A new guidebook to Manchester city centre is now on sale – and it’s made for people like you.

Earlier this month, on behalf of the city’s rather enlightened retailers, we – commissioned by the Heart of Manchester BID – published a new, pocket-sized guidebook to Manchester. Its 104 pages recommend places to shop, eat, drink and stay. It uncovers the city’s arts, theatre and music scenes. It contains day, night and weekend itineraries. And alongside practical travel information, it also lists some of Manchester’s hidden and lesser-known attractions.

The idea behind the book is simple. It’s not intended to be the definitive guide to the city. Instead, this is an easy-to-dip-into little book, one that’s about discovering the Manchester you never knew. So within its stylish pages, you won’t just find a list of restaurants and bars. You’ll find recommended places to get brunch, say, or the highlights of Manchester’s cocktail and late night drinking scene. Between one-off shops and high-end boutiques, it points out some of the city’s curiosities, from lederhosen-wearing men to the world’s oldest angling club. In between Manchester’s myriad museums, galleries and historic libraries, it highlights where you can take the kids, or tells you to look up at some of the city’s high-rise architecture, old and new.

Home or away, this is the essential, insider’s guide to Manchester

Almost everything in the book has been specially commissioned, from Tom Cockram and Jan Chlebik’s photography to Modern Designers’ illustration and branding. It was written, designed and printed in Manchester, and it’s on sale now. You can buy it for just £4.95 at various stores, including online at Waterstone’s and Visit Manchester, and in person at Magma, Cornerhouse, Manchester Art Gallery and Piccadilly Garden’s Tourist Information Centre. It’s a handy guide to Manchester, whether you live here or are just visiting, but most of all it is a labour of love – and we do hope you like it.