There’s been quite a bit of construction work going on under and around the viaduct arches in Castlefield over these past couple of weeks.
And eagle-eyed fans will have spotted that’s because the Peaky Blinders are in town.
Looking almost unrecognisable to those who know our city centre, but extremely familiar for viewers of the cult-favourite BBC drama series – which follows the exploits of the Shelby crime family, lead by celebrated Irish actor Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, in the direct aftermath of the First World War – Castlefield has undergone quite the transformation to pay resemblance to the show’s setting of early-1900s Birmingham, and it’s a pretty impressive step back in time.
Filming for the sixth series of the hit show was confirmed to have already begun last month, with cast members having already been spotted outside The Plaza in Stockport and on Formby Beach earlier in February, and now production crews are getting ready to pitch-up in Manchester in the coming weeks.
So in preparation for their arrival, sets have started to take shape around the city centre.
Several wooden scaffolds, market-style props, trader signs, sacks, barrels and more have been seen dotted around the area, with the Shelby’s famous ‘The Garrison’ pub being the most notable sight to viewers.
Fans have been taking to social media to share their snapshots of the sets.
The Peaky Blinders set is starting to take shape in Castlefield.
Once again Manchester will be the location used for a big shootout scene, after previously the Northern Quarter and London Road Fire Station welcomed Thomas Shelby and co. pic.twitter.com/SHEilLk0Rg
Just like most sectors and industries, film and television production was inevitably shut down when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic first hit back in March 2020.
But over the past couple of months, the action has started picking back up once again.
Peaky Blinders joins the long and ever-growing list of TV shows, blockbuster films, and independent productions to be filmed in and around Greater Manchester in recent years, with everything from hit Netflix series’ The Crown, The Stranger, White Lines and The English Game, to upcoming ITV show Viewpoint – starring Noel Clarke – and more, as well as the notable stand-out Channel 4 five-part drama series It’s A Sin.
Thanks to our industrial history, canals and old-fashioned bridge arches that still remain today though, this isn’t the first time Peaky Blinders has made use of Greater Manchester towns and cities as filming locations either, as parts of previous series’ of the show have been shot at the city’s iconic Victoria Baths, as well as Bolton’s Le Mans Crescent as a double-up for 1920s London, and more.
The streets of Liverpool, and Arley Hall in Cheshire, also make up some of the other North West sights used as filming locations for the show over the years.
Spotting recognisable locations around the region while watching the beloved and critically-acclaimed show has become a regular occurrence for Mancunians since it first aired on our screens back back in 2013.
And it looks like this is only going to continue in Series 6.
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Pep Guardiola hints at when Manchester City fans can expect to see their latest arrival
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given supporters a rough timeline as to when they can expect to see their new signing, or at least their latest arrival, make his first appearance.
The Blues wrapped up the January transfer window with four major signings: their new attacking number seven, Omar Marmoush (who has already bagged a hattrick on his home debut) promising defensive duo, Abdukodir Khusanov and Brazilian Vitor Reis, as well as their ‘mini-Rodri’, Nico Gonzalez.
However, the club has had another late arrival who was technically signed back at the start of last year but who has spent for the last 12 months or so loaned back to his previous parent club, River Plate in Argentina, waiting to make the move over to the Etihad Stadium – and now he’s here in Manchester.
Speaking on his touchdown in 0161, Pep said Claudio Echeverri won’t be thrown into first-team action straight away but did give a rough estimate as to when City fans could expect him to get involved. You can see him discussing the integration plan in his post-match press conference following the Spurs win.
The mention was only brief but there’s still plenty of reason for Man City fans to be excited by the late January signing.
“Yeah, he [Claudio Echeverri] is going to start to train and mainly will be for the end of the season, maybe the [Club] World Cup and as soon as possible [that] he arrives he can adapt quick for the future.”
As mentioned, the 19-year-old Argentinian attacking midfielder from Resistencia officially put pen to paper with CFG back in January 2024 and was quickly dubbed ‘the next Messi’.
Now, although the football world is often quick to jump the gun with these things and he isn’t the first and certainly won’t be last to be slapped with this premature title, he’s done more to back up these claims since then than he has rubbish them.
Starring at the 2025 Under-20 South American Championships, netting six goals in nine games to finish the tournament as the second highest scorer thanks to notable braces against Brazil and Uruguay as the young Argentine’s finished as runners up.
He also notched 48 senior appearances for River Plate thus far, netting four goals and grabbing eight assists in that time, not to mention having already captained his national team at the 2023 Under 17s World Cup, where he scored another five.
Safe to say there’s plenty of talent to be tapped in this lad.
Once again, Echeverri won’t go straight into the senior set-up for a little while yet, barring a major injury crisis, but he’ll be a more than exciting addition to the City Football Academy and for future first-team lineups for years to come.
Who knows, maybe he’ll be included in an FA Cup matchday squad? Nevertheless, you can expect him to not just come of the bench but hopefully show what he can do at the Club World Cup this summer.
City‘s first fixture as reigning champions of the competition will be against Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June 2025.
You can watch Echeverri’s first full interview as a Man City player down below:
The new Man City signing is excited to be finally be part of the club 13 months on from agreeing his contract.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd February 2021 
