THING OF THE WEEK
PARTY TIME… Many of the UK’s political parties have selected which cities will host their annual conferences in 2024. Labour will head to Liverpool for the third consecutive year, while the Tories are planning what is likely to be a sombre affair in Birmingham. The Greens this week announced they would be heading to Manchester, estimating an economic impact of £1.7m as a result of its three-day stint at Manchester Central. Reform, despite an impressive display at the polls earlier this month, is yet to get its act together; the party’s events webpage is blank.
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HOOPS… Allied London has put a vacant bit of space at Enterprise City to productive use. Courts Club, operated by Shiko Group, features a bar, beer garden, and the chance to work up a sweat playing a variety of sports including tennis, pétanque, and basketball. “No padel?” I hear you ask. We were as surprised as you. But who needs padel when, until 31 July, you could win £500 if you can make a shot from half court?
TIME says Manchester is emerging as a cultural capital. Credit: Marco Cappelletti
AVI-VA-VOOM… Aviva Studios is a basketball’s throw from Courts Club and what better place to be associated with than a venue named among TIME Magazine’s best places to visit around the world in 2024. The venue, formerly known as Factory, is the only UK landmark to make the list. According to TIME, Manchester is “emerging as a cultural capital”. Ask those here and they will tell you it already is.
Everyone needs somewhere to wash their dirty laundry. Credit: Oli Woodman via Unsplash
DIRTY LAUNDRY… Is the humble neighbourhood launderette making a comeback? The height of launderette usage was the 1980s when there were more than 12,000 across the UK, according to data from the National Association of the Laundrette Industry. Now, there are around 3,000 but sentiment could be shifting back to coin-operated washing machines.
Several developers, including Salboy and Downing, regularly incorporate launderettes into their residential schemes so that residents don’t have to hang damp washing in their apartments. Meanwhile, Denton recently saw a launderette open on its high street, while plans for another on Derby Road in Liverpool have recently been lodged.
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GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN… If you like Piña Coladas, head to Northwich on 17 August. Place has been made aware that the Cheshire town has an annual Piña Colada Festival and this is something we 100% support. Northwich may not seem like the most tropical of destinations, but it has a solid link to the drink courtesy of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”. Songwriter Rupert Holmes was born in Northwich and so, in his honour, the town has been putting on a festival for the summer cocktail since 2022. Given the weather in the North West, we feel confident that those who like both piña coladas and getting caught in the rain will be in luck. The festival is free – the piña coladas are not. Sign us up!
