Feature

10 things we can’t believe happened in Manchester in 2025

What a silly year.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 29th December 2025

Another year has passed, and once again, Manchester delivered more than its fair share of surprises.

From the Oasis reunion that took over the entire planet this summer, to silly criminals doing very silly things, to absolutely nuts developments in the world of property, there was a lot going on.

Remember when a Damien Hirst concrete swordfish statue fell into the dining room at Sexy Fish?

Or when that woman commented ‘Hey guys’ on her own wanted appeal and then tried to hide from police under a pile of toys?

Or when that person spent the equivalent of a small terrace house in one night in a local club?

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That was all this year – here are the 10 strangest things that happened in Manchester in 2025.

Sexy Fish? More like Smashy Fish

@renatarastopchina

♬ Jet2 Advert – ✈️A7-BBH | MAN 🇬🇧

There are a lot of extravagant restaurants interiors in Manchester (especially around Deansgate), but not many boast an actual Damien Hirst sculpture collection. 

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And now neither does Sexy Fish… 

One of the restaurant’s enormous 3D, glittering, sea creature-inspired art pieces collapsed into the dining room in the middle of a lunch service back in September, sending chunks of concrete swordfish scattering everywhere. 

‘Jeff is devastated’

You’ve done the queue. You’ve bought your merch. You’ve forked out almost a tenner for a pint, found your seat, and are ready to see one of the biggest gigs of the year. 

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JUST KIDDING, it’s cancelled. 

That’s what happened to tens of thousands of Mancs back in July, when Jeff Lynne’s ELO cancelled the show with the Co-op Live arena already full of fans. 

Obviously, health comes first, but seeing that many people pouring out of the venue just minutes before the gig was meant to start was wild. 

Hey, big spender

'Exclusive' Manchester nightclub shares customer's eye-watering £88k bill
‘Exclusive’ Manchester nightclub shares customer’s eye-watering £88k bill

The cost of living crisis seems to have skipped this one particular person, who racked up an eye-watering bill of £88,589.60 in ONE NIGHT. 

The bill was shared by The Continental Club, otherwise known as The Conti, which stands in the same spot as the old South nightclub. 

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And this customer spent the equivalent of a small terrace house on drinks, including £9.5k bottles of tequila, £2k magnums of Dom Perignon, and 48 Red Bulls. 

The Poznań went global

To be honest, Oasis getting back together was hands down the weirdest thing that happened in 2025. We literally never thought we’d see the day. 

But even us lot here in Manchester were stunned at just how much the Live ’25 tour snowballed across the planet, including getting hundreds of thousands of not-Manchester-City fans to do The Poznan. 

Never quite understood where the trend for turning your back on Oasis came from? Here’s your explainer. 

A new green space! Just not for you

Fenced off green space Manchester city centre gated lawn

You know what we really love? A brand-new green space that is completely untouched – and by that we mean you literally can’t touch it because its locked off behind big black bars…

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This all came about because developers are waiting for planning permission to build a new student accommodation tower block right off Deansgate-Castlefield, but Manchester City Council has insisted the patch of dirt be spruced up in the meantime. 

So the developers put turf down. And then put a big fence around it. Okay. 

Have you heard of B&M?

Imagine going out for a nice drink in one of the city’s most long-standing bars, and then falling in love with their furnishings so much you decide to take it home with you. 

That’s exactly what happened to Atlas Bar at the start of 2025, who shared CCTV of some customers making off with £180-worth of cushions. 

And even weirder, that’s not the first time it’s happened in here – back in 2019 they had a similar incident where a woman stuffed a cushion up her top and ran. 

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We lost some good people in the new Zara

@natalie_mccc

Rumour has it still not found her

♬ original sound – Nat Mc

News of a new Zara megastore (plus a new Bershka and Pull & Bear) at The Trafford Centre travelled fast – and once the doors actually opened, it was all anyone could talk about.

That’s because the new Zara is so futuristic, it’s like stepping inside ‘Kim K’s wardrobe’. 

TikTok suddenly exploded with videos of women getting completely lost inside the concept store, including one who was separated from her friend for so long she thought they’d started a game of hide and seek. 

‘Hey guys’

You’re on the run from the police, and doing a good enough job that they’ve had to issue a public appeal for information to find you. So far, so good. 

But then it all unravels… because you commented… on your own wanted appeal… on Facebook. Sigh. 

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This actually happened back in February, when a 22-year-old suspect commented ‘Hey guys’ to Greater Manchester Police’s appeal, leading them to find her attempting to hide under a pile of toys. 

The Kardashian of Cheshire

Jack Watkin
Jack Watkin, also known as the Kardashian of Cheshire / Credit: Cheshire Police

More bizarre news from the crime world came in June, when a Cheshire influencer-turned-fraudster’s lavish lifestyle caught up with him. 

Jack Watkin, who called himself the ‘Kardashian of Cheshire’, pleaded guilty to a £200k handbag scam. 

He’d been using the lure of an Hermes handbag to scam people out of their cash, to fund a ‘breathtaking’ amount of luxury goods and hotel bills.

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Robert De Niro what you doin here?!

Nobu Hospitality co-founders including Robert De Niro broke ground on Nobu Manchester this week
Nobu Hospitality co-founders including Robert De Niro broke ground on Nobu Manchester this week

Manchester has its fair share of famous faces passing through (no surprise when we have two of Europe’s largest arenas, plus a couple of football stadiums), but they don’t get much more famous than this. 

Robert De Niro, bona fide A-list movie star, popped up in town last month to break ground on his new project, proving that he might actually be quite a hands-on member of the Nobu Hospitality group. 

The star grabbed a shovel and market the start of the build of the new Nobu Manchester tower, which will be the tallest in Manchester. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Feature

Review | Leon Thomas at Manchester Academy – ‘Mutts Don’t Heel’ but this gig healed me

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

American singer-songwriter Leon Thomas visited Manchester Academy last night, performing hits from his deluxe album to a sold-out crowd of more than 2,600.

One year after an exclusive London MUTT Live date, Mr Thomas returns to the UK with the ‘MUTTS DON’T HEEL’ Tour, venturing to five cities, including the music capital of the North: Manchester.

The night started off just how it should’ve done with ‘HEEL’, as the audience were welcomed by the drum-loop and a chill atmosphere from the start.

Now, it wouldn’t be a Leon Thomas gig without at least one Ty Dolla $ign collaboration making the setlist, and there’s plenty to choose from with a new one dropping just over a month ago, ‘miss u 2’. 

Leon Thomas performing hits at Manchester Academy / Credit: The Manc Group
Leon Thomas performing hits at Manchester Academy / Credit: The Manc Group
Leon Thomas performing hits at Manchester Academy (Credit: Audio North)

The funk-influenced musician opted for ‘FAR FETCHED’, and the audience was in the palm of his hand. No matter which of the four link-ups he chose, it was always going to go down well – Manchester never disappoints.  

Leon didn’t even have to ask the crowd to bring more energy; they already matched him. When he sings, “For someone who don’t ask for favours, I’ve done way too many favours”, on ‘PARTY FAVORS’, he really meant it. 

Last year, Leon Thomas dropped PHOLKS, a project which saw him exploring old-school funk and soul sounds even further and ‘Just How You Are’ had even the shyest dancer pulling out a little two step. 

This isn’t the only hit that sent the crowd into a frenzy; ‘Baccarat’ and its impressive psychedelic guitar solo had jaws literally falling to the floor at Manchester Academy.

His songs might not be dramatic or extravagant, but they don’t need to be. Leon’s artistry prevails when he’s softly singing, and you’re still able to detect each instrument.  

Leon Thomas brought the MUTTS DON'T HEEL Tour to Manchester Academy / Credit: The Manc Group
Leon Thomas brought the MUTTS DON'T HEEL Tour to Manchester Academy / Credit: The Manc Group
Leon Thomas brought the MUTTS DON’T HEEL Tour to Manchester Academy (Credit: The Manc)

‘Breaking Point’ is an easy-listening soul track that had all 2,600 Leon Thomas fans in our feelings as we realised we were coming to the end of a phenomenal concert. 

And of course, ‘Mutt’ – his biggest single to date: a bouncy and swag-filled number that sticks in your head for weeks on end – sounded even better when backed by a live band as I discovered last night. 

There was some insane musicality, distinct bangers and impeccable live arrangements that elevated the original studio recordings. Maybe ‘Mutts Don’t Heel’, but Leon Thomas definitely healed me. 

He wasn’t the only cool cat playing last night either:

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Featured Images – The Manc Group

Feature

Could the reaction to Casemiro’s swansong Man United season see him stay ‘one more year’?

Danny Jones Danny Jones Is Casemiro staying at Man United for another year?

Casemiro has arguably been up there with one of the best Manchester United signings in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, after the likes of Bruno Fernandes; maybe not in terms of how it’s impacted the wider transfer budget, but now he’s about to leave, most supporters aren’t ready to let him go.

Truly, if they had their way, many would happily keep him for at least “one more year”, as they continuously chanted during the most recent home game.

Casemiro announced he is leaving at the end of the season back in January, and plenty will argue it is the right time and is all set up for an ideal goodbye as they look to secure a return to European football.

However, with the footballing veteran himself admitting that he’s been left moved by the response and certainly basked in the chants for him to stay following the win over Aston Villa last weekend, another one in which he chipped in with a key goal.

Casemiro scored the opener in what went on to be a vital 3-1 win in their pursuit of Champions League places, and has made it clear that, like the rest of the squad, this is his only goal for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.

But with United now looking closer to securing third or perhaps even chasing down second place, according to many (some have even gone further than that…), this current, albeit still early doors, resurgence under Michael Carrick could be the start of a corner turned for the one serial winners.

However, fans have seen many false dawns at Old Trafford over the past decade or so, and there is obviously the risk of him ultimately spoiling what should now be a fine and fitting farewell.

Then again, after speaking in a recent interview with Sky Sports, the 34-year-old said it’s been “way more” special than he was expecting since he revealed his plans to leave on a high, and stranger things have happened.

You only have to look at Mohammed Salah and Liverpool, who looked all set to go before eventually U-turning and signing a new deal – though contract terms no doubt helped swing those negotiations.

As one of the highest-earning players not just at Man United or even the Premier League but in Europe, he’s already earned serious amounts during his time with the Red Devils, so there is a belief that the incumbent INEOS board would be happy to shift him off the books and reinvest in replacing him.

The likes of Guimaraes, previously courted Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton, Wolves duo André and Joao Gomes have all been linked with possible moves to Manchester of late.

In fact, depending on how much room Jim Ratcliffe and co. have for spending on recruitment, they could potentially even cover the wages of more than one signing in the middle of the park or other positions that they feel may require further reinforcements.

All this is still very much in theory, of course, and while Casemiro has seemingly confirmed that he will depart this summer, who knows how much of the recent reaction and outpouring of love and support from the Stretford End and beyond could potentially sway the outcome?…

Then again, do you think reconsidering the decision would be a wise move, or at his age, is four years in the English top flight enough?

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Sky Sports (screenshot)/Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons)

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