Santa, Spinningfields, this weekend

Thanks to a hearty overhaul, Manchester' s financial and business district is no longer just for bankers. It's got waterfalls, pretty illuminations in blues and whites, canal views, acres of pedestrianised space to run around ... and now Santa and a host of carol singers too.

This weekend, Santa will present in a grotto (11am-4pm) in Hardman Square as carols are sung by the Central Manchester & Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust choir between 1pm and 3pm on both days.

Ha!Ha! bar (there's one in Liverpool docks, and it does catch all Brit-style fair, like bangers and herby mash, burgers and so on) and Cafe Rouge (a slightly dodgier bet to my mind, although the nicoise salad isn't awful) are both offering a 'Kids Eat Free' deal, which should save you a couple of quid on lunch too.

The Santa special train from Bury.

We went on this at the weekend and it was better than the start of the first Harry Potter when young Hazza first hits the platform bound for Hogwarts. There were elves smoking fags, cowboys, indians, santa, a brass band, and all the light gleaming through the holly overhead, casting the whole scene in a really beautiful, magical light.

The three of us paid £24 between us (me, young Art and his dad) and for the price we got a steam ride for about 40 minutes, through tunnels lit with festive illuminations, as well as the peaks and troughs of the Ramsbottom and Bury area.

On the train, Santa turned up pretty quick and handed Art a police car, with siren (i think all 3-5 year old boys got the same thing).





A brass band followed, playing two snappy carols in each carriage before one of the many elf-clad volunteers (who ranged in age from 15 - 85) handed us a bag with a mince pie and a surprisingly llarge bottle of harveys Bristol Cream sherry.

Truly amazing. Click here for more info.