What to do in Manchester? Visit Old Trafford.

We get asked a lot What to do in Manchester? Well obviously our food tour. That goes without saying. But what else? Well you can’t come all the way to Manchester without going and having a look at Old Trafford.

The Theatre of Dreams is home to the world’s most famous sports team. Manchester United have been playing their home games here since 1910. The stadium is easy to get to. You can hop on the metro from town and get off at Old Trafford. It’s then a 5 minute walk past the cricket ground (the other Old Trafford).


Manchester United is the thing that we are most famous for in Manchester. The club are the most successful English team having won 20 league titles. Despite having a barren spell (by their standards) of late, millions of people still tune in to watch their games. The lucky 70,000 or so get to watch live here at Old Trafford.

How you can visit Old Trafford.


If you aren’t lucky enough to get a match ticket you can still visit the stadium for a tour. The 2 hour experience takes you into the bowels of this huge stadium. You’ll learn the history of the club from your guide who is normally a matchday steward. These guys know everything there is to know about United and are great fun to have a chat with.

You’ll get a chance to explore the museum which houses some fascinating items. And of course no visit would be complete without visiting the famous trophy room. If you’re lucky enough you might be able to sit in the dugout and have your photo taken. There’s always something going on at Old Trafford even in the close season. Take your camera you never know who you might meet.
If you have a larger group you can have a private tour. You can find out more here.

What to do in Manchester? Manchesterbites food tours.


If you’re looking for the best things to do in Manchester, try our food tours. We take small groups on tours around the city. Taking in hidden food gems along the way. Lear the story of Manchester through the eyes of the people that make it tick. You can find out more at www.manchesterbites.com

Old Trafford on the Stadium tour

The story of Frank Sidebottom.

A Mancunian legend with a papier – mache head. But what is the story of Frank Sidebottom? Here we take a look at Frank’s creator Chris Sievey.

The days before Frank Sidebottom

Chris grew up in Sale which is a suburb to the south of Manchester. He was originally a musician although not a very successful one. He had partnerships with various musicians in the 70’s and 80’s. He started a band called The Freshies. They had some local success with a song with a fantastic name. I’m in love with the girl on the Manchester Virgin Megastore checkout desk. The record got to number 54 in the charts.

The creation of Frank Sidebottom

Frank Sidebottom was created in 1984. Frank was a 35 year old aspiring pop star who still lived with his mum. He lived in the south Manchester village of Timperley. Frank always dressed in a sharp suit but was most recognisable for his huge head. This was originally made from papier – mache and later fibreglass.
During the late 80’s and 90’s Franks popularity in Manchester grew. He would regularly appear on the comedy circuit and even had his own TV show. Frank Sidebottom’s fantastic shed show was first broadcast in 1992. He was a cult figure and would appear on late night music shows along top artists. Sometimes they didn’t know what to make of him.

One Manchester’s most unique statues.

Sadly Chris died in 2010 and with him took the story of Frank Sidebottom. In 2013 a statue of Frank Sidebottom was unveiled right in the heart of Timperley village. As you can see it is a pretty unique statue. Frank was afterall a pretty unique character.
You can visit Timperley and have a photo with the statue by taking the metrolink south. While you’re there make sure to pop into the Quarry Man pub. They do a great ploughman’s lunch.
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Frank Sidebottom Statue

Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. And that Dylan concert.

We are lucky to have numerous historical buildings in Manchester city centre. One such building that you can visit is Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. Built in 1856 this grade 2 listed building stands on the site of the Peterloo Massacre. Originally the building was used as a meeting place for the local business community.

It had a vital role in the repealing of the corn laws. The corn laws meant that imports of grain, corn and wheat were taxed. This meant that landowners in Britain could charge a higher price for their corn. As a result it became more expensive to eat. Over time many urban centres such as Manchester rose up and rebelled against the law. The Free Trade Hall was Manchester’s epicentre for anti corn law demonstrations.

Fast forward to December 1940. Manchester was under attack from the German Luftwaffe. The Free Trade Hall suffered great damage. Only the frame of the building survived. In the 1950’s the hall was re-built behind the original outer wall.

A centre of Manchester’s music scene.

The Free Trade Hall became home to Manchester’s Halle Orchestra. In fact it continued to be their home right up until 1996. That is when the Bridgewater Hall took over. It wasn’t just classical concerts that the hall held. One of the most famous episodes in the hall’s history came in 1966.

Bob Dylan was touring the UK and at the time was causing quite some controversy. Dylan was using an electric guitar which was seen by many of his fans as distasteful. At a gig in the Free Trade Hall on 16th May, Dylan was heckled and called “Judas” by a concert goer. Many fans started to slow clap and some even walked out. Dylan kept going. He knew what he was doing was changing the face of music at the time. In 1998 Dylan released the recording of the gig. Manchester bands such as The Fall, The Smiths and Joy Division all say they were heavily influenced by this event.

Today the Free Trade Hall is a Radisson Hotel. You can still go in and admire the stunning entrance hall and enjoy a drink at the bar.

If you are interested to know more about Manchester and it’s incredible history, book a tour with us. Our food tours take in some of Manchester’s best local bites as well as a wealth of history and culture. To book a tour go to www.manchesterbites.com

Manchester's Free Trade Hall

The Peveril of the Peak. A Manchester institution.

The Pev has been a Manchester institution for decades. It is known to many for its unusual 2 tone green facade. The tiles on the outside walls of the pub have led some people to describe it as an old toilet. But to those who know it, the Pev is one of the last proper drinking pubs in Manchester.


The pub dates back to the early 19th century. The name is said to have come from a stagecoach which used to travel between London and Manchester. The coach would stop off at the pub en route.

The Pev’s claims to fame.


It is the one of the only pubs in Manchester city centre that is detached, meaning you can walk all around it. This is due to the modernisation of the surrounding land. Where once there would be rows of terraced housing there are now shiny office blocks and towers. Now the Pev is almost on an island itself. In between Chepstow street and Bridgewater street.


The Pev also has the honour of having the longest serving landlady in Manchester. In January 2021 Nancy and Maurice will have been living above the pub for 50 years. They now have a much more hands off approach. The bar is now run by a younger team who have done well in keeping the spirit of the place in tact.


Like many of Manchester’s older pubs, the Peveril of the Peak has seen a few famous faces. It was used in the filming of Robbie Coltrane’s crime thriller, Cracker. It’s laid back, local atmosphere means that whoever you are you’ll get a welcome. Nowadays the Bridgewater hall is located a stone’s throw away.


Our historical pub tour of Manchester is a great way to spend an early evening. If you’d like to learn more about Manchester and it’s pubs go to www.manchesterbites.com

The Peveril of the Peak pub