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This hidden Manchester cinema is screening scary movies with cocktails and popcorn this Halloween

A spooky cinema experience like no other.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 6th October 2023

The Shining, Hocus Pocus, and IT are just some of the scary films hitting the big screen at a hidden cinema in Manchester this Halloween.

With the spooky season creeping closer and closer, horror film fans and families looking for some frighteningly-good fun are being invited to get themselves down to one of Manchester’s most popular hotels in the lead-up to the big day itself.

King Street Townhouse‘s very-own exclusive cinema will be screening a marathon of seven scary films over four days to celebrate Halloween in style.

The Halloween screenings will be taking over the little cinema from Friday 27 – Tuesday 31 October.

This hidden Manchester cinema is screening loads of scary movies this Halloween / Credit: King Street Townhouse

The extended weekend of jump scares and family-friendly favourites will kick off with the absolute cult-classic that is Hocus Pocus, all before you can sit down to watch other blockbusters like Nightmare on Elm Street, The Addams Family, The Shining, and Practical Magic.

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Then, on Halloween night itself, two of the scariest flicks of them all, the 1978 classic Halloween, and 2017’s popular remake of IT, will be screened in all their gory glory.

If didn’t even know King Street Townhouse even had a cinema, don’t worry – that’s all part of the fun.

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You can tuck into cocktails, popcorn, and pick n mix while you watch the frightening flick / Credit: King Street Townhouse

The vintage-style cinema isn’t always one that everyone’s familiar with, as it’s tucked away in the hotel’s cellars and seats only a handful of people at a time for the ultimate viewing experience, but it’s well worth a visit and this Halloween couldn’t be a more ideal time.

Tickets to each of the spooky screenings are now on sale and start at just £15 each.

As well as the watching the film itself, you can also complete your experience with popcorn, pick n mix, cocktails, and even afternoon tea beforehand, if you’d like.

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Grab tickets here.

Featured Image – King Street Townhouse

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Manchester pub chain providing lifeline for dementia sufferers with vital support sessions

Danny Jones Danny Jones Joseph Holt dementia support sessions

A regional pub chain is being rightly praised for providing regular and vital support sessions to those suffering from dementia at two beloved Manchester locations.

The brand in question is Joseph Holt Brewery, which was founded behind an old pub on Oak Street in the Northern Quarter back in 1849, and has gone on to become an instantly recognisable British name.

Serving patrons for the best part of two centuries, their watering holes have always served as important meeting places and community hubs, but one of their current local initiatives is one of the most heartwarming we’ve come across of late.

Dubbed the ‘Get Together Group’, these dementia support sessions, which are now being pioneered at two of their Greater Manchester pubs, are truly setting an example for the kind of grassroots work and outreach that publicans do.

Credit: Joseph Holt Brewery (supplied)

Put simply, the Get Together Group hold sessions for those diagnosed with dementia, and indeed, members of families affected by the disease to meet, discuss and support one another.

Currently being hosted at The Goat’s Gate in Whitefield and The Woodthorpe in Prestwich – both beloved Joseph Holt boozers – the idea was started by Sonia Schofield, 53, who now runs the sessions with a band of dedicated volunteers.

“People just seem to love the warm atmosphere and general sense of community,” says Sonia. “There’s free tea, coffee, and biscuits, along with bingo, a raffle, and some fabulous singers who come along to entertain the group.

“Word has spread that this is such a lively and welcoming space that even people without a direct connection to dementia regularly come along – which is so lovely. It also adds to a sense of community, helps break down stigma around dementia and makes the group feel warm, inclusive, and caring.”

Having worked as part of the brewery for more than three and a half decades since joining as an 18-year-old, this became a passion project of hers after her beloved grandmother, Pam, who had raised her from the age of six, developed dementia in her late sixties.

As is sadly the case for many, it soon became clear that support for those struggling with dementia is unfortunately rather limited, with Royal Voluntary Service figures stating that more than a third of people even just caring for loved ones with dementia receive little or no support following diagnosis.

Goat’s Gate
The Woodthorpe
Here’s hoping it comes to more pubs
With 125 other establishments, this could be the start of something special. (Credit: CAMRA/Joseph Holt/The Manc Group)

Believed to be the first sessions of their kind held in a pub, the reception to the regular work done by Get Together has meant that it isn’t just people living with the condition directly that now attend: people throughout the local areas are turning to the bi-weekly meet-ups for connection and social interaction.

Sonia goes on to note that because “the atmosphere in a pub is far less formal than, say, a healthcare or community centre setting, this helps reduce anxiety and makes interaction feel more natural.

“Holding a support group in an everyday community venue also shows that people living with dementia are valued members of the community, not defined only by their diagnosis. Just seeing this group of people together is so uplifting.”

Joseph Holt‘s director of pubs, Mark Norbury, said of the scheme: “We are a family business with very strong roots in the communities where our pubs are located. The Get Together Club perfectly reflects Joseph Holt’s values – our pubs are about much more than simply serving drinks. They are welcoming spaces where people can come together, socialise, build friendships, and support one another.

“We are incredibly proud of what Sonia and her fellow volunteers have achieved: creating a vital source of support for those who need it, while also providing a warm, uplifting environment where everyone feels welcome.” Hear, hear.

Joseph Holt continues to extend that homegrown, family-run and community-driven ethos across their pubs, and we sincerely hope we get to more stuff like this popping up at their various wonderful sites across the boroughs.

@the.manc Ryan and Megan are now behind both the taps and the fryers at The Ape and Apple in Manchester city centre, in a unique new partnership between them and Joseph Holt. 🍺🍔 Now you can get their California-inspired smash burgers, wings and loaded fries, plus pub classics like pies with your pints. 📍 28-30 John Dalton Street, M2 6HQ #themanc #themanceats #manchester #thatburgerplace #manchesterpubs ♬ Walking Around – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem

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

Featured Images — Supplied (via Joseph Holt Brewery)/The Manc

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WWE is returning to Manchester for first-ever box office televised event

Danny Jones Danny Jones WWE SmackDown Manchester Co-op Live tickets 2027

The WWE is coming back to Manchester for what looks set to be one of their biggest overseas event yet, let alone just here in 0161.

Following spectacles such as WWE Live and the ‘Road to Clash in Paris’ last summer, WWE is bringing proper SmackDown scenes to the UK and Europe early next year.

Announcing the blockbuster booking on Monday, 10 August, WWE has chosen the Co-op Live arena to host an unprecedented first televised edition outside of the US this coming January.

Confirming an all-star cast of competitors for one of the franchise’s biggest promotions, this one is a must-not-miss for Manc wrestling fans.

As per the caption of the announcement: “WWE brings the 2027 Road to Royal Rumble European Tour to Co-op Live, the first ever WWE televised event.

“Fans will see their favourite WWE Superstars in action including Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk, Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, World Tag Team Champions The Vision and many more.”

Last time the world-famous sports entertainment company came to our city, we got to see the likes of Jey Uso, Rhea Ripley, GUNTHER, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and more.

Safe to say that we have been fortunate enough to see many of their most famous faces grace the canvas already.

Manchester, of course, isn’t the only domestic/European ‘Road to Royal Rumble’ date on the calendar in 2027 either.

WWE UK and EU tour dates | 2027

  • Friday, 15 January – Brussels, Belgium
  • Sat, 16 Jan – Gliwice, Poland
  • Sun, 17 Jan – Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Mon, 18 Jan – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
  • Fri, 22 Jan – Manchester, Co-op Live
  • Sat, 23 Jan – Stockholm, Sweden
  • Sun, 24 Jan – Budapest, Hungary
  • Mon, 25 Jan – Dublin, 3Arena

For anyone looking to grab tickets for the next Manchester WWE show at Co-op Live, you can sign up to find out all the details at the first opportunity right HERE.

Once again, official Co-op members get early access via the venue’s exclusive pre-sale window, and you can expect general admission to sell out fast, so keep your eyes peeled…

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

Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Co-op Live)/The Manc Group

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