Queen Elizabeth II 1926 – 2022

At Printworks we join the nation in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. For more than seven decades she dedicated her life to public service with dignity and devotion and for that we are extremely thankful. We send our deepest condolences to her family and all of the people around the world whose lives she touched.

FAQs

At this unprecedented time, we appreciate you might have some questions:

Are you still open?

Yes we remain open and are operating under our normal opening hours. You can find more visitor information here.

How will the national mourning period affect access to your service?

Our centre is still operating under normal opening hours and will continue to do so.

We are following the official protocol and will update you of any changes that may impact access to our services.

Will you be closed for Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral?

The centre will remain open as normal on Monday 19th September. Many of our venues will observe a short period of silence in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral.

What are your venue opening times for Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral?

Vue will be open from 10am only showing Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral. No films will be showing on this date, and advance tickets must be booked online for the funeral showing.

Bierkeller will be opening upstairs from 10am showing Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral, offering complimentary hot drinks and sandwiches (while stocks last).

Boom Battle Bar will be open from 5pm.

Nandos will be open from 4pm.

Frankie & Benny’s will be open from 4pm.

Chiquito will be open from 4pm.

Nuffield Health will be open from 3pm – 8pm for gym and pool use only, with no classes scheduled.

Walkabout will be open from from 1.30pm.

Seven Stars will be open from 1.30pm.

Wagamama will be open from 1pm.

Escape Reality will be closed all day.

All other venues should be open as usual, however please contact the venues directly to check the most up to date opening times.

Cosy up with Italian-inspired Autumn Specials at Frankie & Benny’s

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, it’s time to dig out your jumpers and scarves and get ready for the best time of the year – Autumn is here! Summer has had it’s turn and as much as we enjoyed the glorious sunshine and heat waves (for a change), I think we can agree that our favourite season is upon us. With Halloween and Christmas just around the corner, Frankie & Benny’s have got the perfect menu to get you in that cosy mood..

To Start…

An autumnal twist on a firm family favourite that has been sorely missed by all! Start off your dining experience with the Mushroom & Spinach Alfredo. Made with earthy mushrooms in a cheesy spinach, garlic and cream alfredo sauce, all served with a side of warm ciabatta – perfect for soaking up all that tasty sauce! I can imagine that these plates will be licked clean, or there abouts!

Two Mains to choose from…

Gnocchi is back with some beef to boot! Taste a real Italian autumn staple with the slow cooked Beef Ragu Gnocchi. Unfamiliar with gnocchi? Think of it as small dumplings made out of potato. The ‘g’ is silent, and the word is derived from the Italian word ‘nocchio’, meaning a ‘knot in wood’. You’ll be able to taste Italy with this dish as the red wine braised beef brisket ragu is warming and perfectly tender! Served over potato gnocchi and all topped off with grated gran levanto cheese and fresh basil. Delizioso!

How about an italian-american culinary mash-up? Go for the Stromboli Pizza Roll to give your tastebuds a treat! Stromboli was invented by Italian-Americans in the United States in the Philadelphia area and the name of the dish is taken from the 1950 film Stromboli, which in turn is named after a volcanic island off the coast of Sicily. This sourdough pizza is rolled and stuffed with mini meatballs, spicy nduja, mozzarella and pizza sauce, all served with roasted red pepper and rocket on the side. If you like a calzone, chances are you’ll love this! And with a little added heat from the spicy nduja, this Stromboli will keep you feeling warm and cosy all night!

On the Side…

Add a side dish of Polenta Fries to your meal. But what’s Polenta, I hear you ask? An Italian store cupboard staple, Polenta is a golden-yellow Italian cornmeal made from dried, ground maize (corn). These homemade polenta fries are crispy on the outside with a soft and creamy middle. Sprinkled with grated gran levanto cheese and fresh chopped chives, all served with a garlic aioli dip on the side. The perfect autumnal accompaniment!

Let’s Get Booked In!

Book your table now to start enjoying these tasty new dishes, but please note that this is a limited time menu and is subject to availability.

Frankie & Benny’s would love to hear your opinions on any of these dishes you choose next time you dine in at Printworks. Just make sure you fill out the handy Yumpingo feedback tablet and let them know just how much you enjoyed the new menu! Don’t worry, it’s only a simple survey with a few questions about your food and the service you received, but it all helps to create the best restaurant experience for you!

So head to Frankie & Benny’s for some real good comfort food this Autumn!

Get your Afro-Caribbean Flavour Fix now at Floripa with the welcome addition of Yetti’s Kitchen

With a splash of Brazilian flare, and after huge success in Shoreditch, Floripa is Printworks Brazilian Cocktail Bar know for its bright, colourful interior, up-tempo beats, and dancing & entertainment 7 nights a week – and now its home to the massively popular Yetti’s Kitchen!

It’s about time we got to try some tasty new flavours ranging from African, Caribbean, Nigerian and even British food, with a Yetti twist, of course!

Yetti’s Kitchen is big on taste and fragrant spices, leaving your taste buds asking for more from the signature Jollof rice, Curry goat and the flavoursome charcoal grilled Chicken to the irresistible Smoky Suya. They also have a great Vegan/Vegetarian range for those who wish to eat healthy and meal plans for those counting the calories, with all the Meat and Chicken provided by Halal Certified Butchers.

A little bit about Yetti…

Chef Yetti Tabai is behind Yetti’s Kitchen and has many feathers in her cap! She’s not only an amazing chef, but also an entrepreneur, a mentor, a musician, and an advocate for the homeless.

Chef Yetti founded her love for food, by serving delicious meals from her home via a delivery-only service, originally called Come Chop with Me, located in Milton Keynes.

She opened Yetti’s Kitchen Restaurant and Bar in Eccles in October 2018 with the goal of serving a distinct range of African and British family-style menu of tasty, bold flavoured foods with a global influence. All set in a fun and lively restaurant that integrates great food and movies to watch per table in the restaurant. To enhance the experience they also offer a selection of alcohol from around the world as well as alcohol distinct to Nigeria.

The brand has since grown, and now offers Catering of Nigerian, Caribbean and British food for public & corporate events, and are even delving into the world of inflight meals!

As an entrepreneurial business, Yetti’s Kitchen also helps multiple individuals and companies with setting up their own restaurant business. Yetti now offers personal Mentoring Sessions in the form of 30 minute Zoom video calls answering all your questions from general business & food business, to Marketing, Websites, flyers, and food delivery platforms! There’s also helpful YouTube videos on Yetti’s Kitchen’s own channel YK Youtube where she shares her own experiences as well as useful tips and behind the scenes videos.

Yettis Kitchen is also involved with several charitable acts and organisations. As Chef Yetti was once homeless, back when she was studying in Luton, she has taken it upon herself to help Manchester’s homeless by offering free hot meals once a month, every month.

This is why they say, Yettis Kitchen is more than Food, its a lifestyle!

What’s on the Menu @ Floripa?

Yetti’s Kitchen have designed a new menu specifically with city-centre diners in mind. Starting off simple, but with the aim to add more delicious meals to the menu, you can enjoy this Lagos-2-Printworks taste experience at Floripa.

Start your meal right with a staple in the Nigerian diet – the soft & sweet plantain! Famously know as the big daddy of Bananas, it looks like a Banana, but tastes better! Try the Plantain Bruschetta with a topping of cream cheese, fried stew and edible gold (just to add that little extra pizazz).

For the main event, there is no other contender – it has to be the famous Smoky Nigerian Jollof Rice. This delicious taste sensation is straight from Lagos and comes with a choice of toppings…

Ewa Aganyin – pronounced Eh-wah-gan-yeen, is a popular street food made of soft, mashed black eye beans with spicy optional shrimp sauce and served with sweet Agege (a-gay-gay) bread. Take away the shrimp sauce to make this a tasty vegan dish!

Fried Hake Fish – a succulent white fish, (part of the cod family, but far superior!), is seasoned to perfection with Yetti’s Kitchen’s signature spices, giving you a light but tasty fish dish.

Rum Chicken Tenders – Everyone loves a chicken tender and with a hint of sweet chilli, garlic, ginger notes and Caribbean rum, it’ll be the flavoursome crispy batter that will leave you wanting more.

Jerk Chicken – Probably the most well-know of Caribbean dishes, this succulent chicken is marinated for over 24 hours for that distinct Yetti’s Kitchen taste. Perfect for that Afro-Caribbean mash-up you’ve been craving! You can have the breast or leg, we don’t judge – it’s all delicious either way!

Can’t wait to try it?

Yetti’s Kitchen will be available at Floripa every Wednesday to Sunday, from 12pm til 9pm – head down to get your flavour fix now!

I think we know where our new favourite spot will be – sitting under the florals, sippin’ on a Caipirinha, with a plate of Jerk Chicken and Jollof Rice, chilling to the beats of Brazil…

After receiving applications from so many amazing, talented artists and designers within our creative community, the votes are in, and we have chosen our winning artist for Printworks Big Art.

Voting is now CLOSED – Winner announced in February!

Printworks Big Art is our larger than life art installation in partnership with Wild in Art, (the great minds behind Bee in the City), and is being commissioned alongside our creative work to launch Europe’s Largest Digital Ceiling.

Check out the amazing top 5 shortlisted artists below:

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Alex Sylt

Website • Instagram • Concept

Based in central Manchester, Alex has been an illustrator for over 10 years. He is the owner & operator of a screen-printing studio in Ancoats where running this business has directly influenced the way he illustrates.

One of the hallmarks of Alex’s design style is incredibly detailed scenes, focusing on large designs that require an attention to detail and favouring strikingly bold colours within a minimal palette. Architectural designs are a frequent theme in his work in addition to the contrast between buildings and nature.

Alex’s concept for this project mixes the history and culture of the city with the ever-evolving nature. The design will be built up of various letterpress equipment from when the Printworks was a Printing House and will be depicted as a fully ‘functional’ building with detailed window scenes, and human figures walking through in a maze-like fashion. There will also be cotton flowers in black & white, to stand out from the colourful building, which will be held by hands to symbolise the strength of Manchester’s communities. Overall, it will look like a “building within a building’ and the viewers will see new details every time they look at it.

—

Elyse Blackshaw

Website • Instagram • Concept

Born in a small town in Greater Manchester, Elyse studied at the Manchester School of Art and became a Textiles Teacher, after which she completed an MA at the Royal College of Art. During the last 10 years, she has been an illustrator and educator with a variety of workshops.

Eclectic by nature, Elyse uses hand drawings and collage, as well as digital illustration producing vibrant and playful artwork. Her values of illustrate, educate and activate help to create artwork that educates others about local environments whilst activating spaces with colour and positivity.

Elyse’s concept for this project represents the explosion of Manchester’s soul, together with the voices and hopes of local people in a collage design celebrating the past, present, and future of Manchester. With communities and connections being a fundamental value of the city, Elyse found that vibrant, friendly, inclusive, diverse, and proud were the most popular descriptions of Manchester and used this to help represent local people’s views in her design. Through optimistic colours and line work, the artwork is very much alive and thriving. The eclectic composition and diverse imagery embodies the spirit of the city and its communities, depicting the hopes of local people to inspire others to push for a better future.

—

Micah Purnell

Website • Instagram • Concept

Micah is an award winning freelance graphic designer, artist, curator and author from Manchester. As well as appearing in countless exhibitions over the last 25 years, Micah has two outdoor billboard galleries in Manchester, exhibiting leading artists, designers and local upcoming illustrators.

Designed to bring the humanities to commercial spaces, Micah’s work is centred around the phrase ‘you are enough’ and the powerful aid of unity. His style is striking and colourful and he finds new ways to create ‘ahhh’ moments in his artwork, which bring positive, memorable experiences.

Micah’s concept for this project has been designed as a three-part interactive experience. Firstly, you will see a colourful scene of hot air balloons where the colours blended together offer a metaphor of a diverse and cosmopolitan Manchester. Secondly, you will discover that the balloons are made of inspirational and uplifting phrases on the theme of imaginative playfulness and togetherness. And thirdly, using augmented reality, you can hold your phone camera towards the banner and the artwork will come to life, gently flying towards you, enabling you to see the text and wonder of each balloon up close. Hot air balloons offer a sense of hope, elevation and an image of positive escapism which the Printworks provides through play, dining, exercise and film.

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Mikesian Studio

Website • Instagram • Concept

Mikesian studio are a design and art duo from Manchester made up of Mike and Sian, with a background in two of the most awarded branding and design agencies in the UK. Having set up shop together in 2019, they’re taking the principles of global branding & communication and applying it to bold public art that’s accessible for everyone.

Their work is a mix of powerful words, bold colour and graphic forms, with a focus on bringing light, inclusive artwork to communal and public spaces. They have worked at all kinds of scales, always working in different formats, with the consistent aim of changing the every day experience.

Mikesian’s concept for this project is to create a striking artwork that acts as a true representation of what our city is right now. After a series of street interviews asking ‘what does Manchester mean to you?’, they gathered responses, quotes, and sayings, putting the most memorable into a bold graphic design framework created a prominent piece of artwork. The final piece itself would be bright, colourful and graphic, using bold shapes and blocks of pattern alongside large-scale typography to create something genuinely striking. It would be a collage of genuine voices, all weaved together to form an authentic picture of the city of Manchester in the modern day.

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Orakel Workshop

Website • Statement • Concept

Orakel Workshop is the studio to a Brighton-based artist and designer with 15 years experience in the creative industry. They produce bespoke artwork across a wide range of materials and have delivered site-specific designs since 2007, to produce creative works for the public, all inspired by people and places.

Their designs are created digitally in a diverse range of formats and styles adapted according to location & material, allowing for versatility and ensuring that the final pieces are in harmony with the aesthetic qualities and function of the space. They create artwork which combines local history and stories in a modern and unique way.

Orakel Workshop’s concept for this project has incorporated Manchester’s industrial, music, sport, architectural, and creative heritage to tell an ongoing story of our city life & culture. The design features bold diagonals inspired by the Manchester Coat of Arms and the Hacienda, with a graphic pattern and shape inspired by the city, its building and the industrial heritage. The design includes imagery of The Printworks building over time with historic imagery of workers at the printing press, reflecting the buildings previous life and purpose. The current design is shown in B&W, but the final design will be in a unique colour scheme to bring the best of out the space.

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Sign up to our newsletter for updates about Printworks Big Art, and follow our design journey on Instagram!

Thousands of Balls, Endless Cocktails and Crazy Events!

Printworks welcomes the first Northern Ball Pit Bar that is here to stay with the Opening Weekender of Bingo Balls…

We all love a bit of nostalgia to bring out our inner child, and what better way than diving head first into a ball pit! Relive your fun childhood days where all you had to think about was “I never want to leave this ball pit”. Thousands of balls to frolic around in that’ll make you giggle like a kid, this adults-only ball pit has LED lights to give it a magical glow that’ll be sure to put a smile on your face! But that’s not where the fun stops – Bingo Balls is bringing DJs from Ibiza and Zante 5 days a week with some of the hottest R&B, house and disco mixes to keep you dancing all night long💃 Add to that a sprinkling of drag brunches, burlesque shows, and bingo and you’ve got yourself some out of this world entertainment. There may even be some familiar faces popping up…

Bingo Balls also comes with the perks of a fully stocked bar too of course! Endless delicious cocktails that will go down a treat, as well as beers, ciders, wines and soft drinks, all to keep you well hydrated (or libated) while you enjoy the night. And in case all the ball pit play makes you a little hungry, the diner will be open for you and your mates to grab some fries, bottomless chicken, and rings. You can also get your sweetie fix with the retro inspired pick n mix 🍬🍭

Boasting the best selfie stations in town too with a six foot stiletto 👠 you can climb on in for an instagrammable moment if there ever was one! Truly an adults wonderland in the heart of Printworks, oh and don’t forget the thousands of balls!

So you can be living your best life in the LED Ball Pit, vibing to some sick beats from Ibiza & Zante, clinking cocktails with the fabulous drag queens, cheering on the bedazzling burlesque acts, and shouting out “BINGO!” for the full house, all in one amazing new venue at Printworks this summer!

Bingo Balls Opening Weekender is 7th-9th July, and here’s what’s happening…

Thursday 7th July
Exclusively VIP & Invite-only party for those in the know 😉

Friday 8th July 
Tipsy Falls & Glitter Balls – it’s the Friday night Bingo launch!

Saturday 9th July
The official opening party! With non-stop entertainment all night

Ball pit tickets start from only £5 and include standing, seated, VIP packages and sparklers 🎇
Fancy jumping right in? Email Bingo Balls to book your tickets now!

SEE YOU IN THE PIT!

There’s been some refreshing NEW Summer Specials added to the menu at Frankie & Benny’s

Fancy something light, fresh and Italian this summer?
Try the limited time Summer Specials at Frankie & Benny’s

With 4 new dishes and a cocktail added to the menu, you can enjoy a taste of summer. Inspired by classic Italian flavours and the fruits of the sea, there’s a fresh theme throughout. You’ll find these new specials on the display cards on each table at Frankie & Benny’s or simply ask your server about them when you are seated.

Something to Start…

GARLIC & CHILLI PRAWN BRUSCHETTA 🍅🦐
A seafood twist on a classic dish! Garlic & chilli fried prawns on baked garlic ciabatta bread, with fresh tomatoes, basil and rocket

Bring on the Mains!

CRAB TORTELLONI ALFREDO 🦀🧄
Black charcoal tortelloni pasta parcels filled with Scottish crab, wild garlic and a hint of chilli. Served with a creamy lemon & pepper sauce, and topped with rocket.

PRAWN SPAGHETTI 🦐🍝
If you’re feeling particularly fancy, try the spaghetti and prawns in a whine wine, lobster-infused tomato and chilli sauce, garnished with rocket, for an elevated pasta dish.

Any room for Dessert?

BLUEBERRY PANNA COTTA 🍨🌸
Italian for “cooked cream”, this homemade set cream panna cotta is served with meringue pieces, blueberry puree and fresh blueberries. It even has edible flowers on top for that extra touch of summer!

Time for a Tipple…

LEMON DROP MARTINI 🍋🍸
When life gives you lemons…try the lemon drop martini! Malfy Italian Lemon Gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, sugar and a creamy foam top. Refreshing and delicious!

Don’t forget the Kid’s!

Frankie & Benny’s boast a great kids menu perfect for little and big eaters alike! Including unlimited drinks, a main, a side AND dessert, you don’t have to worry this summer holiday – there’s even activities and colouring on the back of the menu to keep them entertained!

Not only are they increasing the portion of Salmon on the Big Eaters menu, but they have also introduced a New flattened Schnitzel steak to replace the current one for all the big kids with a hearty appetite. Want a plant-based alternative? Vegan Nuggets are back by popular demand! Made using pea & wheat protein, and coated in a light batter, these are a great alternative to chicken (and they won’t even know the difference!) They are also adding potato donuts as a new side option to add a little fun to dinner time.

Speaking of fun, let them go a little crazy with a burger for dessert! Chocolate and sweet biscuits ice creams all made into the shape of a burger, glazed and topped with sesame seeds. And for those hot summer days, try the new Pip push-up lollies in either Tropical (pineapple, banana & mango) or Berry (strawberry, blackcurrant & apple). All made with 100% organic fruit, no added sugar or sweeteners or colourings or flavours!

Gonna need that Coffee Hit? ☕

It’s a long six weeks of summer ahead so, to make sure you can keep up with the kids, Frankie & Benny’s are making some exciting and important changes to the way they serve coffee. By moving over to a New Tierra Selection, which is 100% Arabica beans, not only is it a tastier bean but it’s also Rainforest Alliance Certified to help with their continued commitments to Climate Change.

Head over to Frankie & Benny’s to check out the Summer Specials and book your table!

Sip & Socialise in style this summer in the NEW Bar Area at Chiquito!

Chiquito is saying “Adios!” to the old bar and will be undergoing a mini refurbishment this June so you can enjoy endless summer cocktails with your friends! Perfect for Happy Hour and even better with a Summer Sharing Cocktail!

Chiquito will be closed for 3 days, from Monday 27th to Wednesday 29th June, while the works take place, ready to reopen for the first weekend of July and to officially start the summer off in style!

The Bar will have a funky update with a whole New L-shaped bar installed. The current adjacent booths will be ripped out and a much larger seating area will replace them, exclusively for the use of the bar. This will give it a whole new look with plenty of space to kick back and chill out with a refreshing drink!

Support local artists, by helping pick a new look!

Chiquito teamed up with @salforduni to find a young artist to create an epic wall mural for the Manchester Printworks restaurant – based on the brief, “Manchester Meets Mexico.”

They’ve shortlisted our favourite 3 submissions and now it’s up to YOU to decide which design will appear in our restaurant. Head to their Instagram to comment on which artist deserves to win. You can find our more about their designs here. Vote closes Friday 24th June at 12pm

⭐️ India Buxton
⭐️ Mia Pike
⭐️ Kathrine Njoroge

The winner will win a £1000 prize, get supplies paid for AND get a year’s supply of Chiquito – as well as having their mural in pride of place in our Printworks restaurant 🌟

Check out the New Look with a selection of cocktails…

When it’s time to celebrate the refurb, you’ll be spoilt for choice! From Mexican Monsters to Ice-Cold Margaritas, there’s something for everyone, so bring your amigos down to check out the new bar area with a cocktail or two!
You can even enjoy 2-4-1 cocktails every weekday from 5pm til 7pm – now that’s what we call Happy Hour!

Go for Something Classic 🧉

CUPACABRA 👹
Gaining its name from Mexican monster folklore, it’s the perfect blend of spiced and pineapple rums, mango and lime juices, cinnamon and blue curacao.

FLAMING ZOMBIE 🔥
A famous tiki cocktail mixing three rums, passionfruit, orange, lime and pineapple juices served with sparks and flames.

HUMMINGBIRD 🍌
Banana Bomb rum and Kahlua with oat drink, fresh banana and homemade banana chips.

Mix up your Margarita 🍹

LARGERITA 🍺
What’s better than beer and tequila? This classic frozen margarita is topped with Corona for a refreshing drink.

RHUBARB & HONEY MARGARITA 🍯
Cazcabel Honey tequila shaken with rhubarb purée and lime juice.

COCONUT MARGARITA 🥥
Cazcabel Coconut tequila, coconut cream and pineapple juice.

Sharing is Caring 🍸 Try the all New Summer Sharing cocktails, serving between 2-4 people

WHITE PEACH SANGRIA 🍑
Peach flavours and white wine are perfect blended with fruits for this twist on a summer classic!

WATERMELON MARGARITA JUG 🍉
Tequila and watermelon were made for each other, we have added Tequila, Cointreau, watermelon juice and lime for true holiday vibes.

PASSION FRUIT & VANILLA COOLER 🥂
What happens when you combine the UK’s favourite martini? with Passionfruit rum, vanilla, pineapple, citrus topped with prosecco. Served in our giant martini glass, great for getting the party started.

Chiquitos will reopen their doors to the newly refurbished bar area on Thursday 30th June so check out the delicious drinks menu and see what you’ll be sipping on this summer…

Printworks Big Art x Wild in Art

To celebrate our upcoming refurbishment project, Printworks are launching a new larger-than-life artwork in our main Pump Yard; Printworks Big Art. Famous event producers Wild in Art, (who brought Bee in the City to Manchester in 2018), are leading this project, and are on the lookout for an artist to develop this amazing new visual public artwork.

The art commission will reflect the objectives of the Printworks’ and Manchester City Council’s Public Art Policy and Strategy, which seeks to ensure the inclusion of artists in the development of the built environment.

The Art Commission offers a fantastic opportunity for a professional artist to design, develop and deliver a permanent public artwork for the site. The Commissioners are looking for a stunning, visually engaging artwork that will light up the public space. This opportunity is open to all artists with links to Greater Manchester and it is an exciting opportunity for an artist to have their work featured as part of a major national development project, which will be seen by millions visitors.

To find out more and enter, please see the full Printworks Wild in Art Design Commission

The closing date for Stage 1 proposals is 14th March 2022.

Mailing List Survey Competition

Terms & Conditions

• To enter the competition, users must be signed up to the Printworks mailing list, and complete the email preferences section.
• Every month new winners will be picked at random from completed mailing list sign ups within that calendar month.
• Participants must be 18 or over to redeem the prize, and only one entry is permitted per participant.
• All winners will be notified online via email by the 5th of the following month if they are successful.
• The prize is for a £100 One4All digital gift cards, which can be redeemed at various venues and retailers. See full list here
• This prize is not transferable, cannot be substituted for anything else and has no cash value.
• The gift card is valid for use for until 31st August 2023.
• See full One4All gift card Terms & Conditions here.
• Printworks reserves the right to amend or withdraw the competition at any time.