Stretford Mall is now home to a pop-up play centre which gives each family its very own themed pod.
Eight pods have opened up in the cafe, each filled with plenty of toys and activities that families can book out for two hours at a time.
The Play Cafe is also serving up food from Stretford Canteen including picnic platters for children, fresh bread and cakes, pies and cheese platters.
For the parents, you can also grab a beer or gin and tonic as well as a range of locally supplied hot drinks.
The pod’s themes include Lego, messy play, role play and classic games. There’s also a nature pod, small world babe in arms and active pod.
The Play Cafe is the brainchild of local entrepreneur Haylea Osborne who is also behind Placemaker events.
Haylea said: “The Play Cafe is a concept that we have evolved and adapted numerous times to meet the requirements of the current climate.
“Our aim has always been to provide affordable family fun in an environment that is both inspiring to adults and children.
“We are proud to deliver something that is local to the Stretford area and are grateful to Bruntwood Works for their support in helping us trial something different.
“Like many people, COVID-19 has affected me personally and it hasn’t been easy to keep going when myself and my business partner are working full time…I hope us finally opening our doors will be an inspiration to others.
“We think it essential that we work with local suppliers such as Stretford Canteen, The Urban Preserver, Mancoco and Dunky spoons hot choc – keeping our business local is the least we can do to support the local economy.
“We look forward to welcoming the families of Stretford along for some good old fashioned fun!”
You can book The Play Cafe every Saturday for a two hour slot. Guests should also allow for the 30 minute gap between slots designated for cleaning.
Slots available include: 11am, 1:30pm and 4pm – you can find more info here.
Nick Cave is heading to the UK for the first time since 2017, and the good news is he’ll be stopping in Manchester.
The Australian rock legend and his band the Bad Seeds will be playing the AO Arena on November 5th, as part of a full European tour.
And in even better news the tour coincides with the release of the band’s 18th studio album, Wild God, which is set to be released on August 30th.
@nickcaveofficial / Instagram
About the tour, Cave said: “I never think about how a record is going to go live, it never, ever occurs to me
“The lyric writing process is way too hard to take ideas like that into consideration. But, when I listen to Wild God now, I think we can really do something epic with these songs live. “We’re really excited about that – the record just feels like it was made for the stage.” The Bad Seeds will be supported by art rock band Black Country, New Road throughout their UK tour.
@nickcaveofficial / Instagram
Cave added: “Wild God…there’s no f**king around with this record. When it hits, it hits. It lifts you. It moves you. I love that about it.
“I hope the album has the effect [on listeners] that it’s had on me. It bursts out of the speaker, and I get swept up with it. It’s a complicated record, but it’s also deeply and joyously infectious.
“There is never a masterplan when we make a record. The records rather reflect back the emotional state of the writers and musicians who played them. Listening to this, I don’t know, it seems we’re happy.”
The full UK dates for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds:
2 November – Leeds, First Direct arena 3 November – Glasgow, OVO Hydro 5 November – Manchester, AO Arena 6 November – Cardiff, Utilita Arena 8 November – London, The O2 12 November – Dublin, 3Arena 15 November – Birmingham, Resorts World Arena
Legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks is coming to Manchester’s Co-op Live this summer.
The front woman of the iconic band Fleetwood Mac will take to the stage at the brand new arena – set to open this spring – to the delight of her adoring fans on Tuesday, July 9th.
Nicks will perform in Manchester ahead of her upcoming appearance at BTS in London’s Hyde Park on July 12th.
Speaking about her upcoming show in London, Nicks said: “Anything that draws me back to London – and therefore to England – fills my heart with joy. And to be able to visit and make music… is always a dream come true…”
Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 along with her then partner and fellow Mac band member, Lindsey Buckingham.
She introduced to the band her distinctive voice, poetic songwriting, and captivating stage presence, winning over the love of audiences worldwide.
Her impact on Fleetwood Mac’s success during the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly with the release of the highly acclaimed album Rumours, solidified her as a musical powerhouse.
This record sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the 5th best-selling album of the 1970s and the 9th best-selling album of all time.
Beyond her contributions to Fleetwood Mac, Nicks has had a significant solo career that further cements her enduring influence.
Hits including ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘Stand Back’ showcase her versatility and unique style.
Her ability to transcend musical boundaries, coupled with her trailblazing role as a woman in rock, has inspired generations of artists.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and as a solo artist in 2019, Stevie Nicks continues to be celebrated not only for her musical prowess but also as a symbol of resilience and creativity in the ever-evolving musical landscape.
Co-op members will be first in line for tickets at Co-op Live before they go on general sale, including other exclusive benefits – get signed up HERE.
Co-op member presale tickets go live at 12pm on March 20th
General sale tickets go live at 12pm on March 22nd.
LEGO is set to host a series of FREE interactive workshops in Greater Manchester next month.
From next month, youngsters who love to build things with Lego can take part in the workshops held at the LEGO Toy Shop in Manchester Arndale and LEGO Store at the Trafford Centre, as part of a new campaign aimed at championing and standing up for girls’ creativity.
The LEGO Group wants to encourage kids across Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK to ‘play unstoppable’.
The first in-person ‘Creativity Workshops’ are set to kick start in Greater Manchester for the last two Sundays of April.
The workshops will be held on Sunday April 21st and 28th – with online options available for those who are unable to make it in person.
Aimed at young creators aged 6-12, the workshops are focused on themes such as Entertainment, Space, Imagination and Gaming.
Here, young creators can ‘celebrate their star power’ by building a photo frame to display a picture of an achievement, friends and family, or anything they wish to celebrate. Other builds include a name sign, jewellery stand and more.
Staff at the stores will be on hand to help and guide children as they use their imaginations and build away.
For those children who are unable to make the workshops in-person, there will also be online workshops as part of the ‘Creativity at Home’ series – with the first ones set to be hosted by Strictly’s Dianne Buswell.
These are all about ‘fun and entertainment and decorating your room’ to reflect a piece of you.
The celebrity professional dancer will show children and show families how to create fun LEGO builds to decorate their home with.
Tickets to the workshops are FREE, but make sure to book them in advance on the LEGO as they are expected to be snapped-up fast. For tickets, click HERE.
The online Creativity at Home workshops are available now at www.LEGO.com/Creativity-Workshops.
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