Be Excellent To Each Other

Hello Northern Contingent,

I have to travel to Manchester to do a shoot on 8th June, the shoot starts at 9am, so I need to travel up the afternoon/evening before as I don't really want to have to get up at 3am and drive up that morning.

I'm photographing a "super"headmistress at her Primary School in Gorton, M18 which appears to be East Southeast of the centre.

So, anybody know any decent cheap hotels in the centre that charge about £60-70 a night as I have an assistant and I'm not sharing a room with her (she won't let me ) and the client won't spring for a fortune as there're two of us.

Also, any rmds for decent eats or drinks on a Monday night in Manchester?

Fanks in advance

Had cause to drive out to Gorton on the weekend of the Meet, in February. It's a bit grim to be honest.

If you want to stay right in the centre you're going to have to pay more than that I think - 80 odd for the Premier Inn wasn't it?


On another trip last month I paid 50 at this place, which was nicer than I expected: http://www.laterooms.com/en/hotel-direc ... field.aspx

It is a very long walk from the centre but handy for the curry area (and there's pubs and restaurants nearby), and there are busses. It's a similar distance from Gorton.

The premier Inn we stayed at was fine. Reasonably priced, I think it was the "Premier Inn City".

Also, go to Abode for dinner.

Premier Inn is good cheap accom, Travelodge just round the corner really, really isn't.

What sort of food do you like?

I grew up in Ely, Cardiff. I'd be surprised if it's any grimmer. I'm not staying there so it's not a problem - I'll be there for 2-3 hours, tops.

That Mongolian all-you-can-eat.

KFC

[edit] I'll get back to this once I have more time, but that's a tricky one to answer succinctly. I'm not interested in expensive experience food or badly prepared fuel

So let's say I'll budget for £40 a head excluding booze.

I need to go there again. Not Gourmet Burger Kitchen, though, as that was pretty disappointing, milkshake aside.

Samsi (there are 2 in the city centre) if you like Japanese http://www.samsi.co.uk/
EastZEast (again there are 2, one Deansgate, one near Oxford rd station) for Indian. Forget curry mile go here ftw http://www.eastzeast.com/
The Modern at Urbis if you want contemporary english. http://www.themodernmcr.co.uk/
Chop House if you fancy a quirky pub place http://tomsmanchester.thevictorianchophousecompany.com/
Livebait at St Annes square if you like seafood http://www.livebaitrestaurants.co.uk/


if it was me and the company is paying id go to the Modern. Fantastic place, atmosphere, food and panoramic view of the city. plus its very good value imho

Wouldnt know about hotels as Ive only stayed at one in Manchester given I live there, but having the said that: The Lowry. Awesome but expensive (5*)

enjoy

I've done an early start like this for Manc before and I preferred it to staying overnight. Perhaps that's a "me" thing though.

Likewise for another shoot in Manc I stayed in a Travelodge a few miles from the location. Cheap enough and they do the job.

The problem with overnighting is that I never sleep well so in many ways an early start is preferable. + I enjoy very early morning driving especially at this time of year.

Which burger did you have?

Hawaiian barbecue something something. It tasted a bit like, well, plastic; very strange.

Genghis khans, though:

There's a really cheap hotel near the arena. However it's really noisy in summer and the place is a complete hovel. Still it is really cheap.

Those Mancs make great targets.

Guns don't kill people, Snappas do.

Oh, good work.

snore

:/