Business

The most magical Christmas displays have now landed at one of the North West’s best garden centres

The ultimate festive day out.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 8th October 2026

Christmas has officially arrived at one of the best garden centres in the North West, and it’s just as magical as you’d hope it would be.

Just outside of Greater Manchester in the village of Glazebury in Warrington, you’ll find Bents Garden and Home – a multi award-winning destination garden centre that’s often voted one of the region’s best. It’s great place to visit all year round, but as anyone who has ever made the trip there will tell you, this place really comes alive during the festive season.

Bents first started out life all the way back in 1937, when Alfred and Margaret Bent began growing and selling roses in the front garden of their terraced house in Glazebury.

Ever since then, the business has gone from strength to strength – opening its first dedicated garden centre building in the early 1950s, and then undergoing several expansions in the 60 years that followed to create the place we know and love today.

A place that’s home to everything you need to kit out your home and garden, several cafes and restaurants, a food hall, a cook shop, a children’s boutique, and plenty more.

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Christmas has arrived at Bents Garden and Home for 2026 / Credit: The Manc Group

And then at Christmas time, you can also get to wander around all the magical festive displays and stop for a bite to eat at the winter food markets.

Christmas at Bents originally began in the 1970s, establishing what would become one of the garden centre’s most successful – and favourite – times of the year, with people travelling in their thousands from all across the North West to visit, making it an annual tradition in the festive events calendar for many families.

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With a jaw-dropping display to suit everyone’s festive decor tastes, Christmas at Bents really does need to be seen to be believed.

Expertly decorated trees form the centrepiece of each display, with all the baubles and decorations adorning them for sale by the side for you to recreate yourself at home.

Walking around the centre, you’ll also find every type of artificial tree (both normal and pre-lit), an array of fairy lights, wreaths, and garlands, before you arrive at what is sure to be one of the best Christmas Lemax Model Village set-ups you’ve probably ever seen.

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A trip to Bents is an annual festive tradition for thousands across the North West / Credit: The Manc Group

Then, once you’ve filled your basket up with all the decs you need, you have to stop off at the Winter Food Markets before you head home.

There’s a wide array of different street food options to choose from like bratwursts, giant filled Yorkshire puddings, loaded fries, nachos, mac and cheese, crepes, churros, and build-your-own crumble, before taking a pew in one of the little wooden huts and washing it all down with festive-themed hot chocolates and mulled wine.

Don’t forget to stop off at the food hall, farm shop, and deli counters to stock up on plenty of goodies there before you leave too.

Basically, if you’ve never been to Bents before, we honestly cannot recommend it enough – even more so during Christmas time.

Don’t forget to stop off at the Winter Food Markets before heading home / Credit: The Manc Group

But it is really important to note that it does get very busy here, especially on weekends and at peak times like the run up to Christmas.

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So you may have to be prepared to patiently wait for parking spaces and cooperate with your fellow shoppers, as well as join queues at the cafes and restaurants, all while respecting the hard-working staff at all times.

Let’s be as respectful as possible, and make this a place where everyone can enjoy a magical festive experience in 2026.

Read more:

Bents Garden and Home is open from 8:30am-9pm on Monday to Saturday, and 10:30am-4pm on Sundays, with the store open for browsing from 9am.

Find out more and plan your trip HERE.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

Business

Everyone in England can now get FREE careers advice as part of a new Government scheme

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

People all across the country now have the ability to access support from dedicated career advisers completely free of charge.

That’s because, for the first time ever, the full range of support previously offered by the National Careers Service will be available through Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under the Government, creating a more joined-up service for people at every stage of their career.

Around 500 qualified careers advisers have joined the DWP, it has been confirmed, and they will provide expert careers information, advice, and guidance alongside the existing employment and skills support that are already available through Jobcentres.

But the key is here, the free careers support will be available to everyone – regardless of whether they claim benefits.

The services are set to be accessed either online, over the phone, or through face-to-face appointments at Jobcentres, giving people a single place to access the advice they need to take their next step.

As mentioned, these new services are part of the wider reforms the Government says it is taking to ‘give everyone the opportunity to succeed’.

These reforms include £2.5 billion of youth employment support, and £3.5 billion investment in employment support for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

Read more:

Support can be accessed online via the Get Careers Information and Advice page HERE, as well as through the freephone service on 0800 072 0288.

Face-to-face appointments will then be available in Jobcentres later this month.

Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)

Business

‘Remember to support genuine independents’ – Manchester’s rotisserie chicken bistro Tartuffe announces closure

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Tartuffe at Side Street

Rotisserie chicken bistro Tartuffe has called final orders on its time at popular city centre hangout, Side Street.

Serving some of the best rotisserie chicken in Manchester – ‘sexy chicken’, if you will – Tartuffe first landed at Side Street inside the ABC Building back in the later summer of 2024, and quickly became known and loved by critics and customers alike for not just their rotisserie options, but also their stylish bar snacks and standout sides.

Hungry folk can expect seasonal menus, bistro-style dining, and, in the opinion of our legendary former Takeaway Champion Dean, some of the best sandwiches in Manchester.

But despite being a roaring success these past two years, Tartuffe took to social media this week to announce the end of the ‘longest pop-up ever’, with its final service being tomorrow (25 September).

Tartuffe at Side Street
Tartuffe at Side Street
Tartuffe will be leaving Side Street this Friday / Credit: The Manc Group

Announcing its closure on Instagram, Tartuffe wrote: “That’s right, our time at Side Street has come to an end and our final service here is this Friday.

“It’s been an incredible two and a half years cooking for the wonderful people of Manchester and we’re hugely thankful to everyone who’s been to see us whilst we’ve been here.

“Another big thanks to the staff at Side Street who we’ve loved working with. We’ve made some great friends and worked with some absolutely brilliant people.

“We’re going to be having a little bit of a break whilst we plan for Tartuffe part 2. It’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you soon.”

The statement then closed out with an emotional plea to the people of Manchester.

“And remember to support the GENUINE independents out there, or else there won’t be any left,” Tartuffe concluded.

Read more:

The closure of Tartuffe was announced on the same day as Deansgate Mews’ award-winning casual dining restaurant, Another Hand, which fell victim to the difficult and ever-changing economic climate.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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