Hen weekends in Manchester shopping guide – you may as well!

Be honest – did the Northern capital’s reputation for having some of the best shopping outside of London factor into your planning for the hen party?! Manchester is not just renowned for its lively music scene but also its wealth of shopping experience s. We don’t just know how to paaarty (think Frank from Shameless there) – we also know how to shop! What better way to spend those final few hours on a Sunday or the early Friday afternoon before everyone arrives with a quick bit of retail therapy? We take you on a tour of Manchester’s shopping areas...

Afflecks Palace and The Northern Quarter

Just north of the city centre high street is the Northern Quarter area. Manchester is known for its independent music and fashion scene and the Northern Quarter will not disappoint. Afflecks Palace is a must-see place here, with an array of independent (and affordable) fashion shops, a haberdashery of all-sorts for those creative types, fancy dress and art stores. It’s really got a little bit for everyone and you never know what you may stumble across in there. The Northern Quarter in general is similarly made up of lots of independent stores, with plenty of cafes and bars to pop into to refresh!

Best for: Independent finds that will make your friends jealous back home! 

Market Street and The Arndale Centre

Market Street is the city centre high-street as the name would suggest. Along here you’ll find Boots, Mango, Urban Outfitters, All Saints, Miss Selfridge, H&M and – most importantly – a very large Primarni! So if you’ve laddered your last pair of tights or need some more make-up and toiletries for your night out , this is your place.

The Arndale Centre is situated just off Market Street. Don’t let the remainder eyesore  tall tower put you off – inside you’ll find a wealth of shops like you would normally find in any good shopping mall – including a very large Topshop, River Island, Oasis, Warehouse and Dorothy Perkins.

Best for: your normal high street finds (but bigger and better  - as it’s Manchester!)

St Mary’s Gate, St Anne’s Square and Cathedral Approach

As you cross a small road where Boots finishes, you’ll head onto St Mary’s Gate, where you’ll find a large Marks and Spencer’s and, directly behind it, Selfridges.

If you head back onto St Mary’s Gate and head on down, on the left hand corner you’ll find St Anne’s Square, home to Zara, Office and Russell and Bromley, and on the opposite side of the road are Zara, Reiss and Ted Baker.

Best for: high-end high street

Deansgate

If you head back through St Anne’s Square and take a right, you’ll find yourself directly opposite House of Fraser. Enough said – the perfect end or start to any hen weekends in Manchester as it often has unbelievable sales and with lots of good quality stock!! We could rummage in there for hours, regardless of sales....

Best for: high street fashion all under one roof, often at bargain prices throughout the year

Kings Street  and Spinningfields

Just around the back of House of Fraser on the bottom of Kings Street opposite the restaurant, San Carlo’s, is a little-known must see called Elite Dress Agency.  If you like a good rummage for designer gear forget TK Maxx  - this is real designer clearance and returns – from All Saint to Vivienne Westwood and Karen Millen.

And if you head to the top half of the street you’ll find the likes of Karen Millen, Whistles, Mulberry and The Kooples.

Spinningfields is the Canary Wharf of Manchester and as a business distract home to lots of law firms, banks and the like, the shops are well suited. Head here for Ted Baker, Armani, LK Bennet, Kurt Geiger, Calvin Klein, Flannels and Mulberry.

Best for: those with a serious budget (oh, lucky ones!)

Fancy dress

Don’t despair if you forgot to pack any fancy dress for your hen party. Manchester’s Arndale Centre is home to Luvyababes on the ground floor near to the exit from Boots. With an array of all things fancy dress, there is plenty of options. And Affleck’s Palace is always an option too – they have many a fancy dress outfit in different stores.

The Trafford Centre

Now, we know The Trafford Centre is renowned, but personally, we feel like you may as well stick to the city centre – you've got everything all in close proximity and that's what hen weekends in Manchester are all about - getting a feel of the city.

So what are you waiting for – a buzzing music scene and great shopping all under one roof. If you've not booked yet, then check out our build your own hen weekend in Manchester package!

2012 Olympics - Will Manchester see an impact for Stag and Hen Weekends?

So for those of you that have been living in a bubble for the last year or so the Olympics the centre piece of world sport comes to the United Kingdom and in particular London in 2012. The games are scheduled to last a couple of weeks between the 27th July – 12th August 2012. The question is what impact will that have on stags and hens planning to book time in Manchester for their last nights and weekends of freedom next year?

Well although slightly early still the team at Stag and Hen Manchester have been looking at things and thought you all might appreciate a blog on the subject so here we go.

Do any Olympic Sports happen in Manchester?

Despite being well renowned as being the home of British cycling and other sports like Squash the only sport scheduled to happen in Manchester during the Olympics is what the city is most famous for and that is Football.

Football will be a major feature of the Olympic programme at London 2012. Beginning with group matches and ending with a knockout phase, the competition will offer all the drama that fans have come to expect from major international tournaments. There will be two medal events at London 2012, one for men’s teams and one for women.

As the Olympic football tournaments are scheduled to happen at 6 stadiums around the country the whole of the two tournaments will not happen at Old Trafford in Manchester but there are 7 days during the Olympics where football will happen at the home of Manchester United.

They are as follows:-

Thursday 26th July 2012 – 5-9.45pm

Sunday 29th July 2012 – 12-4.45pm

Tuesday 31st July 2012 – 5.15pm – 7.15pm

Wednesday 1st August 2012 – 5-7pm

Saturday 4th August 2012 – 12-2pm

Monday 6th August 2012 – 7.45pm - 9.45pm

Tuesday 7th August 2012 – 7.45pm - 9.45pm

These games will cause an increase in visitors to the city as the stadium can hold 75,000 people but we are already working with our partners hotels and apartment providers in Manchester to nullify any impact on those stags and hens looking at a Manchester Stag Party or Manchester Hen Party on the two weekends where there is a game being played.

Interesting Facts on Olympic Football

- Football was introduced as a medal sport at the 1908 Olympic Games.

- Great Britain won the first gold medal

- The sport has featured at every Olympic Games since, with the exception of Los Angeles 1932

- Keep an eye out for the return of a Great Britain team this year.

- Stag and Hen Manchester is going with tickets to all games at Old Trafford J

Will Manchester See an Increase in Visitors During the Olympics?

All answers to this question point to yes as those visiting London for the games look to explore a country they might not have seen before and with Manchester only a few hours away by train or plane and well known as the UK’s unofficial second city. City centre bosses, hoteliers and ourselves all expect increased demand on the weekends during the games. This means that we will be looking to hold some hotel rooms with you lovely stags and hens in mind.

What Weekends Will See an Effect?

27-29th July 2012

3-5th August 2012

10-12th August 2012

We expect weekends before and after the Games to see an effect but that will be minimal.

Are any teams basing themselves in Manchester?

At time of writing no team is basing themselves in Manchester meaning no impact from an influx of athletes , officials and supporters.

Will there be Olympic Fan Events happening in the city?

Although not scheduled just yet we would strongly suggest that there will be a series of events to mark the Olympics if you are visiting Manchester during the Games and we will release details of those on our Twitter and Facebook pages and via our emailing as soon as we are aware of them.

I am trying to organise a Manchester Stag Weekend or Manchester Hen Weekend during the Olympics – What do I do now?

Our best advice is to put an enquiry in with us now and ask us to hold some hotel rooms for you – Once we have done that you can find out final numbers safe in the knowledge you won’t suffer due to any increased demand for hotel rooms. You can take your time deciding what to do on the day and then pay us a deposit when you are ready to book and are happy with the personal Stag Party or Hen Party proposal Stag and Hen Manchester has sent you.

As the meerkat from compare the market would say – Simples! J

We will continually be assessing the impact the 2012 Olympic Games will have and will update you as we progress further towards the Games themselves. IF you have any questions in the meantime do get in touch!

Kind Regards

Stag and Hen Manchester Team

Manchester Burger Off Competition at the Printworks

Tuesday 26^th August saw Mike from Stag and Hen Manchester invited down to be a guest judge at “The Printworks Burger Off Competition”. What is that I hear you yell? - well it was a competition amongst the majority of the Printworks tenants for who cooked the best burger and Mike had the hard job of eating 7 Burgers and along with three other judges deciding which was best. This was done to celebrate National Gourmet Burger Week and showcase what this nightlife complex has to offer visitors to Manchester

We are now able to let you stags and hens know the results and whether Mike and the team at Stag and Hen Manchester agree with them. This will mean you will be already well versed on the best places to visit in the Printworks for your evening meal on your Manchester Stag and Hen parties.

Mike’s fellow judges were top chef from the Mark Addy and nominee for chef of the year at Manchester’s Food and Drink festival Robert Owen Brown, Rock Radio’s Paul Anthony and Paul Southworth the Twitter judge (@Paulsfloors).

Passing you across to Mike and he will tell the story of the day!

The afternoon started at Manchester’s Hard Rock Cafe where the first burger up for tasting was the Hard Rock California Burger:-

Now Stag and Hen Manchester already loved the Hard Rock Cafe and its food and this burger was no exception. We love it so much that we can offer the Platinum Menu to stags and hens coming to the city on their Manchester Stag Party or Manchester Hen Party.The burger had an excellent filling of Guacamole, good beef and lashings of cheese with their always excellent chips! (The Platinum Menu doesn’t include this burger though so let us know on enquiring and we can arrange it for you)

Second up and another of our offerings to Manchester bound stags and hens was Henry j Beans and their standard cheeseburger with Monterey Cheese. The secret ingredient that surprised us all though when the chef told us was “Love” and it was obvious that he took an awful lot of care over every dish he sent out from his kitchen.

With Burgers already on our special Stag and Hen Party meal menus and cocktails or jugs of beer included all for as little as £25 per person you are onto a winner if you decide to have your hen party or stag party dinner at Henry J Beans in the Printworks.

Next up as the day continued was a trip to Lloyds No 1 Bar where we sampled their Blue Cheese burger.

With consistently high hygiene ratings you can be rest assured your food is prepared properly and it is certainly packing a punch on taste with its wonderful Blue Cheese sauce but the chips scored quite poorly in our minds so if you like you accompaniments with a good burger you will get better elsewhere in the Printworks.

Following on from Lloyds No 1 Bar was Chiquitos for a bit of a Mexican theme and their Big Texan Cowboy Burger and bottle of Corona went down a treat with me until I got to the Bun of their burger which was massively soggy and needed improving. It was a shame as the whole group including the chef from The Mark Addy was scoring it very highly until then. See if you like the look of it here and oh if you order it doubled up and finish it – it is yours for free perfect for that Manchester Stag night challenge and lining the stomachs before enjoying some more Corona!

Next up on the Burger conveyor belt was a trip to Waxy O Connor’s Irish pub for their burger with cheese, bacon and Ballymaloe relish all the way from Ireland. Expertly presented this was definitely a feast for the eyes but did cause a bit of debate as to the Irish relish on top of the burger. Robert Owen Brown our resident chef judge felt it too sweet for a burger but I thought it was lovely and a great addition. A strong contender for me and as it turned out later the other judges!

Following Waxy’s we went to Old Orleans where we were presented with a number of burgers including a chilli burger and cheeseburger and we all tucked in having had them explained by the onsite chef.

The shame about these was whilst it was clear the chef was passionate and proud about what he offered to guests coming into Old Orleans unfortunately the chain sources it meat poorly and from London which meant the meat quality was poor in comparison to other locally sourced options we had had. However the Sweet Potato Fries are to absolutely die for!

Last up we headed into one of the more recent additions to the huge restaurant portfolio at the Printworks PapaG’s. Here the owner Angelou was probably the most passionate about his restaurant and food and he introduced us to the Big Greek Burger:-

The burger had halloumi, houmous and smoked ham as well as the burger and salad and went alongside some of Papa G’s famous thick cut chips or what I ended up calling half potato chips they were that massive. The smoked ham was a bit overpowering for me but yummy none the less.

Once we had finished and slumped back into our judging chairs we assessed the figures that we had given to the appearance, bun , burger meat, burger additions and overall taste of all the burgers we had tasted and after a little debate we came up with a winner on the day and that was the last burger we had tasted the Papa G’s Big Greek Burger which won by a short distance from Waxy O Connors and Henry J Beans. We still loved the Hard Rock Cafe burger and give it an honourable mention despite other critical words from my fellow judges.

So what have we to conclude from my afternoon of judging. Well:-

The quality of food across all the venues at the Printworks is of a very high quality

There is a huge variety of choice of restaurants always willing to accept large groups.

It is is conveniently situated in a nightlife hub for your Manchester Stag and Hen Parties and opposite the Birdcage for you hens

IF you do not opt to visit Henry J Beans or The Hard Rock Cafe we suggest heading to Papa G’s and seeing Angelo for food to remember and fill you up!

For additional information on the Printworks see www.theprintworks.com or simply ask us for details!

And remember we provide free nightife passes to top quality venues in the Printworks if you book your Manchester Stag Weekend or Manchester Hen Weekend with us so it will work perfectly to get some food at the same place!

Manchester - Best City To Live in The UK - Why Not Visit?

For the second year in a row our fantastic city has come top of all UK cities in a list compiled by the Economic Intelligence Unit of the best places to live. And hey if its great to live in we think it is even more awesome to visit for a Manchester Stag Night or Manchester Hen Party. We might be biased a bit but hey its difficult to argue with the logic.

Manchester came in at 42nd place three higher than last year and well and truly beat London into second as it only came in at 53rd place. So why is the city so great to live in and visit for your Manchester Stag Weekend and Manchester Hen Weekend?

Friendliness of locals

You are going to get nothing but a warm welcome from everyone in Manchester which is famed for its Northern hospitality as this testimonial from a group of hens about the staff at one of our Stag and Hen friendly hotels proves:- "The hotel accommodation was excellent, the staff were friendly, informative and very attentive."

Quantity of Things to Do for Stag and Hen Activities in Manchester

With such a variety of things for locals and stags and hens visiting Manchester to do you are spoilt for choice as what you do on an average weekend. One of only three indoor skydiving centres in the UK, the largest indoor golf centre in the EU, a large winter sports centre and that only names three of many active activities you can do. If you want to relax a little there are plenty of Spa days to relax and unwind in that locals and hens can enjoy alike. Check out this testimonial "GL14 was fabulous; we practically had the full spa to ourselves. The woman who welcomed us really looked after us and made us feel very special. Many of my friends commented on how their treatments were one of the best they have ever had. The lunch was perfect and we were very pleased they allowed us to have our pink bubbly and even kept it chilled for us"

Large Multicultural Nightlife Scene in Manchester

The last thing that makes up out three point theory on why Manchester is so great to live in and visit for your Manchester Stag Party or Manchester Hen Night is the huge nightlife scene the city has to offer. After all as the saying about that all important balance goes

"Work Hard - Play Hard!!"

With a huge amount of venues from the well known British Pub, to a trendy bar, to a city centre superclub spread from the first main nightlife area at Deansgate Locks to the south of the city centre up to the Printworks in the North of the city centre. Make sure you pick up some Manchester nightlife passes if you are heading out locally or on a Manchester Stag Night or Manchester Hen Night

So follow the experts when they say its a good place to live in or visit and then leave the rest up us the local Stag and Hen experts to sort the rest. Hassle Free Stag and Hen Party fun all in teh unofficial capital of the UK Manchester!!!

2011 Chester Racecourse Wedding Fayre

It is that time of year again and after a very successful time meeting all you stags and hens in Chester last year we are heading back to the Racecourse tomorrow for the 2011 Chester Racecourse Wedding Fayre. We had a great time last year and are really excited to see you all tomorrow.

So if you want to chat about your plans for a Manchester Stag Weekend or Manchester Hen Weekend then come across to the stand as we enjoy nothing more than making sure your party is the fun first step on the road to your special wedding day.

Mike and Sharon will be available to give advice to both stags and hens on everything from the type of stag and hen friendly accommodation, to what unique and enjoyable activities Manchester has to offer, to the best night spots to party the night away. A wealth of information all available to you at our stand at the 2011 Chester Racecourse Wedding Fayre.

We have just started to use an exquisite 4* hotel in the centre of Manchester that no other stag and hen organisers can use to make sure you have that added degree of exclusivity and luxury to your Manchester Stag or Manchester Hen party. With plenty of 3*, 4* and 5* hotels and city centre apartments on offer you wont be found wanting for the right accommodation for your group.

Manchester is a vault of hidden stag and hen activity gems with plenty of options you might not have thought of. Want to live on the wild side well why not try out Manchester Indoor Skydiving, a Segway Safari or even some snow activities like Skiing or Snowboarding or if you fancied the more relaxed activities why not try an exquisite 5* hen spa day , a round of golf at the largest indoor golf centre in the EU or a fun cocktail masterclass and those are all just for starters.

Then lastly among all of Manchester’s varied nightspot options and all our nightlife passes on offer - our favourite hen nightspot is the Manchester Birdcage where you can get a good dose of retro cheese indispersed between Las Vegas style drag and showgirl cabaret performances. Look out for information we have at our stand and our special competition for a table at the Birdcage with a glass of bubbly on a Friday night where you can take up to 9 of your friends for a bit of hen party reconnaissance.

Looking Forward to Seeing You at the Chester Racecourse Wedding Fayre Tomorrow

– The Stag and Hen Manchester Team