News
Bolton named as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture 2024
Congratulations, Bolton!
Bolton has been crowned as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture 2024.
The borough will receive the £50,000 reward to support a year-long programme of events and celebrations for all to enjoy around the town.
Bolton Council has said the title will shine a spotlight on the ‘remarkable arts, culture and heritage that exists across Greater Manchester’.
The Town of Culture accolade is handed out every year to different boroughs across the city-region to celebrate Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
The award is based on the UK City of Culture concept, which was introduced in 2009 by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham when he was Culture Secretary, built on the success of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.
Bury was Greater Manchester’s inaugural Town of Culture in 2020 and also held the title during 2021 throughout the COVID 19 pandemic.
The town curated and delivered a hybrid programme of live and virtual events, including the Happy Festival and the two-week Burrs Live Festival.
Stalybridge, in Tameside, was the Town of Culture for 2022, which helped bring new opportunities for residents and visitors.
Last year, Stockport won the title and enjoyed a fantastic calendar of festivities and welcomed a brand new modern transport interchange complete with a rooftop green space. As its year of celebration comes to an end, it will work towards building on that legacy as it now passes the baton on to Bolton.
Bolton’s Town of Culture programme will see three parts; with the first will be a packed taster programme of cultural activities delivered in Bolton and its various districts.
It will be followed by a small grants programme designed to help support Bolton’s smaller cultural organisations, freelancers and artists.
This will result in programmes of activity and commissioning of new works with audiences throughout the next 12 months.
Leader of Bolton council, Nick Peel, said: “I’m thrilled that we can announce Bolton as the town of culture for 2024.
“Not only do we have some remarkable cultural venues, but these are strengthened by our fantastic major events programme including Bolton Food and Drink Festival, Ironman, Bolton Film Festival and Put Big Light On.
“Bolton certainly has a promising future and will be a great place to live, work, study, visit and invest.”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “It’s fantastic that Bolton has been announced as the latest Greater Manchester town of culture.
“Bolton already has some outstanding cultural venues and events from the Octagon Theatre and the Bolton Albert Hall to the famous Bolton Food and Drink Festival and the Bolton Film Festival.
“Town of Culture will celebrate these existing venues and events but will also shine a light on the smaller venues and events that are happening across the town.
“I look forward to visiting Bolton to join their cultural celebrations.”
We’re pleased to announce that Proper Manchester is rebranding as Finest City Guides.
As part of this change, the Proper Manchester brand, including its social media channels, will transition to the Finest City Guides name.
This is a rebrand of the existing platform rather than a new or unrelated business. The same team behind Proper Manchester will continue to operate Finest City Guides as we develop the platform under its new identity.
Previous name: Proper Manchester
New name: Finest City Guides
Our social channels and other brand assets will be updated to reflect the Finest City Guides name as part of this transition.
More from Finest City Guides coming soon.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
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