It’s pretty rare to see classic VW camper vans on the road – and you almost never see them as beautiful as this one.
Everyone, meet Edith, a 1976 Volkswagen T2 Camper. She’s orange, she’s cosy, she drives beautifully, and she’s ready to whisk you off on a blissful British weekend.
Edith has been lovingly and carefully restored by Happier Campers over in Oldham, where you can also rent her camper van pals Beryl, Bert and Ernie.
And while she’s small, she’s certainly mighty.
Inside, and included when you rent her out, you’ll find an expertly-fitted kitchen (complete with gas hob, sink and fridge, plus all your equipment), a comfy fold-out double bed plus another in the roof space, an on-board water supply, USB charging points, Bluetooth speakers, outdoor furniture and loads more.
The attention to detail that’s gone into her restoration is remarkable. See that metal pole acting as a vase for some orange flowers? It’s actually a table leg, which you can screw into different parts of the van so you always have an extra surface.
That backwards-facing seat? Yeah, it’s also a kitchen cupboard.
The rechargeable lantern? Also a Bluetooth speaker.
Sometimes the easiest way to switch off from your real life is to strip it right back – no WiFi, no screens, no takeaway drivers in sight – and Edith has just the right amount of creature comforts to allow you to do that in comfort.
Camper van Edith comes with outdoor furniture in your rental. Credit: The Manc GroupInside Edith, the classic VW camper van you can rent from Oldham. Credit: The Manc GroupBacon butty and champagne breakfast outside Edith. Credit: The Manc Group
Edith – who recently starred in Blossoms’ music video for What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry – turns heads everywhere she goes with her sunny orange exterior, and ended up being the talk of the campsite when we took her away to the Peak District for a weekend.
A couple of days with Edith goes a bit like this…
You collect her from Happier Campers and have an induction into how everything works, from the gearbox to the pop-up rooftop.
Then it’s off to your chosen campsite to get all set up, cracking open a cold beer from the fridge or popping the kettle on as soon as you park up.
As night falls, switch on the fairy lights, cook yourself dinner, and get cosy either with a book or whatever films you’ve remembered to download, before unfolding the double bed and tucking in for the night.
Now let me tell you, the joy of sliding open your bedroom door to see a vista of mist creeping over rolling hills and sheep pottering about is unparalleled.
The Pack Horse in Hayfield. Credit: The Manc GroupDinner at the Pack Horse in Hayfield. Credit: The Manc GroupKinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc GroupCosy paradise inside Edith. Credit: The Manc GroupCosy paradise inside Edith. Credit: The Manc Group
And it only gets better when you start frying up some bacon and having a glass of champagne (don’t judge me) with that same view.
From the Hayfield Campsite, you’re perfectly positioned for a stroll up Kinder Scout or, if you want something gentler but equally as beautiful, around Kinder Reservoir.
The entire Peak District is on your doorstep – there are plenty of walks and routes plotted out by the team at the campsite so you don’t even need to plan far ahead, and there’s a pub just up the hill where you can reward yourself with a pint at the end.
Also on the doorstep is one of the UK’s best gastropubs, The Pack Horse, where you’re welcomed into a proper country pub space with a brilliant, seasonal menu and a resident dog (Lola will stare you out if she catches a whiff of cheese on your table).
The whole camping experience – even having to go for a walk to the toilet block every time you need a wee – feels completely magical, and makes you realise that you don’t have to travel a million miles to feel a million miles from Manchester.
Views from Edith as you sail through the Peak District. Credit: The Manc GroupHappier Campers in Oldham. Credit: The Manc GroupDriving the classic VW camper van. Credit: The Manc Group
She has quirks, as all classic vehicles do, like a gearbox that will only go from first to second if you ask it very nicely, windscreen wipers that are even totally off or enthusiastically on, and a side door that insists on being slammed full-force, fellow sleeping campers be damned.
But all of that adds to her charm, and the longer you spend getting to know Edith the more this little van rewards you.
And one of the best bits about a weekend with Edith is the unbridled freedom she brings. Imagine just getting bored of driving so pulling up by a reservoir for a cup of tea and an episode of Netflix?
Or opening your bedroom door in the morning to see an ever-changing landscape of countryside?
This right here is retro, British holiday heaven.
Find out more about how to rent camper van Edith or any of the other Happier Campers vans HERE.
Review | Snow Patrol roll back the years at Co-op Live for a mini-Manc’s first gig
Danny Jones
This weekend we enjoyed a new kind of live music experience: rediscovering the joy of listening to a childhood favourite by watching it through the eyes of the next generation – that was how we witnessed a fully-fledged arena return to Manchester for Snow Patrol at Co-op Live.
And it was special for lots of reasons.
Taking a little one to their first gig is something you’ll never forget and sharing a new-found connection with a band that you loved when you were their age is one of those magical things about music that we’re eternally grateful for.
You might assume the Snow Patrol crowd one skews a little older for the most part but we were pleased to see there were more than a few kids and teenagers donning tour tees, looking wide-eyed at the sheer size of the Co-op Live arena, and singing the words back better than Gary Lightbody at times.
Sees the sign: ‘Race you there!’ (Credit: Audio North)
Yes, the Belfast-born frontman made a few mistakes on the night, but it did add a rather laid-back quality to what many acts might have found a daunting performance: playing a sell-out night to around 23,500 fans inside the enormous state-of-the-art venue.
But, obviously, there wasn’t even a whiff of nerves from these lads.
You don’t get to have been around for this long and become as successful as they are without being able to relax on stage and lean into those idiosyncratic perfections that feel more like private moments shared between the artist and the crowd.
The young lad sat watching it with us certainly got a kick out of it and though we might not have been able to cover his ears in time to censor some light but ever-charming swear words (it always sounds better in Irish, don’t you think?), it made for some nice banter between him and the crowd.
Big props must go to Johnny McDaid on the keys too, who besides having written for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams, Alicia Keys, Biffy Clyro and countless others over the years, also managed to impress by playing the majority of this entire tour after having trapped his hand in a train door. OUCH.
Credit: The Manc Group
Not only was that little interlude up there with one of the most applause-worthy parts of the entire show, but we were always pretty blown away by what we saw, as we all as what we heard.
Be it watching a digital tree come to life, shed its leaves and then fall as petal confetti, two sheer semi-opaque paper-thin screens swirl to create the album cover art for their latest album, or kicking the gig off with ‘Take Back The City’ as a multicoloured skyline appeared behind them, it was all pretty incredible.
We even got to hear a personal favourite of ours, ‘Set Fire To The Third Bar’, complete with a virtual performance from the voice that truly makes the song: Martha Wainwright.
It was in moments like this when we turned to see a 10-year-old’s face not quite sure of what it was seeing but an open-mouthed expression confirming they were finding it as stunning as we were.
We thoroughly enjoyed going through the back catalogue and working our way right up to plenty of the songs from The Forest Is The Path – which Gary himself firmly believes is their best work yet when we interviewed him – but it was as visually stunning as it was to the gorgeous sonically.
Both proved to be a brilliant way to see the contemporary rock, indie and alternative veterans, but there’s something about giving them a stage as big as this that reminds you of just how much they deserve it.
Up there with one of the prettiest gig snapshots in our memory.Not quite a hologram but very cool nonetheless.The production levels are always top-tier at Co-op Live but the Snow Patrol set was much more impressive than we expected.
Last but not least, thanks to Co-op Live not just for having but for creating a little boy’s memory that he’ll never forget.
Flashbacks: The timelapse of the Trafford Centre construction that’s gone viral
Danny Jones
The Trafford Centre might look like some decadent Roman emperor’s palace or as if it was plucked from the heart of Ancient Grecian city, but as anyone old enough to remember it’s opening and/or construction will tell you, it seems strange to think its not even been around for three decades yet.
As Greater Manchester’s and one of the North West’s most famous shopping centres full stop, the iconic attraction first began being built back in 1996, when John Major was Prime Minister, Manchester United were still Premier League champions, Britpop was at its peak and George Michael was number one.
It’s fair to say that a lot has changed since then and although Oasis might be back come 2025, The Trafford Centre and surrounding area are pretty unrecgonisable compared to nearly 30 years ago.
All told, it took approximately 27 months to erect the neo-classical epicentre of all things shopping, leisure, food and fanciness – and here’s what the process looked like:
With the initial 14 million sq ft shopping centre being completed in September 1998 following approximately 810 days of work, The Trafford Centre debuted to the Manc public and beyond.
It took more than 3,000 builders to bring the 60 hectare site to life at the peak of construction and since then the plot has only grown bigger, bolder and more ambitious over time.
Present day, it has everything from cinema screens and a mini Legoland to a Sea Life location, multiple bowling alleys and countless other forms of entertainment beyond just rows of shops and restaurants – hence why it remains busy pretty much year-round.
Back then, British celebrities, popular local names of note, politicians, dignitaries and prominent figures from the retail industry got to visit as part of exclusive preview events in the days before its launch date.
You can see the spectacle and fascination surrounding the official opening event here:
Seems surreal watching this today but the construction of the Trafford Centre was a huge moment not just for 0161 but all of the North.
But of course, the entire complex itself has seen multiple extensions over the years, including massive developments such as Barton Square and The Great Hall.
At the outset, it cost more than £600 million to build The Trafford Centre; the major renovations mentioned above which took place in 2008 cost another £100m and the Trafford Palazzo revamp around a decade later came in at around £75m.
There has and always will be lots of money put behind this intruguing monument to modern consumerism, and big brands will continue to flock to open units within the huge expanse whenever they can: some of the most recent being Archie’s, Flying Tiger, Sephora, Tiffany, Gymshark and more.
We’ll admit the aesthetic still makes us double-take from time to time (though not as much as confused Londoners visiting for the first time), but it’s not like this part of the world hasn’t boasted plenty of other curiosities in the past…
Daisy Jackson -
26th October 2024 
