Everyone knows that dads are hard to shop for and in these tough economic times, it’s harder still.
However, MM are here to help you with some ideas if you’re on a tight budget.
The Museum of Science and Industry (Free)
MOSI is the place to be this Father’s Day so your dad can get his special ‘Manchester Top Dad’ badge that entitles him to lots of discounts! Pick up the badge from the Information Desk to qualify for the following offers:
* Concessionary rate tickets for the Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition, 4D Theatre, Morphis Simulator and Planet steam train rides.
* Get 2 pizzas for £10 (usual price £6.95 each).
* Buy any sandwich from the Coffee Shop and get a cake FREE!
Your dad will mix amongst Manchester’s most famous fathers on Father’s Day. To celebrate MOSI has prepared a trail of Manchester Top Dads, looking at how influential some of our greatest scientists and engineers were. Follow the trail, and then enter the competition for your chance to win a special MOSI goody bag!
Trafford Centre (Free): Aerial Extreme!
Take your dad to the Trafford Centre and he can climb for free. You can watch from the side lines and laugh, I mean, cheer him on. Give him what he really wants – an action adventure day out with all his family.
And to make the decision easier for you, if you bring Dad along to Aerial Extreme on the 19 June he goes for free.
To book your Dads adventure it’s best to phone Aerial Extreme on 0845 652 1736 or just turn up, but you run the risk not getting your preferred time slot.
DVD Box-sets (Prices vary) HMV
We all know dads like to put their feet up after a long, working day and relax in front of the TV. There are many great offers on at HMV for under a tenner, so you can get your dad some quality DVD box-sets.
Here are some of our selections:
Naked Gun 1/2/3: (£5.29) Starring Leslie Nielson, star of Airplane!, your dad is guaranteed to be laughing his socks off at this three DVD box-set.
Ashes 2005: Greatest Series: (£4.99) If your dad is a cricket fan, he will like nothing more than watching (again!) the Aussies being slaughtered by the England team.
Inside The Actors Studio: Clint Eastwood (£7.99) Who doesn’t like Clint Eastwood? In his interview with the Actors Studio, the two-time Academy Award winner reveals the frank, knowledgeable, highly articulate man behind the laconic images that have made him world-famous for forty years.
Roadsweeper Desk Vac (£9.99) www.iwantoneofthose.com
According to statistics the average work desk contains more bacteria, dust and generally icky stuff than the average toilet seat. If your dad is a hard-working, desk-bound character, the Roadsweeper Des Vac is just the thing for him. It is a great and admittedly fun way of getting rid of those nasty germs, keeping his desk nice and clean so he can work without worrying about those pesky germs. There’s also an added bonus of mum not having to nag him to clean, so it’s win-win all round.
Tao Digital Photo Key Charms (£7.99) www.iwantoneofthose.com
The Tao Digital Photo Frame is a cute little accessory that’s no more troubling to carry than your house keys. It’s a tiny but sharp way for your dad to carry his favourite snaps around with him.
With the capacity to hold over 100 photos, he can impress everyone with a surprisingly large collection of photos in glorious 128 x 128 pixel detail. With a full charge it’ll last up to 4 hours, and even longer in sleep mode. More importantly it’s got a huge internal memory of 8MB.
Chocolate Beer Mug (150g) £3.99 Thorntons
If your dad has a sweet-tooth, let chocolate do the talking and show him he’s the greatest! Thorntons’ chocolate beer mug is a great gift for Father’s Day and perfect for adding your own personal-iced message, guaranteed t bring a smile to his face. Plus it tastes delicious too!
A book from his childhood
What was your father’s favourite book when he was younger?
We’re not suggesting something along the lines of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (unless he’s insisting so) but buying him something sentimental will be quite personal and memorable. And earn you extra brownie points. Manchester has some fantastic second-hand book stores. A favourite of mine is Empire Exchange, on Newton Street, Piccadilly, where there’s a range from historical to fictional books. You never know, you may even find a signed copy.
If none of the above will do, there’s always a nice pair of woollen socks…