Just as you’d expect from 2020, we haven’t exactly had a typical August in terms of weather this year, have we? Not only has this past month brought with it quite a few washout days, but there’s also been some of the hottest we’ve seen on record too, and now with September right around the corner, the air has started to develop a bit of a chill.
Autumn is on the horizon, and that of course means it’s spider season.
According to experts, the giant “hand-sized” house spider has already started to rear it’s ugly head in households across the UK as it searches for somewhere warm to escape the harsh outdoor conditions.
Oh, and it’s also looking for a mate too.
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In what is bound to be bad news for Greater Manchester’s arachnophobes, it’s been confirmed that around the first or second week in September, there’ll be a rise in the number of large, male spiders wandering through homes, and females will tend to stay in places like underneath windowsills and webs.
Of the 650 species of spider in the UK, most are too small to be able to bite, but the Tegenaria Domestica and Eratigena Atrica – also known as the giant house spider – are “generally quite large”, and according to The Wildlife Trusts, the giant house spider, which can be identified by its dark, hairy body and long legs, typically has a leg span of up to 7.5cm and can run up to half a metre per second.
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Professor Adam Hart – Entomologist at the University of Gloucestershire – told the BBC that we don’t really need to worry though as they are relatively “harmless”.
He said: “If we are not used to seeing them around, they do appear quite big.
“There are a couple of male spiders in those species that are quite formidable-looking, but the reality is they’re quite harmless.”
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Professor Hart also revealed that peak time for spotting spiders indoors is around 7:35pm.
He continued: “There’s nearly always a way to get in the house, they can also come in through things like towels that are left outside. Keeping your house tidy and keeping clothes off the floor may reduce places for them to hide, but it’s very difficult to keep them out.”
Whilst he did state that this is the typical time for spider mating season, he added that it won’t stick around for long and should come to end at the start of October.
So, what are some of the best ways to deter spiders from your home then? Lucy Askew – spokesperson for Hillary’s – has shared her six top tips on how to keep spiders at bay this autumn/winter:
Put conkers in the corners of your rooms.
Create your own natural spider deterrents using citrus juice, essential oils, and vinegar.
Seal the cracks in your home – especially near windows.
Keep your windows closed at night.
Maintain / keep on top of your cleaning routine.
Turn off your outside lights.
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Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Featured Image – Greggs (Supplied)
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A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
Emily Sergeant -
28th August 2020 
