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Belle Vue, Manchester facts for kids

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Belle Vue
Manchester-belle-vue-stadium-01.JPG
Frontage of Belle Vue Stadium
Belle Vue is located in Greater Manchester
Belle Vue
Belle Vue
OS grid reference SJ875965
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town MANCHESTER
Postcode district M18
Dialling code 0161
Police Greater Manchester
Fire Greater Manchester
Ambulance North West
EU Parliament North West England
UK Parliament
  • Manchester Gorton
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester
53°27′55″N 2°11′15″W / 53.4652°N 2.1875°W / 53.4652; -2.1875

Belle Vue is a cool area in Manchester, England. It's located just east of the city centre. Imagine it like a neighbourhood bordered by two railway lines: the Hope Valley line on one side and the Glossop line on the other. It's also part of a bigger area called Longsight.

Belle Vue's Exciting History

Belle Vue has a really interesting past, especially known for its famous zoo and amusement park.

The Famous Belle Vue Zoo

The Belle Vue Zoological Gardens opened way back in 1836. It was a huge place, covering 96 acres! In the 1870s, a small area for fun rides was added. This grew into a massive amusement park in the 20th century. At its most popular, about two million people visited every year!

In 1910, a big building called the Kings Hall opened. It hosted many important concerts, including performances by The Hallé orchestra. Sadly, the zoo closed in 1977. The amusement park stayed open for a few more years during summer weekends until 1980. The land was sold in 1982 and cleared away by 1987.

Early Businesses in Belle Vue

Before the zoo became so famous, a company called Kendall and Gent opened its Victoria Works here in 1897. They made special tools for machines. This company closed down in the late 1960s.

Sports Hub of Belle Vue

Belle Vue is a great place for sports! It's home to some important sports facilities and teams.

Basketball and Netball

The National Basketball Performance Centre is located right here. This is where Basketball England has its main offices. It's also the home court for the Manchester Giants men's basketball team and the Manchester Mystics women's basketball team. Plus, the Manchester Thunder women's netball team plays here too!

Speedway Racing

If you like fast bikes, the National Speedway Stadium is home to the Belle Vue Aces speedway team. They race motorcycles without brakes on a special track!

Getting Around Belle Vue

Belle Vue is well-connected, making it easy to travel to and from the area.

Train Travel

Belle Vue railway station is on the Hope Valley line. You can catch a train from here to Manchester Piccadilly or New Mills Central. Trains run hourly from Monday to Saturday. There are no trains on Sundays.

Bus Services

Many bus services operate in Belle Vue, mostly run by Stagecoach Manchester. These buses can take you to places like Manchester Piccadilly, Gorton, Hattersley, Hyde, Stockport, and even the Trafford Centre for shopping and fun!

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