All-Day 2025 – Day 1 – Manchester Sacred Harp

Sophie Lockhart, who will chair the 2025 All-Day. The image is an atmospheric black and white image showing a young white woman with shoulder-length curly hair holding her Sacred Harp book and singing with passion. Her right hand is held in the air, as she beats the time of the song she's leading.

Saturday 11 October

10.00am registration
10.30 start
4.00pm close

Chair Sophie Lockhart
Book Sacred Harp 2025 edition
Venue: Stretford Public Hall

Free to attend – a collection will be taken to cover costs
All voices welcome – no experience needed
2025 revision loaner books available
Bring-and-share lunch

Skip to Day 2

An image of Stretford Public Hall - a large, impressive Victorian gothic building. It is mostly red brick with a grey slate roof and central clock tower over the grand arched entrance with a steeply pointed roof — Image credit: Stretford Public Hall

The venue

Stretford Public Hall, Chester Rd, Stretford, Manchester M32 0LG [map]

This handsome community-owned building is a prominent landmark in the market town of Stretford, 4 miles to the south-west of Manchester. Stretford is the home of Manchester United FC and Lancashire County Cricket Club, so our location is well served with public transport and travel routes.

Designed in the gothic revival style by architect William Arthur Lofthouse, it was commissioned as a public hall by local philanthropists John and Enriquetta Rylands and opened in 1879. Today the beautifully restored Grade II listed building is run ethically by a cooperative, and any profits benefit the community.

We are trying out this new larger capacity venue for this year’s All-Day in preparation for hosting the 2026 UK Sacred Harp Convention.

In a large room a narrow pillar holds up the mezzanine floor, beyond which we see the beginning of the arches up to the high ceiling, a row of windows and a smooth, gleaming oak floor. All the Victorian details have been picked out in tasteful green and gold. The room is bright, empty and spacious. — Image credit: Stretford Public Hall

Access information

There are 2 blue badge parking spaces on Dorset Street adjacent to the Hall, and another 2 in the car park just off Dorset Street.

The venue has an access ramp to the Hall’s main entrance on Chester Road and step-free access to the building via side entrance on Dorset Street. Inside there is a lift which goes to all publicly accessible floors in the building. There are accessible toilets on ground and first floor.

We will be singing in the Ballroom on the first floor -a large open space with a smooth oak dancefloor and plenty of natural light. It is accessible by lift, and accessible toilets are adjacent to the hall. Food will also be laid out in the ballroom.

There is no Hearing Loop at the venue at present.

If you require further detail to facilitate your attendance, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

An image of a Metrolink tram taken from the platform. It shows the front of the yellow tram and the display board says Etihad Campus. — Image credit: Nathan J Hilton

Public transport

The Hall is easily reachable by public transport.

Tram: It is a four minute walk from Stretford tram stop, which is served by the (green) Altrincham – Bury line and the (purple) Altrincham – Piccadilly / Etihad Campus line.

Train: If you are arriving in Manchester by train, take the tram from the station and get off at Stretford:

From Manchester Piccadilly : Take the Purple line towards Altrincham, or go one stop to St. Peter’s Square and change onto the Green line towards Altrincham.
From Manchester Oxford Road: Walk 10 minutes to St. Peter’s Square and get the Green line tram towards Altrincham.
From Manchester Victoria: Get the Green line tram towards Altrincham.

Bus: There’s a bus stop outside Stretford Public Hall on Chester Road which is serviced by several local bus routes (routes 79, 253, 255, 256, 263, 272 and 277)

Please be aware that routes can be subject to change so please check beforehand that our information is up to date. You can use the journey planner: tfgm.com/plan a-journey

A generic image of a large motorway taken from a bridge. There are 8 lanes of traffic and vehicles travelling in both directions. — Image credit: Mike Bird

Driving & Parking

Stretford is an area of Trafford in Greater Manchester approximately 4 miles south of the city centre.

Stretford Public Hall is at the intersection of two busy roads, the A56 and A5145.

It has its own car park on Dover Street with 43 spaces and 2 blue badge spaces.(Please note: Dover Street is a one way road access from Chester Road / A56). There are also 2 blue badge spaces on Dorset Street adjacent to the hall.

Residential streets in the immediate vicinity have a permit-holders-only limit (Mon-Sun). There are more parking spaces at nearby Lacy Street car park (Newton St, M32 8AA). It is cheap and has 2 EV charging bays. It is however across a very busy road!

Anyone using the car park is asked to register at the Hall – there is a front desk just on your left as you enter through the main entrance. If you are arriving by taxi, they can pull up alongside the Hall on Dorset Street or can use the Hall’s car park for drop-off / collection. The car park is also the fire assembly point for the building.

Our research promises that we’ll not be inconvenienced by match-day traffic from the football or cricket grounds.

A generic image of a very large metal pan and a hand holding a spoon which is stirring the contents - a delicious-looking rich tomato and vegetable stew. — Image credit: Kaboompics

Dinner on the grounds

There will be a bring-and-share lunch. Please bring something – homemade or shop-bought, whichever suits you – to contribute to the communal feast.

We will ask you to manage your own dish. Please bring it ready to serve with a utensil and collect your leftovers and containers at the end of the event. Please label the food and list ingredients and allergens when you arrive.

We don’t have facilities to reheat food but slow cookers are welcome.

If you feel happier bringing your own packed lunch, please feel free to do whatever best meets your needs.

We’ll also have a couple of refreshment breaks.

We’ll provide the usual tea/coffee/water as well as some decaffeinated and dairy-free options. You might like to bring your own lidded cup or bottle to refill.

A black and white image of two singers sitting together but twisting away from each other.. The two women's heads are close, yet looking in opposite directions. One looks to the ceiling with a faint smile. The other, with her hand to her chin, is frowning and looks pensive, almost stern. — Image credit: Joyce Smith

Protect and respect

Singing loudly together in close proximity is excellent for wellbeing. But it’s also a quick way to spread germs. So if you’re snotty or coughing, please just stay at home.

Testing is not mandatory, but we do expect all singers to take very seriously their personal responsibility for not bringing ANY transmissable illness to the singing. Please DO NOT attend if you are experiencing any symptoms of cough, common cold, COVID, Flu, or other infectious illness.

We are an inclusive community. We can enjoy singing together without believing the same things or living the same way. The unwritten rule of singing is to avoid contentious issues and focus on what unites us.

We won’t tolerate bullying, harassment or disruption. Our rules are simple: treat each other with kindness, respect the conventions of the tradition and strive for harmony.

Read our FAQs, Access & Attitudes page and What is Sacred Harp to help you anticipate what to expect.

We can see the lower part of a glass of lager. The European pint glass has a stem and is covered in condensation, suggesting a refreshing cold drink on a warm day. In the foreground we see the corner of a Sacred Harp book which is open on the table in front of the drink.

Après-sing

Head, Unit 127-128, Stretford Mall, M32 9BH [map]

From 4pm: Our post-event social on the Saturday evening will begin with drinks at a nearby pub. Head is an accessible, contemporary (well, 70’s-ish) space, just 3 minutes’ walk from Stretford Public Hall. They serve a variety of beers but they don’t do food.

The Beagle, 456-458 Barlow Moor Rd, M21 0BQ [map]

7pm: Make your way over to nearby Chorlton for food. A table is booked for us for 7pm. The Beagle is a friendly and accessible pub serving Nell’s pizza (includes vegan and GF options).

Chorlton is a lovely, vibrant town. Getting there: If you need some air, walking from Stretford is about 35 mins. By car, it’s 6 mins. Tram is frustratingly indirect so bus is easier: Stretford Mall bus stop on Kingsway is a few minutes’ walk away. You want number 23, 25 or 150.

A black and white image from an All-Day singing. A man stands in the foreground of the image, book in hand and arm raised to beat the time of the song he is leading. Beyond him sits several rows of singers, books open and singing. There's strong autumnal sunlight slanting through the window to the left, lighting up their faces. — Image credit: Joyce Smith

First time at an All-Day?

All-Day singings are special. It’s an annual invitation to visiting singers and people travel from all across the UK and beyond to sing with us.

All-Days are more formal than regular local singings, and are faster-paced. They can be mentally tiring, and emotionally intense and you may not have much voice by the end of it. But the combined sound of many voices singing their hearts out is an experience like no other.

If it’s your first time and you don’t know what to expect, read an explanation of an All-Day singing on our FAQs page, then if you’ve got any questions feel free to drop us a line.