho House based on their other sites across the globe, from the signature striped towels to the opulent interiors.
But now a new artist impression has been sent to members, giving us a bit more of an idea of what our own branch of Soho House will look like.
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The image shows a rooftop pool tiled in a rich jade green, with a terrazzo-style floor on the rest of the terrace space.
Soho House Manchester. Credit: Soho House
There’s also set to be rows of terracotta-hued day beds, with canvas canopies overhead, and a restaurant space with floor-to-ceiling windows beside it.
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The email to members also revealed some much sadder news – Nick Jones, founder of Soho House, has decided to step down from his CEO position after a short battle with prostate cancer.
The cancer was caught quickly and treated successfully, but Nick says it’s left him with a ‘changed perspective and focus’.
He wrote: “First some bad news, and some very good news: in early summer I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was caught early and my treatment has been 100% successful – and I’m not only healthy again, but also cancer-free.
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“Inevitably, this experience has changed my perspective and focus. As a result, from today I’m transitioning from CEO to my original role as Founder and will focus on the creative and membership aspects of Soho House.
“I want to do more of what I love, which is making sure you have a good time in well-designed, welcoming spaces and focusing on our House Foundations programmes, which help people flourish in the creative industries.
“Taking over the day-to-day running of the business will be Andrew Carnie, who’s worked alongside me for the past four years. I know him well and Soho House will be in safe hands with him as our new CEO.”
Nick added: “Following in 2023, we have new Houses opening in Bangkok, Mexico City and Manchester in the UK, which I’m pleased to share some preview pictures of below.
“I’ve been working closely with our teams on the plans for these sites and I know they will be spaces that both our long-standing and newer members will really enjoy.”
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There are now Soho House sites across England, as well as in Mykonos, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, New York, Mumbai, and many more.
Its foray into Manchester will be the first time the brand has ventured into the northern half of the UK – and the city is pretty hyped about it.
Featured image: Soho House
What's On
A massive board game festival, with more than 700 games to choose from, is returning to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
It’s happening again – the Manchester Board Game Festival is back in town for the weekend, with more games than you could ever imagine.
Manchester-based table tops events company, Dungeons & Flagons, proudly own one of the UK’s largest board game libraries, boasting an incredible collection of more than 700 board games – and luckily for us, they’re running yet another festival this August.
Across the three-day festival there will also be a selection of bookable sessions including RPGs, tournaments, seminars, playtests and interactive experiences, in addition to live entertainment, giant games and lots of other fun-filled activities.
In the Demo Zone, publishers including Hachette Board Games UK and Mindclash Games will share new titles, while the Playtest Tables allow attendees to trial upcoming games and provide feedback.
There will be an interactive performance of “Into The Autumn Realm,” hosted by Edinburgh Fringe favourite Ed Jollyboat, alongside a range of charity fundraising activities such as a pub quiz, bingo and tombola, with some amazing prizes.
While the Geek Fayre marketplace will be home to a whole host of independent stalls selling board games, dice, artwork, accessories and all kinds of gifts to treat yourself or that gamer in your life.
A massive board game festival, with more than 700 games to choose from, is returning to Manchester
The festival aims to unite hundreds of game-lovers, whether you make it a day trip with friends or you come solo, Dungeons & Flagons pride themselves on their inclusive and accessible atmosphere, designed to accommodate players of all abilities with approachable volunteers on site, Library Bees teaching games, demonstrations and plenty of beginner-friendly sessions helping newcomers feel right at home.
What’s more, this August, Dungeons & Flagons are introducing Solo Gamers Meet Ups, which are sessions split into light, medium and heavy strategy groups, purposefully designed to connect solo attendees and allow players to get stuck straight into a game. So fear not – if your mates aren’t as into it as you, there will be plenty of other gamers to play with.
James Oxley, organiser of Manchester Board Game Festival, shared “The summer festival is always one of my favourites. We tend to welcome lots of people travelling from further afield during the holidays, so it’s always great to see plenty of new faces alongside our regular community. The Manchester Conference Centre is a brilliant venue for the summer too, with its aircon & outdoor courtyard giving us the chance to bring along our giant games and make the most of the sunshine. We want people to feel welcome and leave having discovered something new.”
No matter whether you’re brand new to board gaming or you’re a seasoned professional, head on down to Manchester Conference Centre at Pendulum Hotel and join in on this weekend of fun.
Festival Dates and Times:
Friday 28 Aug: 3am – Midnight
Saturday 29 Aug: 10am – Midnight
Sunday 30 Aug: 10am – 8pm
Both weekend or day tickets are available to buy HERE.
Manchester announces its first-ever Pride Fringe event with community celebrations all over the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is getting ready for a city-wide Pride celebration this month.
Of course, we all know Manchester Village Pride will be returning for 2026 over the August bank holiday weekend, but aside from the official festivities around the Village, an extensive new Pride Fringe event has been announced – with a programme featuring everything from a film festival and shopping events, to live performances, family-friendly celebrations, and more.
Alongside comedy, club nights, exhibitions, and walking tours, venues across Manchester will also come together for a month-long celebration.
You can expect an exciting mix of LGBTQIA+ arts, culture, live entertainment, family events, food, drink and shopping experiences, giving visitors even more reasons to make a weekend – or even a week – of it.
Many of these events will be raising vital funds for local LGBT charities, and on top of that, the city’s hotels will also be joining in the celebrations with dedicated Pride packages, parties, free gifts, and discounts this month.
Manchester has announced its first-ever Pride Fringe event with community celebrations all over the city / Credit: Jason Lock Photography (Supplied)
Pride Fringe will be led by the return of the week-long SCENE Festival.
Back for its third year and kicking off from Thursday 20 August, SCENE will be bringing together some of the biggest names in TV, film, and queer culture for eight days of screenings, panels, live comedy, parties and premieres across 10 Manchester venues – and this year, it’s the festival’s most star-studded programme to date.
Some of the other highlights on the programme include a selection of Pride-themed walking tours and guided trails.
At the forefront of this is a a guided walking tour led by local playwright and tour guide, Chris Hoyle of What’s The Story?, exploring the stories that have shaped Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community.
From Victorian drag balls and the birth of Canal Street, to the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the city’s iconic Pride Parade, the tour uncovers the people, places, and moments that have helped make Manchester one of the world’s leading LGBTQ+ cities.
Manchester Arndale and Afflecks will also be hosting their own Pride-themed shopping events and workshops, while Aviva Studios, The Refuge, Freight Island, Kampus, and Fairfield Social Club are among the dozen independent venues throwing their own parties.
Families can also head to places like Manchester Central Library and Great Northern Warehouse for storytimes, craft sessions, entertainment, and other child-friendly events.
Daisy Jackson -
16th November 2022 
