Grosvenor Square

Creative Tourist
Image courtesy of Visit Manchester

Once the site of a church, this small patch of gated green now belongs to Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). Grosvenor Square is one of the few open spaces along Oxford Road; on sunny days, students from the nearby Manchester School of Art come out to bask. The food stalls that stand on the street on Oxford Road are always popular with local students and are a good, cheap option if you fancy an impromptu picnic in the park.

Grosvenor Square is sometimes called All Saints Park; it is part of MMU’s All Saints campus, a reference to the church that was originally built here in 1820. The church was damaged during the Manchester Blitz, and when it was eventually demolished, it became a park. The Manchester School of Art is just across the way, a neo-Gothic building that dates back to 1880 and which hosts the Holden Gallery (good for contemporary exhibitions and occasional art fairs).

Grosvenor SquareManchesterM15 6BH View map

What's on near Grosvenor Square

Until
ActivityLiverpool
Old Dock Tours, Liverpool

The Old Dock tour is a treat for younger and older visitors alike, fans of Liverpool’s maritime past, and anybody curious about local history.

£8.50 with concessions
Until
ComedyManchester
Creatures of the Night Comedy Club

An insanely committed seven-nights-a-week, Creatures of the Night Comedy Club opens its doors (20.30-22.30 typically, though please check) for evening after evening of side-splitting comedy.

from £5.00
Until
ComedyManchester
The Comedy Vault

Every Monday night upstairs at Fierce Bar, The Comedy Vault hosts an outrageously funny open-mic night. Come and try your hand or just to watch and laugh.

free entry
Until
ComedyManchester
Comedy Balloon

Every Wednesday at Ape & Apple, Manchester’s official underground comedy club, Comedy Balloon’s friendly and warm comedy night takes place.

free entry

Where to go near Grosvenor Square

food and drink
Baltic Triangle
Café or Coffee Shop
Yonder

Yonder is a relaxed café off the beaten track, slightly hidden in the Baltic Triangle, serving delicious coffee, breakfast and lunch.

food and drink
City Centre
Restaurant
BAM BOO

BAM BOO delivers a slice of paradise right in Liverpool city centre, with indulgent meals and delicious cocktails.

food and drink
Liverpool
Restaurant
Italian Club Fish

Italian Club Fish on Liverpool’s lively Bold Street aka restaurant central, is a haven for seafood lovers and fans of authentic Mediterranean cuisine.

Merseyway is built on giant stilts over the river Mersey – hence the name! It was one of the first shopping centres to open in 1965 and was refurbished in 1995. Merseyway are proud of their heritage and their role in continuing to attract visitors to Stockport. They strive to live up to the brand promise “famous brands, fabulously close”.
Manchester
Merseyway Shopping Centre

Merseyway is built on giant stilts over the river Mersey – hence the name! It was one of the first shopping centres to open in 1965 and was refurbished in 1995. Merseyway are proud of their heritage and their role in continuing to attract visitors to Stockport. They strive to live up to the brand promise “famous brands, fabulously close”.

Leeds
Brewery
Springwell

The home of North, with a beautiful taproom over looking the brew house, on Buslingthorpe Lane. Every weekend we open the doors to our brewery and pour incredibly fresh beer next to the tanks where it was brewed!

Ring O'Bells
Restaurant
Ring O’Bells

Popular country pub based in Ormskirk, serving classic British food and local ales.

Abington Street Market
Blackpool
Shop
Abington Street Market

Abington Street Market is a go-to for independent retail, housing 12 shopping units selling everything from handmade ceramics to clothing, crystals and cake.

Beautiful view of our Dining Tipi Table
Altrincham
Event venue
Millington Hall Farm

Millington Hall Farm is a one of a kind destination offering field to fork dining alongside learning experiences that will stay with you long after your visit.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not
Blackpool
Museum
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

Located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach resort, this museum of oddities is the perfect place for families to discover the strange, the unusual and the extraordinary.

Image courtesy of Saoko Cocktail Bar.
Blackpool
Restaurant
Saoko Cocktail Club

This cocktail bar may be the new kid on the Blackpool block, but it’s already renowned for its excellent service and imaginative drinks that offer an ‘experience and a story’.

Little Black Pug by Ian Jones.
Blackpool
Restaurant
Little Black Pug

Head to Balckpool’s Little Black Pug for an historic, laid-back, family-friendly pub with a huge malt whiskey collection.

Ian Jones.
Blackpool
Shop
Aunty Social

Both a lifestyle store and a community arts hub, Aunty Social showcases the very best of Blackpool’s creative community. A great spot to pick up lovingly-made gifts.

Manchester District Guides

Culture Guides

Boy watching hands making shadow puppets on a screen
Family things to do in the North

As we move into festive season, Manchester and the North is packed with fun events and activities for families, both indoors and outdoors.

Music in the North

From Afrobeat to psychedelia, alternative rock to glistening pop, we take a look at some of the best gigs happening in early 2025.

Poet Rosie Garland. Credit Absolut Queer Photography.
Literature Events in the North

Bookish goings-on are perfect for picking up presents for others and treats to get yourself through the cold, dark days ahead.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

From contemporary dance to ballet classics, and cult rock ‘n’ roll musicals to new writing, our theatre guide spans the festive season and beyond.

A man is dressed as an Elf in a decorated department store.
Cinema in the North

Get ready for animated classics, Muppet mayhem and a whole host of New York movies -- it's Christmas time in the cinema.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.