Skyliner: Alternative Tours of Manchester

Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor

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The Modern History of the Northern Quarter

31 July 2020-31 December 2022
Date
Time
Session Features
07 Aug 2020
11:00 am-1:00 pm
09 Aug 2020
11:00 am-1:00 pm
14 Aug 2020
11:00 am-1:00 pm
22 Aug 2020
11:00 am-1:00 pm
04 Sep 2020
11:00 am-1:00 pm

See website for more sessions

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

skyliner
Hayley Flynn
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One of Manchester’s leading local place writers and tour guides is once again setting forth into the cultural nooks and crooks of the Northern Quarter, which is celebrating a big anniversary this year. Skyliner AKA Hayley Flynn is returning to the streets with her highly rated anti-tour, which turns 10 in 2022. This account of the area’s modern history and future development leaves tour guests with questions to think about and interrogates ideas of management, ownership and the responsible development of urban space.

Sustainable and thoughtful tourism.

View the city centre’s street art hub through Skyliner’s unique perspective with each tour managing to find a balanced between architectural art, the people who made it happen and the stories behind each piece. It paints a very raw portrait of a place which has undergone massive change, with more yet to come.

Manchester’s Northern Quarter will mark a significant anniversary of its own in 2022: it will be 30 years since artist Liam Curtain was formally commissioned as the area’s artist in residence, thereby kickstarting the long process of regeneration. Hayley is planning a celebration event in July 2022, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Hayley fiercely supports the local businesses along the route, donating 10% of her profit to local causes and aims to make all her tours encourage sustainable and thoughtful tourism.

Tours will be taking place within the given COVID restrictions. Obviously, this will change as the government recommendations do, so we advise that you see the latest update on the Skyliner website when you book. Animals and pets are welcome as the whole tour is outdoors. Skyliner tours run whatever the weather, so considering the changeable (read: miserable) climate in Manchester, an umbrella or raincoat is recommended. However, by the end of the tour you’ll thoroughly understand that the amount of precipitation is one of the least significant features of this city.

Due to uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, dates and times of Skyliner tours will be announced via their website on a weekly basis.

Where to go near Skyliner: Alternative Tours of Manchester

Hern Food
Leeds
Restaurant
Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
Restaurant
Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

Leeds Beckett SU
Leeds
Restaurant
Leeds Beckett Student Union

Leeds Beckett Student Union hosts big-name artists and supports students through events, live music, and a vibrant campus venue.

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There's ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and entertainment facilities, making for a great evening out!

Watch the latest film releases and enjoy the industry-leading Sony 4K Digital screens, boasting spectacular picture quality, along with enhanced audio quality courtesy of Dolby 'Profound Sound'. Stepped SuperVue seating means you will never miss a second of the action while VIP seating guarantees you an extra touch of luxury whenever you want to upgrade.

Three of the nine screens showcase the newest 3D releases while Vue Classical brings the latest stage sensations to the big screen, and parents can save as they go with Family Tickets and Kids AM screenings offering great value for money.
Leeds
Cinema
Vue Cinema – Leeds Kirkstall Road

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There’s ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

Empire Café is located in Leeds’ ‘home of day dining’- Fish street!

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Phranakhon

Phranakhon Thai Tapas is a revolutionised Thai dining restaurant with a combination of European indulgence and authentic Thai tastes.

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Wen’s

Wen’s is a family owned Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic, home cooked cuisine.

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