Manchester figures weigh in on early roadmap reports
Local business leaders and MPs are all taking to social media this morning (February 22) to post their opinions following media speculation on what the government exit plan may look like.
Gary Neville has suggested the country should reopen by April 15.
Some of Manchester’s key figures are weighing in with their own verdicts as the first reports of England’s roadmap out of lockdown begin to surface.
Local business leaders and politicians are taking to social media this morning (February 22) to post their opinions following media speculation on what the government exit plan may look like.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to outline the strategy – which he spent last weekend finalising – in more detail to MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon.
A public address will follow later this evening.
It appears that restrictions will be lifted on a national basis rather than through a tiered approach.
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Schools pupils are still due to return on March 8, with relaxations around social mixing expected from March 29.
Measures on other sectors will be lifted in stages, but will need to meet four ‘tests’ along the way, Downing Street has said. These include:
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Successful deployment of vaccine
Continued evidence vaccine is working
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
Assessment of the risks not fundamentally changed by new ‘variants of concern’
Among the local figures commenting on these early reports is former Manchester United star and UnitedCity representative Gary Neville, who has argued that all restrictions should be lifted by mid-April.
The early reports are out on the “ Roadmap “. The suggestion seems to be 4 stages will be announced .
I can only think of 2 :
1. Children back in school ASAP 2. Re-open the country the day after all over 50’s and the vulnerable are vaccinated. ( April 15th )
The Hotel Football and Salford City Football Club owner posted on Twitter: “The early reports are out on the ‘Roadmap’.
“The suggestion seems to be 4 stages will be announced.”
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“I can only think of 2.
“1. Children back in school ASAP. 2. Re-open the country the day after all over 50’s and the vulnerable are vaccinated. (April 15th).”
Greater Manchester Nighttime Economy Adviser Sacha Lord also chimed in – claiming if initial reports were true about hospitality not opening until May, Chancellor Rishi Sunak needed to announce a support package.
Lord commented: “We need to wait for the PM to confirm today, BUT, if the return of restaurants/pubs isn’t until May, The Chancellor needs to urgently respond with a clear support package.
“A 10 day wait until 3rd March [the budget announcement] is too long for peoples mental health and anxiety over their jobs/businesses.”
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MP for Manchester Central Lucy Powell echoed Lord’s remarks, stating that economic support must be announced today ahead of the budget.
She stated: “Business rate bills for April landing now for retail, hospitality, hair & beauty, yet unlikely to be open by then; millions remain on furlough too.
“In total £50bn bombshell facing business. Extend support!”
We need to wait for the PM to confirm today, BUT, if the return of restaurants/pubs isn't until May, The Chancellor needs to urgently respond with a clear support package.
A 10 day wait until 3rd March is too long for peoples mental health and anxiety over their jobs/businesses.
Last week, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham urged the government to “go slow and go national” with lifting restrictions, claiming that the lockdown exit was too fast in spring.
Burnham argued that this rapid release of restrictions may have contributed to the likes of Manchester re-entering restrictions by the end of July.
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On Monday morning, the Mayor said that early leaks of the roadmap look “on the right lines”, but that any plan without additional support for those self-isolating had a “bloody big hole in it”.
The leaks of the PM’s roadmap sound like it is on the right lines. ?
BUT …
Any roadmap that comes without a plan to help the 20,000 people who every day tell Test & Trace that they can’t afford to self-isolate is a roadmap with a bloody big hole in it!
The Prime Minister is expected to address MPs at around 3pm.
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Kevin De Bruyne confirms he is leaving Manchester City
Danny Jones
One of the Premier League’s best-ever players and a true Manchester City legend, Kevin De Bruyne, has confirmed he will soon be leaving the club.
Announced in a series of emotional social media posts on Friday, 4 April, the brilliant Belgian footballer will be calling time on his career at the Etihad Stadium come the end of this season.
Having spent a decade in the iconic blue of Man City, De Bruyne will undoubtedly go down as one of their all-time greats, having helped them to their first Champions League trophy during the Treble-winning year and a record four consecutive Premier League titles – of which he’s won six in total.
As you can see in the lengthy message shared on his social media, ‘King Kev’ informed City supporters that this current campaign will be his last in their colours, writing: “Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter.”
The 33-year-old, who has suffered from increasing injury problems over the last couple of years, goes on to say that “Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players we all know this day eventually come. That day is here – and you deserve to hear it from me first.”
In what is clearly a heartfelt and just as difficult a post for him to write as it is for fans to hear, he added: Football led me to all of you – and this city […] This will always be our HOME.”
Blues all over Greater Manchester and beyond will be heartbroken, but many won’t be completely shocked given his in-and-out
It’s a sad day to be a Cityzen, no doubt.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of the Manchester derby, manager Pep Guardiola said: “In the Premier League, he is one of the greatest midfielders in this country and top of the Club. Great, if not the greatest.
Manchester City will bid an emotional farewell to Kevin De Bruyne this summer when his contract expires, bringing an end to a glittering 10-year period at the Club 🩵
Although his talent will never come into question, it’s no secret that he’s struggled to stay fit and be as prolific a creator in Guardiola‘s side – though this is largely in contrast to his ridiculously high levels and just how much of a talisman he has been over the past 10 years.
Starting just 19 matches this season, he’s still managed to score four goals and register seven assists, but a recurring hamstring problem has seen game time limited.
Regardless, when he’s at his best, there’s no question about it: he’s the best player in the Premier League, and the club have promised to pay fitting tributes to their generational number 17.
With 106 goals to his name in 413 appearances – the first midfielder since Colin Bell to reach over a century – across all competitions for City, not to mention 118 assists in the Premier League alone, he’s been one of the most creative and, frankly, ingenious players on the planet for more than a decade.
Whether you’re a Blue, a Red or otherwise, no one can deny the joy of watching him play football. Thanks for the memories, KdB.
Featured Images — Brad Tutterow (via Flickr)/soccer.ru (via WikiCommons) Kevin De Bruyne (via X)
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Prestwich’s regeneration plans take another step forward
Danny Jones
The regeneration plans being put forward for Prestwich have taken another step forward as a construction company has new been appointed to bring the vision of a new village centre to life.
With full planning permission for phase one of the redevelopment granted back in July 2024, it’s been pretty much full speed ahead on lining up one of Greater Manchester’s latest regeneration projects and adding more to what is already one of its best up-and-coming suburbs.
Prestwich Village Regeneration LLP are pumping over £100 million into developing the main square, and with Chroma Consulting having now passed on the baton to those erecting this new-look town centre, the joint venture between Bury Council and national ‘place maker’ Muse, work can soon begin.
You can see one of the first early renders down below:
CGIs of the new space around the Longfield Centre. (Credit: Supplied)
VINCI Building were officially appointed as construction partners last month, and with enabling works (surveys, ground investigations and so forth) now complete, the contractors are expected to get underway soon.
Additions to the vibrant new village centre will include a multi-storey Travel Hub, which will also see 301 new parking spaces, along with electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage and a car club. This will replace the Fairfax Road car park, which closed when the early stage began last December.
Beyond this, the Prestwich regeneration plans are set to include a community hub, library and flexible community space for arts and cultural events, a new Prestwich Health Centre; a fresh village square with ‘family-friendly social places’ and room for open-air markets, festivals and more.
A dedicated Prestwich Village Market hall will be the perfect place to house local retailers as well as food and drink vendors, not to mention a much better entry point into the village courtesy of plans to transform the “arrival experience from the tram” by integrating with surrounding green spaces.
Speaking of which, there will also be extensive landscaping in and around the village centre, with the existing fountain set to be removed and new public art installations created in its place.
A glimpse at the new Prestwich Village Market.An overview of all three phases.Credit: Supplied
Beyond the public spaces, over 200 new homes – which made up a big part of the initial application – are also included in the wider vision, with a mix of affordable housing and FTB (first-time buyers) properties.
Leader of Bury Council, Eamonn O’Brien, said of the latest developments: “We are thrilled to announce the next stage in this multi-million pound transformational regeneration scheme, which marks a significant step towards revitalising the heart of Prestwich Village and creating a vibrant, sustainable future for all.
“As well as enhancing local infrastructure, our ambitious plans will foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for the whole community.” A final completion date is yet to be confirmed, but work on the Travel Hub specifically is set to carry over into next year.
Exciting times are ahead for Prestwich. It’s not the only borough making plans for the next chapter and set for a bit of TLC.
The Manc -
22nd February 2021 
