Graeme Park on Hacienda’s legacy, United We Stream and the next episode for UK nightlife
Even Hacienda legend Graeme Park endured a tough 2020. But with United We Stream ringing in the New Year, he believes there might be hope for live music yet.
“I look at my life in chapters – and each chapter has its highs and lows,” Graeme Park explains.
When you’ve been in the music business as long as he has, compartmentalising your story in this way is probably the best approach. It makes it easier to pick out all the important moments from a kaleidoscopic catalogue of clubbing memories.
Still, wherever Park goes, there’s always one chapter he’s asked about most: The time he spun records at the greatest party on Earth.
“The Hacienda chapter was incredible,” Park tells us.
“It was the original British superclub and always will be. One thing you can always rely on, whether you’re in Sydney or some obscure beach resort in Uruguay, someone will come up to you and go: “Oy! Parky! ‘Aciendoooorrrrrr!
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“Always, always, always.”
The nine years he spent working at Manchester’s hazard-coloured nightclub are the best-known bits of Graeme Park’s biography. But as the DJ points out, it was a venue that played a huge part in other people’s stories, too.
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“People fell in love at The Hacienda,” Park remembers.
“People got divorced because of The Hacienda. People conceived their children after going to The Hacienda. Some people apparently conceived their children in The Hacienda, if rumours are to be believed!”
Paving the way for Park’s residency at the world-renowned nightclub was a prologue that featured three influential moments.
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The first was the day he got hired at a record store. It was the “job that everybody else wanted”, Park remembers, as he got to hear all the new music being released and play whatever he liked.
The second was when he “reluctantly agreed” to be the DJ after the record shop owner bought a local nightclub (“I never wanted to be a DJ, I played in bands,” Park explains).
And the third came much later – when Park stepped up to fill The Hacienda’s Friday slot for a few weeks in 1988 (a time which would later be remembered as the ‘summer of love’ when house music truly took off in Manchester).
The rest is history. Even now, almost 24 years after the party finished, the music of Madchester is still ringing in Park’s ears.
“It was a privilege and honour to be a part of it,” he states.
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“I was a massive Factory Records fan in the 80s, and I used to visit The Hacienda to see bands like Crispy Ambulance and A Certain Ratio – so to end up being part [of The Hacienda] was a dream come true.”
But all good things come to an end. The Hacienda, a club that infamously never made any money despite its huge popularity, fell into decline in 1997 and was eventually demolished before being converted into flats.
Post-Hacienda, Park embarked on a series of new adventures – playing to enormous crowds all around the world, launching a merchandise range, and even teaching music part-time.
He even travelled down the other end of the M62 and played at Cream in Liverpool (“I couldn’t have done both [Hacienda] and Cream at the same time; they’d have lynched me!” Park jokes).
The DJ’s career has spanned the best part of four decades. And his most recent chapter, 2020, has also been an important one. Albeit for very different reasons.
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Like so many other live performers during the past eight months, Park has found work very hard to come by – playing just five socially-distanced outdoor gigs since March.
Coronavirus has essentially muted most live music across the world, and it’s been a challenging period for everyone in the industry.
“90% of my income has just gone,” Park says, frustratedly.
Until gigs are back on, he’s been paying the bills with his part-time music lecturing – a role he was considering quitting not too long ago.
Park explains: “Three or four years ago, I said to my wife: ‘I don’t really need to be doing this lecturing any more.’
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“I was doing quite well and it wasn’t that much money a month. It was less than half I got for a gig.
“But she talked me out of it. She said: ‘You never know what’s around the corner.’
“It’s a bloody good job I didn’t. It’s my only income now. And it all disappears in a day on bills.”
Image: Katie Hall
In between lectures, Park has been trying to get the music scene going again – campaigning to Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries Tracy Brabin and Withington MP politician Jeff Smith for change.
The DJ says the sight of shoppers flocking to retail stores whilst the entertainment sector has stayed shut has been frustrating – with the industry arguably proving in summer it could indeed be ‘COVID safe’.
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“All the socially distanced events I did, they worked,” Park claims.
But still, whenever coronavirus cases in the UK rose at any stage during 2020, live entertainment and events were promptly put under lock and key.
“It’s frustrating because if you produce the evidence that says your industry isn’t going to be able to operate, you take it on the chin,” Park explains.
“But that evidence hasn’t been shown to anyone.
“That’s because the evidence doesn’t exist. Maybe that’s an argument for another time.”
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In a year that will surely go down as one of the most difficult Park – or any musician – has ever experienced, there has been at least one small and delicious crumb of comfort.
In spring, we got United We Stream – a gig platform set up by Greater Manchester’s night time economy adviser and Parklife/Warehouse Project founder Sacha Lord.
Back in April, Lord assembled some of the best DJs and musicians – including Park – to beam gigs into living rooms around the world.
It was an enormous success – raking in 7 million viewers during its initial run and raising £477,000 for 12 regional charities and good causes.
The project wound down in summer to focus on rebuilding the sector, but in November it was confirmed that United We Stream would return for four shows over the Christmas holidays – including a massive 24 hour stream on New Year’s Eve.
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“I did the two Hacienda house parties in March and April, including a 12 hour stream on my own which was amazing,” Park says.
“When they [United We Stream] approached me for the New Years Eve party, I just couldn’t say no.”
Park is assembling his Hacienda Classical project exclusively for the occasion – producing live orchestral renditions of the Hacienda’s flagship floor-stompers (‘Blue Monday’, ‘Voodoo Ray’, ‘Move Your Body’ etc).
There’s a limit on the number of musicians permitted inside the studio due to COVID, so some “technical wizardry” is being used to bring the full orchestra together – as the choir and solo singers perform their parts from home.
Once the final note is played, Park will then rush up to the DJ decks for a solo set.
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“There are so many great DJs on before me and after me, and it’s a fair assumption that house will be the predominant sound [on the night],” Park explains.
“So, I’m already planning on dropping a few surprises – just to make people smile.
“My biggest thrill that I get these days is digging deep into archives and finding tracks people have forgotten about… stuff people haven’t heard for 20 years but will remember as soon as they drop.”
Park’s always had an eclectic taste in music – dating right back to his teenage days working in the Midlands record store.
During those shifts, he would play a diverse range of tunes – which is what convinced the store owner to make Park have a go on the decks at his new nightclub.
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After realising people liked his music selection – and that he could actually mix – Park never looked back.
“I just play what I like and always have,” he puts simply.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to explain this to some half cut woman who clambers up to the DJ box and says: ‘But if you play it, everyone will go crazy’.
“And I’m like: ‘Yeah, but I absolutelyhate it.
“I don’t care how big it is.”
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Image: Katie Hall
Park has been given the prestigious honour of ringing in the New Year at United We Stream’s show on the 31 December.
“I’m seeing in 2021 in the UK – GMT midnight – so I’ve got one of the best DJ slots,” he reveals.
“Well, I say ‘see in the new year’. This time it’s going to be more like ‘good riddance last year.’”
Of course, Park is well aware that life won’t magically return to normal at the stroke of midnight.
“I think that masks, hand sanitiser and social distancing are still going to be around when we start opening up live venues again,” he admits.
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“Coronavirus isn’t just going to go away because of the vaccine. It’ll take time. It’ll be back to normal with certain caveats.
“Some live venues will never open again. Some people will have lost their jobs and won’t be able to go out for a while.
“Promoters are reviewing fees in the circumstances as well, saying: ‘I don’t know if I can afford this anymore’.
“Things will be different.”
Image: Ant Mulryan
With clubs closed for so long, many have attempted to recapture the euphoria of live shows and nights out by propping up their camera phones against walls and beaming live sets to YouTube or Facebook.
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But according to Park, United We Stream is one of the few to do it properly.
“One thing that really does my head in is that the internet is full of tedious looking blokes playing records now,” Park says.
“They’re all playing the same thing. You think: ‘Why am I watching this?’”
“The key [to streaming] is keeping it special.
“United We Stream is the perfect example. It’s going to be something else.
“It’s a huge, huge lineup. And visually, it’ll be fantastic.”
2020 has left the live music industry on the ropes. But nonetheless, Park is impressively calm and optimistic.
“It’s in my nature to be positive,” he states.
“I’ve got lots of great things to be thankful for in life. I know this cannot be forever.
“The sooner everyone follows the guidance fully, the sooner we’ll be back.”
There’s still a long road ahead, but in time, we might just look back at United We Stream NYE as the moment everything started to get a little better…
Celebrate New Year’s Eve by watching a massive 24-hour set from Hacienda legends – including Graeme Park – live via United We Stream here.
Feature
Where to find the best vegan and veggie restaurants in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester is one of the top places in the country to eat out if you’re trying to go plant-based, be that for Veganuary or any other time of the year— and we have the best vegetarian and completely animal-free restaurants and more casual food spots to prove it.
The city, its outskirts and beyond all boast some great dedicated vegan restaurants, serving up everything ranging from ‘dirty’ plant-based fast food to sit-down gastropub and fine dining-style restaurants, giving those exploring a plant-powered diet a real boost when it comes to eating out.
But beyond that, you can even trust that most restaurants in Manchester and its surrounding areas – even if they’re not specifically designed for the vegan or vegetarian diet – will likely have one or two suitable dishes on their menu.
Truth be told, the time when you could get away with not catering to this ever-growing group of foodies has come and gone. Or it has in Greater Manchester, at least.
20 of the best vegan and veggie food spots in Greater Manchester
If you’re thinking of exploring a more plant-led diet, simply curious as to where you might find the best vegan restaurants in Greater Manchester, or at least predominantly vegetarian to get you started, we’ve pulled out a list of must-visit places for you to try below.
1. Momo Shop – Chorlton
Starting off maybe too strong here, Momo Shop isn’t just one of the best places in town when it comes to catering for veggie and vegan foodies, it’s quite literally one of our favourite restaurants in Manchester, full stop. Yes, it really is THAT good.
From their unbelievable trademark dumplings, gyoza and Nepali twists on potstickers, to choosing the way you want them cooked and that incredible array of sauces, you can mix and match pretty much however you want without missing out on even an ounce of flavour.
Each of their chana and alu salads is fresh and to die for, and we’re also not exaggerating when we say the vegetarian momos done ‘Saneko style’ and then tossed in the buttered flavour might just be the very best thing on the menu. If you haven’t tried it yet, you need to rectify that mistake like yesterday.
Wholesome Junkies was a firm favourite of the Arndale Market during its years there, and after dropping off the map for a spell, they’re now back at a total of three different locations: Hinterland alcohol-free bar, Hinterland; their delivery kitchen over in Ardwick and now New Century Hall.
You can expect plenty of delicious meals made with mock meat, from a hearty Sunday lunch to bao to burgers. Put simply, if you’ve never tried it, it’s like cheat food for vegans.
3. Maray – Lincoln Square
Maray in Manchester has loads of vegan and veggie options.One of the best restaurants in Manchester for vegans and veggies.Maray’s Manchester site is comfortably one of the best restaurants when it comes to its vegetarian options. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Middle Eastern/Parisian restaurant Maray is a must for its veggie and vegan small plates, brilliant cocktails and spiced falafel roast dinner.
Must-tries here include the signature ‘Disco Cauliflower’, which comes baked whole and loaded with sauces and pomegranate seeds, the warm garlic flatbread, hummus and bright green house falafel. Easily one of the best places for vegan and veggie food in Manchester, even if they do dabble in plenty of meat and seafood.
This Indian cafe has developed quite a cult following in the 25 years it’s been in the heart of the Northern Quarter, with its authentic Indian curries and wraps.
And everything on the menu is vegan, as of four years ago — much to the surprise of unsuspecting meat-eaters who wander in search of some quick late-night scran. Incredible flavours.
5. Gooey – Also NQ + Ducie Street and Trafford Centre
Unbelievable hash browns at Gooey in Manchester.Gooey’s crispy tofu sando at Gooey is a viral sensation. Credit: The Manc Group
While Gooey might be best known for its fat cookies studded with chocolate, and for its enormous slabs of French toast, it’s also got a lot on offer to suit vegetarians and vegans… including Lizzo, who raved about its plant-based offering while staying in Manchester.
Their vegan crispy tofu sando (especially when served Lizzo-style with a side of hash browns) has genuinely cemented itself as the stuff of legend.
This award-winning plant-based restaurant takes vegan food in Manchester and reimagines it in a gastro-pub style spot just next to the Cathedral, with dishes like butternut lasagne, chestnut bourguignon, and a brown sugar-glazed tofu ‘ham’.
Elsewhere, you’ll find small plates like cauliflower wings, satay tofu skewers, miso maple mushrooms and a plant-based take on a prawn cocktail. At lunchtime from Monday to Friday, you can get two dishes and a hot drink for £15 here too. Bargain.
7. This & That Cafe – Northern Quarter
If you know, you know… (Credit: The Manc Group)
Manchester’s favourite curry house and the home of the rice and three, This & That has been a favourite since it was established in 1984. Here you’ll find a huge choice of delicious curries, with loads of vegan options to boot.
Tucked away on Soap Street, it might take you a minute to find out, but once you do, trust us, you’ll never look back. It’s a local treasure for a reason. One of the best hidden gems Manchester has to offer, and a sneakily good restaurant when it comes to vegetarian food.
First established in 2014 as a vegetarian Chinese takeaway, Lotus now caters to vegans with an extensive selection of plant-based dishes – following a rebrand that saw them search high and low to source animal-free alternatives used in traditional Chinese and Asian recipes.
No dishes contain onion or garlic here due to the owner’s personal beliefs, but the food here is still packed with punch. From an extensive dim sum list to sharing platters, rice and noodle dishes and a large list of mains including hot pots, sweet and sour, kung po and more, the menu is, quite frankly, huge.
Bundobust has long been a favourite on Piccadilly Gardens since it came across from Leeds, but now diners have two options in Manchester after the eatery opened a second site on Oxford Road, with a brewery inside.
Head down for Indian street food favourites like okra fries, vada pavs, ‘Bundo’ chaat, paneer tikka and more. We never get tired of this place.
10. Franco Manca – Piccadilly/King St, Didsbury and Trafford Centre
Now, perhaps contrary to popular belief, we’re not anti-chain here at The Manc Eats; we will back anyone serving up good food anywhere in Greater Manchester, and for many, Franco Manca still remains their go-to pizza spot no matter what part of the country they’re in.
With that in mind, it’s also worth noting that the London-born franchise that has four different sites across the region is pretty darn good when it comes to vegetarian and vegan pizza options – such as their regular Veganuary specials, for instance, available here in Manchester and all over the UK
Speaking of good plant-based pizza, first originating in Brighton, Purezza has been helping elevate the veggie and vegan version of the already oversaturated foodie genre since opening its doors inside the former Dough site in Manchester’s NQ.
The all-vegan pizzeria is known for its mozzarella, created specifically for Purezza in a laboratory by scientists over a number of years, and the proof is right there in the final product.
The special recipe is apparently unrivalled, so if you’re a vegan who still loves cheese, you simply have to put this one on your list.
An institution on the Oxford Road corridor, The Eighth Day Shop & Cafe has long been a haven for non-meat eaters – way before the rest of the city caught on.
Upstairs, the shop sells a range of different food products, perfect if you’re doing veganuary and need to top up your store cupboards with new ingredients. Whilst downstairs, a cafe serves hearty soups, sandwiches and more – all catered to vegetarian and vegan diets.
13. Go Falafel – Northern Quarter, Deansgate and Rusholme
So we've noticed a HUGE increase in Tabouleh orders and we LOVE it. We also think everyone should try it especially as it's VERY healthy! Seasoned simply with lemon juice and olive oil, you can't go wrong! 💚🍃#GoFalafel#GoHealthypic.twitter.com/8Maz9iCMoD
Great for a quick grab-and-go lunch, Go Falafel has several sites dotted across Manchester and is pretty reasonably priced, with a medium wrap costing you £6.95. For that, you’ll get fresh falafels, house pickles, red cabbage, hummus, salad, chilli and tahini, with the option to add on fried aubergine or vine leaves for an additional sum.
Not feeling a wrap? There are also some hearty salad bowls on offer here, as well as a wide range of freshly made juice blends for those planning on starting the year on a serious health kick.
One of Manchester’s pasta OGs, The Pasta Factory is up there as one of the best in the city for vegans thanks to the fact that the team make their own (brilliant) vegan parmesan here. Of course, that’s not all: they also make their own pasta and sauces, too.
Think of a large selection of pasta dishes, with plenty of choices for vegans, plus regularly changing specials, traditional starters, and bags of freshly-made pasta available to take home, and you’ll soon see why locals love this spot so much.
This little spot in Withington is a long-standing veggie and vegan treasure trove. Ahead of the curve, it’s been dishing out vegan breakfasts well before most of the places on this list even opened their doors.
From breakfast to dinner, there are loads of dishes to suit on the menu here – think cakes, burgers, fry-ups, soups, you name it – and if you stay late, you might even catch a gig too. They’re pretty well known for putting on good acts here.
16. Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine – Ashton-under-Lyne
Lily’s Vegetarian in Ashton-under-Lyne.Just look at it.Lily’s is comfortably one of the best vegetarian restaurants outside of Manchester city centre. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Family-run business Lily’s has been an institution in Manchester since it opened in 1972. Starting their journey at a small shop selling Indian sweets and savouries on Cotton Street East, Ashton–Under–Lyne, today Lily’s is an award-winning restaurant known far and wide for its vegetarian cuisine.
The restaurant is named in Lily’s honour, as she sadly passed away before seeing it open. Chefs here come from all over North India, South India and Rajasthan, and their passion ensures that each dish exudes authentic Indian flavours.
Sticking with the Indian theme, there aren’t many places that do vegetarian and vegan stuff that genuinely rival the animal-based offerings on their menu than street food favourites and, in our opinion, one of the best chain restaurants, Mowgli.
Some of our very favourite things they do can be found in the vegan section, including the bhel puri, those oh-so-sweet treacle tamarind fries and the temple dahl. It might be franchised, but that doesn’t stop it from slapping every single time.
18. Sanskruti – Withington
Listed amongst The Sunday Times and The Guardian‘s best restaurants, Sanskruti is already a go-to for local veggies and vegans in the know.
Serving everything from street food, daal, and thali to Punjabi and Gujarati mains, rotis/naan, thali and more, the menu here is extensive – and there’s plenty for those with particular dietary requirements. With the majority of dishes also vegan-friendly, you just can’t go wrong.
Wawin is the fully vegan Chinese restaurant based on Ordsall Lane that genuinely blew our minds a little bit when we first tried it for Takeaway Champions back in 2023.
From mock chicken drumsticks, super crispy spring rolls, flavourful noodles, soups and sauces, just to highlight a few of their very high points, this Deliveroo-only special feels like a bit of a hidden gem that is definitely up there with some of the best vegan food we’ve had in Manchester.
20. Soots – NQ
Last but not least, we simply cannot overlook the success story that is Soots, which started out over at Altrincham Market but has now sprung up in a new city centre unit.
Not only is it impressive that they’ve managed to put together such a flavourful menu of entirely plant-based and nourishing homemade dishes, but it might genuinely be up there with some of the best pasta you’ll find in central Manchester, full stop.
And that’s your lot for the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in and around Greater Manchester – at least for now, anyway.
There are, of course, so many other places that we would have happily included on this list of plant-based perfection, but this should get you started for now.
Whether you’re giving Veganuary a go, just trying to reduce your carbon footprint or wanting to cut out animal products altogether, you’ll be glad to know you live in an area that’s making it easier and easier to do so each year.
10 things we can’t believe happened in Manchester in 2025
Daisy Jackson
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?
That was all this year – here are the 10 strangest things that happened in Manchester in 2025.
There are a lot of extravagant restaurants interiors in Manchester (especially around Deansgate), but not many boast an actual Damien Hirst sculpture collection.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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…
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.
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.
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, 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.
Robert De Niro what you doin here?!
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.