Man-chester for all seasons

The Industrial Revolution & the construction of the Bridgewater Canal & Liverpool & Manchester Railway transformed Manchester from a market town to a world-class city in the 18^th & 19th centuries. These days a visit to the unofficial capital of the north offers top-class theatre, shopping, museums, galleries, restaurants & sporting events, as well as loads of different festivals & events throughout

the year.

Marketing Manchester, the tourist board for Greater Manchester, is a good place to start planning your group’s city break. Their new visitor information team consists of all the different sources who provide tourists with information about the city & region - whether it be over the counter in a tourist information centre or via the VisitManchester website.

Visiting Manchester as part of a group has many advantages, not least the abundance of short-stay drop-off points throughout the city. The city also has approximately 30 dedicated coach-parking areas with 16 short-stay bays, 8 medium-stay bays, & 5 longerstay & overnight coach-parking bays. To make life even simpler, a dedicated groups’ travel guide has been produced & is available to all GTOs from the city’s tourist board by calling 0871 226 0425.

And don’t forget that Manchester offers more than urban attractions: its countryside is never far with rolling hills & stunning scenery. There’s a few websites that are particularly useful when it comes to planning your itinerary & sourcing good deals for groups. Try out http://www.visitmanchester.com/, www.manchesterscountryside.com, & www.industrialpowerhouse.org.

Sweet & Lowry

Speaking of good deals, the Lowry Outlet Mall in Salford Quays offers top-quality high-street names at up to 50% off, seven days a week. Groups can also benefit from regular group days, which include a classic film, refreshments, lunch, tea, free prizedraw, & dance with the Greg Francis Band. Of course, you also get time to take advantage of some of the designer bargains on the likes of Karen Millen, Whistles, Liz Claiborne, & Marks & Spencer. At £8.50 per head you definitely get value for money - & there’s no minimum group size, either.

Look out for West Side Story on 14 June & Some Like It Hot on 19 July. Places are limited so make sure you book in advance; you can ring Claire Bleasdale on 0161 848 1806 or email her at claire@lowryoutletmall.com.

War & peace

Across the Lowry footbridge is the Imperial War Museum North, the award-winning building by international architect Daniel Libeskind. The museum is about people & their stories, & the impact war & conflict have on their lives. From 27 May to 7 January you can take in Against the Odds: The Story of Bomber Command in the Second World War. The exhibition features the experiences of the air & ground crew of Bomber Command, as well as WAAFs & aircraft factory workers from nearby Trafford Park. For information about group bookings ring 0161 836 4064 or go to north.iwm.org.uk.

Pier-less

On the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, Wigan Pier is a museum & entertainment venue that once functioned as an important loading & uploading building for the mills & collieries. The Wigan Pier Theatre Company helps to bring the early-20^th century to life with shows like The Way We Were, an authentic re-creation of Lancashire in the 1900s.

The Trencherfield Mill Engine at  Wigan Pier is also worth taking a look at; it’s located in its original setting, & is the world’s largest original mill steam engine.

As a group-travel organiser you can tailor your trip to Wigan Pier to suit the needs & interests of your group. You can find out about group incentives by calling 01942 323666 or go to www.wiganpier.net.