Withington
Withington is a thriving district with a diverse mix of cafes, bars and independent shops.
Accommodation
Off-campus accommodation is mainly made up of terraced and semi-detached houses, with some flats.
Transport
There are regular bus services to the universities, City Centre, and Piccadilly Station.
Groceries
🟧 Sainsburys Local
🟧 Co–op
🟧 Withington Fruit and Veg – local greengrocers selling fresh produce, plants and delicious samosas!
🟧 Lentils and Lather – zero waste shop selling plants, fresh baked goods, homeware and groceries.
Food & Drink
🟧 Withington Public Hall Institute – social space offering drinks, pizzas and community events.
🟧 Cafe Blah – great cafe and community space with regular film and art nights!
🟧 Red Lion Pub – pub quiz every Wednesday!
🟧 Ice Shack – cosy cafe and community space with plenty of board games serving up fresh coffee and vegan ice cream.
🟧 Fuel – best vegan breakfasts and great gigs!
🟧 Dosa Xpress –incredible authentic south Indian food.
Things To Do
🟧 Withington Baths – non-profit community leisure centre with a recently-restored Edwardian swimming pool. Offers day passes and discounted student memberships.
🟧 Withington Walls – a community project that aims to brighten up Withington village through public art works. Explore the village through their artwork map!
🟧 Withington Library – a great off-campus study space.
Ladybarn
Ladybarn is a small and vibrant suburb to the east of Withington village and Fallowfield district centre.
Accommodation
Off-campus accommodation is mainly made up of terraced and semi-detached houses, with some flats.
Transport
There are regular bus services to the universities, City Centre, and Piccadilly Station. The area is also served by national rail services at Mauldeth Road.
Groceries
🟧 Co–op
🟧 Ladybarn Food Store
Food & Drink
🟧 Good Faith – independent cafe that sells fab little sweet treats, bagels and sandwiches!
🟧 Sanskruti – best Indian food known to mankind (bonus points for being veggie-friendly!)
🟧 Kabul Bakery – serving freshly baked bread and bolanis, as well as a range of sweet treats.
Things To Do
🟧 Ladybarn Park – local green space with a skate park, tennis courts, bowling green and playground, as well as volunteering opportunities.
🟧 Ladybarn Community Hub – community space with lots of regular clubs and events. The Hub has lots of volunteering opportunities, including helping with their new community garden.
Didsbury
Didsbury is a suburban area of south Manchester lying on the north bank of the River Mersey. Well served by local buses and the Metrolink (tram), Didsbury is accessible to most parts of Manchester. Burton Road, one of the district centres in West Didsbury, is renowned for its independent shops, restaurants and bars, and the annual ‘Westfest’; a celebration held each year for the independent spirit of the local area.
Did you know that Carol Ann Duffy, a resident of Didsbury and a Professor of Contemporary Poetry and Creative Director of the Manchester Writing School at MMU, is the first woman, Scottish person, and openly LGBT person to hold the position of Poet Laureate in the UK?
Transport
There are regular bus services and Didsbury is served by no fewer than four stops on the East Didsbury-Rochdale Town Centre line of the Metrolink.
Groceries
🟧 Aldi
🟧 M&S
🟧 Co–op
🟧 Tesco Express
🟧 Fresh Save Fruit & Veg
Food & Drink
🟧 The Art of Tea – cafe bar and bookshop offering cakes, speciality teas and community events.
🟧 Hikari Koffee – a japanese–inspired coffee spot offering a wide range of seasonal and staple drinks, alongside freshly baked buns, babka, and cookies.
🟧 A Front For Something – an eclectic cafe serving great coffee and classic breakfasts.
🟧 The Third Eye – a family–run Nepalese and Indian retaurant boasting a wide range of vegan options.
🟧 OKitchen – a Japanese and Korean eatery hosting a large cocktail menu and live music.
🟧 The Great Kathmandu – an award–winning Nepalese Tandoori restaurant offering a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options.
🟧 Pubs – Didsbury is host to a huge number of excellent pubs, ranging from The Station which serves 'the best Guinness in Manchester', The Railway which hosts regular quiz nights and live music, to the Didsbury which serves a range of pub grub in its cozy rustic space. There are no shortages of great places to try out!
Things To Do
🟧 Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens – part botanical garden and part wildlife habitat, was the founding location of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and is now the largest wildlife charity conservation organisation in Europe.
🟧 Didsbury Library – a great off–campus study space.
🟧 The Didsbury Dozen – get dressed up with your friends and attempt the Didsbury Dozen, a pub crawl taking in the many pubs and bars in Didsbury.
Levenshulme
Levenshulme is largely a residential area with a number of shops, pubs and antique stores, one being the Levenshulme Antiques Village which is housed in a former police station. Levenshulme is renowned for its markets and bustling community feel. The area also hosts the Annual Levenshulme Festival and is home to Levenshulme Swimming Pool.
Did you know that tourists make visits to Levenshulme railway station since the 'news' broke of "The Street with No Name"? This is a 160-year old street that has yet never had an official name.
Transport
There are regular bus services to the universities, City Centre, and Piccadilly Station. Levenshulme railway station is only one stop from Manchester Piccadilly, one of the main termini for services to London and elsewhere in the UK.
Groceries
🟧 Tesco
🟧 Asda
🟧 Plus a wide range of greengrocers and bakeries along Stockport Road!
Food & Drink
🟧 Station South – cycle cafe, bar, bike workshop and urban community garden based in a former train station.
🟧 Sips & Dips – a delicious Lebanese spot serving freshly baked breads, colourful dips and sweet treats.
🟧 Long Boi's Bakehouse – a neighbourhood bakery known for its range of savory and sweet treats.
🟧 OverDraught – craft beer and cocktail bar hosting a range of community events including comedy nights.
🟧 Klondyke – a large social club hosting a variety of events.
Things To Do
🟧 Cringle Park – a much loved and thriving community park 7km from the city centre.
🟧 Highfield Country Park – a large country park perfect for a cycle or still on a sunny day.
🟧 Take a dip or hit the weights at Arcadia library and leisure centre.
Longsight
Longsight is a predominantly residential area adjoining Rusholme, Ardwick, and Levenshulme.
Transport
The area is served by buses along Stockport Road which travels to the City Centre from Hazel Grove and nearby Stockport. According to its operators, the 192 route carries over 9 million people each year.
Groceries
🟧 Asda Superstore
🟧 Manchester Superstore
🟧 Venus Foods Supermarket
Food & Drink
🟧 There are plenty og food options catering to vegetarian, vegan and halal diets.
🟧 Longsight is home to predominantly South Asian cuisine.
Things To Do
🟧 Longsight Market on Dickenson Road is a busy food market operating on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
🟧 The neighbourhood bursts to life every autumn during the Muslim festival of Chaand Raat.
🟧 Longsight Library and learning centre has a wide range of books and publications in many different languages.
🟧 Try tightwire walking or aerial acrobatics at The Circus House, offering affordable circus skills classes for all ages and abilities.
Moss Side
Primarily a residential area, Moss Side lies between Rusholme and Hulme. Former home to Manchester City FC’s stadium, Moss Side is characterised by deep community spirit with a number of local community and voluntary groups providing social support, cultural, and leisure opportunities.
Transport
There are regular bus services to the City Centre and Piccadilly Station, and it is only a 10-15 minute walk to the universities.
Groceries
🟧 Tesco Express
🟧 Short distance to shops in both Hulme and Rusholme.
Food & Drink
🟧 Bello's Kitchen – East African restaurant serving grilled seafood, wraps and stews.
🟧 SASA's aka Nothing To Something – a friendly, casual Carribean takeaway spot.
Things To Do
🟧 The centrally located Moss Side Community Allotment involves volunteers who grow and make available locally produced organic food.
🟧 Walk around Alexandra Park. The park also hosts Manchester’s Caribbean Carnival in the summer.
Whalley Range
Whalley Range is a largely residential suburb in South Manchester. Located near to some of Manchester’s main arterial routes, Whalley Range is home to the ornately decorated British Muslim Heritage Centre, a former GMB college.
Transport
Reach Whalley Range from the universities on foot in just 30 minutes or by one of the regular bus services in 15 minutes.
Groceries
🟧 Co–op
🟧 Tesco Express
Food & Drink
🟧 Kaana – a South Asian canteen offering comforting, affordable dishes.
🟧 The Hillary Step – local brewery and pub hosting live jazz.
Things To Do
🟧 Take a dip or lift some weights at Hough End Leisure Centre.
Chorlton
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a suburban area known locally as Chorlton. It benefits from a wealth of independent shops and cafes, particularly along Beech Road.
The area is home to Chorltonville, an estate of 262 houses built in 1910-1911 and partially inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement; it was originally intended as affordable rental housing for skilled artisans. Chorlton has an independent and bohemian atmosphere. The area hosts a range of local festivals each year including the Chorlton Book Festival, the Big Green Festival, and the Chorlton Arts Festival.
Did you know that Chorlton was the location for Cosgrove Hall, the animation studios where series such as Danger Mouse were created and developed?
Transport
There are regular bus services to the universities, City Centre, and Piccadilly Station. Chorlton is also well served by Metrolink services, Manchester's tram system.
Groceries
🟧 Unicorn Grocery – a whole food co-op offering fresh fruit and veg, household essentials and an extensive deli counter.
🟧 Morrisons
🟧 Co-op
🟧 Tesco Express
🟧 M&S
Food & Drink
🟧 There are plenty of food options in the Chorlton area, including authentic Japanese food and tapas.
🟧 Visit one of Chorlton’s cute bars and pubs, many of which offer discounted prices for students and large groups.
Things To Do
🟧 Visit Chorlton Water Park for a natural swim or a muddy dog walk.
🟧 The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre is an award-winning theatre offering plays, comedy and activity sessions. Try out tap-dancing or a ukulele lesson at The Edge!