Manchester Bingo: Spot 30 Typically Manchester Things
Walk the cotton-mill city, tick off the card, snap a photo of every typically Manchester thing you can find. From a pint of bitter to a Northern Quarter mural, this is a 30-item Manchester bingo that turns any walk into a treasure hunt. No fixed route. Just keep your eyes open.
Challenges (30)
Spot a Manchester pint of bitter
Find a pint of British bitter (Holts, Joseph Holt, Boddingtons) on a Mancunian pub bar. Photograph the glass.
Spot a Manchester chippy (fish and chips)
Find a fish and chips parcel at a Manchester chippy. Photograph the wrapped parcel.
Spot a Manchester United kit
Find a Manchester United (red) kit on someone or in a shop. Photograph the kit.
Spot a Manchester City kit
Find a Manchester City (sky blue) kit on someone or in a shop. Photograph the kit.
Spot a Union Jack in Manchester
Find a Union Jack flying on a Manchester building. Photograph it.
Spot a Manchester double-decker bus
Find a Stagecoach or Diamond double-decker bus on a Manchester route. Photograph the bus.
Spot a black taxi in Manchester
Find a black hackney cab on a Manchester rank or street. Photograph the cab.
Spot a red telephone box
Find a classic K6 red telephone box in Manchester (Albert Square area). Photograph it.
Spot a Greggs sausage roll
Find a Greggs storefront and photograph a sausage roll (the British high-street classic) on a tray.
Spot a Metrolink yellow tram
Find a yellow Metrolink tram passing through the city. Photograph it.
Spot the Manchester Town Hall
Find the Manchester Town Hall on Albert Square (the gothic civic palace, may be under restoration). Photograph the facade.
Spot Manchester Cathedral
Find Manchester Cathedral on Victoria Street. Photograph the gothic facade.
Spot a John Rylands Library reading-room window
Walk to the John Rylands Research Institute and Library on Deansgate. Photograph the gothic exterior or the famous reading-room interior (no flash inside).
Spot the Beetham Tower
Find the Beetham Tower (Hilton Hotel) on Deansgate, the slim 168-metre tower with the cantilevered top. Photograph the silhouette.
Spot a Castlefield canal lock
Walk to Castlefield and find a canal lock or warehouse. Photograph the canal with the brick warehouse.
Spot a Northern Quarter mural
Walk into the Northern Quarter (Stevenson Square, Tib Street) and find a piece of street art. Photograph the wall.
Spot Affleck's Palace shop window
Find Affleck's Palace (the alt-culture indoor market in the Northern Quarter) and photograph a quirky window display.
Spot a Hacienda or Factory Records reference
Find a Hacienda club or Factory Records reference (the Hacienda apartments on Whitworth Street, FAC51 plaques, T-shirts). Photograph the reference.
Spot an Oasis or Stone Roses reference
Find a Madchester music reference: Oasis poster, Stone Roses album cover, The Smiths lyric. Photograph the reference.
Spot a Manchester brick warehouse
Find a Victorian-era brick cotton mill or warehouse (Ancoats, Castlefield, Northern Quarter). Photograph the brickwork.
Spot a curry mile sign in Rusholme
Find a Wilmslow Road / Curry Mile sign or a curry-house front (Rusholme). Photograph the sign.
Spot Old Trafford or Etihad outside
Find the exterior of Old Trafford (Manchester United) or the Etihad Stadium (Manchester City). Photograph the stadium.
Spot MediaCityUK at Salford Quays
Take a tram to Salford Quays and find MediaCityUK or the Imperial War Museum North. Photograph the metallic facade.
Spot a Sunday roast or pie shop
Find a Sunday roast on a pub board or a pie-shop window (Pieminister, Holdsworth's). Photograph the menu or pies.
Spot a Manchester bee
Find the Manchester worker bee on a manhole cover, mosaic, mural, public bin or bollard (the bee is the city symbol). Photograph the bee.
Spot Alan Turing on a bench statue
Find the seated Alan Turing statue in Sackville Gardens. Photograph the bronze.
Spot a vintage Manchester sign
Find a vintage hand-painted shop sign or ghost-sign (Northern Quarter has many fading "ghost" signs). Photograph the sign.
Spot a Mancunian rainbow Canal Street flag
Walk to Canal Street in the Gay Village and find rainbow flags or rainbow paving. Photograph the colours.
Spot a Northern Quarter coffee shop sign
Find an indie Northern Quarter coffee shop window (Foundation, Pot Kettle Black, Ezra & Gil). Photograph the storefront.
Spot a Manchester Coronation Street reference
Find a Coronation Street reference (poster, souvenir, tour bus). Photograph the reference.
Frequently asked questions
The duration is up to the organizer when they set up the adventure. As a guideline, a focused day across the city centre, Northern Quarter and Castlefield ticks off most of the easy items, and stretching across a weekend (with the football grounds) lets a determined group complete all 30.
Each of the 30 items is a camera challenge. When you spot the thing, take a photo and submit it; the bingo card tracks progress. Play solo, with friends or split into teams and race to tick off the most items.
Some items (a match day, a specific mural) need timing or a Metrolink hop. Sweep Albert Square and the Northern Quarter for the easy items, Castlefield for the canals, Salford Quays for MediaCityUK.
The city centre (Albert Square, St Peter's Square, John Rylands), Northern Quarter (Stevenson Square, Affleck's Palace) and Castlefield hit the most items. Add the Etihad and Old Trafford for football items.
Yes. Kids love spotting football jerseys, double-decker buses and the Town Hall clock; adults enjoy hunting Madchester references, indie shops and Castlefield canals. No alcohol stops are required.