A plan to get rough sleepers off the streets of Manchester and into temporary accommodation this winter has been published.
Manchester City Council has confirmed it will be working with local partners and health services to set-out an action plan that makes sure no one experiencing street homelessness Greater Manchester is left out in the cold this winter.
While there is year-round provision at Etrop Grange Hotel in Wythenshawe – which is funded by the Council, with support from Greater Manchester Combined Authority(GMCA) – that’s dedicated to moving homeless people off the streets and into accommodation, with teams routinely walking around and connecting those in need with help, the winter brings increased challenges.
So, as the nights draw in, and the temperatures plummet, the Council has revealed that efforts will be “stepped-up even further” to encourage people sleeping rough to “come inside and access the wider support available”.
During periods of severe cold, the Council’s outreach team, together with Manchester Homelessness Partnership members, will be out and about from midnight to 4am, on top of their routine daytime outreach.
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The Council has published a plan to get Manchester’s rough sleepers off the streets this winter / Credit: Ethel Red (via Flickr)
Councils across the UK are known to put cold weather plans in place each year, with the national benchmark for them to come into force being when temperatures are forecast to drop to zero or below for three or more consecutive nights – but here in Manchester, the temperature only needs to be forecast to drop below freezing for a single night for the plans to be activated.
When this is the case, emergency accommodation and assistance will be provided for anyone who is found sleeping rough on our city’s streets.
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As mentioned, accommodation for will predominantly be at Etrop Grange – a 74-space facility that can accommodate dogs, which a key consideration for some people sleeping rough.
Several agencies will be on-hand at the facility tp provide drop-in services for those staying there, including specialist mental health support from Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, and support with drugs and alcohol issues from Change Grow Live, while Urban Medical Village will, once again, provide flu and COVID vaccinations for those who need and want them.
Manchester ranks as third-highest in the country for homelessness per capita / Credit: Flickr | Giving Compass
The publishing of the Council’s rough sleeping winter plan comes after recent data has revealed that Manchester sadly ranks as third-highest in the country for homelessness per capita – with around 7,407 people experiencing homelessness.
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This is believed to be equivalent to one in 74 people.
Cllr Joanna Midgley, who is the Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, admitted that the Counil has taken “learning lessons from previous years” while devising and setting-out its rough sleeping winter plan this year, adding that volunteers will be seeking out people “where they are bedded down rather than asking them to report to day centres or other provision”.
She continued: “It’s important to stress that we are working all year round to help people get off the streets and access support to help them build a future for themselves.
“But we know that during periods of particularly cold weather, some people sleeping rough who might normally be reluctant to accept help are more receptive to it – and this is an important opportunity to reach them.”
Featured Image – Giving Compass
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The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades
Daisy Jackson
The Strokes are finally set to return to Manchester for the first time in years, announcing a huge arena show today.
The iconic indie rockers have shared details of a new European tour, which includes a night at the massive Co-op Live arena here in Manchester.
The news comes hot off the heels of their celebrated Coachella set over the weekend.
The Reality Awaits Tour, named after their upcoming seventh studio album, will take The Strokes to Manchester as well as London and Newcastle, plus several cities across Europe.
The Strokes broke into the industry back in 2001 with their seminal debut album Is This It, which spawned massive indie anthems like Last Nite, Hard To Explain, and Sometimes.
Since then, they’ve released six studio albums, all of which have climbed into the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
You can expect to hear all sorts of fan favourites, like Reptilia, Juicebox, and You Only Live Once, plus new music including their latest single The New Abnormal.
Co-op Live said: “This is set to be an unmissable show as they come to Co-op Live for the first time and we can’t wait!”
Last time The Strokes played in Manchester, it was at the O2 Apollo way back in 2006 – the same year they supported Foo Fighters at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
They played Lytham Festival more recently, but haven’t ventured back into Manchester itself since.
The Strokes will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on 26 October 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 17 April HERE, with a number of pre-sales beginning from Wednesday 15 April.
Manchester Museum to close much-loved section for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has announced that it’s planning to close of its best-loved exhibitions.
Thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Manchester Museum is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium.
The Vivarium has sat at the heart of Manchester Museum for more than 60 years, and is a centre for globally-significant conservation projects, caring for around 30 different amphibian and reptile species – many of which are critically endangered – in a bid to inspire generations of visitors.
Thanks to a pioneering partnership with Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, which is just one of many projects designed to safeguard the future of endangered species and develop learning programmes that raise awareness of threats to biodiversity, Manchester Museum houses the world’s only captive ‘back-up’ population – which is why the redevelopment of the Vivarium is so important.
The funding grant will help to ‘revitalise’ public displays, and create new state-of-the art facilities and bespoke naturalistic environments for the amphibian and reptile species cared for by the Vivarium.
It will also allow the development of dedicated facilities for schools, teaching, and visiting tour groups, which the Museum hopes will ‘further enhance’ the gallery’s potential for learning.
During the redevelopment – which has been named the ‘Habitats of Hope’ project – new permanent displays will also be created that explore the connections between its wider collections and the animals it cares for.
Manchester Museum is set to close one of its much-loved sections for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment / Credit: Supplied
“Habitats of Hope speaks to how wonderful and how vulnerable the world’s rarest amphibians are” commented Georgina Young, who is the Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Manchester Museum.
“Major investment means Manchester Museum can match the highest standards of animal care with a more accessible visitor experience, while weaving stories of research, conservation, partnership and action that stretch from thriving ponds in Manchester to hyper-biodiverse ecosystems in Costa Rica and Panama.”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2023 
