This is the outlet at the Lowry. We hadn't been here in a few years certainly long before wu flu…read morestruck. I'd guess it's now half empty store wise. Key shops like M&S Clothing, Black & Decker, Tefal and many more all long gone. Harry Ramsden's fish & chips still there along with subway. A chicken shack of sorts, an independent Indian and a BK. The Indian has most food pre cooked and heated on order so no thanks. When there's a Harry's I'm afraid this sort of competition has no chance with me. They used to have a spud u like but it's gone as has an ice cream parlour. The Cadbury alleged chocolate shop is still there but prices are rip off with supermarkets offering identical products much cheaper. Costa coffee is still there and they are now advertising the fact that they are selling M&S food so at least that's quality food. I'm not sure I'd make another trip back here but they still do the artisan market days so that would bring me back.

A wonderful modern theatre in Salford at the Lowry Centre. The Lyric Theatre is the biggest of the…read moretwo theatres inside of the huge Lowry Centre. It hosts many amazing plays, musicals and many other entertainment options. I have been to see two National Theatre productions here which include the amazing War Horse and recently the Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. It also has a couple of restaurants and cafes and amazing views to go with it. I have sat in many places in the Lyric theatre and there really isn't one bad seat plus the seats are really comfortable! All the staff who work here are really friendly and they seem to love there job. So take a look at the Lowry website to see if theres a show coming your way soon. Even if you're not sure that you might like the theatre, give it a go you may love it! The Lowry also hosts many art exhibitions which currently has Behind the Mask, the biggest collection of BAFTA-winning actor portraiture ever assembled, which has come to The Lowry for its first time out of London which is worth the trip out of town alone! You can easily get to the Lowry from the city centre of Manchester on one of the Metrolink trams which head towards Media City UK!

I can't believe there's been a cinema this close to where I live and I'd never heard about it until…read morea friend got a Groupon deal. Cue three of us heading here on a clear (and ruddy freezing) February night to check it out. Now I'm certainly no expert of the subject, but I don't think the UK really took to drive in 'movie theatres' like our American cousins did - it's often too wet and chilly and most of us don't own a convertible. Anyway, Manchester has one! And it's supposedly been here for quite some time. After a few disconcerting minutes trying to find it amongst the distribution warehouses of Trafford Park, we spotted the queue of cars and then the gigantic screen. The process is pretty simple: you book online, show your reference number when you arrive, get told the FM frequency to tune your car radio in to, park up and enjoy the show. You're allowed to bring whatever food and drinks your heart desires (no alcohol for drivers, people). Your entry includes two small tubs of salted popcorn and two cans of soft drink - we divvied these between the three of us along with what can only be described as an E-number-filled buffet of depravity. If you fancy hot food, they'll even order a Domino's Pizza and hand deliver it to your car for you. It was refreshing to be able to enjoy the film, whilst being able to pass the odd comment or related factoid to your mates and make rustling noises opening packets without any fear of being shushed at. If the thought of sharing a cinema experience with *shudder* The General Public fills you with dread, then this is for you. Plus it cost us only £13 for the car, which is a barg compared to the multiplexes. Tip: keep your headlights off at all times as it's highly annoying to everyone else.

The place is pretty easy to find - just look for the cars queuing to get in. The film started over…read more20mins late, maybe because it wasn't dark enough for the film to be visible on the screen. It was fun to watch the film and listen to the sound on the radio, but the seats of our car were not so comfy after an hour and we both fidgeted a lot. We'd go again, but to see a shorter film as we didn't get home until 1.30am!

It was Inside Out 2 with grandkids, at over a hundred quid; recliner seats and snacks. M&M's added…read moreto giant buckets of popcorn, Coke Zero from a dispensing machine, Maltesers and other rubbish. The film was really funny but one could easily fall asleep on the recliners. Each seat had its own built - in tray. I remember cinema in the 1960's. It was nothing like this with plush seats that could seat you comfortably even if your waist-line was 90 inches. The seats here elevate your legs and drop you gently backways. Crystal clear sound and picture too. The 1960's local cinema houses had a smell. It wasn't overly pleasant with years of accumulated cigarette smoke creating an unmistakable odour. You could hear the motor noise as it widened or reduced the screen size/depth on the movie. The seats, like the carpet, were often cigarette burned, invariably when you put your hands on the seat arm rests you could feel the hard chewing gum left stuck by former guests once the flavour had gone. If the gum was on the carpeted floor it just became a black, almost solid, waterproof splodge and over time they accumulated into 100's of leathery splodges. The cinema seats folded up once you stood up. Midnight Cowboy was the first film that hit me right between the eyes and a whole lot different to Inside Out 2. In the 1960's we used to get a B movie as well as the A rated one and if we were lucky Pathé News with the clear, fruity and rich voice of Cyril Fredrick 'Bob' Danvers Walker, with just the suggestion of raffishness. Bob became the announcer voice on Michael Miles Take Your Pick. During films a girl would walk round with a tray with a fixed light on it selling mini tubs of ice creams, poppet chocolates (chocolate coated mint, orange, peanut or raisin). As Bob Dylan noted 'the times they are a changing' not to mention prices.

The Lowry Vue was a very run down and outdated cinema however with the newest renovation the cinema…read morehas been thrown back into the limelight. The cinema has massively cut down on the number of screens however they have significantly improved on the viewing experience. Each cinema screen is filled with reclining leather seats and pullout tables attached to them. This is honestly the best viewing experience I have had at a cinema in a long time and for the great price of £8. When me and my friend visited the cinema we used the Meerkat Movies offer so we received the 2 tickets for the price of 1 and it was totally worth the price!! Would highly recommend!

A fascinating perspective on the contributions by the people of the Manchester area to major…read moreinnovations in science and industry throughout history. Numerous displays and examples of equipment and machinery large and small. Steam engines to electron microscopes on display, with emphasis on Manchester's relationship with the cotton industry, both good and bad. Something for everyone here, young and old. Free to enter, donations appreciated. Reservations will make sure that you don't need to wait for entry. A must-see if you are in the area.

Fantastic place for families with children! Adults can enjoy the many exhibits while young ones can…read moreenjoy the hands on displays. We liked watching the textile demonstration in the Textile area. This place has so much to see and do. And it's free! Contributions are gladly accepted to keep this fabulous museum operational.

This was up there with one of the best non yelp events I've ever been to. A bit of a shame other…read moreYelpers snubbed the event because those that didn't had an absolute hoot. My initial plan, much like Andrew Y & the others was to have a few and move on. The fact that we stayed until the end therefore speaks volumes. Despite the crowd being a bit on the spinningfields corporate side, the atmosphere was relaxed and informal. The main hall was a beehive of activity and happy chaos (of the fun kind) with all the stalls vying for your attention. There was facepainting, costumes, fake snow , sushi with your cocktails and all sorts. Upon first entering it was a tad intimidating as we felt a little underdressed (glad rags aplenty on show). I stood out like a sore thumb with a hoodie and an arm sling. The copious amount of alcohol on offer however gave the entire place a giggly teen party vibe in no time. I'd already eaten but the food stall was popular throughout the night, chaat cart once again stealing the show. With a £6.50 token you could get a cocktail or an item of food. (Though some cocktails gave you more for your money than others, in terms of quality & quantity) All in all a great success. Congratulations to the organisers.

Thanks to Yelp I got to know that Cocktails in the City was happening. The venue for the festival…read moreis the Old Granada Studios in Spinningfields, that may look a bit dodgy from the outside, but the interior has been nicely decorated for the event. The idea is: as soon as you arrive you are supposed to purchase some tokens, each of them costs 6.5£. At that point you'll be able to get either food or cocktails, each dish or drink is worth one token. The street food market is located just outside Studio 12, while right beyond the entrance there is a tiny room where UV Junkyard Golf is set and a stage on which cocktails talks take place. The UV golf is incredibly fun! As for food, I tried a pulled beef sandwich from Poffertjes Kings and a bun from Chaat Cart and they were both really good. The core of the event is in Studio 12. It is divided into 23 spots, each of them corresponding to a bar and its own peculiar cocktail. I tasted a few, and they were all very fancy and original. The majority of cocktails had either gin, rum, or tequila as base. A few bars also serve canapes to pair with your choice of cocktail. The atmosphere is very relaxed and all the bartenders are very friendly and keen to explain the characteristics of their cocktail. There is also a competition going on, it's possible to vote your favourite cocktail on a Facebook poll once you have attended the event. This festival is fabulous, I really had a great night, also thanks to the other yelpers! :)

The Manchester Art Gallery isn't massive but has an interesting collection of pieces. It's also…read morefree to enter, so not much to lose by stopping in. My partner and I were in the area and checked it out because they had an exhibition on drinkware and the historical context of its supply and consumption. Lots of cool pieces and good insights on the exploitation involved with coffee, tea, and chocolate. Other than that, it's not unlike most museum visits. Wander around, stop by the gift shop perhaps, and then you're off!

Free to the public during the week! We stopped here because we couldn't check into your Airbnb yet…read more We stopped by and walked around. It's big, pretty and they have clean and nice bathrooms. They also have a cafe, and plenty of chairs so you can rest and sit. The gift shop is also very cute and they have free wifi! Definitely check it out if you need to kill some time!

Officially launched in March 2010, this is a new kid on the block in Chorlton's night life…read more Although it is to the rear of The Lounge bar, the management are keen to stress that this is a separate entity, with its emphasis firmly placed on live entertainment. To this end, an independent entrance has recently been installed, so that access is now via the alley to the side of The Lounge. I discovered this place purely by accident, having gone for lunch with friends at The Lounge early in 2010 and seen workmen gutting the back room, whilst electricians installed a new sound system. February saw a total refurbishment to what had originally just been a relatively small function room, and what was a pleasant but unremarkable space has been transformed into an attractive and intimate night time venue. Checking it out upon its opening, I was pleasantly surprised. The ceiling is now swathed in deep red sheer fabric, creating the feeling of being inside a Moroccan tent, whilst recessed coloured halogen spots, twinkling icicle lights and candles provide warm illumination. Mirrors and artwork adorn all the walls, and the overall effect is both tasteful and homely. The bar's owners have clearly had the designers in. Further transformation is evidenced by the change in entertainment and the clientele. In keeping with the bijou proportions of the space, live music is predominantly acoustic or semi-acoustic. That said, it's not as small-scale as you might imagine. When I attended the first night of the newly-launched Cajun Specials session last week, no less than 12 musicians were playing, and those who couldn't fit into the performance area joined in from their seats! Similarly the following night, which is open mic, saw 13 acts onstage, and the evening ended in a big jam session. The lady next to me remarked that it was 'like having a party in your own living room.' I'm told that the owner of Baroque intends building the bar's reputation as a credible live music venue, and if the nights I've attended there over the past six weeks are anything to go by, it's well on its way to achieving that goal. The ambiance is lovely, and the friendly bar staff just don't seem to be able to do enough for you. It's a very relaxed venue, and I'm told that the aim is also to make it a gay-friendly environment, which presumably explains all the pretty design touches. Prices here are pretty good, with a large glass of wine being £3.50, or under the current offer: if you buy two glasses you get the rest of the bottle free. £7 is great value for a bottle of wine! The only slight drawback at the moment is that the gents' toilet is currently behind the stage area, so male patrons have to either walk through the musicians to get to the loo, or else wait for a change-over between performers. However, I'm told that this will be remedied soon because the re-modeling isn't finished yet. It seems that even more ambitious plans are in the works for this cute little bar, and these will be implemented before the summer. SCORES Decor: 9/10 Cleanliness: 8/10 Atmosphere: 9/10 Value for money: 8/10 Live entertainment: 10/10 Variety of drinks on offer: 8/10 Food: N/A Staff: 10/10

Booked in December 2 tickets for Moulin Rouge in September 2025…read more Was feeling very ill, dizzy, losing consciousness so went to doctors and was rushed to hospital London. A mass has been found on the left side of my brain and is spreading. I have had treatment, but at this point I have been told its a life limiting condition. I contacted to cancel my tickets, because well, and I can use that money now to help with home costs. They replied to me that I needed to get them proof that I was 'not going to be here'. They then said that they can swap my tickets for another performance so I don't get to miss it. I am in Derby. They want me to go to London to get a sick note from my surgeon, or to download a form from ATG and then send it to my busy surgeon, get him to fill it out and send it back to me to prove it. As a last ditch attempt, the Palace Theatre Box Office was approached, and they turned around and said that if I am unwilling to follow the process with ATG, there is nothing they can do. Or alternatively I could sell my tickets on Twickets, because I am obviously well enough for that! I.am absolutely flabbergasted. Sickened. Disgusting service. This is the first review, but my family are going to leave a review on every review site, all media sites. They have the transcripts of the conversation. The low down dirty sick thing about it all though is that I paid for refund protection. Which means absolutely NOTHING. HORRIBLE INSENSITIVE PEOPLE. Never been so sickened!

Based on my last experience I'd give it 1 star but overall I know that would be super unfair. For a…read morelong time I think I romanticised the idea of this venue, it could do no wrong but the reality is it's not actually all that. The building is stunning and steeped in history, that itself is profoundly beautiful but reflecting on the actual experience of seeing a show here, it can be hit or miss. Pros: Many, many amazing shows passing through The building itself The history The stage Location Cloak room Concession prices on tickets Merchandise stall for those that want a souvenir Cons: Can be very noisy during a show (can hear the dryers from the toilets, mobile phone interference affecting the speakers, ushers don't really tell noisy customers off) Limited leg room Certain areas have very restricted views e.g. mid/back of the stalls Expensive drinks and snacks Tickets can be overpriced I'm an avid theatre goer and have seen so many classics here, I will not stop going but I think things needs to be tightened up. Going to the theatre is a real treat, anything that brings the experience down needs addressing.

I really like the new Home. The cinema rooms are much better than they were at Corner house, and…read morethe food is just fantastic. Home offers a range of discounts, including advance bookings made online, as well as ticket price reduction for members.

So HOME is pretty cool!…read more It kind of feels like the old cornerhouse in general vibe and outlook on life but in a big flashy new skin away from the rest of Manchester. In fact this does seem to be the new way of doing things by the council - let's build things on brown field sites and aim to create a new urban hub around it. With very little passing traffic, it's going to take a while to really become a mainstream destination but it is very easily reached with Deansgate and Oxford Road stations around 5 mins walk. On this occasion I was looking for somewhere to work for a few hours and sat upstairs in their cafe bar grabbing a couple of flat whites and a bacon bap . Not bad all round and pretty quiet on a Monday morning. It did get much busier at lunch time so it's good to see peeps really enjoying this offering! You can sit outside on deck chairs and tables and there's a cafe downstairs just selling drinks and cake.

It's still with a huge amount of caffeine in my veins that I'm writing this review. Five stars, one…read moremore deserved than the next, for Cup North: pure passion for coffee is exuded by this event! Great venue and decor, wide spaces and rare queues made my experience absolutely enjoyable. Talking to baristas and sellers has been very straightforward, and they all were keen to share their expertise in the field of coffee, often telling about their trips around the world (South America, Africa...) in the search of quality. Baristas, just like sommeliers, guided you through your tastings, in order to make you get all the shades of flavours and aroma. Cold brewed coffee has been a special discovery: different from everything I have ever tried so far, it's got an extravagant bitter note that makes you wonder if you're drinking an actual coffee. Most importantly, you could also brew your own coffee! (while a barista was overviewing, of course) The final tasting and the chemical analysis revealed that mine was a bit weak, but I am sure I'll do better next year. Well, I will probably stay up all night, but it's definitely worth it! ;)

An okay event in a quirky environment…read more I missed Cup North in its first incarnation so I was looking forward to seeing what all the fuss was about. Billed as a coffee festival, I was expecting to be blown off my socks by sights and sounds and, most of all, scents and tastes of my beverage of choice. My take-away? Nice try, better luck next time. I have to ask the question why hold a coffee festival in Manchester but have so little involvement from North West and Mancunian producers, venues and innovators? Manchester Coffee Company seemed the only roaster in evidence, despite there being four or five in the city alone, and there were no Manchester coffee houses in sight. As for the event itself, it seemed to be aimed at professionals more than customers, with roasters and distributors, equipment manufacturers and wholesalers, rather than domestic machines and retailers. I had an okay time and I won't be hurrying back to the next event, but if you're looking to learn a little more about coffee, then Cup North might start you on the path. As someone who knows a fair amount about the history of coffee in the West, I was a little disappointed by the experience (the first event staff member I met was condescending and incompetent in turns), particularly by the lack of North West-based businesses.