Have you seen the playful world of Looney Tunes has started taking to the streets of Manchester over the last week?
Well, your eyes weren’t deceiving you.
11 of the most-beloved characters from the Looney Tunes series – including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, Tasmanian Devil and more – have all been spray-painted at various locations across the city centre as part of an exploratory street art trail that’s aiming to welcome people back to the city post lockdown.
There’s also a family-friendly walking tour taking place, too, so you can see all the colourful characters popping up around the city.
In partnership with Warner Bros UK, CityCo and Manchester BID enlisted the talents of street artist Captain Kris to create artwork of the iconic Looney Tunes characters across 12 of the city centre’s most popular hubs.
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With the art trail hoping to appeal to both families and nostalgia-hunting adults alike, the mischievous artwork sees Daffy Duck waiting for a tram at Exchange Square, Speedy Gonzalez sprinting through Spinningfields, Bugs Bunny bursting out of Primark, Porky Pig popping a pipe at Pen and Pencil, Wile E. Coyote chasing Road Runner around Symphony Park, and the Looney Tunes gang skateboarding through Deansgate Square.
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But how exactly does the tour work?
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Using the latest technology, QR codes have been hidden within each piece of character art revealing a virtual map and the opportunity to discover what else is new from the Looney Tunes – including the chance to watch a trailer for the new Space Jam: A New Legacy film, which is hitting screens this year.
The map shows each location on the trail, and allows people to discover them all as they make their way through central Manchester.
The trail locations are:
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Spinningfields
Deansgate Square
First Street
Circle Square
Canal Street
111 Piccadilly
The Pen and Pencil
Common x2
Primark
Exchange Square tram stop
Printworks
Street artist Captain Kris was able to bring the characters to life through imaginative design / Credit: CityCo & Manchester BID
Captain Kris and street art collective Blank Walls designed the artwork with the aim to make the trail vibrant and interactive.
“Like most people, I’ve loved Looney Tunes since I was a child,” Captain Kris said.
“It’s been a lot of fun creating these cheeky, adventurous poses, with the Looney Tunes characters wreaking havoc across Manchester.”
Speaking on the arrival of the new art trail, Vaughan Allen, Chief Executive of CityCo & Manchester BID, said: “Manchester is renowned for its street art which is well-loved by residents, workers and visitors [so] we’re delighted to be partnering with the legendary Warner Bros company to bring its iconic Looney Tunes characters to the city centre for this fun, family-friendly, outdoor art trail.
“This is a great way of continuing to animate the city this summer in support of our business community.”
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You can explore Manchester’s Looney Tunes trail from now until the end of July.
The Manc has been following the Looney Tunes characters as they’ve been popping up around the city this past week, so head on over to our Instagram (@the.manc) and TikTok (@the.manc) to see them all in action.
Featured Image – CityCo & Manchester BID
City Centre
Football fan handed ban and hefty fines for ‘tragedy chanting’ during Man United v Liverpool match
Emily Sergeant
A football fan has been handed a football banning order and some hefty fines for ‘tragedy chanting’ at Old Trafford last month.
Michael Avery, from Manchester, was in attendance at Manchester United‘s home ground last month as the Red Devils took on fierce local rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter final on Sunday 17 March, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
But due to his actions at the hotly-anticipated match, the 49-year-old has now been “successfully convicted”.
His convictions come after GMP’s Specialist Operational football investigation team carried out enquiries following obtaining video footage of a man in the home section of the Old Trafford crowd making gestures – which was also widely-shared on social media.
#UPDATE | Michael Bernard Avery (06/11/1979) has today been given a three-year Football Banning Order and a total £1,205 fine after he pleaded guilty to tragedy chanting at Old Trafford when Manchester United hosted Liverpool last month.
Avery was subsequently charged with Section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986, and this was in addition to arrests and charges made to other supporters relating to pyrotechnics.
Avery pleaded guilty to the offence yesterday (Monday 22 April) at Salford Magistrates Court, and for this, received a three-year Football Banning Order (FBO) alongside costs of £85, a victim surcharge of £320, and a fine of £800, which was reduced due to an early guilty plea.
GMP says it’s keen to continue taking “proactive action” against football supporters who take part in behaviour of this type of behaviour.
A football fan has been banned and fined for ‘tragedy chanting’ during a Man United v Liverpool match / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Reflecting on the case, following Avery being convicted earlier this week, Chief Inspector Jamie Collins, from GMP’s Specialist Operations Branch, commented: “Following the understandable concern raised online following the video being shared of Avery’s actions, we undertook an investigation into this to ensure justice was brought.
“We are continuing to take a proactive action against those engaged in this type of behaviour that is intent on causing distress to victims and supporters impacted by terrible football tragedies of the past.
“Any kind of gesture or comments in relation to tragedy chanting will not be tolerated and is totally unacceptable.”
Featured Image – GMP
City Centre
Sacha Lord hails Manchester restaurant for serving up ‘the best Sunday roast’ he’s had ‘in ages’
Danny Jones
Parklife and Warehouse Project co-founder Sacha Lord has hailed a Manchester Sunday roast as ‘the best he’s had in ages’ and he’s by no means the only one showing it some love.
Manchester’s Night Time Economy Adviser has been heavily involved in supporting the Manc hospitality sector of late, especially post-pandemic, bigging up local food spots all over Greater Manchester and even footing the bill on occasion.
Sacha has given his seal of approval to many spots in and around the city centre over the last 12 months but if there’s one suggestion we always take seriously it’s about a proper good Sunday roast.
Posting this weekend, the entrepreneur and recently published author was full of praise for Kala over on King Street, crediting their “great food and superb staff”, as well as labelling it simply “the best Sunday roast I’ve had in ages.” Big words.
Really like Kala_Manchester treated mum earlier in the year lovely food, good service and excellent value.
Sacha Lord calls Kala ‘the best roast he’s had in ages’ — and lots of people are in agreement.
Social media was quick to follow Lord’s lead in flooding the comments with praise for the beloved Manchester bistro. One person wrote, “best food, service and general vibe in all”, urging owner Gary Usher to “keep fighting the fight” and another simply added: “one of my very favourite restaurants”.
Usher, chef-owner of the Kala, Hispi in Didsbury and the Elite Bistros group across the North West, replied to Sacha, saying: “Was our total pleasure to have you with us mate thank you so much for supporting us and it really does mean a lot to everyone”.
Sacha Lord‘s post also encouraged lots of others online to share their positive stories and recommendations for other excellent restaurants in and around the region. The wholesome content we just love to see.
It’s worked too, as not only have we started noting down tonnes of new spots we’ve never heard of before but it’s also made us want to go back to Kala pronto – come on, how insane do these Sunday roasts look?
Mouth-watering stuff.Their lamb rump special sold out in less than a couple of hours earlier this month. Credit: Kala Bistro (via Instagram)
Kala’s had a lot of props from food critics as well, with Jay Rayner summing things up succinctly in his Observer column as far back as 2019 by headlining it: ‘Quietly feeds you well’. If this place is still a secret to anyone, it might be one of the worst-kept in the city.
Well in, Gary – and if you’ve not tried their Sunday roast already, you can now take ours and Sacha’s word for it. Where’s your favourite roast in Greater Manchester?
You can see our full list of the best Sunday roasts in Manchester down below:
Emily Sergeant -
16th June 2021 
