Manchester

[buecherwurm]

I promised some friends in the Midlands to visit them this spring and had originally intended to combine this with a visit to London and the Country Living Fair. But can't now make it in time for the CL Fair and therefore thought to change my plans completely.
Now I thought I might fly to Manchester and take the coach from there to my friends near Stoke o.Tr.
Is Manchester interesting and worth a visit? Or anything else in the vicinity that can be reached by coach/bus?
Please help me as I'm a bit at a loss right now.

[franbee]

Bw, Manchester is a big city, has a lot of interesting buildings, and a lot of shops! Depending on when you come, I could meet you there for a half day before you go to your friends. I will have 'retired' from one of my jobs so will be more available from 5th April, but we go away on 18th April for a couple of weeks.

[buecherwurm]

Hi fran, what a great idea. I will let you know once I have booked the flight and decided what else to visit.
Thanks Pippa, will write it down and google it later.

[eleanor2]

beuch when are you flying over..... the staffordshire hoard is in the Hanley museum till march 7th. it has double interest as it is partly german isnt it.i am not well read on anglo saxons.but isnt saxony somewhere near germany.apparantly the lovely saxon soldier was mentioning scandinavia too.

[buecherwurm]

Thanks for the info, eleanor. I definitely want to see that.

[buecherwurm]

Hi eleanor, just realised that I won't be in Staffs. before the 7th of March it will be more the end of March/beg. of April. Do you know where the Staffs. hoard will go after Hanley?

[eleanor2]

we are desperately trying to raise the money in staffs and birmingham to buy the hoard so that it stays here and is shared with birmingham.but after this display it will be taken off to be cleaned and anylised.before it is put on show again.maybe by your next visit we will have bought the whole hoard and you will be able to see a fantastic show.at the moment the queues are massive.

[buecherwurm]

I spent some time online last night trying to find accommodation in Manchester that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and that won't be too far out in the boondocks. Not knowing Manchester at all pretty central is the best option, I think.
Did you know that there are hotels in Manchester that have rooms with no windows? I was quite shocked when I read this. Who wants to sleep in a shoebox? Also some have a weird cancellation policy. They charge your credit card straight away and if you have to cancel there won't be a refund.
This is a problem for me because the friend I intend to visit is very ill and therefore I might not go to England at all and I cannot afford to lose the money for the plane fare and the hotel as well.
Oh, well, best go back now and try to find a decent room.

[eleanor2]

you know manchester is a place i have only been once beuch.it is quite large and has a modern feel to it .hope you find a nice hotel and enjoy your time there.when are you coming over to England beuch.

[franbee]

I know what you mean about the hotels bw, I've heard similar reports. You might almost be better staying in a Travelodge, there are loads in the area. The buses and Metrolink are quite good too for getting around.
Perhaps we need to have a get together in Manchester one day?

[souter girl]

I like Premier Inns as they let you cancel right up to the last moment, they are clean and comfortable, usually city centre or nearby and you know what you are paying for. The food can be a bit "greasy spoon" but if you are in town, it's no problem to go out. I find them very reasonable and have never been disappointed!

[buecherwurm]

Thanks ladies, I will check out those 2 suggestions. Don't want to leave booking a room for too long. I fly to Manchester on the 29th of March, Eleanor. I decided to have lunch at the airport and then go by National Express to Hanley were I will be picked up. I will probably stay with my friends in Newc.u.Lyme for a week. But a lot depends on my friend. She is very poorly and in and out of hospital. So I might have to change my plans and leave from Newcastle earlier. But I want to go to Manchester on Monday the 5th of April until Friday the 9th when I fly back home. I thought going to Bolton and Knutsford might be nice. Have to do a bit of research there. Would love to meet with you, franbee. Will PM you when I know something more definite.

[franbee]

I'm fairly free that week bw, and would love to meet. Why have you chosen those 2 places? Another suggestion would be Bury market on the Wed, if you like that sort of thing, and it's dead easy to get to by Metrolink.
Have you tried the hotels near the airport? It's easy to get to the centre by train from there.

[buecherwurm]

I just checked Bury Market and I know that this is something I will love. I like those covered markets you have in England and any other market as well. They also have a fleamarket on Wednesdays as well! So that will definitely something I'm going to do. I want to go to Bolton because I saw they have a big Indian Shop there; House of Raja's. I thought I look there for some material for a dress I could wear at daughter's wedding. Knutsford I thought might be nice because of Tatton Hall and Park but I just checked the Manchester website and there are so many other interesting places as well.

[franbee]

Hmm, don't get excited about the fleamarket, it's mainly just second hand clothes. Bolton's quite a nice town centre, haven't been for some years now, Bury is nearer. There are lots of Indian fabric shops around the area. Tatton Hall is nice, it's a bit out of Knutsford though.

[buecherwurm]

Well, I'm not too keen on second-hand clothes but I just like looking at all the things on offer. Can't buy too much anyway as there are those weight restrictions for suitcases on airlines.
So Wednesday I put in my calender and for the rest of the days I might check with the tourism office.

[franbee]

Keep me informed, won't you bw? in case there's any other visits I can help you with.

[buecherwurm]

Will be in touch, franbee.

[jazzactivist]

I'm not that far from Manchester, beucherwurm, about 1H30mins on the train, so I could come and meet with you and Fran too if you would like? As others have said, Manchester is a big city, so there are lots of art galleries, cafes etc, especially in the centre. I have only been once or twice, but OH goes there quite a lot for meetings etc. He always raves about a particular Indian restaurant... When we lived in Scotland he used to stay overnight in Manchester, so I could ask him which hotel he stayed in. I know it was in the centre and wouldn't have been too costly.

I am not surprised about the rooms without windows et al, as I always find what is considered to be a 'room' in England to be shocking small - even when looking at houses to buy the 2nd or 3rd bedroom is usually about the size of a dog kennel!

[jazzactivist]

Hi beucher. I have spoken with OH and he says that he has stayed in the Britannia Machester Hotel in Portland Street, which is right in the centre of Manchester just 10min from Picadilly Station. It is a grand old Victorian hotel which is now part of the Britannia chain. It is all faded grandeur and quite reasonably priced. The place to go and be seen in if you like independent cinema, art and books is The Corner House on Oxford Road (right by Oxford Road train station). Also East to East is the fab Indian restaurant, and is quite near Oxford Road. Also, if you are interested in TV sets and what goes on behind the scene in the soap opera Cornonation Street, the Granada TV studios is worth a tour. So those are all very central for you, and very swinging Manchester! Let me know by PM if you would like to meet up with me as well as Fran, and I can get the train down to Manchester. Maybe others could manage it too?

[Crocus]

I would love to!!!!!!

[buecherwurm]

Well, that's very nice, Jazz. There I was thinking that I don't know anybody in that part of the world and now I get the chance to meet two very nice people.
I think I would like to go to the Granada TV studios. Would be something I could tell my students as the people in our course book are living in Manchester and one person is working for Granada TV.
Crocus, we'll be thinking of you and raising our coffee/tea cups when we meet.;)

[franbee]

Unfortunately the studios tour isn't available any more, but you can walk round the perimeter and peep at the outside sets.
I'm sure we will find lots of things of interest in Manchester city.

[buecherwurm]

Thanks for the info, fran. Have to scratch that from my list then. Would have loved to do it, though. Last night a friend told me Bolton wouldn't be a nice place to visit but then she hasn't been living in that area for quite a few years. In her time it used to be some kind of a trouble spot....

[Crocus]

Ah thanks BW, I would so love to be there. xx

[jazzactivist]

That's a shame about Granada studios, Fran. OH was just saying yesterday that he wouldn't mind another visit to it. I would agree that Bolton isn't worth the visit, beucher. I had to go to a conference there a couple of years ago and decided to stay on and spend the whole weekend looking around, but after an hour there was nothing else to do. Lancaster is a really nice small city if you fancy that. I can assure you that Fran is an excellent tour guide. However, Manchester does have a lot going on.

[franbee]

If you are ok walking, I can show you round Manchester, there's a lot of Victorian architecture, including industrial, a Roman remains area, the Science Museum is worth a visit and is free. The shops are just shops, there are a lot, but there's a 'vintage' district which I like to poke around.
Apart from Bury with it's market, I can't really think of anywhere very local that's easy to get to without a car. By train you could go to Macclesfield to the silk museum, or Liverpool, or Blackpool, or Buxton, or Hebden Bridge.

[buecherwurm]

Morning Fran, I love to see the "vintage" district, the Roman remains area etc.. And yes, I walk quite a lot when I'm in a new place because I'm nosy and want to see what's "around the corner". Would be lovely to have you as a tour-guide.
I think I've been to Buxton already and I had put Macclesfield silk museum on my list as I love to see everything to do with textiles. But the silk museum website didn't work when I wanted to check up on it; thought it might have closed or something.

[dragonfly]

Buecherwurm, I used to live in Longton near Newcastle and although I now live in Leicestershire I could vist Newcastle. Eleanor lives a couple of miles away so perhaps we could all meet up one day while you are here.

[buecherwurm]

Oh, this gets better every day. DF would be nice to meet with you and Eleanor.

[Crocus]

I'm jealous, I'm jealous, I'm jealous, I'm jealous ......... REMEMBER PICCIES! No photos and you're not allowed to meet up again eh?!:eek::D

[franbee]

Well don't forget, crocus, when you come on your next trip we'll have a meet for you too x

[Crocus]

Oh I would love that Fran, I really will. It's just when - I can't see it happening within the next year or even longer......

[buecherwurm]

Oh well, you just have to save all those pennies and maybe feed only small protions to the family. Tell them it's for their own good.;)

[Crocus]

yes, I'll half their portions and Mondays it will be only water.:D

[dragonfly]

Buecherwurm, let me know what dates you will be in Newcastle and we can make arrangements to meet up somewhere.

[buecherwurm]

I will PM you, DF.

[buecherwurm]

Hello everybody,
just wanted to let you know that I had to cancel my trip to England. The friends I wanted to visit are really very ill at the moment and even though they are very sad that they won't be seeing me, they had to cancel our plans.
I also didn't have enough time to find things to do and places to stay instead, because daughter, future son in law and little grandson were visiting.
Hope to be able to go to England very soon, though.
I tried to PM you as well, Jazz, but your inbox is full.

[jazzactivist]

Oops! I'll sort it out, buecherwurm. Sorry to hear that your trip has been cancelled this time, but next time...