# Travel advice for gig in Manchester wanted please



## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

I am thinking of visiting Manchester next month for a gig in the Big Western (87 Great Western St). At the moment I am planning on coming up (from cardiff) by train and getting some where to crash near Piccadilly.

I have had a quick look on gongle maps and cant quite work out how far it is.

Is it walkable, if so how far? If not, any locals able to give me a guestimate for how much a taxi would cost?

Anyone got any other general advice (places to stay etc)?


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## Part 2 (Sep 16, 2013)

Culture Shock I presume?

I wouldn't walk it. You could get a bus easy enough from Picadilly. I don't get taxis much but I imagine it would be about 7 or 8 quid.


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

Chip Barm said:


> Culture Shock I presume?
> 
> I wouldn't walk it. You could get a bus easy enough from Picadilly. I don't get taxis much but I imagine it would be about 7 or 8 quid.


you guess right - thanks


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## Part 2 (Sep 16, 2013)

The 85 bus from Picadilly takes about 20 minutes and a 5 minute walk to the gig. 

Can't help with places to stay mind.


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 16, 2013)

Gt Western St is in Moss Side isn't it?  I think so, but might be wrong.  But if so not quick walking distance, so I agree a taxi or bus would be best.  The main buses down Oxford Road bisect Gr W St so plenty to choose from (I think).

www.tfgm.com

There are a few cheap hotels that have opened in the Piccadilly/Northern Quarter area in the last few years, and there are also at least one cheap hostel that I walk past now and again.  Let me know if you need more info on what is in the area - pm if you want.


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

Coming up early on the day of the gig - then going back around 5pm the next day - so if anyone has any suggestions of things to do in the day that would also be appreciated - this might even influence where we stay.


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 16, 2013)

Clint Iguana said:


> Coming up early on the day of the gig - then going back around 5pm the next day - so if anyone has any suggestions of things to do in the day that would also be appreciated - this might even influence where we stay.


 
Depends what you like doing I suppose - and what days you will be here.  Give me dates and I'll see if I know if owt interesting is going on.  I get shit loads of leaflets through the door as I live in town.


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

farmerbarleymow said:


> Depends what you like doing I suppose - and what days you will be here.  Give me dates and I'll see if I know if owt interesting is going on.  I get shit loads of leaflets through the door as I live in town.


up wednesday 9th back thurs 10th

Into music, obviously, would prefer independent record shops to mega stores. History (might do people's history museum - although been there before) - radical book shop perhaps? Into photography - dont know if this helps.


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## Shirl (Sep 16, 2013)

Piccadilly records and Vinyl Exchange both near Piccadilly.


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## Part 2 (Sep 16, 2013)

The obvious record shop would be 

http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/shop/index.php


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 16, 2013)

Clint Iguana said:


> <snip> Into photography - dont know if this helps.


 
Mundane photography? 

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/mundane-pictures-of-the-north.311170/page-125

If you're a Northerner bonus points for mundane pictures!


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

farmerbarleymow said:


> Mundane photography?
> 
> http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/mundane-pictures-of-the-north.311170/page-125
> 
> If you're a Northerner bonus points for mundane pictures!


fuck me- does everyone park on the pavement?


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## Part 2 (Sep 16, 2013)

I suppose you could try www.airbnb.co.uk for somewhere to stay.


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 16, 2013)

Clint Iguana said:


> fuck me- does everyone park on the pavement?


 
Not sure what pictures you looked at on that thread, but yeah in certain areas of Greater Manchester. Where are you coming from by the way?


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

Just been reding about the OKasional cafe squat thing - but cant see if there is one up and running now. Anyone know?


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 16, 2013)

farmerbarleymow said:


> Not sure what pictures you looked at on that thread, but yeah in certain areas of Greater Manchester. Where are you coming from by the way?


South Wales - just outside Cardiff


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## Part 2 (Sep 16, 2013)

Clint Iguana said:


> Just been reding about the OKasional cafe squat thing - but cant see if there is one up and running now. Anyone know?



Not at the moment.

http://okcafe.wordpress.com/


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 17, 2013)

Clint Iguana said:


> South Wales - just outside Cardiff


 
Don't forget to bring your passport. 

But hope your train journey isn't too bad - its not an easy trip from South Wales to the north of England, at least my experience of travelling to SW England.

Assuming you plan on staying in the centre, I'd be happy to meet you at the station and walk you to your hotel if you've not been before.


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## Fez909 (Sep 17, 2013)

Novetel is quite cheap and decent enough. Walkable from Piccadilly.


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 17, 2013)

Fez909 said:


> Novetel is quite cheap and decent enough. Walkable from Piccadilly.


 
If you can PM me the details that'd be good, so I can collate it with the others I'm thinking of.


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## Fez909 (Sep 17, 2013)

farmerbarleymow said:


> If you can PM me the details that'd be good, so I can collate it with the others I'm thinking of.



PM? Bit sneaky, eh? Let it out in the open man!

http://www.novotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 17, 2013)

Fez909 said:


> PM? Bit sneaky, eh? Let it out in the open man!
> 
> http://www.novotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml


 
Nah, I didn't mean it like that - I offered to collate some info on accommodation and send it to him via PM tomorrow when I'd sobered up (I had to drink wine to cope with my 'Demented Self-Absorbed Liz Jones' Daily Mail marathon earlier this evening). 

I'll post the details on here once I've pulled it all together of course.


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## Frances Lengel (Sep 17, 2013)

This gaffes about ten or maybe fifteen minutes walk from piccadilly train station so it might be a bit too much of a trek. £20 a night though.
http://www.the-smithfield-hotel.co.uk/page5.html

Or there's this gaffe which is next door

http://www.budgetplaces.com/manchester-hotel-14521-burton-arms-hotel.html


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 17, 2013)

Here are some results from google:

http://www.google.co.uk/hotels/?gl=...+near+station;d=2013-10-09;n=1;usd=1;si=;av=r

And this is the cheap and cheerful hotel I mentioned that is directly over the road from the station:

https://plus.google.com/104912576033801343418/about?gl=uk&hl=en

I can't find a website for them at the moment.


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## Part 2 (Sep 18, 2013)

Also this:

http://hattersgroup.com/manchester/manchester-hostels/hatters-hostel-on-newton-st-manchester/


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## Clint Iguana (Sep 18, 2013)

Your assistance is much appreciated comrades. Who said social networking was a waste of time?


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## Clint Iguana (Oct 3, 2013)

Thanks for all your help guys, after checking all the pros and cons of distance from station, distance from gig, savings on hotel via extra wonga for taxi etc... have opted for the Ibis budget hotel in city centre (pollard street) £40 a night for two of us. bargain i thought.


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## farmerbarleymow (Oct 3, 2013)

Have a good time when you're up here. 

That is a brand new hotel - only built last year I think - so should be good.  Near the inner ring road so very accessible too.  If you're thinking of using public transport you can find out what services run to where here.

If you need walking to the hotel when you arrive let me know, as I live in town so it'd be no bother.  The hotel is only a brief walk - no more than 10 minutes - from Piccadilly.


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## Clint Iguana (Oct 3, 2013)

farmerbarleymow said:


> Have a good time when you're up here.
> 
> That is a brand new hotel - only built last year I think - so should be good.  Near the inner ring road so very accessible too.  If you're thinking of using public transport you can find out what services run to where here.
> 
> If you need walking to the hotel when you arrive let me know, as I live in town so it'd be no bother.  The hotel is only a brief walk - no more than 10 minutes - from Piccadilly.


Thanks - although i have not been to Manchester many times i did spend a week up there for a union conference a few years ago so think i can find the hotel. Finding the gig will be something else - although i did find myself wandering around Moss side last week trying to find my bus (was parked next to a brewery)

Happy to have a pint though if you fancy one.


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## farmerbarleymow (Oct 3, 2013)

Clint Iguana said:


> Thanks - although i have not been to Manchester many times i did spend a week up there for a union conference a few years ago so think i can find the hotel. Finding the gig will be something else - although i did find myself wandering around Moss side last week trying to find my bus (was parked next to a brewery)
> 
> Happy to have a pint though if you fancy one.


 
No worries.  So directions you need to take from the station (assuming you are coming by train - can't remember whether you said this up thread):


When you go through the glass platform doors onto the station concourse, turn right and exit the station through the side entrance;
Walk down the car park (heading towards the British Transport Police compound at the bottom, following the line of the train shed) and turn left to go over the bridge to the multi-storey car park.  Go down to level 1 and exit the car park through the fire escape and onto Sheffield Street;
With the car park fire exit doors behind you, turn left to head towards the tram tracks (you'll see a black bin on the pavement, so head in that direction);
Turn left onto Baird Street;
Turn left onto Congou Street (this is a very short street);
Turn right onto Chapeltown Street;
Head up to the end of Chapeltown Street (modern flats on one side, a dark satanic Northern mill on the other) until you reach the junction with Great Ancoats Street (the inner ring road);
Cross Gt Ancoats St and you will find the hotel opposite - I think from memory it is right on the main road.


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