Jonathan Schofield presents Manchester: a pioneering and changing city
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- Date
- 30 Jun - 6 Jul 2023
- Venue
- Ticketing Hub, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ
- Tickets
The tour started at the Ticketing Hub at Aviva Studios, located just outside the venue. Find full access and travel information below.
The tour started at the Ticketing Hub just outside Aviva Studios and has step-free access. The tour covered a maximum distance of 2.5km. Further information on access provision is listed below.
Age Guidance: Under 16s to be accompanied by an adult over 18
Running time: 1.5 - 2 hours approx.
Fusing the past, present and future, this tour covered Manchester’s iconic architecture, from civil engineering and skyscrapers to pioneering railways and canals, all rich with history.
Led by writer and guide Jonathan Schofield, this tour looked at the dawn of the canal and railway ages, Manchester’s fabled music scene and the political city – taking in Friedrich Engels, Emmeline Pankhurst and the Free Trade movement – while also touching on modern radicalism. During the tour, we stepped inside a couple of Manchester institutions where we gathered for a poetry recital and to listen to music.
This was an opportunity to have your eyes opened to the city's globally significant history, with a pinch of humour along the way.
Itinerary
Ticketing Hub-Liverpool Road Station/MSIM-Castlefield Bowl-Bridgewater Canal Basin-Deansgate Square-HOME-Bridgewater Hall-Manchester Central-St Peter's Square-Peter Street-Quay Street-St John’s Gardens-Ticketing Hub.
Access information
Here you can find access information about the venue, our access performances and advice on content. For more information about the different types of access performances we offer, please visit our Access page. If you have specific access needs that aren’t yet addressed, please email access@factoryinternational.org and we’ll do our best to help.
The tour began at our Ticketing Hub, located in the outdoor spaces at Factory International's new home, Aviva Studios. The full address is Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ and what3words is chop.feeds.chase.
There is step-free access to all our outdoor areas. There are a range of seating options around the space, including wheelchair accessible tables. The bars have a lowered accessible service area.
Toilets are available in Aviva Studios. Accessible toilets (a mixture of wheelchair accessible cubicles with right- or left-hand transfer, as well as ambulant accessible cubicles with grab rails) are located in the brick arches in the Social.
There are additional accessible toilets located in both the Hall Foyers.
You do not need a key to use the accessible toilets.
Assistance dogs are welcome and we can provide mats and water bowls on request.
Travel information
Below you can find information on how to get to the venue.
The Ticketing Hub at Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).
Our closest stations are:
Salford Central station: 0.4 miles
Deansgate station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram: 0.6 miles
St Peter’s Square tram: 0.6 miles
Manchester Victoria station is approximately one mile from Aviva Studios
Manchester Piccadilly station is approximately 1.3 miles from Aviva Studios
Click on the links above to find detailed access information for each station.
Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Aviva Studios along Deansgate, Bridge St and Quay St. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.
There is a car park approximately 0.6 miles from the event entrance at Water Street Car Park, New Elm Rd, Manchester, M3 4JH.
There is also a NCP car park (Manchester Spinningfields) approximately 0.5 miles away from the venue at Spinningfields, New Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3BE. It has 35 accessible bays.
There are a small number of Blue Badge spaces along Water St and Quay St. Otherwise head towards Liverpool Road, Great John St and Lower Byrom St – close to our neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum where there are a small number of additional Blue Badge spaces.
For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.