News

Primark reveals some stores will stay open overnight when lockdown lifts

The Trafford Centre outlet has been included on the list of eleven Primark stores opening for 24-hour period on December 2.

The Manc The Manc - 27th November 2020
Alex McGregor / Geograph

Primark has confirmed it will temporarily turn some branches into 24-hour stores when lockdown ends.

Earlier this month, Primark’s boss George Weston said he was aiming to stay open all hours after lockdown – giving Christmas shoppers extra time and space to take advantage of the bargains on offer.

This week, it has been confirmed that eleven Primark stores will operate extended opening hours on December 2.

The Trafford Centre outlet in Manchester has been included on the list.

However, it’s worth noting that 24-hour Primark shopping will be a very fleeting experience – only opening overnight from 7am on December 2 until closing time on December 3.

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Primark’s CEO, Paul Marchant, said: “We are delighted to re-open our stores in England on 2 December, with longer shopping hours to give our customers more time to safely do their festive shopping.

“We have everything this season that our customers expect from Primark, including our famous Christmas jumpers, festive pyjamas and much, much more.

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“All of our extensive safety measures remain in place to help ensure shopping at Primark is an enjoyable, safe experience for everyone.”

The full list of Primark stores with extended trading hours in December will be:

  • Manchester Trafford Centre
  • York Monks Cross
  • Leeds White Rose
  • Bluewater
  • Lakeside
  • Birmingham Fort
  • Meadowhall
  • Stratford
  • White City
  • Charlton
  • Gateshead Metrocentre

News

Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club is SAVED after Greater Manchester rallies behind local institution

Danny Jones Danny Jones

Fantastic news as long-standing Greater Manchester institution Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has officially been saved from closure.

It’s an early Christmas miracle.

Just a few days out from what would have been endgame for them, after being threatened with closure just over six weeks ago, Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has officially hit its fundraising target and has been rescued from the brink.

Announcing the news on Thursday, 28 November, they confirmed that their doors will be staying open and their important community efforts aren’t going anywhere.

The iconic Manc venue has served as one of the most cultural sites in the entire region, helping lay the foundations for countless important figures in music, sport, art and more.

It’s no exaggeration to say that its influences are quite literally woven into the fabric not only of Salford but Manchester and the 10 boroughs as a whole, having hosted names like John Cooper Clarke, nurturing future footballers such as ‘Busby Babe’ Eddie Colman, and perhaps most famously being the location for The Smiths‘ iconic Queen Is Dead photoshoot.

Their motto throughout the course of their full century and two decades worth of serving the local area has always been to ‘Brighten Young Lives and Make Good Citizens’, and so it shall remain.

After being given notice amid rising costs, energy bills and a general lack of funding back in October, the community and recreation centre was given until the end of November to raise a whopping quarter of a million pounds and thanks to the incredible efforts from thousands of generous souls, they managed it.

With Northern bands like locals Rolla, The Courteeners, former Smiths frontman Morrissey, songwriting legend Graham Nash and many other artists helping raise funds through charity gigs and sizeable contributions, not to mention countless Salfordian volunteers taking time out of their everyday lives to get behind the crucial cause, Greater Manchester truly showed its best face.

The club – which not only helps provide everything from vital sports provision for Greater Manchester clubs and safe after-school outlets to children, to practice spaces and away days which for those less fortunate might be their first-ever trip outside of their hometown – also released the short but moving fundraising film seen above, which certainly helped get extra eyes on the crucial community initiative.

Although there were some big benefactors and local businesses that got behind the project, it was regular people like you who helped spread the word and all those who donated even just a few quid that sealed this victory.

Greater Manchester can hold its head very high and be more than proud of itself.

The fundraiser is now past its £250,000 target and is now sitting on more than £273k, but donations are still being welcomed to help keep the institution afloat if you’d like to donate HERE.

God knows how many lives they’ve saved over the years — long live Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club!

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

News

MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has stepped away amid misconduct investigation

Danny Jones Danny Jones Gregg Wallace steps down from MasterChef after misconduct allegations

MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has officially stepped away from his role on the show following recent reports surrounding allegations of misconduct.

A new series of complaints regarding Wallace’s historical behaviour have now been made to the BBC, with the 60-year-old having only just denied claims he made “sexual” comments to a younger female colleague back in 2018 a month ago.

While that particular instance is alleged to have taken place while on the set of Impossible Celebrities, with one woman accusing the household name of removing his shirt and openly boasting about his sex life, this decision comes after a number of other historical incidents were flagged.

It is said that 13 different people – one of those being fellow veteran BBC presenter, Kirsty Wark – have complained about inappropriate sexual comments on various projects across a 17-year period.

Wallace will now leave the popular cooking show after the best of two decades alongside co-presenter John Torrode, having joined the show all the way back in 2005.

Issuing an official statement following his departure, the show’s production company Banijay UK told PA (Press Association) news agency: “This week the BBC received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows.

“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show [MasterChef] producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate.”

BBC veteran Wark, 69, told the corporation that he made a number of remarks that were of a “sexualised nature” in front of contestants and crew during a season of Celebrity MasterChef back in 2011, strongly insisting that she fell the comments were “really, really in the wrong place”.

The Peckham-born TV personality has now been “stepped away” from the job while a full investigation is carried out, with Banijay assuring that their “duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions.”

The company have assured that while the issues weren’t initially raised at the time they were said to have occurred, they are now being taken very seriously, as well as urging others to come forward with any issues or concerns.

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Prior to landing the job on MasterChef, ‘Gregg the Veg’ was a greengrocer in Covent Garden before ultimately opening his own restaurant, Wallace and Co, in Putney.

The site was ultimately closed just after the Christmas break back in 2013 after he was forced to sell its parent company, Wallace Cafes.

As for the current investigation, he is said to be “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process.”

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BBC (screenshot)

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