Most of us know that Tenpin is the best and biggest bowling alley in Manchester, with 14 lanes to show off your skills.
But did you also know how many other activities there are within this huge entertainment complex at Manchester Printworks?
This massive hub of fun opened back in 2020, promising to create a space where visitors can drink, eat and play all under one roof.
With its prime location near Manchester Victoria station and being right on the edge of the Northern Quarter, it’s become something of a local landmark.
And inside, it’s not all just about the bowling – though with colour-changing LED lighting, huge scoring monitors, and interactive lanes, the bowling experience is pretty impressive.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you’re wanting to pack some more activities into your evening, here are five other things you can do at Tenpin in Printworks in Manchester.
Pool and table tennis
You can play pool at table tennis at Tenpin Manchester Printworks as well as bowling
Show me a better noise on the planet than the clunk of a pool ball sinking into a pocket…
ADVERTISEMENT
That’s right – you can’t, which is why you’ll always find The Manc team stood around the nearest pool table having a bit of a friendly (ish) competition.
Tenpin has several pool tables and table tennis tables too, and you don’t need to book these in advance – just rock up and bring your best game face.
Arcade games
There are loads of arcade games to play at Tenpin Manchester Printworks
The childish glee you can get from mashing buttons on a bright, glowing arcade machine is unmatched, and at Tenpin they have loads to choose from.
ADVERTISEMENT
From racing simulators to dance mats to air hockey tables, there are plenty of activities to entertain you in the state-of-the-art arcade area.
Dare you to try and beat our high score on Pac-Man…
Karaoke
There are private karaoke rooms you can book outAnd a fully-stocked bar
Ready to show your mates your best vocals? Start warming up your best Adele impression because Tenpin has its own private karaoke rooms you can book.
You can reserve each room for up to 10 people then flick through a comprehensive list of ballads, chart-topping pop songs and rock anthems.
Love or loathe karaoke, you’re guaranteed a few laughs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Beer pong
Beer pong tables at Tenpin
Who doesn’t love a game of beer pong?
At Tenpin, they have specially-made beer pong tables where you can get competitive trying to sink balls into each other’s American-style red cups.
It’s just £2.50 to get the table set up, then add whatever booze you want to play with on top of that.
We’ll leave you to argue about the rules amongst yourselves…
Feast
Food and drink at Tenpin Manchester Printworks
You’re going to need your energy to get round all the activities at Tenpin, and to us, that means snacks.
ADVERTISEMENT
The menu here is packed with classic American-style food, from loaded nachos to chicken wings to pizza.
There’s also a Munchies menu filled with fries, mozzarella sticks, mac and cheese bites, onion rings and more, with a three-for-£13/99 deal.
AND you can get delicious cocktails from the two bars inside the venue.
To book your activities at Tenpin Printworks Manchester, head here.
Featured image: The Manc Group
What's On
Greater Manchester’s popular Walking Festival returns next month with more than 400 events
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s popular Walking Festival is back next month and there’s more than 400 events happening.
The GM Walking Festival is back for 2025, and it’s bigger than ever.
Coordinated by Greater Manchester Moving, and organised in alignment with National Walking Month, the month-long celebratory festival invites people from all across the region to experience the joy of walking and wheeling throughout May.
The festival brings together more than 400 free organised group walks hosted by local organisations and community groups in every borough of Greater Manchester.
Whether you’re walking with a pram, wheeling with a mobility aid, exploring with friends, or simply just taking time to move mindfully, there’s something for everyone on this year’s lineup – from scenic canal strolls and city centre heritage walks, to family-friendly nature trails, and dementia-friendly rambles.
Organisers say the festival offers an opportunity to ‘move, connect, and feel good’, as each event is free to attend and designed to be inclusive.
Some of the highlights on this year’s festival lineup include the chance to get off the beaten track and discover the hidden corners of Burrs Country Park in Bury with a friendly local guide, the ‘Steps Against Stigma’ walk in Salford Quays, where you can join a community opening up about mental health, or a lovely wellbeing walk across parks in Sale Moor.
Greater Manchester’s popular Walking Festival returns next month / Credit: Greg Rosenke (via Unsplash)
There’s also dedicated events for over 50s, those going through the menopause to connect with others, and events for lovers of birdsong and woodland nature.
“I’m delighted to see so many local groups from all parts of Greater Manchester coming together to make this year’s GM Walking Festival,” commented Louise Robbins, who is GM Moving’s Strategic Lead for Walking and Active Environments.
“With over 400 walks happening across May, there are countless opportunities to get moving in a way that works for you.”
GM Walking Festival 2025 takes place throughout the month of May, and you can find out about all the events happening here.
Featured Image – Kitera Dent (via Unsplash)
What's On
Hip-hop, soul and R’n’B legend Mary J Blige is coming to Manchester for a massive arena show
Danny Jones
Manchester is getting ready to welcome a global icon of hip-hop, soul, pop and R’n’B as Mary J Blige is set to put on a massive arena show.
With a music career spanning more than 30 years, Mary J Blige is an absolute legend of the American music scene, with nine GRAMMY Awards and nearly 40 nominations, along with a plethora of BET, Billboard, and AMA nods over the years.
Currently on ‘The For My Fans Tour’, jetting quite literally all over and recently adding on even more dates, not only has London been given some love, but so has Greater Manchester – and rightly so.
Announcing the special one-off show and Co-op Live debut this Wednesday, 16 April, Mary J Blige won’t have to wait too long to be part of the ‘Family Affair’.
The 54-year-old from New York will be coming to the state-of-the-art, one of the biggest indoor entertainment venues in all of Europe, in just a few months’ time.
On top of the already well-established AO Arena, this is the pedigree of truly worldwide artists that Co-op Live was built to further attract – and it looks to be working.
It’s been the best part of a decade since she was last in these parts, so she’s sure to get a huge reception.
While most audiences in the likes of North America have been treated to fellow R’n’B favourite Ne-Yo, those watching Ms Blige will be keeping things domestic as long-standing London collective and producers, Soul II Soul, will be joining her for the show.
‘Back to life, back to reality…’
So there you have it! Mary J Blige will be coming to Manchester on Friday, 4 July 2025, with her own pre-sale going live at 10am on Thursday, 24 April, but Co-op members can get there even earlier, with the venue’s early access available from the same time the day before.
As for general admission, you can get ready to grab your tickets HERE from 10am on Friday, 25 April.
Daisy Jackson -
17th June 2024 
