Category: Review

“WE’D like you to come and visit Salford in Greater Manchester for a travel review,” they told me.

“You’ll be staying in a hotel right next to Old Trafford football stadium.”

At this point, my bags were mentally packed. The notion, for this life-long Manchester United fan, of sleeping literally within the shadows of the neighbouring mighty Theatre of Dreams had already sealed the deal.

All domestic arrangements on the busy home front were swept aside (luckily not many as it happened) in favour of an impromtu two-day city break.

It’s many years since I watched my team on their home turf – BC (before children) in fact! So it was with excited anticipation that I dusted off my trusty team shirt and whisked the family off ‘up north.’

Appropriately then, we stayed in the world’s first football hotel, Hotel Football.

Owned by former United legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, the hotel opened a couple of years ago next to Old Trafford Football Ground on Sir Matt Busby Way. In fact, it’s so close to the stadium, the aforementioned players could easily kick the ball from their top floor into the stadium with limited effort!

The hotel offers everything travellers need to a high standard – and who says size doesn’t matter? Big is beautiful seems to be the motto here, from the large wall-mounted tellies to the huge walk-in rainshowers.

And kids – of all ages – can feast on a mini fridge of complimentary retro drinks and snacks. A fun touch.

The theming is throughout the hotel, but heaviest in their ground-floor Café Football restaurant. This seemed extremely popular with non residents too.

But the stand-out feature for any footie fan is the little piece of heaven they offer on the top floor. Heaven is what they’ve rather appropriately named their rooftop astroturf pitch that even boasts a retractable roof. Many a game is enjoyed when the room is not doubling as private function space.

If you’re staying, do visit, if only briefly, to appreciate the panoramic views of Manchester from this delightful vantage point. A perfect perch too of course, from which to stare and dream, till your heart’s content, at the stadium’s sporting grandeur. (Once again, I make no apologies for this critic’s emotional bias!)

If football’s not your thing, don’t be put off. The purpose of our visit was to be introduced to the city’s stunning waterfront destination called Salford Quays.

The vibrant area houses a whole host of sporting, cultural and leisure attractions within just one square mile, in that respect, the perfect location for a short city break.

Visitors will find everything from history and heritage to sport and shopping interwoven throughout The Quays’ venues and programmes.

So, here, is my hit list of what to do and where to eat while in Salford Quays – and why it’s worth tempting you a little bit further out from the usual lures of a city centre. Plus, evidence, that there really is something for everyone within this area.

Heritage: Do not leave without taking time to visit the award-winning Imperial War Museum North.

Its two large exhibition spaces tell the stories of people affected by war through mediums including galleries, action stations and the Big Picture shows which are emotive and impressive in equal measure.

The imposing architecture of the IWM building cannot be missed and is one of the most iconic features of The Quays skyline.

Admission free, but donation requested.
Visit: www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-north

Culture: The Lowry is simply a must for art lovers.

This spectacular waterside venue offers visitors the chance to enjoy the very best of visual art and performance, housing two main theatres as well as a studio showcasing a world-class programme of productions and two art galleries featuring the works of contemporary and new artists. Named after the famous local artist LS Lowry, it houses the largest collection of his works, including, arguably his most famous pieces, Going to the Match and Coming from the Mill.

You don’t need to be an art aficionado to appreciate the gallery and it’s certainly worth a viewing.

A pleasant surprise was catching the first weekend of a unique new commission at the Lowry. Iris is a seven-minute digital artwork of laser light sculptures which is visually stunning and runs for selected performances over the next few weeks. Check out their website at www.thelowry.com

Shopping: The Lowry Outlet shopping centre, right opposite The Lowry, offers an affordable and relaxing shopping experience with savings of up to 70% off RRP.  The Outlet boasts 80 stores, restaurants and cafes, including high street favourites M&S Outlet, Molton Brown, Cadbury’s, Whittard of Chelsea, Gap Outlet and The Body Shop.

It’s the perfect place to satisfy that craving for a bargain and all within footsteps of where all the action is.

Dining: With a busy first day of our interesting city break behind us, we had a dinner date to keep.

We’d worked up an appetite with all our exploring – and were looking forward to seeing if the modern waterside restaurant we’d been booked into lived up to the hype.

So it was back to the Quays and a warm welcome at The Lime – an independent restaurant and bar where their promised ‘passion for sourcing local, seasonal produce setting it aside from its competitors’ did not disappoint.

An extensive and mouthwatering a la carte menu made our decisions anything but easy. I think I’d narrowed it down to three main course after 10 minutes!

After winding down with a well deserved cocktail as a treat for the miles I’d put in that day, it was time to order and we opted for the Mexican Sharing Platter to kick things off.

Overflowing with Cajun spiced chicken wings, quesadillas, chilli con-carne, nachos, guacamole, tomato salsa, soured cream and jalapenos, it proved to be an ambitious start to the feasting – but was duly demolished.

For me, then followed an 8oz sirloin steak which was cooked to perfection, accompanied by piping hot and delicious chunky chips (you can choose between chunky or skinny for your delectation!)

My husband’s King Prawn and Chorizo Risotto proved to be a winning choice while my sons’ burgers (start with the basics and build your own!) barely touched the sides.

I would add that there is a children’s menu available for the little ones with little appetites too.

Plus there are Sunday lunch and pre-theatre menus, so catering for every occasion.

For dessert (it would be rude not to!) the family favourites of sticky toffee pudding and chocolate brownie options lived up to our exacting expectations.

We found Lime to be a refreshing departure from the chain establishments we predominantly frequent, and the friendly serving staff who made sure we were positioned by one of the many big screens in a booth showing the final throes of a nailbiting FA Cup Final, was appreciated by us too.

Overall, a fantastic family dining experience that left us satisfied. . . in every way. Visit: limeuk.com

Sunday’s sustenance was set against a backdrop with yet another change of pace.

City Centre Cruises were our hosts for the afternoon as we enjoyed a fully licensed bar and table service of a hearty four-course Sunday lunch freshly prepared in the on-board galley. And all this while taking in the, now familiar sights of Salford and Media City, from a less familiar vantage point.

The family business has been operating cruising canal passenger, restaurant and party boats and barges in Manchester for over 30 years. It operates two luxury purpose built barges – Emmeline Pankhurst and L.S.Lowry, named after famous local people who were born, lived and worked in Manchester and Salford.

But this was so much more than just a floating restaurant, with intermittent commentary en route about the local area. As well as learning a lot, we were impressed by the level of comfort and personal service that went into making this cruise a fitting final leg for our Salford adventure.

And, at a tad under £30 per head (£14.95 for children) in my opinion this also proved excellent value.

City Centre Cruisers, which depart from Castlefield, also offer a variety of other dining packages, for up to 50 passengers, including evening dinner cruises and buffets as well as afternoon tea and even private charter party bookings. – It occurred to me what a perfect setting this would be for a celebration party – a hen night for instance – especially as a resident DJ and karaoke machine can also be thrown in to crank up the fun factor.

Come rain or shine (but preferably shine!) this is a unique adventure for tourist and local alike and one to be highly recommended.

Our visit to Salford Quays, albeit a whistlestop one, was fun, informative and flavoursome in equal measure.

Visit: www.citycentrecruises.com

While it may not have initially been our first ‘staycation’ of choice, it’s one we will pleasantly surprised by.

Glimpses of armed police and local newspaper headlines were a reminder of the testing times facing Manchester’s tight-knit community of late. But certainly for us, the memories will be happier – and ones we” treasure for many years to come.

(March 2017)

Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever UK arena tour of its signature production, Varekai has arrived in Birmingham this week.

The critically-acclaimed show has been updated and features new acts yet to be seen in the UK. So if, like me, you’re a seasoned Cirque-goer, there’s plenty of new content to keep the show fresh.

Deep within a forest, at the summit of a volcano, exists an extraordinary world – a world where something else is possible. A world called Varekai.

The sky lets go a solitary young man, and the story of Varekai begins. Yes, there’s an overall theme of flight, beginning with a broken-winged Icarus skydiving into a magical forest of mythical creatures. And so begins an inspired incantation to a life rediscovered and to a newly found wonder in the mysteries of the world and the mind.

The word Varekai apparently means “wherever” in the Romany language of the gypsies — the universal wanderers.
Directed by the aptly named Dominic Champagne, this production indeed has plenty to celebrate.

The relentless line up of jaw-dropping stunts and displays keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Acro-gymnasts, aerial stunt acts and unique physical feats with everything from batons to steel hula hoops, are rolled out – all without a safety net in sight! – This makes for a rather nervy, yet spectacular, spectator experience.
But its the troupe of somersaulting gymnasts that provide the stunning climax of the night. A fitting way to bring the curtain – and the house – down.

Bringing us back to earth, there are plenty of laughs too courtesy of clowns Emily Carragher and Sean Kempton, although, for me, it is Sean’s solo ‘spotlight’ piece with
his physical performance of Ne Me Quitte Pas that most amuses.

Interwoven among all of this – and more – Cirque retains the artistic integrity for which it has become famous with some beautiful and spectacular choreographed pieces.

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organisation providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 4,000 employees, including more than 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.

Varekai is only at Birmingham’s Genting Arena for a short time, until Sunday but it continues its tour around the UK until mid March.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com and
livenation.co.uk/artist/cirque-du-soleil-tickets.

(October 2018)

“When your greatest fears are laid bare, you have to keep your nerve and dig deep.” – This is your challenge from famous adventurer Bear Grylls himself as you enter the brand new attraction, opened in his name.

Merlin’s Bear Grylls Adventure, at Birmingham’s NEC, invites visitors to test their mental and physical limits with a series of activities that will have you climbing, diving, flying, zipping, leaping, scrambling and more.

But Grylls does not just throw down his gauntlet to the exceptionally fit or intrepid amongst us. Indeed, the winning formula to this adventure centre is its accessibility to all.

For instance, how often does a complete novice swimmer get the opportunity to walk in off the street and, an hour later, be scuba diving with sharks and rays – or maybe freefalling in a wind tunnel?

If you’re brave enough to immerse yourself in a tank with aquatic creatures such as Black Tip Reef Sharks and Rays, you’ll make memories for a lifetime. This unique experience is, in my view the headline act at the new adventure venue and difficult to top.

But, for those who want to stay dry and, for instance, prefer the idea of chucking themselves out of a plane, the iFLY indoor skydiving experience is a must.

Trickier than it looks but, apparently, you can have a great deal of fun learning in the safe hands of highly skilled parachute experts. This is no time for staying grounded.

Other separate activities on offer include climbing – with a choice of routes inspired by famous terrains – as well as High Ropes – the highest and most extreme high ropes course in Europe over 20 metres above the ground. And you’ll arrive at your high ropes challenge in style – via zipline from a Chinook helicopter! I kid thee not!

But before you pit yourself against all the elements, there is a ‘small’ matter of Basecamp to conquer.

Here you will come up against a series of mini challenges with your assigned group where you’ll need to dig deep (some of us deeper than others!) to draw on your mental and physical strengths to overcome Survival Maze, Assault Course, Target Archery and Escape Room. None of this is as fearsome as they might have you think. That said, don’t expect an easy ride of it – especially on the assault course! Fitness not essential – but it certainly helps!

The Adventure Centre mission is to ‘test us to our limits’ and the whole experience is cleverly designed to do just that, regardless of our personal thresholds.

And of course, there is no pressure on you to complete every task if you’re not comfortable. This is not boot camp!

When it’s time to fuel up or cool down, there’s a large cafeteria area that has not resisted the opportunity to join in the theme.

But, like everything else on offer here, some elements of its menu are not for the faint hearted. You can swig down a cocktail or take on the Sriracha Scorpion Challenge with the attraction’s Scorpini; a combination of tomato juice, Sriracha chili sauce, and topped with a scorpion, added for extra spice.

Visitors can also add a unique new topping to their pizzas in the form of (actual) chilli grasshoppers.

For me, the food offering was the only disappointment on the day. The menu was both limited and overpriced. But when you’re there potentially for a few hours, you’re forced to shell out for their food and drink.

The adventure centre itself though is well thought through and I’m confident will prove to be a big hit once word gets around.

And not too ‘challenging’ on the pocket, ranging from £20 for the basic Basecamp experience through to £160 for the Go All In Pass for a full-day of adventure incorporating ALL the activities.