Sacha Lord pursues legal challenge to open indoor hospitality in April
Lord is taking his case to High Court after the Government 'failed to introduce any new evidence' to justify why indoor hospitality is reopening later than non-essential retail.
Sacha Lord is persisting in his battle to get indoor hospitality opened on April 12 – confirming his legal team will take the case to High Court after the Government ‘failed to introduce any new evidence’ justifying their lockdown exit roadmap.
Greater Manchester’s Night-Time Economy Adviser has joined forces with Punch Taverns founder Hugh Osmond to take the Government to court over hospitality restrictions – arguing that bars, restaurants and cafes should be allowed to provide indoor service on the same date as non-essential retail reopens.
Under current national lockdown exit plans, the hospitality sector can resume outdoor service from April 12, but must wait until May 17 to welcome customers indoors.
Lord has claimed the Government has been unable to provide evidence for their reasoning behind the roadmap, and said on Wednesday (March 18) he would be “working through the night” to take the case to High Court for a judicial review.
“We have clear, solid evidence, why indoor hospitality, with measures in place, should open at the same time as non essential retail,” stated the Parklife and WHP founder.
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“We are safer, more secure, regulated and licensed. We are gaining momentum across the UK. It makes no sense to keep us shut.
“We’ll prove it.”
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We've just received the Governments response.
They have FAILED to introduce any new evidence as to why indoor hospitality cannot open the same day as non essential retail.
We'll now be working through the night to take our case to the High Court for a Judicial Review.
The Parliamentary Committee seems to agree that @Sacha_Lord and I are right. Hospitality industry has been closed without any supporting evidence for the decision ever having been revealed. @AlexReilley1 pic.twitter.com/nPPso5stwo
Lord previously launched legal action against the Government for its treatment of the hospitality sector, claiming that pubs and bars have been hit with unfair restrictions during the pandemic.
He called it a “landmark victory for hospitality”.
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Lord has spent the past few weeks attempting to force the Government into another u-turn so that venues in England can start serving customers indoors next month.
Fellow campaigner Osmond claimed on Twitter that the “Government’s evidence is shite”.
The hospitality boss added: “Make no mistake, the task to win a case in Court against the Government is tough. Very tough.
“But Sacha Lord already showed that it can be done. So we will push it all the way.”
News
New £60m fund launched to fill potholes across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new £60 million Pothole Fund has been created to repair more of the city region’s roads and pavements.
The fund – which has been set up by new Mayor Bev Craig, and is to be spent across every borough in Greater Manchester – is set to be a ‘major boost’ to efforts to tackle the pothole problem, as it will be enough to repair and maintain over a million square metres, or around 125 kilometres, of road across the wider region.
Around 2.5 billion trips are made on Greater Manchester‘s roads every year – not only by motorists, but also by buses, trams, cyclists, and pedestrians. So the fund will be used to help keep the highways network ‘safe and reliable’.
The fund will enable transport teams to repair hotspots where surfaces are in poor condition, as well as resurface roads and pavements to prevent them from deteriorating in the first place.
A new £60m fund has been launched to fill potholes across Greater Manchester / Credit: TfGM
Cold and wet winters, more traffic, and heavier vehicles using the roads are just some of the contributing factors to the pothole problem, which is why the fund is being introduced before autumn and winter properly arrives.
The amount each of the 10 boroughs will receive is based on an agreed funding formula, with the allocations being:
Bolton: £6,552,000
Bury: £4,374,000
Manchester: £8,155,000
Oldham: £5,258,000
Rochdale: £5,243,000
Salford: £5,388,000
Stockport: £6,820,000
Tameside: £4,980,000
Trafford: £4,992,000
Wigan: £8,241,000
The extra cash comes from the region’s transport budget, with leaders agreeing to reallocate funding towards highways maintenance, and it fulfils a commitment Bev made in her Mayoral Manifesto to repair more roads and make sure pavements are safe.
“Keeping our roads and pavements safe and well maintained is essential for a growing city region like Greater Manchester,” explained Mayor Bev Craig.
“That’s why I promised to create this new Pothole Fund that will benefit drivers and everyone who uses our roads to get around. Properly maintaining our roads will save motorists money on costly repairs, and by preventing potholes forming in the first place, councils won’t have to spend as much money on emergency road repairs.
“This issue came up repeatedly on the doorstep during my election campaign so I’m pleased that I can do something about it so quickly, building on the significant work already planned by councils across Greater Manchester.”
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Six GMP officers dismissed following racial discrimination allegations
Emily Sergeant
A number of police officers have been dismissed following an internal investigation, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
Following the internal investigation into alleged racial discrimination against an officer on the Bury district – which was launched by GMP‘s Professional Standards Directorate in July 2024 – six officers and two former officers were found to have committed gross misconduct, and a ninth officer was found to have committed misconduct.
The investigation came after a report was made that an officer had been subjected to ‘racist behaviour’ by colleagues in December 2023.
The panel heard how PC Y – who has African heritage and has been granted anonymity – made a complaint after her accent was mimicked by a group of officers. She was also compared to a suspect with similar skin colour, and one of the dismissed PCs made a derogatory comment about her hair.
PC Y was supported and kept updated throughout the investigation, GMP assured, as well as providing evidence at the hearing.
The misconduct hearing lasted just over two weeks, with the panel concluding that the officers breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to Equality and Diversity, Authority, Respect, and Courtesy.
The six officers who have been dismissed are PC Demi Green, PC Heena Rani, PC Lucy Granby, PC Matthew Barlow, PC Matthew Hill, and PC Mohammed Abid, while the former officers who were found to have committed gross misconduct are PC Jake Holt, and former Officer A – who has been granted anonymity.
The panel also found that Sergeant Adrian Bick’s actions amounted to misconduct, as there was no breach of the standard of equality and diversity.
As a result, the six serving officers have been sacked without notice, while the two former officers would have been dismissed had they not already left the force, and Sergeant Bick was issued a written warning.
“No officer or member of staff should have to come to work and experience discriminatory behaviour from the people they serve alongside,” declared Deputy Chief Constable, Terry Woods.
“Everyone has the right to feel respected, valued and part of the same team with a shared commitment to serving our communities and keeping people safe.”
The Manc -
18th March 2021 
