eStar Mercedes-Benz is the new sponsors of one of The Manc’s original video series Mancs on Tour.
And we’ve been kitted out with a brand-new ride to celebrate it.
With sustainability being a huge focus for many businesses in Manchester right now, and following the latest Green Summit with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, this city is set to become the first in the country to adopt an accelerated carbon reduction plan – with an ambitious view to becoming carbon neutral by 2038 – and is also aiming to become the first city-region to deliver a carbon neutral transport network.
Just like The Manc Group, eStar Mercedes-Benz is keen to further “bolster the importance of sustainability” in Greater Manchester, which is why we’ve joined forces to spread the word and also raise awareness about the company’s electric vehicle range.
eStar is a Mercedes-Benz Van retailer specialising in electric mobility and operating throughout the North West England and North Wales, with a mission to work in partnership with the retail businesses to provide a consultative approach to ensure sustainable growth for now and for the future.
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The company provides customers with anything from a small panel van, up to large, fully-electric people-carriers and HGVs.
eStar Mercedes-Benz has kitted The Manc out with a new branded fully-electric tourer van / Credit: The Manc Group
eStar says its unique position in the industry enables it to serve both the business and lifestyle community, but its services are not just limited to the supply of vehicles, as it’s also dedicated to keeping people moving and operating 24-hour servicing that’s delivered by highly-skilled Mercedes-Benz Technicians.
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eStar has kitted The Manc out with a fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer van to inform and inspire the people of Manchester, raise awareness about the importance of sustainability, and most-importantly, to support emission-free travel for our video series that’s fondly-named ‘Mancs On Tour’.
The Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer is an exceptional vehicle that offers “advanced safety, exceptional driver comfort, and unrivalled aftercare” to give drivers that extra peace of mind, and on top of that, the vehicle also produces zero emissions.
This means the vehicle is exempt from congestion and Clean Air Zone charges.
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eStar Mercedes-Benz is keen to further “bolster the importance of sustainability” in Greater Manchester / Credit: The Manc Group
Mancs on Tour is one of our newest original video series, which sees our very-own presenter Joe McGrath and videographer Tim Hoyle take to the road to visit all sorts of sights in and around Greater Manchester, with recent adventures having included a trip to the iconic Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and most-recently, a Halloween-themed immersive tour around a haunted abandoned mill, and plenty of other exciting adventures in the works.
You can also see the van featured in recent and upcoming episodes of our most-popular video series Takeaway Champions, as well as other videos posted across The Manc’s social media channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
Keep your eyes peeled for more Mancs on Tour content, and of course, be on the look-out for our branded van on the roads around Greater Manchester and beyond.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Business
How much money Manchester United spent on Dan Ashworth only for him to leave five months later
Danny Jones
Manchester United’s ‘new’ sporting director Dan Ashworth only made the move to Old Trafford back in July and now, just five months later, he has officially left by ‘mutual agreement’.
Announced over the weekend, not only did the news come much to the surprise of United fans but given that his appointment was confirmed long before his start date, Ashworth actually spent almost just as long not quite having joined the club as he did on the job. Sounds messy, we know – because it is.
In short, both Newcastle and now Manchester United’s 53-year-old ex-sporting director was placed on gardening leave back in February after a clear approach by what would be his short-lived new home.
They also paid the North East side a large sum to secure his services – far from a measly number when you consider where else they’ve pinched pennies this year…
INEOS at Manchester United:
– Got rid of Dan Ashworth after five months having had him on gardening leave for the same amount of time. Oh and paid £3 million for him.
– Put ticket prices up to £66 for everyone, including children and pensioners.
To put things into context, while in footballing terms £3 million might not sound like a lot of money (the industry being as overinflated as it is), when you take into account what that money could have gone towards, it doesn’t necessarily make for great reading.
Oh yeah, you also have to tot up how much he was paid as his regular wage during a five-month stint in which even more money was spent on players and those hoping to grab a ticket to one of the remaining games this season (we’re not even in Christmas yet) were asked to fork of £66 for the privilege.
The technical director for the FA’s elite development programme will have likely been on a higher wage in Manchester than he was in Newcastle, where he is said to have taken home around £1.5m a year, and probably notched a good chunk of that amount in less than half a year.
Even operating on the assumption that the INEOS Group matched his rate at St James’ Park, this means that he will have made at the very least an estimated £625k since switching Uniteds.
Add that on top of The Times‘ claims that the actual compensation figure Jim Ratcliffe and co. paid to release him from his previous role were actually upwards of the reported figure, then you’re looking at something closer to over £5m for as many months of work.
Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth left his role after just five months.
Just as a reminder, roughly £200m has been spent on new players since Ashworth took up the position and 250 staff members were made redundant from various roles throughout the club, which was also said to have tacked on another £8.6m to the overall expenditure.
Although exact details are still yet to be fully verified, Ashworth and the new United hierarchy have clearly clashed: it is thought he was lumped with the decision to keep Erik ten Hag and extend his contract before his eventual sacking and also made clear suggestions as to his replacement.
It is also thought Ashworth had tipped other frontrunners to replace the Dutchman instead of new head coach Ruben Amorim, who CEO Omar Berrada to tie down before his former employers Manchester City could line up as Pep Guardiola’s eventual successor.
Whatever ultimately comes out in the wash, we think it’s fair to say it all sounds like a bit of a shambles and the atmosphere around the club – especially following the recent protests over increased ticket prices – looks to be less than rosy once again.
One thing is for sure, like most of those who have attempted since Sir Alex Ferguson, the new manager has walked into a much bigger task than he could have ever predicted and given the Ashworth developments, recent sackings and fan frustration on multiple fronts, United could really do with a win.
Featured Images — BT Sport (screenshot via YouTube)
Business
Government announces £250m plans to create thousands of new jobs in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Thousands of new jobs are set to be created at a ‘research and innovation hub’ in Greater Manchester, it has been announced.
Keir Starmer is currently visiting the Gulf, and as part of the UK Government’s intent to “drive investment” into various cities and regions nationwide, the Prime Minister has now announced plans to pursue closer ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia – who he says are some of the UK’s “most vital” modern-day partners.
According to the Government, this part of the ‘Plan for Change’ will increase investment, deepen defence and security ties, and boost growth and new opportunities, both here in the UK and abroad, in a bid to to “deliver change that is felt by working people”.
It’s the north of England that will “reap the immediate benefits” from the closer cooperation of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the Government claims – particularly here in Greater Manchester.
The Prime Minister has announced £250m plans to create thousands of new jobs in Greater Manchester / Credit: Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street (via Flickr)
Manchester-based Graphene Innovation Manchester (GIM) has now launched the world’s first commercial production of graphene-enriched carbon fibre, along with Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Giga-Project, which is said to be a “groundbreaking step forward” in the delivery of environmentally sustainable advanced materials.
The project is aiming to generate £250 million of investment into a research and innovation hub in Greater Manchester.
More than 1,000 skilled jobs are also expected to be created in our region.
Hydrogen buses, trucks, critical components, and other elements of hydrogen production and distribution will be created over the lifetime of the project, all while removing more than 25 million tons of transport-related CO2.
This government’s long-term missions – and ambitious but achievable milestones – will deliver change for working people. pic.twitter.com/gyc74tf0O0
The Prime Minister says every region and nation in the UK “should feel the impact” of the ‘Plan for Change’, but the North will benefit first.
“I am determined to ensure international diplomacy drives local results,” Starmer said.
“Whether that is discussing how we can support regeneration in the UK, or supporting business deals that create jobs, my international agenda starts at home.”
Greater Manchester will also be benefitting from significant Saudi investment in housing too, the Government says – with International Investment Gate injecting £41 million into the regeneration of Brunswick Mill in Stockport to create 277 flats and 24 commercial outlets, and support the Prime Minister’s milestone to build 1.5 million homes by the end of his tenure in Parliament.
Emily Sergeant -
10th November 2021 
