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Hot off the press

Urbis closes its doors at the end of this month to reopen as the National Football Museum in 2011. Plus, other news from around the city.

Urbis goes out on a high

Manchester’s Urbis exhibition centre closes its doors at the end of this month, after eight years of championing pop culture.

In the meantime, a farewell show gives the public a last chance to see glimpses of the exhibitions that made this cultural attraction so special. Urbis has Left the Building runs until Feb 27 and covers exhibitions including The Peter Saville Show, Matthew Williamson - 10 Years in Fashion and Black Panther: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution.

When the iconic building in Cathedral Gardens reopens in 2011, it will be as the National Football Museum, which will relocate here from Preston.

So you think you can fly?

Daredevil entrepreneur Simon Ward has just launched the UK’s biggest indoor skydiving wind tunnel at Trafford Quays, right next to Chill Factore.

Housed in the £5 million Airkix skydiving centre, the tunnel allows thrill seekers to be suspended in the air, experiencing the effect of freefall and learning some airborne acrobatic moves.

Giggs collects Salford’s highest honour

Football legend Ryan Giggs has added the freedom of his adopted hometown, Salford, to his bulging trophy cabinet.

The Manchester United winger, who has recently won the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year accolade, joins Nelson Mandela, LS Lowry and David Lloyd George as a freeman of the city. The honour recognises not only his sporting achievements, but also his charity work and contribution to the local community.

Giggs, a Welshman who has lived in Worsley most of his life, accepted the award with gratitude. “To be given the freedom of Salford, my adopted city, has to rank amongst the greatest honours I have ever received,” he said.

Gallery of Costume glams it up

Manchester’s Gallery of Costume has become the first public institution in the country to own part of Audrey Hepburn’s wardrobe, after acquiring one of the iconic film star’s treasured Givenchy dresses.

The fuchsia pink haute couture evening dress, worn by Hepburn in 1967, cost £3,500 at auction - a steal, considering that the legendary black Givenchy dress that she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s reached a staggering £467,200 when it went under the hammer three years ago.

The newly-bought Hepburn dress will be one of the focal points when the gallery re-opens in March after a two-year refurbishment project.