Top 5 Souvenirs from Manchester

more than a year ago

We do love a souvenir here at In Your Pocket, we won’t deny that. What should you be picking up to remind you of your time in Manchester? Whatever you want, of course, but we’ll give you a few hints.

WORKER BEE ANYTHING

Not a literal worker bee, of course. The humble worker bee is the symbol of the city, a nod to its industrious past and the hard work put in by Mancunians to drag Britain into a better economic position. It has also developed into a symbol of unity against terrorism, following the horrific bombing in 2017.

VIMTO

You know what, we aren’t going to lie to you — we aren’t particularly fond of vimto, Sort of like an English Irn Bru, the fizzy purple stuff is an acquired taste that we have little interest in picking up any time soon. But there is a curious historic side to it all, as Vimto was invented in Manchester way back at the beginning of the 20th century.

FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER MERCHANDISE

Manchester United and Manchester City are two of international football’s powerhouses, two incredibly wealthy clubs who operate in a different planet to the millions who enjoy a kickabout at the weekend. FC United of Manchester was established in 2005 in response to the commodification of the Red Devils, and the club have been growing ever since. Do your bit and pick up some merchandise, maybe even an iconic yellow and green scarf. This is the largest fan-owned club in the UK after all.

VINTAGE ANYTHING FROM AFFLECK’S

Affleck’s is an experience in itself, a labyrinth of alternative culture that can easily steal a whole day if you aren’t careful. You can find all sorts down here, from gas masks to colourful leggings and everything in between. This is the place to go to find something truly unique.

LITERATURE

We will never stop telling people to buy literature. Manchester has some great bookshops (Chorlton Bookshop in particular), so help keep these places alive by popping in and picking up some top quality works of fact or fiction. This is the city of Burgess, Gaskell and de Quincy after all.

Manchester