Business

Gary Neville launches campaign to safely drive footfall back to Manchester city centre

'United City' wants to encourage people back to Manchester in a COVID-secure way.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 23rd November 2020
United City

A campaign has been launched by some of Manchester’s leading business owners and public figures to drive footfall back into the city centre post-lockdown.

Bury-born ex Manchester United star and pundit/commentator Gary Neville has joined forces with other prominent figures – with the backing of Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese, and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – to create United City.

The collective of business leaders want to encourage people to return safely to towns and the city centre.

United City says increasing footfall is “critical to the success” of the entire region, and will campaign to get Greater Manchester on the road to economic recovery, fix its “broken ecosystem”, and also commission independent research to back up its messages, with hard data and use findings to negotiate with central government.

The founders of United City are Gary Neville of Relentless Group, Chris Oglesby of Bruntwood, Lisa Morton of Roland Dransfield PR, Will Lewis of OBI and Frank McKenna of Downtown in Business.

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The group hopes to get the region “back on its feet” and back to supporting retail, leisure, culture, and sports businesses, as well as provide support and advice for business owners to make sure workforces are welcomed back safely.

Raising funds for vulnerable citizens is also included in the plans.

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United City‘s strategy plans – which looks to creating COVID-secure environments – include input from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Manchester City Council, and its privately-funded research will help to bridge the gap by providing clear data to manage safety in workplaces, hospitality venues and on transport.

The research will also allow Greater Manchester leaders to negotiate with the government on local lockdown restrictions and navigate their own way out of them.

Gary Neville – Founder and Director of Relentless Group – said: “Manchester is built on community and entrepreneurial spirit [and] it’s imperative that this crisis doesn’t remove that from our DNA [so] United City will create a clear path forward for the region and will help to effect genuine change for the people and businesses that are based here.

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“To make this happen, we need as much support from the business community as possible.

“We are looking for business leaders to step up and lead the change to our working habits, to get our teams back into the office, and back together again.”

Chris Oglesby – CEO at Bruntwood – commented: “It goes without saying that the region’s ecosystem is broken without a confident and collective return to a more normal life, and that an economic recovery for the city – and millions of people who rely on that ecosystem – is impossible without a shared impetus to get things moving again.

“Within the UnitedCity steering group, we have professionals who can support and advise business leaders to ensure that they are able to practically and emotionally support their returning workforces.

“The city centre in particular needs life breathed back into it; it’s nothing without its people, and the culture, hospitality, retail and leisure businesses within it have helped create Manchester’s reputation as a hotbed of innovation and dynamism.

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“We’ll be looking to build a broad coalition with other business organisations and political leaders, with the long-term aim of ensuring Greater Manchester can recover in a way which is sustainable and healthy.”

Will Lewis of OBI added: “A lot of people still haven’t even been back to the city centre since March.

“We’re so concerned for all sorts of different sectors, so we hope that this organisation will encourage and help Manchester and encourage people to get back to the city – not in a cavalier way, in a COVID-secure way.

“It’s got to be done safely.”

You can find out more about the United City campaign and objectives here.

Business

Campaigners set up petition to pedestrianise Tib Street in the Northern Quarter

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pedestrianise Tib Street petition Northern Quarter

Local campaigners in Manchester have set up a new petition to hopefully pedestrianise what they have deemed the ‘untapped’ Tib Street in the Northern Quarter.

And not only do they arguably have a strong point, but the proposal might have legs, too.

Even if the name Tib St doesn’t quite ring a bell, if you live centrally or have been to the city centre enough times, the chances are you’ll likely have walked down it at least once or twice.

More importantly, you could be walking, drinking, eating and plenty more there soon, if the people behind this petition pull off the plans they’re hoping to put in place with the help of Manchester City Council.

Staging a small, simple but considered and definitive demonstration on Friday, 24 October, a group of Manc businesses, residents and volunteers gathered to hold out the banner seen above, calling for exactly what it says: for local authorities to pedestrianise Tib Street.

They believe it has more potential. (Credit: The Manc Group)

Having seen the success of nearby Thomas Street and Edge St, which have become two of the busiest parts of what is already one of Manchester’s most vibrant districts and cultural hubs, they essentially want a piece of the action – and you can’t exactly blame them.

While at least part of the road is well utilised with the likes of Northern Soul, Evelyn’s, MyThai, and other independents sit pretty tucked away up into the slightly raised buildings above street level, with that recognisable bridge hanging above, the thoroughfare as a whole still remains a bit of a bottleneck.

It’s arguably even more so further down the street as you head more towards Ancoats, too, with the backstreet sitting behind the likes of Tib Street Tavern, Matt and Phreds, and The Butcher’s Quarter still mainly reserved for little more than deliveries and people trying to secure a shortcut.

Nearby native Fiona Moinuddin, who has rallied to try and get the Council on side in the past, says: “Pedestrianisation has already transformed other parts of NQ, and Tib Street should be next.

“This is about making our streets safer, supporting local businesses, and giving people space to enjoy our city centre. I’m calling on the Council to listen to residents and act.”

In fact, there have already been calls to roll back the road to a bygone era and bring back one particular treasured piece of its heritage.

Northern Quarter’s iconic ‘Big Horn’ could be coming back to Tib Street
Before it was known for lorries, diversions and traffic, it was home to a rather famous bit of artwork.

Chatting with the Tavern’s co-owners on the day, Rory O’Keefe and Jon Dootson, they told The Manc that “it’d be so much better for the street to be closed.”

“We’ve obviously got Dorsey Street, which could be opened up and turned into a terrace of a sort of community garden, and just tidy this area up and make it look a lot nicer for the city – it’ll be great for businesses as well.”

“I think there are too many cars coming down here. Obviously, everything’s mainly featured on Stevenson Square, and we feel a little bit left out around the corner.”

They also noted that although it’s been great to see how their Thomas and Edge St neighbours are thriving, not to mention they’ve been around for over two decades themselves, they have sadly lost a lot of business due to the disparity – especially when the sun comes out.

We also spoke to Matt and Phreds‘ boss, Claire Turner, who said: “Tib would be really good for pedestrianisation, so we can have some outdoor furniture, maybe even bring some live music into the street in the summer; it would just kind of tie everything together with the rest of the Northern Quarter.

“I understand it’s not going to be for everybody, but I’m hoping the council will logistically sort everything out so that there’s still plenty of access for deliveries etc., but I just think it’s a positive thing for all of us.”

If you’d like to get behind the movement, you can sign the petition to pedestrianise Tib Street HERE.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Business

Tesco announces MASSIVE recruitment drive for 28,000 extra Christmas staff

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Outside a Tesco store

Tesco has launched a massive festive recruitment drive, with more than 28,000 temporary roles up for grabs.

With the festive season fast approaching, and most British supermarkets having already unveiled their Christmas food and drink ranges for 2025, Tesco is gearing up for what is always one of the busiest times for the year for the retail industry by launching a massive UK-wide seasonal recruitment drive.

The jobs will mainly involve working in Tesco’s Superstores and Extra stores.

Shifts will either be early morning, day, or evening shifts, so that prospective applicants can find an opportunity that fits around them. 

With a wide range of roles available, the tens of thousands of temporary staff across the UK – including here in Greater Manchester – will be tasked with serving customers, restocking shelves, and fulfilling online orders by picking, packing, and delivering.

“With the busy Christmas period ahead, we are looking for people who can bring warmth, enthusiasm, and a helpful service to every shopping trip,” commented Ela Golab, who is Tesco’s Group People Services Director.

Pay starts from £12.64 per hour, and a night premium of an additional £2.35 per hour – with plenty of different flexible shifts available.

“From turkey and mince pies to decorations and crackers, it’s a big job keeping our shelves stocked up for the nation’s celebrations,” Tesco said in a statement on its recruitment website. “That’s why we need you – you’ll help keep our shelves filled and our customers jolly.”

Tesco says ‘no day is ever the same’ and festive colleagues will be able to ‘feel the impact’ they make on every shift, as they send customers home with a smile.

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No experience is ‘necessary’ for these temporary roles, Tesco says – just the ‘right attitude’.

Fancy it then? If you’re keen to join Tesco’s teams across the UK this Christmas, then head on over to the supermarket’s recruitment website here to apply, or you can pop into your nearby store for more information.

Featured Image – Tesco plc

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