Or should we say it’s gone back to its previous name, Central Station.
Restore back to life in 1986 after lying dilapidated for years; old Central Station was the key connection by rail from the City of Manchester to Liverpool.
Christened the Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre, GMEX was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth after refurbishing costs of £20million; transforming into one of England’s largest exhibition centres.

Older people still refer to it as the GMEX but no doubt over the years it will become know as it’s new name ‘Manchester Central’

At over 10,000 sq metres it is also one of the countries biggest, spaces held up without interior supporting columns, its gigantic vaulted roof held up by sheer engineering inventiveness and uncomplicated geometry.

The hall can seat more than 9000 people. There are a further 2,250 sq metres of adjoining land adjacent to the main hall for temporary structures and exhibitions, with onsite parking for over 1,500 cars.
Regular exhibitions are held with everything from Marine to PC Fairs, Motor Homes and Home exhibitions.

Forthcoming Events

17^th September 12:30 to 19:30

The Manchester Business Show

It’s not that straightforward to find the ideas and opportunities which maintain a companies growth, but at the Manchester Business Show, we’re giving you a opportunity to do just that. We’ve specially selected the exhibitors and spokesman who can assist you in taking your business to the next level. Each exhibitor represents one key area of expertise, be it accounting, economics, IT, advertising or web design, and you will have a opportunity to talk to them in person. These companies are readily and available to answer any of your enquiries, give guidance and offer their first rate services.

Professional Beauty Manchester

The north of England’s largest trade professional health, beauty and wellbeing event, Professional Beauty Manchester is home to foremost UK and global brands. Register for free admission and find out the most up-to-date launches and latest products, meet with essential suppliers, discover new trends, attend complimentary master classes and save with hundreds of show offers.

Please note that as Professional Beauty Manchester is a trade exhibition, no children under the age of 14 or pushchairs will be allowed into the exhibition.

Click on the Map in Inlarge

The Metro System

Accommodation Manchester

Cornerstones Guest House is a short walk from Brooklands Station, offering warm, cosey family run accommodation in a large Vitorian building with large bed rooms restored to there former glory. Once you viewed our video check our tariff to see the really value.

Church Street Market opens Mon – Sat 9am to 5pm. This is a traditional open market in the gateway of the Northern Quarter; selling fruit and veg, books, clothing, farm produce and lots, lots more. March 2010 marked the end of a significant face lift for Church Street Market making sure it stands the test of time for generations to come.

Flower Market

There’s  flower markets in St Ann’s Sq and Thurs, Fri and Sat in Piccadilly Gardens providing an infusion of colour that brings home all the different seasons  no mater what the weather.

Tib Street Market is all about fashion; every Saturday from 10am – 5pm, it attracts some of Manchester most up and coming designers; quirky, handmade and ethically sauced pieces are all on display; you can rummage for hours.

Tib St Fashion Market

Also in Piccadilly Gardens on every second and forth Saturday there’s both a ‘Real Food Market’ and a Fair Trade Market.
You’ll find an impressive selection of traditional products at this fortnightly market with farmers selling fresh home grown and home reared produce; most of the stallholders run family owned businesses, putting there heart and soul into the food they sell.

On the 3rd and 4th September and 17th and 18th also in Piccadilly Gardens is a ‘Jewellery Market’ again some of Manchester most up and coming designers can be seen together with people at the top of their trade. This is quickly becoming an international event making these street markets sparkle with designers coming from all over the world to set up shop.

St Ann’s Sq puts on an Arts and Craft market from 5th – 15th August 10am to 5.30pm and again in St Ann’s Sq as the weather cools from the 29th Sep to 10th Oct is ‘The Feast’.

The Feast Market

‘The Feast – Manchester Food Market’.

The Feast Market is one of the most popular events in the calendar year; food lovers flock to the market to sample some of the best local and international produce,the aromas of the sizzling meats are amazing with Latin American, Spanish and Indian food to name but a few.

The year ends with a number of Christmas street markets, from the 18th November to 21 December.
Albert Sq, Brazennose St, Exchange St, Exchange Sq, New Cathedral St, St Ann’s Sq and the Triangle all have Christmas street markets.

If your coming to visit the markets the ‘Michelin Guide’ rated Cornerstones Guest House provides independent homely and friendly accommodation. Manchester City Centre with all it’s attractions is just 15 minutes away from the Cornerstones and the Trafford Centre is also the same distance.

Sale Water Park

You won’t really find traditional bed and breakfast accommodation in Manchester Centre;  what you will find is hundreds of ‘L’ shaped bedrooms in a large number of hotels, and it doesn’t really matter which hotel you pick there all pretty much designed the same, unless you ask for something different then you pay the eart

The more traditional bed and breakfasts and guest houses providing accommodation, are found in the suburbs and leafy suburbs of Manchester.

Imperial War Museum Manchester

So north, south, east, west, which is the best location; if you work on the process of elimination using transport links and the time it takes into Manchester City Centre as a priority; being close to the much loved Manchester Metro is a big plus.

It runs from the north, starting out in Bury going through Manchester to the south, ending in the town of Altrincham, with a branch running off to the east from Cornbrook Metro Station to Eccles (as in, Eccles Cake: In 1793 James Birch’s shop on the corner of Vicarage Road in Eccles began selling small, flat, raisin-filled cakes. They sold, quite literally, like hot cakes).

On it’s way to Eccles it passes Salford Quays which houses The Lowery Centre

The Lowery Centre

and Imperial War Museum there’s one or two large hotels and a few two star rated bad and breakfast just 15 minutes from Manchester centre.

Your accommodation in Manchester should be no more than 15 minutes outside the city centre and anything to the north is really beyond that time limit.

The south side of Manchester has the leafy suburbs of Sale and Altrincham which both boast their own playhouses, sports centres and good restaurants. Altrincham is about 25 minutes from the city, which if I was to stick to the guide lines would rule it out; but their both popular locations because of their easy access into the city by Metro, and further down the A56 is the beautiful Peak District which is just 45 minutes away.

Fifteen Minutes Out of the City

Is Brooklands Metro Station at Sale; on the ride into Manchester from Brooklands you can pick up a free shuttle bus to ‘The Trafford Centre’ at

Manchester United Stadium

Stretford Station, take the a club tour at Manchester United F.C. visit Lancashire County Cricket Club both from Old Trafford Station; and you can still jump off at Cornbrook Station to get to Salford Quays, the next stop is the city centre with all it’s attractions.

So if you’re looking for accommodation in Manchester, south of the city is the place to be.

The Cornerstones Guest House in Sale is rated in The Michelin Accommodation Guide; view our video to see inside this lovely Victorian House.

The Chill Factore is an indoor skiing experience with all the fun and adrenalin of out door skiing no matter what the weather.

The Chill Factor'e

So what was it like before Chill Factore.

Some years ago my wife and I went to what was called a dry ski slope with five friends and our three sons; the idea was to learn how to ski with a view to going on a skiing holiday. We booked four lessons to begin with just to get some experance.
The slops where just two hills in a field covered by a heavy wire mesh with nylon brushes attached. There was a rope on two pulleys that got you to the top off the hill by holding on, crouching down, and your skis did the rest.
It all worked well enough as long as you didn’t fall over, getting your hand stuck in the mesh, scratching your arms and elbows was all part of a day out skiing and if it rained you went twice as fast, landed twice as hard and was soaked into the bargain.

Four lessons was enough in the end, we had to give up, two of the party were suffering with acute death and we witnessed one poor man in the changing room with the whole of is left thigh red raw from a bad fall.
We never went on are skiing holiday the whole experience put us off going.

What’s the difference at  Chill Factore?

SNOW! REALLY SNOW! It makes a world of difference especially when you land on your head. It’s twice as much fun and you experience what it’s really like to ski.

Chill Factore Snow Boarding

The indoor slops means you can ski in any weather and whether you’re learning to ski or  sharpening up your skills, expert tuition is always on hand from highly-qualified instructors.
The main slop is 180m with a beginners slope at just 40m; there’s lessons for all ages including private tuition, and also race coaching for the experienced skier.

It’s fully accessible for disabled skiers and is the North of England base of ‘Disability Snowsport UK’.
There’s also a bar that serves hot drinks and  food while you watch the skiers.

The Trafford Center is just next door so if you’d like to do some shopping while the kids are having fun you don’t have far to go.

The Cornerstones Boutique Guest House is just 5 miles from the Chill Factore;  offering independent bed and breakfast accommodation in Manchester , with just a 5 minute walk to the Manchester Metro system you also have the whole of the city centre at your feet.

The Urbis Building Manchester

You’ll not have any trouble finding a bed and breakfast in Manchester but it’s always an anxious time
arriving at your accommodation, you never know what you’re going to get, no matter how many stars are
awarded. It can make or break your stay especially if it’s a meaningful stay with your partner.

There’s all types of accommodation in Manchester, Hotels, Guest Houses and Bed and Breakfast, but where is the best place to stay without paying the earth, that’s really nice and is somewhere you can
feel at home and relaxed?

The Cornerstones Guest House is located in south Manchester; rated in the ‘Michelin Accommodation Guide’
for the last five years, which is part of the renowned ‘Michelin Food Guide’.

It has a ‘4 Diamond Highly Commended’ rating from the Tourist Board and has just recently been christened a ‘Boutique Guest House’ by a ‘bestof.com’ representative.

Built in 1872 by Sir William Cunliff Brooks, ‘Lord of the Manor’ with it’s large spacious bed rooms, high ceiling and large windows it’s infused with light, warmth and elegance.

Some bed and breakfasts in Manchester can be just that, and out you go. One of the appeals of the Cornerstones is the building itself, people love walking around the rooms and garden.
The decor is a mixture of contemporary and Victorian splender and yet this is just a bed and breakfast nothing more; we don’t do evening meal simply because within walking distance you can find a host of restaurants serving all different types of cuisine.

Room 8

Mostly used by people on business in the week; of which we are well catered for with free Wifi
connection and photo copying on site; after saying that we open our arms to tourists, people visiting
the area, wedding guests and theatre goers.

The Pennine Trail is just on our door step for cyclists and walkers alike and all have the convenience of the Manchester Metro Link, a 5 minute walk away, which takes 15 minutes to the city centre; you’ll pass an abundance of restaurants, theatres, bars and night life, Lancashire C.C.C., Manchester United F.C. and a shuttle service to The Trafford Centre.

Room 4

If you want an early start, arriving in the morning, your room may not be ready from the night before but you can sign in, leave your bags, take your key and off you go for the day with no worry of what time you need to get back because you have your key and you’ll find your bags in your room on your return.

Cornerstones

Our aim is to make people feel at home, comfortable and relaxed; and after 25 years of running our bed and breakfast in Manchester we like to think we know a little about that.

To see the real value view our tariff and for even more value become a fan on Facebook and enjoy our fans exclusive offers.

Picture Compilments of manchester2002-uk.com

Walk through the original tunnel the Busby babes walked through, an historic part of the stadium in it’s self being the only part of the ground that was left standing after the ground was bombed in World War Two.

The ground as been refurbished over the last four years culminating in a 76,000-setter stadium to complement it’s international status. Because of the new capacity the ticket office has started a waiting list for Season Tickets and fans who are non Season Ticket holders can request tickets via ManUtd.com or by ringing six weeks in advance of a game, plus you can also receive text and emails to keep you in touch with ticket & Season Ticket availability.

While on the Old Trafford tour you will visit the dressing rooms and the players lounge which holds just one of the many accolades in the ground, more for motivation than anything else, is an impressive honours board showing every player to have won a cap for their country while playing for United.

Picture Compilments of soccernetlive.com

OPENING TIMES

Old Trafford Stadium Tour & Museum is open seven days a week from 9.30am – 5.00pm, with the exception of match days.

Tours operate up to every ten minutes from 9.40am – 4.30pm.

The Museum will be open until three hours prior to kick-off on mid-week match days. Pre-booking of tours is highly recommended to avoid disappointment.

Old Trafford Stadium is just 3.5 miles down the A56 from the family run  Cornerstones Guest House which has been providing Bed and Breakfast in Manchester for the last 25 years. Park your car in our car park, which is free for guests, the 263 and 264 bus stop is just out side the front door and the Metro at Brooklands Station is just a 5 minute walk away. You will be in an idel location for a day out at Old Trafford.

Old Trafford Stadium Tour

Accommodation Manchester

The Trafford Centre.

On my very first visit I thought it was not for me; too sprawling, ostentatious and busy. I favour independent stores fresh air and to visit little towns and villages which offer a day out into the bargain, but it has to be said it didn’t take very long at all before my pattern of shopping changed in support of The Trafford Centre; yes I  still love independent stores fresh air and visiting little towns and villages who doesn’t.

Primarily the 10,000 free parking spaces! Is such a bonus; as a few too many parking tickets soon make a dent in your shopping budget! The parking is easy to locate and if you are in a rush and know exactly which shop you require, then you can target which car-park to park in as they surround the entire centre. On more leisurely trips I tend to park at the John Lewis end or Debenhams end so you virtually go from one end to the other so you don’t miss a single shop……. Think of all the exercise you get!

Oh one other fact, some of the parking is under cover so in adverse weather conditions (we are talking Manchester after all) you remain un-bedraggled.

As The Trafford Centre is 4.6 mile from Cornerstones Guest House and can take as little as 12 minuets to drive there, I have noticed a huge difference in my petrol expenditure and have become more aware of my carbon foot print and therefore more compelled to reduce my long distance shopping whims.

Along with these positive attractions is the extensive opening hours, so you never get caught out; no such thing as a 5o’clock closed sign to be found anywhere.

Now that I am Granny for the first time; it is often a haven for me and my little grandson Dylan. The Trafford Centre offers so much in the way of entertainment.

Not least is its 20-screen multiplex cinema which I will look forward to treating Dylan to when he is a little older. In the mean time we enjoy the many family events and used the soft toy play area in The Orient and maybe try the crèche facilities in the future for 0 to 10 year olds. With Barney Bear permanently in residence in his shiny red car and those singing bears over the road in Barton Square there is plenty for little ones even the squirting fountain is vastly amusing to a tiny tot. Our next planned visit together will be in John Lewis  to listen to a favourite story from the Very Hungry Caterpillar in the toy department and a chance to win £20 worth of vouchers to boot!

Pushchairs, fun buggies, security wristbands and toddler wrist links are all available to make your trip less arduous. Throughout the Centre you will find unisex parent and child toilets with baby changing facilities and breast feeding rooms as well as baby bottle warming equipment in The Orient food court, I can not begin to tell you the big difference that makes and how far we have come since my own boys were little. Even a lot of the restaurants have their own baby changing facilities. In fact The Trafford Centre loo’s win awards year after year and that is hard to match on the high street.

You won’t go hungry either with a choice from over 60 eating establishments with most offering children’s menus. If you feel in anyway daunted by the prospect of dining out with your little one or have a brood of 3 or 4 then look no further than the lower floor; where you will find Europe’s largest food court with seating for 1600.

The Trafford Centre boast the best mix of big names outside Oxford street so what are you waiting for?……..It didn’t take me long.

Cornerstones is rated in the Mechelin Accommodation Guide, providing bed and break in Manchester to tourists and business a like.

You can stay at the Cornerstones Guest House, walk round the corner, jump on the metro and be there in 15 mins or drive there in 12  minutes.

Gastro Pubs That Deserve the Name

The Lord Clyde is one of Cheshire’s many Gastro Pubs situated in the heart of the country side in the village of Kerridge close to Bollington.

Both my wife and I are big foodies, we go looking for these unique little places in the country, chosen by a breed of up and coming top chefs who have served there time in top restaurants and then go for their ultimate goal in their trade, running their own restaurant.

The Lord Clyde seems to have been set up the way an up and coming good business minded chef should start out, it’s smallish yet homely and was probably bought or is rented for a small amount of money. The original building, a public house, didn’t offer a huge floor plan to play with, so dividing it up to provide space for dining yet retaining space for just drinking and bar food was always going to be difficult.

The interior decoration is minimalistic but warm and cosy retaining the old country pub atmosphere somewhere between being a Gastro Pub; and Bistro, but don’t let that put you off, you can still go in for a drink and if the bar food in anything like the main menu it can only complement their Black Sheep Bitter and other real cask ales.

We were up for the the main menu; my choice was difficult at first, so many menus appealed. I plumbed for,

‘A Tasting Of Local Pork’

Braised Cheek, Confit Belly, Fillet, Black Pudding, Sage

& Eddisbury Farm  Apple jus

£14.75

It came on a rectangular plate about 10” x 4”, each part of the dish stood to attention in a row, the first mouth full was the killer punch and things just got better as I moved along the plate; I stared a the pork belly wondering how he did it; I’ve cooked it many a time and it’s either to fatty or cremated where you’d break your teeth on the outer crackling. It was about an 1” thick, all meat, with wafer thin golden brown crackling, worth every penny, the question is how did he do it?

For me it’s a need to know situation….I want to to be able to do it … to eat it again and again…to cook it for friends and family, it really was that good.

Gastro Pubs have been branded about ‘willy nilly’ in the last few years but The Lord Clyde is the original concept and my bet is, that this cosy ramblers pub is destined to feature up there at the top of the UK’s 50 best gastro pubs.

My wife had,

Roast Rack Of High Peak Lamb

Shepherds Pie, Pea Puree,

Organic Yorkshire carrots & Thyme Jus

£18.50.

Firstly you ask yourself “how is that going to appear” you need to order it just to check it out.

Surprise! No way did you expect the presentation. It arrived with two good size trimmed lamb cutlets cooked just as ordered, the Shepherds Pie came separately in a glass preserving jar with a sealed top and pull down wire catch, with jus and creamed carrots smeared artistically on the plate.

We both tasted each others food as we always do, the Shepherds Pie melted in you mouth including what must have been braised lamb shank in a fantastic Jus, layers and layers of flavour.

The wine was Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Reserve.
Again really good value for a wine that sat comfortably with the rich flavours of our fare.

You may need your sat nav but we found it without, with a little help from one of the locals. Gastro Pubs are known for their food but I’ve only just found out that The Lord Clyde have some great theme nights with jazz and blues music also on the menu; just up my street.

Looking out of the window you can see the ‘Middlewoods Way’ walking and bike path (that was a bit of a mouth full) over the fields.

Gastro Pubs tend to be open all day and the Lord Clyde is no exception; you could turn up at the weekend say about 12 noon go for a good 3 hour walk and have a lovely meal with a fine bottle of wine waiting for you when you on your return or as we did eat first then walk it off. While their objective is to provide outstanding food they welcome drinkers equally who just want a quite retreat with a first class pint.

We make a point of visiting new, old and up and coming food gems in the catchment of the Cornerstones Guest House where we provied independent accommodation in Manchester,  so we can advise our guest on where to go for great food and great experiences hope you enjoyed the review and please let us know if you agree that The Lord Clyde deserves the name Gastro Pub.

Dancing on Ice comes to Manchester’s MEN Arena.

This hugely popular T.V. block buster is on from Thursday 22^nd April to Sunday 25^th inc. Doors open at 7:30pm on Thursday and Friday Night, with two shows on Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 and; 7:30pm on Saturday and on Sunday at 1:30 and 6:30pm.

The Cornerstones Guest House in Manchester is just a 5 minutes walk away from Brooklands Metro Station; it takes 12 minutes to Victoria Station which is attached to The MEN Arena, so you step off the train and in the door of the MEN.

The Dancing on Ice Cast

The 2010 winner Hayley Tamaddon will be joined by her contemporaries Gary Lucy, Emily Atack, Clare Buckfield, Gaynor Faye, Chris Fountain, Mikey Graham and Ray Quinn and off course Torvill and Dean who will also be dancing on the ice as well as offering there expert advice to all the celebrities. Letting them know how they perform and I’m sure offering one or two words of advice; are, HRH ‘King Of The Jungle’ Christopher Biggins, 2007 Dancing on Ice champion Kyran Bracken and the shows resident judges Karen Barber and Nicky Slater (the Slater).

There’s audience participation as on T.V. and there votes will be added to the judges scores the audience also have the option of voting with there mobile phone with all profits going to charity.

Also Watch out for Peter Kay ‘s return to stand up comedy from the 27^th April to 22^nd May.
After a break of 7 years one of Britain’s best loved comedians, Peter Kay, makes is long awaited return to stand up comedy; be sure to take plenty of tissues you’ll laugh till you cry.

Two great Shows, Torvill and Dean’s Dancing on Ice and Peter Kay

The concurring Romans claimed the fertile land on the West bank of the river Wyr at a spot where it was fordable, and where there was Romans there was trade and commerce and so the site became a crossing point and meeting place for local trade.

Some years later the crossing point was given status by a number of bridges being built on the site, however there’s only two remaining today one of them being the subject of many photographs is the 800 year old Five Arched Bridge.

In the early days of this towns long and fascinating history; the Saxon Edward the Elder ordered a fortified borough to be built here around 924; marked only by a mound now, known as Castle Hill. The growth of Badequella also merited a mention in the Domesday Book of 1085.

There seems no doubt that trading on the site has gone on since Roman times however it  only been, recorded from the 1300. The first recorded fair was held in 1254 and a charter was granted by King Edward III in 1330. For nearly 700 years the farming community has flocked from miles around for the weekly sale of livestock domestic goods and provisions. That tradition continues today with Markets held every Monday and, unlike most of the other local centres, there is a thriving livestock market at the Agricultural Centre and also a farm market once a month which is well worth a visit. The big event of the year is the annual Bakewell Show and this year is the 180th, which takes place on Wednesday 4th & Thursday 5th of August 2010.

The river provides beautiful walks from the five arch bridge; up stream leads to Arkwright Mill, via Holme Hall and Holme Bridge dating back to the 1600.

Bakewell is a straight run from Cornerstones Guest House along the Manchester ring road and on to the A623 which go strait through the centre of the Peak District.

One of the annual Peak Districts events is dressing the well or well dressing which takes place in all the shrouding villages through out the year; each dressing there own well in competition with the whole of the Peak District; you will see the dressed wells with flowers and ribbons and everything you can imagine.

Bakewell has something for everybody a full range of shops, many historic buildings, pubs and restaurants, wonderful walks and numerous emporiums of excellence.

Great Food

We have been in each of these and highly recommend them.

Rowley Restaurant and Bar sits on the edge of the beautiful Chatsworth Estate in the pretty village of Baslow. The venue is under the ownership of Max & Susan Fischer of the one star Michelin restaurant at Baslow Hall and their Head Chef Rupert Rowley.

Well funnly enough the next one I was going to mention was Baslow Hall.
These are both just outside of Bakwell.

The Riverside at Ashford on the Water is a beautiful place and restaurant and is the closest to Bakewell.

And last but by no means least; what is this ancient medieval town special known for in the 21century.
The one and only Bakwell Pudding sometimes erroneously called a Bakewell tart, know world wide, well definitely in the north of England you must try one when you go.

The Cornerstones Guest House offers independent accommodation in Manchester is ideally situated for a day out in Bakewell in the Peaks and City Centre which is just 5 miles down the A56.