I tried new Co-op Live and Man City walk that's the alternative to busy Metrolink trams and pricey parking

After making headlines for all the wrong reasons, Manchester’s new Co-op Live is finally up and running, having already welcomed Elbow, the Black Keys, Eric Clapton and Barry Manilow to its state-of-the-art stage. 

This means that anyone who has tickets for upcoming gigs can finally rest in the knowledge that the show will definitely go on. And it’s time to start planning your night out – including how to get there. 

There are several ways to get to the venue, which is located next to the Etihad Stadium in the Eastlands area of Manchester. If you’re travelling from the city centre then public transport is an option. It’s on the 230 and 231 bus routes from the city centre and there is Metrolink stop (Etihad Campus) on the Co-op Live’s doorstep. But anyone planning to drive should be aware of the £25 parking fee. 

Speaking from experience, the Metrolink is likely to be very busy, especially if Manchester City are playing as well. But there is another route to town on foot – the CityLink walkway, which has been especially developed for football fans and gig-goers, connecting the city centre to the arenas and featuring artwork along the way.

We had a go at the new walking route to see how easy it is to get there from the city and check out some of the newly commissioned installations along the way. 

There are a few ways you can start the walk from Manchester city centre to the arena. One of the best places to begin the walk is New Islington, which conveniently has its own Metrolink stop. If you are familiar with Manchester, or fancy a slightly longer route, you can get to New Islington via Ancoats, just a short walk away from the Northern Quarter, or via the Ashton Canal. 

From New Islington, you have to take the gravel path that runs alongside the tramlines, down Pollard Street, heading towards Holt Town met stop – which is another good place to start if you don’t want to or can’t walk this part of the journey. The gravel path may not be suitable for wheelchairs. You won’t miss out on much, there is no artwork to see along the way – apart from a newly-installed signpost just before you get to Holt Town. 

If this sounds confusing, do not worry. There are helpful signs along the way that tell you how long the rest of the walk will take. Lamp posts along the route have also been marked with the Co-op Live blue colour to help guide you as well. 

When you get to Holt Town, you need to walk along the platform and down the path to the right. From here, everything is relatively straightforward. There is a clear path with markers and it more or less runs alongside the tramline all the way to the arena. The path is also wide and smooth, which make it fairly accessible although there are some inclines along the way and crowd control barriers near one one of the bridges. There are glow-in-the-dark chips in the pavement which means it should be easy enough to walk along in the dark as well. Most of the path is also far enough away from the tramlines that even if you are feeling a bit worse for wear after a gig, you’re safe enough from danger.

It’s on this stretch of the walk, between Holt Town and the arena that you will find some of the new art installations. We visited on a Wednesday afternoon when there were no concerts or matches due to take place, but this route is supposed to come alive at night with light installations and other interactive elements like a “shadow dance” tunnel. The website also says they will welcome buskers to the route to complete the pre-show experience. 

Of course, there’s a giant bee installation, and a giant “M,” which frames the Co-op Live arena behind and looks like it would make a great selfie spot. There’s also a tunnel underneath the bridge that has been decorated with beehive shapes and is meant to create soundscapes during performance days. 

The highlight for me, however, was the mural created in collaboration with two of Manchester’s favourite artists – illustrator Stanley Chow and street artist Akse P19. Anyone who has spent any time in the city centre will recognise the work of these artists – Stanley is known for his graphic portraits of famous figures and characters, while Akse is known for his vivid realism murals. The two styles are effortlessly combined to create a 40m celebration of Manchester culture, with reference to industry, sport, music, science, Pride and, of course, Madchester. Obviously, in true Manchester style, it has already been tagged by local graffiti enthusiasts.

The route ends when you get to the Etihad Campus Metrolink stop. There’s a walkway connecting the Etihad and the Co-op Live. And while the Co-op Live is just about complete, work will be ongoing for the foreseeable future on the Etihad expansion, so it’s hard to imagine what the complex as a whole will look like. 

All in all, the route is definitely a quick and easy substitute for public transport for anyone going to a gig or a match and doesn’t mind a roughly 20-minute walk from Ancoats. It was pleasant enough on a weekday afternoon, but I think it needs to be experienced on an event day to be appreciated fully. Or one would hope so anyway, considering it cost £3million to build. You just have to keep your fingers crossed that the Manchester rain holds off long enough for you to get there.