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Vegan market with street food, clothing and craft stalls comes to Rochdale this weekend

Rochdale Vegan Market is the first event in 2021 dedicated to plant-based, vegan, ethical and sustainable lifestyles.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 23rd July 2021

The first vegan market of 2021 is finally taking place in Rochdale this weekend.

It’s been a long time coming, but now that restrictions on mass gatherings and events have been lifted earlier this week, the Greater Manchester town will welcome its first market of the year dedicated to plant-based, vegan, ethical and sustainable lifestyles this Saturday.

Organised and hosted by Vegan Market Co – a popular events company known for bringing together a new wave of artisan producers and making vegan innovations accessible to the masses – the Rochdale Vegan Market will take over the town centre’s picturesque retail and leisure destination, Riverside, and feature up to 30 stalls.

There’s set to be a huge variety of vegan street food, artisan savouries, sweet bakes, craft cheeses, handmade cosmetics, ethical clothing and jewellery, arts and crafts, plastic-free goods, and charity stands.

Rochdale Vegan Market is dedicated to plant-based, vegan and sustainable lifestyles / Credit: Vegan Market Co

Ahead of the event this weekend, Lewis Beresford – founder of Vegan Market Co – told the MEN that local and independent businesses are at the heart of what the market is about, adding: “We are so excited to be in Rochdale for the first time.

“We work hard to find the country’s leading vegan producers – from street food vendors and bakers, to ethical clothing and cosmetic producers.

“We can’t wait to give all of these fantastic producers the platform they deserve and introduce them to the wonderful people of Rochdale.”

There’s set to be a huge variety of vegan street food, artisan savouries and sweet bakes / Credit: Vegan Market Co
All created by a handpicked selection of “talented, ethical, and sustainable” businesses / Credit: Vegan Market Co

Up to 1,200 visitors are expected at the event this weekend, according to Vegan Market Co.

As well as working hard to connect the growing sustainable, ethical and vegan population with independent, pioneering and eco-focused companies, Vegan Market Co says it’s doing its bit for the climate crisis by “offsetting the carbon footprint from each event”, and planting a tree for every business that takes part.

Rochdale Vegan Market

  • Saturday 24 July 2021
  • Riverside Rochdale
  • 10am – 4pm

Featured Image – Vegan Market Co

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Five free places to watch Wimbledon on the big screen in Manchester this summer

Danny Jones Danny Jones free places to watch Wimbledon 2025 in Manchester city centre

It’s grass court season, folks, and as a truly music and tournament-filled summer kicks into fifth gear, we’re making a civilised foray into the all sporting action with Wimbledon, which got underway at the end of June – and we’ve got the perfect places to watch every second here in Manchester.

Us Mancs love sports of pretty much any discipline, it practically makes up the fabric of our city, and in this case, that just so happens to be breathable white cotton or perhaps poly-blend suitable for running around and swinging a racket in.

On a serious note, everyone loves watching tennis for at least this one fortnight during this time of year, and with a record number of British players competing in the tournament right now, there’s all the more reason for you to tune in.

So, all that being said, here a five free, largely family-friendly places to watch Wimbledon 2025 on the big screen here in Manchester city centre.

Where to watch Wimbledon 2025 in Manchester for free

1. Tony Wilson Place – First Street

First up, rather fittingly, we’re returning to one of our go-tos whenever Wimbledon rolls around these days: the big temporary lawn laid out over on the big square at Tony Wilson Place. A sun-trap with deck chairs and plenty of places for food and drink around you – what more could you ask for?

The ever-thriving First Street complex has been paving the way for free social listening/watch parties here in Manchester, especially when it comes to utilising public open-air spaces, and it’s sure to be backed once again for this year’s Women’s Euros too. Trendsetters, they are.

2. Screen on the Square – New Jackson

Heading over towards Castlefield direction and the emerging area known as New Jackson, next on the list of free places to watch Wimbledon in central Manchester is Deansgate Square, where property developers Renaker have set up a special dedicated section for a jam-packed summer of sport.

Simply called ‘Screen on the Square’, the viewing zone not only sits in the shade of the city’s now skyline-defining towers but also catches plenty of rays throughout certain periods of the day. This space will also be doubling up (if you’ll pardon the pun) as a free outdoor cinema throughout the season.

A free open-air cinema is opening in the heart of Manchester’s skyscraper district
Entertainment of all forms over at The Residences.

3. Courts Club – St John’s

From the outskirts of Deansgate to the area’s newest addition, the thriving St John’s district has the perfect home for all things court-based, with a free outdoor screen whilst the sun is out and another big project inside the venue, where you’ll also find plenty of food and drink options.

Courts Club has genuinely started realising its potential as a genuinely popular social hangout as well as being a bar, pub quiz destination, food spot and places to enjoy a rally or shoot a few hoops. Not unlike First St, the faux beach and lawn layout is ideal for a laid-back Wimbledon watchalong.

4. MediaCityUK – Salford Quays

Heading out of the city centre for a spell – though only a tram ride away – the waterside viewing zone at the similarly titled ‘Screen on the Docks’ over at Media City is back for summer 2025 with a wide range of live sport, including cricket, F1 and, yes, Wimbledon.

Situated on the steps right next to the old harbour area, turned home of Greater Manchester mainstay, Box on the Docks, there are all kinds of entertainment to catch for free. Make sure you check their socials for the regular schedule even after the tournament is over.

screen on the docks media city salford quays

5. The Lawn Club

Finally, the last one on this list isn’t necessarily a free viewing area; however, we’ll confess to having wandered in here and taken in the big screen without getting so much as a water before. Also part of the Shiko Group, like Courts, The Lawn Club is exactly as on brand as it sounds.

Located in Spinningfields just a short walk from St John’s around the corner, the bottomless brunch favourite once again has a big screen out on the artificial garden terrace out back. That being said, you might as well give them your custom and grab a Pimm’s while you’re at it.

Best of luck to all our UK stars taking part in Wimbledon this year, and we hope these Manchester venues and their big screens serve as an ace place to watch the games with Hawk-Eyes…

Ok, we’ll stop now.

Read more:

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Smash-hit musical Mean Girls to open in Manchester at start of its first UK tour

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Mean Girls The Musical

One of the most popular new musicals of the last decade is set to head out on its first-ever UK tour early next year.

And it’ll be kicking things off here in Manchester.

Based on the iconic 2004 movie of the same name, which is known and loved right across the globe, Mean Girls The Musical debuted at to huge success at the National Theatre in Washington D.C in 2017, before transferring to Broadway in April 2018, again to ecstatic responses where it played to sold-out theatres most nights.

The show then went on a hugely-successful US tour in 2019 and recently completed a second US tour.

Continuing on its run, the production then opened in the West End in 2025, where it was seen by more than 330,000 people over its run and recently took home the coveted ‘Best New Musical’ award at the 2025 WhatsOnStage Awards.

Mean Girls The Musical
Mean Girls The Musical
Mean Girls The Musical is opening its first-ever UK tour in Manchester next year / Credit: Brinkhoff Mögenburg

Not only that, but in 2024, you may remember that the new musical twist on the fan-favourite from the comedic mind of Tina Fey was released as a new feature film with sensational musical performances.

But for the first time ever, the rest of the UK is about to get a slice of the action.

Mean Girls The Musical will be heading out on tour early next year, and it’s us lucky musical lovers of Manchester that’ll get to see it before anyone else, as it’s landing on the legendary Manchester Opera House stage in February 2026.

Unfamiliar with the plot of Mean Girls The Musical? Just like the film, the musical follows Regina, Gretchen, and Karen, otherwise known as ‘The Plastics’ of North Shore High, as they meet homeschooled new girl, Cady Heron, as finds out that high school is a whole new level of savage.

Mean Girls The Musical
Tickets go on sale this week / Credit: Brinkhoff Mögenburg

When Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung.

Expect iconic characters, razor-sharp wit, and killer songs.

Mean Girls The Musical has a book by Tina Fey, music and vocal arrangements by Jeff Richmond, lyrics, and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw, among many other big names of the theatre world involved.

Read more:

The tour will open at Manchester Opera House on 23 February 2026, before touring to venues across the UK and Ireland until the end of January 2027.

Tickets will go on general sale tomorrow (Thursday 3 July) at 10am here.

Featured Image – Brinkhoff Mögenburg

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