One of Manchester’s most historic industrial spaces is set to play host to the RHS’s first-ever indoor gardening show next year.
Depot Mayfield has lived countless lives throughout the decades, but for four days next year, it’s set to be transformed into “an urban grower’s paradise”, as the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced plans to hold a brand-new ‘Urban Show’ for the first time ever.
Manchester‘s former railway station will be filled with small-space gardening inspirationto “encourage and inspire” city residents to grow plants for both indoor and outside areas.
Expected to be ‘very different’ to the RHS’s current roster of Flower Shows that are hosted annually all across the UK, the RHS Urban Show in Manchester will take inspiration from its industrial indoor city centre location by showcasing a range of ‘immersive experiences’ designed for those who live in cities with limited or no outdoor growing space.
The RHS is hosting its first indoor ‘urban’ flower show in Manchester city centre / Credit: RHS
While urban growing will be at the heart of the show, according to the RHS, the influence that horticulture has on interior design, art, wellness, and sustainability is also set to be explored over the four-day event.
Innovative design inspiration for small city spaces will be accompanied by immersive plant installations, a host of talks, advice and practical workshops, and a carefully-curated selection of plant nurseries that will be selling a huge variety of houseplants and small-space friendly plants.
The RHS says it chose Manchester as the home of its first-ever Urban Show because of the city’s industrial landscape, but also as there’s been so much work done to make the city greener in recent years.
Mayfield Park, and Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester city centre / Credit: Studio Egret West | National Trust
“In recent years, there’s been a real gardening boom,” explained the RHS’s Director of Gardens & Shows, Helena Pettit.
“We believe more young people living in cities are now growing plants, and so we are so excited to be bringing a new RHS Show dedicated to urban gardening to the centre of Manchester next year.
“The RHS Urban Show aims to bring gardening to a new audience and demonstrate that if you have plants you are a gardener. There is so much great work already happening across Manchester to make it greener, and we are excited to help support this growing movement.
📢 Introducing the brand new RHS Urban Show!
From 18 to 21 April 2024, we will transform Manchester's Depot Mayfield into a botanical paradise brimming with gardening inspiration for city dwellers 🌱
“We want to get even more people living in the UK’s second largest city inspired to grow plants and connect to the natural world.
“With over 80% of the UK population living in towns and cities, the new show will enable more urban dwellers to garden, especially where access to green spaces can be limited.”
The first RHS Urban Show in Manchester will take place from 18 – 21 April 2024.
Tickets for all 2024 RHS Shows go on sale to RHS members first on Monday 21 September, before being available to the general public on Monday 28 September, and you can grab yours here.
Featured Image – RHS
What's On
Trafford Centre’s ‘unmissable’ summer fair is returning with a beach, fairground rides, and more
Emily Sergeant
A beach, splash park, fairground rides, and loads more family fun is returning to the Trafford Centre this summer.
After proving to be massively-popular over the past couple of years, with thousands of families travelling from across Greater Manchester and beyond to bask in the sunshine and make the most of all the fun and games, the Trafford Centre is getting ready to welcome back ‘the much-anticipated event of the summer’ in a couple of weeks time.
And this year, the beloved family event has got itself a new family activity zone, and it sounds set to be bigger and better than ever.
The best bit? Tickets will only set you back just £3 each.
A huge fairground, splash park, and beach are returning to Trafford Centre for the summer / Credit: Trafford Centre
Set to open from Saturday 19 July, and run right the way through until the end of August, the family-friendly event will see a massive beach ready for sunbathing and sandcastles pop up outside the shopping centre, alongside a splash park with lots of water jets perfect for cooling you off.
From building sandcastles at the giant beach, to cooling off at the children’s splash park, there’s something for everyone.
Adrenaline junkies both young and old will also get to enjoy retro fairground rides, including ‘Star Flyer’, ‘Sea Storm’, while the event’s in town, as well a giant inflatable area, and loads more.
New for 2025 is the Summer Activity Zone – an undercover tent area complete with free, hands-on crafting activities designed especially for kids.
Each week brings a new theme packed with imagination, colour, and fun, no matter whether it’s rain or shine, so if your little Mancs love painting, baking, building, or experimenting, then you’ll want to take them here to inspire their young minds.
There’s also a wide range of tasty treats available too, including burgers and hotdogs, and for those with a sweet tooth, Cheshire ice cream, Belgian waffles, chocolate covered fruit and marshmallows, and churros.
Trafford Centre’s Summer Fair is popping up outside The Orient, opposite The Great Hall entrance, from Saturday 19 July right through until 31 August, and will be open every day from 12-8pm.
Tickets are now on sale – with pre-booking ‘recommended to avoid disappointment’ – and will set you back just £3 per person if booked in advance (includes booking fee) and £3.50 on the gate, while ride tokens must be purchased separately for £1.
Featured Image – Trafford Centre
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Stage times confirmed for Oasis Live ’25 at Heaton Park in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Oasis will finally return to Manchester for five massive hometown gigs this week – and stage times for their Heaton Park show have been confirmed.
The Gallagher brothers have already reunited for two gigs in Cardiff ahead of their Manchester shows.
Oasis will be performing in Heaton Park on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 of July, with support from long-time friends Richard Ashcroft and Cast.
With about 80,000 people expected to flock to the fields for the Oasis Live ’25 shows, there’s a lot of planning going on behind the scenes.
And the stage times for the Oasis Manchester gigs have just been confirmed by the band.
Oasis will be taking to the stage at 8.15pm, and with a 10.30pm curfew, that’s around two hours of glorious Gallagher hits.
Gates to Heaton Park open at 3pm and organisers are expecting large crowds – they’re encouraging fans to allow plenty of time for travel and arrive early.
As a reminder, there are shuttle buses running directly from Lever Street to Heaton Park from 1.30pm, but these are almost sold out.
You can also get tickets for Big Green Coach here, or use trams from Victoria Station up to the venue.
Confirmed stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park, Manchester