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Hot off the press

National Football Museum in Urbis talks, The Modern makes Good Food Guide and living statue puts Manchester on the map.

National Football Museum in Urbis talks

The world-famous National Football Museum is in discussions with Manchester City Council about relocating to Urbis exhibition centre in Cathedral Gardens (pictured above).

Currently located in Preston, the museum attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year, but funding difficulties are forcing it to move to a different location to secure its financial future.

Although Preston Council is reportedly still fighting to keep the museum, Manchester's Millennium Quarter Trust, which oversees the running of Urbis, last month backed the proposals for the move in principle and agreed that discussions should proceed to the next stage.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester is renowned around the world for its footballing heritage and attracts more visitors than any English city outside London. Having a nationally significant football destination here would make perfect sense."

If the move goes ahead, it will further underline Manchester's credentials as a football heartland at a time when the city is bidding to host the World Cup in 2018.

The Modern makes Good Food Guide

Urbis's bar and restaurant, The Modern, has been included in the prestigious 2010 Good Food Guide, just months after scooping two accolades at the Manchester Tourism Awards.

Since opening in 2007, The Modern, which occupies the 5th and 6th floors of Urbis, has struck gold with its combination of reasonably priced modern British cuisine and fabulous cocktail list. According to the guide: "Drinks in the upstairs bar are some of the finest in the city, and a menu dedicated to good local produce has serious appeal."

The Good Food Guide is largely considered to be the UK's definitive restaurant guide and features a careful selection of just 1,200 establishments throughout Great Britain. A total of 11 Manchester restaurants have been given a full listing in the 2010 guide, including The French (Midland Hotel), the Second Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols and the Michael Caines restaurant at ABode Manchester.

United stars come out for charity

Manchester United is celebrating ten years of supporting Unicef, and making a difference to the lives of millions of children worldwide, with a high-profile gala dinner.

Hosted by Sir Alex Ferguson, the glittering event will bring together the Manchester United 2009/10 team and management, as well as players past who have supported Unicef, including the baby-faced assassin, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

A limited number of seats are still available for the event, which takes place at Old Trafford on Nov 29. Prices start from £180 per person and you can book by emailing special.events@manutd.co.uk or calling 0161 868 8000 (option 3, option 1).

The Lowry enters record books

Arts and entertainment centre The Lowry smashed the world record for the biggest bowl of porridge last month, when 171.9kg of the healthy breakfast was served to hundreds of people in one of its opulent theatres.

Chef Colin Rostron broke the existing world record, which was set at 81.2kg in Edinburgh in 2007, by stirring 27kg of Mornflake Superfast Oats and 150 litres of water over heat for just over an hour.

The event was organised to celebrate the stage adaptation of the much-loved British comedy classic Porridge, which begins its four-week run at The Lowry from Dec 22.

Living statue puts Manchester on the map

A man from Stockport has been voted the most popular living statue in the world.

Chris Clarkson won the audience award at the annual World Statue Championships in Arnhem, the Netherlands, last month, after receiving 300,000 votes from the public for his depiction of James Bond - complete with working water gun.

Clarkson, an actor and presenter who started working as a statue three years ago to earn some extra cash, beat 150 contestants from all over the world to the rather unusual accolade. "Cheesy, I know, but it's a nice mantle to have," he said.

Molton Brown day spa opens in Manchester

If your skin needs a little TLC after the summer holidays, don't fret. Molton Brown's first day spa in northern England has just opened in St Ann's Square, offering an extensive range of therapies for men and women.

The Manchester day spa comprises three treatment rooms, a grooming lounge and a relaxation area, all featuring warm woods and earthy tones.

It offers everything from express pampering treatments to precision techniques for specific issues, including the Middle-Eastern-style body cleansing and the Chinese-influenced abdominal massage.