Belle Vue in Manchester

What is there to do in Belle Vue?

The Sports Village is made up of gyms, a function room, a stadium and leisure centres that cater to a variety of sports and fitness activities such as ice skating, windsurfing, gymnastics and basketball. It's home to the National Basketball Performance Centre and the National Speedway Stadium. Sports Village’s state-of-the-art gym facilities are available for the community, clubs, drop-ins and private hires. It has wheelchair-friendly facilities that meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

One of the popular attractions in Belle Vue is its Speedway Stadium, which is home to the Belle Vue Aces and Belle Vue Colts. Both teams usually have races scheduled on Fridays from March to October. You can book tickets online to get the best seats during the race. The gates to the stadium open about 75 minutes before the race, giving you enough time to find your seat and grab a bite at their food kiosks on the South Stand and Grandstand Concourse. On occasion, they offer fine dining services at the stadium’s Peter Craven suite. They usually do this before the Aces Meetings and on the British Final and World Championship Meetings.

A brief history of Belle Vue

In the early 1800s, Belle Vue was known for its Zoological Gardens, which consisted of a large zoo, an amusement park, exhibition halls, as well as a speedway stadium. It was home to many exotic animals such as rhinos, kangaroos, lions and elephants. It continued to expand over the years, eventually becoming a part of Charles Forte’s empire. He turned The Kings Hall into the largest exhibition space outside of London. However, competition from the Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre, which is now known as Manchester Central, led to its closure.

The amusement park covered over 100 square miles at its peak, attracting 2 million visitors per year. However, in 1977, the park partially closed down after incurring significant losses, opening only on summer weekends. Three years later, the park was sold and dismantled. Nothing remains of the world-famous amusement park. At the site, you’ll find a snooker hall and Greyhound Racing stadium, which is also now closed.

Dining in Belle Vue

There are several restaurants near the Belle Vue district. You can reach them on foot in a matter of minutes. These include Daley’s Food Box, a takeout restaurant that serves burgers, wraps and chips.

If you’re looking for more flavourful cuisines, you can check out Punjabi Dera, which is just a 3-minute drive away from the leisure centre. Walnut Persian Restaurant is another gem nearby, serving vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options aside from authentic Persian dishes.