Business

The Co-op Bank announces branch closures, 350 jobs and reduce Manchester HQ roles

These closures and job cuts come as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Manc The Manc - 25th August 2020
Wikimedia Commons

The Co-op Bank has announced today that it plans to cut 350 jobs and close 18 branches nationwide as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The lender said the job cuts would focus on middle management positions and roles at the Manchester city centre head office.

The branch closures are expected to be completed by 1st December and come after an analysis of footfall in each store, which was actually said to have begun before lockdown was put in place. The bank has said it hopes to re-deploy some of its employees into other parts of the business and it begins consulting with staff and unions.

It has been confirmed that the Ashton-under-Lyne branch is the only branch in the Greater Manchester region that is set to close.

DCPFGY / The Co-op Bank

Andrew Bester – Chief Executive at Co-op Bank – said: “Our people have shown great dedication and commitment to our customers over the past few months, so we are very sorry to announce this news today. Unfortunately, we’re not immune to the impact of recent events, with the historically low base rate affecting the income of all banks and a period of prolonged economic uncertainty ahead, which means it’s important we reduce costs and have the right-sized operating model in place for the future.

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“At the same time, we are responding to the continuing shift of more and more customers choosing to bank online, with lower levels of transactions in branches, a trend which has been increasing for some time, across the banking sector and more broadly.”

The company added that is is “writing to affected customers to provide information about the alternative options available to them, including Post Office counter services, telephone, online and mobile banking”.

This is a breaking news story – More to follow.

Business

Professional cricketer wins University Campus of Football Business grand prize at Old Trafford

Danny Jones Danny Jones Cricketer Marie Kelly wins £50k UFCB business prize

British cricketer, Marie Kelly, has won the prestigious University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) Sports Entrepreneur Competition for 2025.

Winning the whopping grand prize of up to £50,000, the Blaze – Nottinghamshire women’s team, formerly known as ‘Lightning’ – and Northern Superchargers star took home the potentially game-changing investment for her own apparel company, Versatail.

Being given the substantial grant late last month, the professional cricket player was presented as the lucky recipient following an intense deliberation process.

Expert judges chose the Birmingham-born young businesswoman from a shortlist of nine finalists selected from countless submissions.

At 29, Kelly fell just within the eligible 18-30 age bracket for the new UFCB Sports Entrepreneur Competition, with 2025 marking a decade of the further education institution here in Manchester.

Held at Man United’s home stadium, Old Trafford, it’s safe to say that the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ felt like a fitting venue to deliver news.

The judging panel was comprised of UCFB Founder, Brendan Flood; Andrea Chilton, CEO of the English Schools Football Association; Eni Shabani, Founder of Rising Ballers; Adrian Harris, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Castore, as well as the CEO of Altrincham FC, Sam Mackenzie.

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As the founder of Versatail UK, which specialises in women’s and active headwear, including lifestyle caps and bobble hats, Kelly has taken her sporting background to create products that cater specifically to long hair and female-centric styling.

For instance, her label has helped oversee the design ‘Magni-Strip®’ trademarked technology, which allows people to adjust their ponytail heights.

Learn more about the inspiration behind the project here:

Votes were based on five criteria: market opportunity, innovation of the idea, feasibility, the pitch quality, and sustainability/impact of the idea.

Other runners-up included a non-league football app called Touchline, and even an anti-bacterial boxing glove liner conceived by a brand specialist at Amazon.

Speaking on the momentous milestone for her still relatively small start-up, Kelly said: “My main emotion is shock. I really didn’t think I would win – I was here for the experience.

The process really helped me strategise the business and really think about where I wanted to go with it. To be named the overall winner, I’m really delighted.”

“The financial prize takes a bit of the weight off my mind about how to supply the demand that I’ve already got for my products and my caps. Hopefully, I can just really develop the product so it’s even better and service even more women and girls in sports.”

As for UCFB, aforementioned CEO Flood went on to add: “As we celebrate 10 years in Manchester, we want to celebrate not just our own journey but empower the young entrepreneurs who will shape the future of sport.

“This competition reflected everything UCFB stands for: ambition, innovation, and the
belief that the sports industry is powered by creative ideas. The calibre of the entries was incredible, so everyone who made the final judging stage deserves immense credit, but Marie was the unanimous choice overall.

“She has done an incredible job establishing her brand, and we hope that this financial reward can help Versatail continue to cater for the diverse needs of women and girls in sport at an even greater scale.

You can see the full video from the most recent event down below.

If you’re looking to make moves in this space, keep your eye out for when entries open for the UCFB Entrepreneur prize in 2026.

Read more:

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Featured Images — University Campus of Football Business (supplied)

Business

Greater Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Dozens of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.

People in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.

This year, 26 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launched this past Saturday (1 November).

Manchester independents such as Mana, Erst, Climat, 10 Tib Lane, Ezra & Gill, Tartuffe, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.

StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.

The funds raised by StreetSmart in Greater Manchester this year will support the crucial work of organisations such as CentrePoint, which funds Independent Living Advisors for young people, and Real Change Manchester, which plugs into the existing homelessness charities to provide that extra boost of funding that makes all the difference.

The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2025, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city. 

Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)

“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.

“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.

Read more:

“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”

Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)

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