A beloved mural of Ian Curtis is to be restored in the Northern Quarter more than a year after it was painted over with an Aitch advert.
The original artwork of the Joy Division singer had been commissioned to raise awareness for mental health and installed on the side of a house on Port Street from October 2020 until the end of August 2022.
However, when it was covered over by an advert for Aitch’s new album the discovery was met with fury across the board – including from Aitch himself.
As a furore raged in Manchester, graffiti saying ‘Money, money will tear us apart again’ and ‘Ian Woz Ere’ was later daubed on the wall in protest, with Aitch commenting: “No way on earth would I want to disrespect a local hero like Ian.”
Councillors finally promised to help find a new home for the mural and now, more than a year on, it has been revealed that the artwork is to be reinstated at a new home in the Northern Quarter.
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Image: The Manc Group
Planning documents show that events company Headstock, described as ‘the UK’s biggest music and mental wellbeing festival’, has its sights set on the iconic Star and Garter pub as the new location for the mural.
Located behind Piccadilly train station on Fairfield Street, images included in the application show that the artwork will be created once again by local artist Akse P19 and will look near-identical to the original.
A design and access statement included in the application reads: “The mural of Ian Curtis had been painted on the wall of 75 Port Street in October 2020 and was opened to celebrate World Mental Health day and support Manchester Mind, Help Musicians and promote the 24/7 wellbeing text service Shout.
“The mural was overpainted with a music advertisement in August 2022 leading to a public outcry within the Manchester community and the wider music community. The search for an alternate wall, ideally within the Northern Quarter began in later August 2022, with the Star and Garter offered as a prospective site.
“The mural depicts the singer Ian Curtis of the post-punk band Joy Division, who died by suicide in 1980, shortly before the release of their second album, Closer and on the eve of the band’s first North American tour.”
Featured image – Google Maps
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Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost
Emily Sergeant
Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.
As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.
This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.
According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting.
This government is determined to tackle, reduce and prevent homelessness.
— Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Gov (@mhclg) December 18, 2024
The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.
Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.
Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.
More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.
This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.
It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.
Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)
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Avanti West Coast staff set to strike on major days over festive period
Emily Sergeant
Avanti West Coast staff are set to strike on some major days over the festive period, it has been announced.
Train managers who are members of the RMT Union will stage industrial action on New Year’s Eve and 2 January 2025 after “overwhelmingly rejecting” the train company’s “inadequate proposals” on rest day working arrangements.
On top of this, strikes will also go ahead on Sundays between 12 January and 25 May too.
According to the union, up to 400 members are involved in the dispute with Avanti, and 83% of those voted against a suggested deal.
Strikes were previously planned for 22, 23, and 29 December as well, but they were suspended last week after a suggested agreement was put to a referendum of RMT members.
Avanti West Coast staff are set to strike on several major days over the festive period / Credit: Avanti West Coast
“Our members have resoundingly rejected Avanti’s latest offers in two referendums,” explained an RMT spokesperson. “Sustained strike action is now the only way to focus management’s minds on reaching a negotiated settlement with the union.”
In case you weren’t familiar, Avanti’s West Coast Main Line operates six routes along the west of the UK, including from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, as well as services from London to other major cities such as to Blackpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Holyhead, Wrexham, and Liverpool.
Avanti has warned its customers that the strikes will likely cause “significant disruption” on the West Coast Main Line.
The train operator took to X to assure that its plans will be confirmed “as soon as possible”.
The RMT union has announced strike action affecting Avanti West Coast on 31 December and 2 January, along with all Sundays from 12 January to 25 May 2025. We’re looking at how this industrial action will impact our services and we’ll confirm our plans as soon as possible.
“The RMT union has announced strike action affecting Avanti West Coast on 31 December and 2 January, along with all Sundays from 12 January to 25 May 2025,” the statement reads on X.
“We’re looking at how this industrial action will impact our services and we’ll confirm our plans as soon as possible.”
An Avanti West Coast spokesperson also added in response to the industrial action being called yesterday: “We’re disappointed our train managers who are RMT members have voted to decline the very reasonable, revised offer made to them to resolve the rest day working dispute and avoid inconveniencing our customers.
Georgina Pellant -
11th August 2023 
