2016 was the twentieth anniversary of the IRA bomb and Sir Richard Leese’s election as leader of Manchester city council. It was the year 200,000 people turned out for the Olympic and Paralympic heroes parade, and the year Manchester was named the number one most liveable city in the UK, the most competitive location for business in Europe, and one of the most LGBT-friendly places in the world to visit. And record demand for hotel beds proved Manchester’s growth as a tourism destination. Just another year in the life of Manchester.
Here are our most read stories of the year, proving Manchester is a city which continues to excite and surprise.
January 2016
Eight Exciting Manchester Events to Look Forward to in 2016
Guilty As Charged: Middle Aged Man in Lycra Shorts
Heritage Isn’t Just About Bricks and Mortar, It’s a State of Mind, Too
Watch The Big Sports Events at Dive NQ
REVIEW | Walrus (& Tusk) Bar, Northern Quarter
Need To Relax? Try Floating in a Sensory Deprivation Flotation Tank
Corn Exchange Launches Manchester’s First Dining Concierge Service
El Gato Negro Tapas Finally Announces Opening (And Soft Launch) Dates
Junkyard Golf Club Is Back at Great Northern Warehouse – Bigger And Even More Random
8 Simple Mancunian Ways To Beat the ‘Blue Monday’ Blues
Meat-Free in Manchester: Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants For Every Occasion
“Two Frigid Bishops, a Badgers Wang and a Farting Dog For the Wife Please”
Not Your Usual Breakfast in Bed
American Stars Kevin Hart & Ice Cube Ride To Manchester And Surprise Fans
The Fun Police Come To Manchester Offices
Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst To Be Honoured With Statue
NEW Hidden Bar ’17 Below’ Is The Latest Addition To Manchester’s Subterranean World
Breakfast For Every Occasion, Every Day Of The Week
Transformed Tampopo hosts Vegan Street Food Launch
Manchester Water Taxi Service (Waxis) To Launch This Year
Chinese New Year in Manchester: Family, Symbolism and Food
February 2016
Great Northern Warehouse: A Brief History Of Manchester’s Not So Hidden Gem From 1899 To 2016
12 Places To Watch Football (And Other Big Sports Events) In Manchester City Centre
Learn How to Cook Tasty Thai Food at Thaikhun
Budget Bites: Places To Grab Lunch You Can Afford Every Day
Treat Your Mum To Cosmo Food & Drink In Manchester This Mother’s Day
Record demand for hotel beds proves Manchester’s growth as a tourism destination
Step in to Manchester’s first rooftop Infinity Spa Pool at King Street Townhouse
Wonder Women 2016: Thoroughly Feminist Manchester
Coming Soon to a Cinema Near You – the Manchester International Film Festival
I never expected to love going vegan – dining out in Manchester is a breeze
A Brand New Street Coming to Great Northern Bursting With Independent Street Food, Bars & Cafes
Manchester and Salford: So What’s The Difference?
Weekends in Manchester just got better – Gaucho move Electro Brunch to Saturdays
El Gato Negro Tapas celebrates opening with launch party and reveals retractible roof
Bike Sharing – The Manchester Way
Stylish new neighbourhood restaurant Squid Ink coming to Ancoats
FIRST LOOK inside El Gato Negro Tapas before it opens on King Street
Haçienda Classical review – a classic Madchester rave at The Bridgewater Hall
30 Awesome Event Spaces to Hire in Manchester
The River Irwell: Nature is a Language, Can’t You Read?
Joy Division Play ‘New Dawn Fades’ Returns to Manchester
Why You Should Move to Manchester Sooner Rather Than Later
March 2016
Manchester Pride 2016 – Fairy Tales, Daydreaming and a Whole Load of Sparkle!
Walkabout The Printworks – the ultimate sports bar in the heart of the city
Why Manchester city centre needs a spring clean
Controversial food critic Jay Rayner shares advice for Manchester restaurants
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Manchester – Irish events and offers including cheap Guinness
South Manchester bar/restaurant launches the city’s first cocktail home delivery service
XS Manchester Radio: Rock, Football and Letting the Good Times Roll
Manchester ranked North’s second most ‘restauranty’ city
Top five bars & pubs in Manchester – as chosen by you
Help Chaophraya and Thaikhun raise funds for Thai Children’s Trust
Urban Splash launches hoUSe – bespoke homes in the city for house-proud, design-conscious people
New monthly street food event GRUB Food Fair launches at Runaway Brewery
Spinningfields presents next phase of Leftbank ft. street food and urban garden with cinema screen
Manchester Duck Race returns to Spinningfields for family fun and food on Good Friday
Is Manchester England’s coolest city? asks expert travel community Jetsetter
Infamous Diner launch epic new menu featuring Pancake Challenge plus Late Night offering
Planning granted for Manchester Airport’s Transformation Programme featuring self-service check-in and quicker security
There’s a petition to restore Piccadilly Gardens to its former glory and we love it
No Phone Zone: This restaurant chain is banning mobiles for Mother’s Day
REVIEW | Rosso Restaurant – delusions of grandeur
The Pilcrow: for the people of Manchester by the people of Manchester
April 2016
Five fat food challenges that will defeat you in Manchester
REVIEW | Infamous Diner launch new menu – but is it an authentic American diner?
WATCH: Grand tour of King St Townhouse – luxury baby grand hotel in the heart of Manchester
Man United Fans Don’t Come From Manchester And Other Myths
New Manchester organisation launches ‘Wonderful’ way to support good causes
Cocktails in the City 2016 – Manchester’s greatest cocktail party
WATCH: Animated poem unveiled to celebrate what Manchester means to its people
Manchester to get state-of-the-art Go Kart track
Robots are coming! Robot Orchestra to play in Manchester
WATCH: Manchattan love letter to Manchester with Stone Roses’ Waterfall as you’ve never heard it before
Hip Hop Chip Shop Wars: Manchester originators battle London imitators
Lifeshare: a charity on the frontline of the Manchester homelessness epidemic
REVEALED | Plans for Manchester city centre’s first gin distillery
Top 10 Coolest Indie Coffee Shops in Manchester
Woody Allen Comes To Manchester. Ish
Historic brewery to open its doors for Manchester Beer Week
Manchester’s cultural hotspots set to light up After Hours
Remarkable! Cost of living in Manchester 30% lower than London (rent is 50% cheaper)
The Search is on for Manchester’s Happiest Workplaces
Whisky Festival coming to Manchester featuring Scotch, Irish, American & Bourbon, and World
Manchester ranked most competitive location for business in Europe
If you’re going to San Francisco – Manchester Airport secures direct Silicon Valley route
Exhibition by The Smiths photographer to be held at The Lowry
The Milton Club announces new early evening experience ‘Limitless’ featuring free flow drinks, snacks and DJ
May 2016
Tim Bacon tribute – a man who changed the landscape of popular dining
Taste The Love and sweet potato & bacon bread at this Manchester supper club
The Real Junk Food Project: making a meal out of waste food
What inspires the man behind Manchester’s favourite street art?
Support these city centre restaurants badly affected by Manchester roadworks
Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting 2 (with original cast) release date has been revealed
Steak supremo Hawksmoor launches ‘ultimate feast’ to celebrate its 10th birthday
Ancoats Coffee Co and the rise of ‘speciality coffee’ in Manchester
How ‘one simple line on a plan’ became the key to the redesign of Manchester city centre
No place like HOME’s first birthday celebrations – featuring rooftop festival, music, entertainment and food
Special memorial of Tim Bacon (statue?) to be incorporated into urban landscape of Spinningfields
Is First Street set to become Manchester’s latest food & drink hotspot?
Ever fancied going to a morning rave stone-cold sober? Well, now you can
10 mysterious photos of old Granada TV studios that capture the ages of Manchester
Eight major Manchester anniversaries to commemorate this year
Sir Richard Leese celebrates two decades as leader of Manchester city council
This office in Manchester has recreated the famous Hacienda nightclub in £2.5m refurb
Unusual restaurant concepts & dining experiences yet to open in Manchester
Memorial of Tim Bacon – celebrate his extraordinary life with everyone who loved him
40 places to eat & drink alfresco in the Manchester sunshine
The trendiest areas in Manchester – the UK’s trendiest city
Private White VC clothing factory – a little piece of Salford where King Cotton still rules
Johnny Depp “tired of LA lifestyle” and moving to Manchester?
Manchester set to be hotter than Marbella
Five out of the ordinary places to eat in Manchester
Tim Bacon tribute – a man who changed the landscape of popular dining
Foodinate – bringing together restaurants and diners to help feed the homeless
Swearing ban comes into force in Manchester city centre
June 2016
Keeping calm and carrying on: how a Dutch Mancunian feels after the EU referendum
VIDEO | Why Pita Pit is the go-to place for fast, fresh, healthy and inexpensive breakfast & lunch
Take a tour of London Road Fire Station – one of Manchester’s most iconic buildings
The best ice creams in Manchester
Has the Manchester restaurant bubble burst?
10 Cool Basement Bars In Manchester To Crawl In And Out Of
7 good reasons to choose Cresta Cars when ordering a taxi in Manchester
The spirit of Manchester – still alive 20 years after the bomb
Manchester is in demand but is it really losing its industrial soul?
VIDEO | How to make your own Manchester Tart from scratch
First look at unseen photographs that captured the rise of Manchester’s music icons
A touch of Frosty – is this man the most opinionated butcher in Manchester?
WATCH | How long does it take for someone to pick up a bottle on one of Manchester’s filthiest streets?
Liam Gallagher is miffed that his new Oasis film premiere is in London and not Manchester
Living Ventures sell the brand behind The Oast House and The Botanist for £50m
Celebrate Manchester’s history with Maxine Peake and Michael Wood
20th anniversary of the 1996 bomb: the truth & the making of modern Manchester
What did Nanna wear during the war?
New exhibition unveils NEVER BEFORE SEEN photos of iconic Manc bands
MediaCityUK set to double in size in next 10 years costing more than £1 billion
All eyes on these Manchester sports stars captivating the world
Revealed: inside Manchester’s latest hidden basement bar Red Door
Manchester Gin, the drink that’s making a big splash in the city
Manchester’s restaurants aren’t all meal deals and happy hours, Mr Coren
July 2016
Hello kitties! Manchester’s first Cat Café opens its doors
Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs reveal first pictures of their HUGE city centre project that will change the face of Manchester
Manchester’s got museums – but why isn’t there a Museum of Manchester?
Take a trip to the stars with Professor Brian Cox on a Manchester Astrotram
People’s honest opinions on the best and worst of the changing face of Manchester
Sneak peek: Corn Exchange reveals final designs for aparthotel with unique historic character and penthouse rooms
The New York Times lists Manchester as one of the most LGBT-friendly places to visit
B.EAT Street bursts open grungy village of diners, drinking dens and dance floors at Great Northern
G&T? Northern Quarter bar restaurant unveils first Bloom Gin Terrace outside London
Deansgate finally unveils brand new street of beats, eats and booze called B.Eat Street
The price of Brexit: Manchester restaurant hit by huge increase in cost of imported goods
Manchester’s newest neighbourhood set on bringing more green space and character to the city centre
Restaurant recession: two more Manchester kitchens close and why more is inevitable
London Road Fire Station and Library Walk win people’s awards for the best and worst of Manchester
The Evolution of Manc – The Stone Roses’ former tour manager spills the beans on tour antics
12 Wonderful Wedding Venues In And Around Manchester
One of Manchester’s newest restaurants named in UK’s top 100
Bigger than Beetham: plans to build Manchester’s tallest skyscraper approved
Oldham Street: the real Northern Quarter and home of the weird & wonderful
August 2016
Underneath the arches – that’s where you’ll find some of Manchester’s quirkiest independent businesses
Manchester’s water palace Victoria Baths to celebrate its 110th birthday in style – and everybody’s invited!
Top Manchester street artist puts on Piccadilly Gardens show for beans
Five years after the Manchester riots: how the city fought back and why #WeLoveMCR
Manchester’s going green for Halloween – the most spooktacular place to be in the UK
7 places for the whole family to enjoy a short break less than an hour away from Manchester
Manchester to host homecoming parade for heroes of Rio Olympics and Paralympics
“The worst words in the restaurant world are TripAdvisor.” Meet The Drunken Butcher
Manchester AGAIN ranked #1 most liveable city in the UK
Whisky Festival with over 300 Scotch, Irish, American & Bourbon whiskies returns to the Northern Quarter
Hola Manchester! Festejar Spanish festival returns to Alberto Square in September
Manhattan meets Disneyland: Menagerie restaurant & bar opens at New Bailey M3
The Lawn Club, Spinningfields is leaving Manchester on a high note
Why Manchester was cool even in the sixties
Why Manchester is the best UK city for live music
Northern Quarter bar launches weekly ALL YOU CAN DRINK PROSECCO event
REVIEW: Has Ryan Giggs-owned George’s Worsley Restaurant had a team talk?
There’s a ‘picnic protest’ planned to save the oldest pub in Ancoats from demolition
September 2016
The Pilcrow: the pub built by the people of Manchester for the people of Manchester opens its doors
Exciting new district First Street Manchester just keeps getting better and better
New modern British restaurant Grafene has plenty of style – and substance, too
Super-rich Arabs flock to Manchester instead of London – here’s seven things to make them feel at home
Madchester designer collaborates with special needs sister for new heart-felt art exhibition
TOP 10: Battle of the Sunday roasts in Manchester city centre
This NQ bar boasts one of the largest collection of whisk(e)y in the country
A fresher’s guide to Oxford Road, Manchester – the ultimate city for the student experience
The Refuge dining room & bar: an astonishing space now open to the public
The Makers Market returns to Spinningfields with a doggy twist
Can we please forget the idea of a ‘golden age’ and believe in the future?
This part of the city has been Through The Mill – celebrate Ancoats’ rich history and culture
WATCH the first official trailer for new Oasis documentary ‘Supersonic’
Six new Manchester cycleways ‘a big step in the right direction’ to become a Cycle City
Oxford Road improvement works done and dusted – buses, taxis and cyclists can all be friends
Let’s get quizzical! 12 of the best pub quizzes in Manchester
Do you even come from Manchester? Broadband provider reveals football club with the most local supporters
This must be the best way to watch Jaws: pop-up screen in a swimming pool
October 2016
Countdown is on for £1.5m go-karting track under Manchester Arena
WATCH: 200,000 turn-up for the Olympic & Paralympic heroes parade in Manchester
The best club in the world is the one that changed your life
Who the hell does Paul Scholes think he is?
The Crystal Maze is coming to Manchester – and now a nostalgic venue has been revealed
London Road Fire Station to host its own special ice skating rink and Xmas markets
Liverpool and Manchester: why we should be friends with the city down the road
The Liquor Store First Street launches in style – finally bringing nightlife to Manchester’s newest district
Manchester has the appetite to sustain a Borough-type foodie market
20 famous Manc names revealed on Manchester’s first Hollywood-style ‘Star Walk’
November 2016
How to HELP make Christmas for those in need in Manchester
15 places to find hygge in Manchester this winter
16 things to eat in Manchester before you diet
REVEALED: The horrible history of the Royal Exchange
Not so happy days with the Happy Mondays
Central Bark: Manchester’s first dog café featuring grooming and day care to open in Altrincham
Foodie superstar line-up revealed for London Road Fire Station’s Christmas Winter Gathering
Waxi ahoy! Manchester water taxis finally set sail from Castlefield to Trafford Centre
A last look at the legendary Reform Club before it becomes Grand Pacific
London’s biggest newspaper discovers why you should visit Manchester’s Northern Quarter
December 2016
Giggs & Gary Neville all set to open new ‘Space Age Asian’ restaurant in Urbis building
15 new Manchester food & drink ventures to get excited about in 2017
Manchester Christmas Markets voted amongst the biggest and best in Europe as they close for 2016
One of the world’s most famous restaurants reveals plans to open in Manchester
12 seriously indulgent cocktails to try in Manchester over Christmas
Blackpool Illuminations comes to Salford Quays for UK’s biggest digital light festival
Does Manchester need more creative, radical – not retail – space?
Competitive axe throwing coming to Manchester in the New Year
New bar The Laundrette spins open its doors on First Street with cocktails & carbs
VIDEO: This winter woodland pop-up serves the ultimate sharing FEAST on a LOG PLATTER
31 jaw-dropping January 2017 deals to make the most of in Manchester
Please tell us your highlights of the year in comments below, email us at hello@ilovemanchester.com or tweet us @ILoveMCR
