In what can only be described as a throwback to the nostalgic drinks of our student years, this week in The Manc office we’re getting excited about the return of an especially festive limited edition flavour of VK.
Get ready for your tongue to turn an insatiable bright red because, in preparation for the Christmas season, the VK team has re-released a popular limited edition flavour.
Yes, we’re talking about the sweet strawberry and peppermint VK Candy Cane. What’s more, we don’t expect they’ll be hanging around for long – so VK fans need to be quick off the mark to get their hands on this festive fan favourite.
First created in homage to the iconic Christmas sweet back in 2019, the last time they were released Candy Cane mixed packs sold out across the UK by 15 December following unprecedented demand
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The fruity-flavoured alcopops already come in a variety of flavours, with VK Blue, Watermelon, and Orange & Passionfruit all firmly established as cheap party staples, but now there’s a new one for shoppers to hunt out on supermarket shelves.
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The bottles are available in limited edition festive Mixed Packs, available from Tesco, ASDA, B&M, and Home Bargains from the start of November.
The festive VK Mixed Pack, which contains 10 x 275ml bottles of the 4% drink, have an RRP of £10.
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Flavours include VK Candy Cane and a selection of VK favourites – Blue, Strawberry & Lime, Orange & Passion Fruit, Tropical Fruits, Apple & Mango, Watermelon, Black Cherry, and Raspberry & Peach.
Those purchasing a festive Mixed Pack this year will also be in with a chance of winning their very own VK Christmas jumper.
There are over 100 Golden Tickets placed randomly in the festive Mixed Packs – and all that winners have to do is take a picture of their ticket and send this to @VKdrink on Instagram to claim their jumper (while stock last).
There are also hundreds of Christmas prizes to be won in multiple giveaways across VK’s Instagram this Christmas, including VK Santa hats.
Charlie Leaver, Head of Brand at Global Brands Ltd: “At VK we love all that Christmas brings, from celebrations with friends and family through to fun flavours like gingerbread and candy cane. Following huge demand for candy cane in 2019, we couldn’t help but bring it back for fans to try this year.
“We hope you enjoy celebrating Christmas with this fan favourite!”
Even more of the Gay Village will be turned into outdoor seating this summer
Daisy Jackson
The Gay Village is set to get even more outdoor seating this summer, with the council moving to partially close several key streets to traffic.
The news lands mid-heatwave when thousands of Mancs are clamouring for a seat in the nearest beer garden or cafe terrace – with a huge proportion of those flocking to Canal Street.
Now, plans have been revealed to bring ‘a touch of cafe culture’ to the Gay Village, with even more outdoor seating space created for businesses in the area.
Initially running as a trial this summer, it will mean new terraces for New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle on Bloom Street, plus more locations on Richmond Street.
Manchester City Council has said that similar schemes on Thomas Street and Stevenson Square have been hugely popular with both punters and businesses, especially during the summer months, and can give local operators a huge boost.
So now it’s time for this thriving corner of the city to get the same treatment, as part of the ongoing work through the Gay Village Action Plan identified the need for more outdoor seating areas.
The two locations which will have the changes will be Bloom Street, between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street; and Richmond Street, between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
In order to put these protected spaces into effect, some changes to the existing road network will be made:
Bloom Street becomes one-way from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street
Richmond Street is closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
The scheme will initially run on a trial basis from 10 July throughout the summer to evaluate if it could be a viable long-term solution.
During this, plans will also be in place to ensure that deliveries and loading can go about unhindered, as well as daily waste collection and access for residents.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “The Gay Village is one of our most precious communities. For decades the queer community has been able to call this neighbourhood its own, establishing a long and proud place in the history of the fight against bigotry and discrimination.
“Needless to say, it’s one of the most-visited places in Manchester and sees thousands of people tread its cobbled streets every year. Because of that we’re always looking at how we, as its custodians, can continue to support its legacy and ensure that it meets the needs of people who live and work there.
“We’re excited to be trialling additional outdoor seating for these streets, and we hope to bring the same success that we’ve seen in the Northern Quarter after putting similar schemes in place.
“But, above all this has to work for everyone, so I would urge people to take part in this consultation and help shape the future of the Gay Village.”
Fire service urges Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as heatwave continues
Emily Sergeant
People across Greater Manchester and beyond are being urged by the fire service to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues this week.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has issued an urgent plea residents and visitors to take extra care on moorland and in rural areas as part of the annual ‘Be Moor Aware’ campaign – which is aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing the impact they have.
GMFRS has issued the plea alongside its partners at United Utilities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), neighbouring fire and rescue services, and local councils.
It comes as Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
The fire service urges the Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues / Credit: Mick Garrett (via Geograph)
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions, with current forecasts indicating peak temperatures of 33°C.
But this doesn’t stop the wildfire risk, and the fire service is warning that prolonged periods of dryness but the countryside in danger.
GMFRS data shows there have been 83 wildfires across Greater Manchester since 2021, including a significant rise in 2025, when 38 incidents were record, and there has already been six wildfires recorded in 2026.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly, especially during warm and dry weather, putting lives, wildlife and property at risk,” explained GMFRS Wildfire Lead, Adrian Taylor.
“Many of these fires are preventable, and we’re asking everyone to take responsibility when visiting our moorland areas. Small actions, such as not using disposable barbecues and taking litter home, can make a huge difference in preventing devastating fires.”
Georgina Pellant -
9th November 2022 
