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Victoria Baths will reopen as a swimming pool for the first time in three years

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 4th July 2022

Manchester landmark Victoria Baths is set to open as a swimming pool again this year.

The beautiful building hasn’t hosted a swimming session in three years but is planning a bumper event to make up for lost time.

The Big Splash will take place in September, complete with supper clubs, fancy dress and giant inflatables.

The Gala Pool at Victoria Baths dates back to 1906 but closed as a swimming baths in 1993.

Victoria Baths will reopen for a swimming event this September. Credit: Steve Allen

To refill and heat the pool now takes 96 hours, or four days, requiring the equivalent of 1500 baths-worth of water.

Surrounding the Grade II-listed pool itself are 45 individual changing cubicles.

The Big Splash is the heritage venue’s biggest fundraising event of the year and all money raised from the swim tickets goes to protecting the building’s future.

  • Inside Victoria Baths
  • Former swimming pool Victoria Baths
Credit: Steve Allen

For three days only, visitors will have a chance to see the space as it once was, thanks to United Utilities and a team of volunteers.

On the Friday night, there’ll be the chance to have a swim, then join in with a three-course supper club in one of the other former pools, hosted by The Sri Lankan Experience.

Tickets for the swim and supper club event cost £45.

On the Saturday and Sunday, there will be lane swimming between 8am and 9am (£16 a session), with hot drinks and pastries served in the Tea Room.

Read more: Manchester archaeologists carry out dig at 5,000-year-old tomb linked to King Arthur

Then the pool floats, including the Victoria Baths pink flamingos, will be back out from 9.30am until 4.15pm.

Elsewhere in the building there’ll be guided tours, exhibitions, access to the viewing gallery, choir performances, a kids’ art trail, a ‘Make, Do and Disco’ event, and talks.

Hip Hop Chip Shop will rock up with their food truck too.

The Big Splash will take place on 9, 10 and 11 September. Tickets go on sale at 11am on Tuesday 5 July. Visit www.victoriabaths.org.uk for more information.

Featured image: Steve Allen

What's On

Trafford Centre’s ‘unmissable’ summer fair is returning with a beach, fairground rides, and more

Emily Sergeant 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.

Read more:

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

What's On

Stage times confirmed for Oasis Live ’25 at Heaton Park in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester have been confirmed

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

  • Gates – 3pm
  • Cast – 6pm
  • Richard Ashcroft – 7pm
  • Oasis – 8.15pm
  • Curfew – 10.30pm

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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