As 2020 draws to a close, we look back at the people in Greater Manchester who hit the headlines during one of the most difficult years of modern times.
Manchester is a restless place. Always moving; always changing; always growing.
Whenever December rolls around, there’s invariably so much to dissect from the previous 12 months.
But standing at the cliff edge of 2020, most of us would rather look forward than back.
As a region, we’ve never needed a New Year more than this one.
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2020 was still in its infancy when COVID-19 – the deadly virus that’s infected millions across the world – reared its ugly head and knocked Greater Manchester into a coma from which it’s yet to truly emerge.
Surviving a pandemic has meant huge sacrifices, and this time last year, all our lives were extraordinarily different.
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Masks were for labs. ‘Bubbles’ were for Aeros. ‘Top tier’ meant something good. ‘Lockdown’ was a word for zombie movies.
It was a time when you could walk into a public place without pumping hygiene gel on your palms.
A time when you weren’t asked to navigate buildings single-file via a one-way system.
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A time when you could order pints without a big plate of food – and any number of friends could join you.
A time when public transport was busy, bars were booming, and music played every single night.
The virus has impacted our region in a bigger way than anyone could have imagined.
But during these past few months of sorrow, frustration, pain, dismay, and just a flicker of hope, a selection of semi-hidden faces stood out from the masked-up crowd.
Here, we look at some of the most talked-about Mancs (both born and honorary) of the year; people with local links who hit the headlines for various reasons during one of the most challenging years on record for Greater Manchester.
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Marcus Rashford
During the early stages of the pandemic, the message was focused on rallying around one another. If everyone did their bit, we’d get through this together, the Government declared.
But in April, an irked Health Secretary claimed that one group wasn’t pulling its weight in the fight against the virus.
Footballers.
“I think the first thing Premier League footballers can do is make a contribution; take a pay cut and play their part,” Matt Hancock argued.
It was a big statement on a thorny issue – with the roles of elite sportspeople placed under burning spotlight when some were caught breaking lockdown measures.
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But as the debate raged on, Manchester United’s 22-year-old striker Marcus Rashford was quietly working with charity FareShare on a campaign to feed children whilst schools were closed.
The footballer had depended on free school meals himself whilst growing up in Wythenshawe, and was desperate to ensure no child would go hungry in the pandemic.
Rashford launched a campaign to get free school meals distributed throughout the summer, which parliament initially pushed aside.
But after long battles, numerous campaigns, and petitions amassing millions of signatures, Rashford’s wish was granted.
His commitment to the cause didn’t stop there, either, as the footballer proceeded to win a £170m COVID winter grant scheme to support vulnerable families and an extension of holiday activities and food programme to 2021.
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For his services, Rashford has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester; an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for 2020, Special Recognition at the Pride of Britain Awards, and seemingly a direct line to Number 10 Downing Street.
Murals of his face have been splashed across Manchester – with the youngster turning into one of the biggest role models of modern times.
In the end, Mr Hancock admitted that Rashford had indeed done his bit to help during the crisis. Even if he didn’t quite get his name right…
2020 took too many before their time. But the loss of Tony Morris hit Greater Manchester particularly hard.
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Born to Jamaican parents, Morris grew up in foster care on the south coast and became an adopted Manc after settling into the anchor seat at ITV in 2003.
The Granada Reports presenter remained in that chair for 17 years – calmly and professionally sharing the northern news headlines whilst daring to challenge powerful interviewees whenever they set foot in the studio.
For most of us, Morris was the familiar face of tea-time TV news. But to others, he was an inspiration – described as a ‘hero to the black communities in the north’.
A colleague said Morris was “a person that showed us if he can do it, then so can I.”
Morris passed away in August at Bury Hospice after fighting kidney cancer – sparking an outpouring of grief across the region.
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He was 57.
Co-anchor Lucy Meacock described him as “one of the most humble, kind and funny people I have ever met, and he would often make me laugh till my sides ached.”
Every politician divides opinion. Greater Manchester’s Mayor is no different.
In the space of one short year, Andy Burnham has been called the ‘King of the North’; ‘the next Labour Party leader’; a ‘grandstander’; and ‘the country’s corona crush’ by Vogue Magazine.
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Throughout 2020, the MP has been sporadically showered in both gushing praise and vitriolic criticism.
But there was one moment when Manchester was unanimously behind its Mayor; a scene that made everyone else outside of the M60 sit up and take notice of the man who ran the show up north.
It was October 20. The skies were cloudy and the mood was irate.
After 10 gruelling days locking horns with Boris Johnson over tier regulations, Burnham assembled his GM borough leaders outside the glass doors of Bridgewater Hall and summoned the press.
The conference started typically enough, with the Mayor reflecting on yet another failed meeting with Westminster over agreeing local restrictions.
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But the longer it went on, the more the Mayor appeared to swerve off script.
Press were soon left watching an impassioned, rousing speech with the kind of genuine emotion rarely seen in modern politics; a stirring address that grew angrier with every syllable.
“I don’t think it is right to ask people to go into a lockdown, to accept further changes within their lives, without supporting them through all of that,” Burnham roared at reporters, surely amped by supportive shouts of “Go on, Andy!” from passers-by.
He then pledged to his local citizens: “We took this stand for you. We will carry on fighting for you.”
One image from that afternoon even made its way beyond politics and into the meme world – with the Mayor briefly turning away from the cameras to check a news update on Sir Richard Leese’s phone screen and – after learning the government would give Manchester £62 million less than it needed – puffing out his cheeks in exasperation.
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In the weeks that followed, the Mayor was inundated with interview requests, made the subject of countless opinion pieces, and even got his very own beer courtesy of local brewers Seven Bro7hers.
He’s been an MP for nearly two decades. But 2020 was without a shadow of doubt Burnham’s biggest year yet.
Back in 1990, Len Grant was a fledgling photographer, searching desperately for something worth shooting in a city that had little to show off.
Aside from a few major landmarks, Manchester was mainly car parks and brownfield sites, so Len decided to snap portraits of the people promising to bring changes to the city in the future – including council members, developers, architects and landowners.
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He made contacts and connections, meaning that as soon as the shovels hit the dirt, Len was first on site to document the construction.
For three decades, the Fallowfield photographer snapped away at a city that began to change rapidly beyond recognition. And now these images have been published in all their glory.
In 2020, Len completed the magnificent Regeneration Manchester – a photography project completely unrivalled in scope and depth that captures the region evolving into the metropolis it is today.
The project is a testament to the region quite like no other – a Manc masterpiece thirty years in the making.
After temporarily cancelling sport, COVID proceeded to set up the biggest mismatch of a fight in recent memory: Pitting a powerful Westminster-based Government against a weary northern nightlife scene wobbling on its knees with two hands tied against its back.
Coronavirus has landed blow after blow against the local hospitality sector in 2020, knocking live music and nightclubs out cold whilst leaving pubs to exhaustedly grasp at food menus in a bid to steady themselves and stay open on the ‘pints only with food rule’.
Doors closed and music stopped. But thanks to Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester kept dancing anyway.
Back in April, the region’s The Night Time Economy Adviser launched United We Stream: A platform that turned live shows digital and gave stages to artists, gigs to audiences, and a crucial financial funnel to the nightlife scene.
Lineups featured some of the biggest names in music (including many who played at the Hacienda) and viewers could buy virtual tickets to donate funds to local hospitality.
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But aside from bringing together the best musicians in the business for live streams, Lord has also dedicated time to defending the hospitality sector from the government.
Whenever he got a spare moment, the Parklife founder would step in to bat for Manchester on media outlets and Twitter; repeatedly campaigning to local MPs.
But he wasn’t just a keyboard warrior. Far from it.
When Lord wasn’t finding fresh ways to keep music alive in 2020, he was working with solicitors to challenge the government’s regulations and cut the red tape around the hospitality sectors’ doors.
His energy, commitment and passion for live music and the nightlife scene has never once wavered – even in the sector’s most testing year on record.
Without Lord, Manchester’s music would have been on mute for eight long months.
Thousands were introduced to Sarah Lomas via Manctopia – the BBC documentary that aired in summer 2020 about the billion pound property boom taking place in Manchester.
Her appearance was teased throughout the final episode of the series, with an interior designer filmed making preparations to set up Sarah’s penthouse apartment in the luxurious West Tower – one of Britain’s tallest skyscrapers outside London.
Sarah was one of the first people to move into the building, and when she finally popped up on screen, she was revealed to be a born-and-bred Mancunian who’d literally climbed right to the top of the city.
As the CEO of game-changing global health and wellbeing brand REVIV (which has 41 clinics worldwide), Sarah has long been recognised in the corporate arena for her status as an influential and innovative businessperson with exciting ideas (with The North Face founder Hap Klopp joining as non-exec director).
In 2020, as soon as the pandemic hit, Sarah immediately pivoted the company to provide vital support; offering not-for-profit COVID testing in the UK and US on top of intravenous (IV) vitamin hydration and wellness therapy services.
The biggest news to come out of the year overall, however, was HELIIX – REVIV’s new piece of revolutionary COVID management software that is set to keep hundreds of Manchester businesses afloat during the wait for a vaccine.
With REVIV in St Ann’s Square, Manchester is a healthier, safer and even more exciting place to live and work. Sarah has led from the front every single step of the way.
Wesley Hamnett
In September, the UK reached what Boris Johnson called a “perilous turning point”.
Coronavirus cases were rising and national morale was falling; with a dreaded second wave starting to wash over the country.
Thankfully, it was around this time we were introduced to Wesley Harnett – a man who managed to cheer everybody up by riding from Manchester to Glasgow on a little pink bicycle.
The father of two lost his grandad to cancer in 2019, and wanted to raise money in a way that would capture the imagination.
He decided to cycle 229 miles up to Scotland on his daughter’s bike and split the donations between Macmillan Cancer Support, Christie Charitable Fund, British Heart Foundation and Wythenshawe Hospital’s MFT Charity – making the whole region smile in the process.
Wesley was hoping to hit £880 before the end of 2020. By December, the pot was spilling over with £9,000.
Not only was it a big achievement; it was some truly wholesome news at a time we definitely needed it.
Fighting on the frontline takes its toll. But thanks to people like Mary-Ellen McTague, local nurses, doctors and paramedics haven’t gone hungry.
Mary-Ellen was one of many restaurant owners told to close their doors during the first lockdown in March, leaving huge piles of food going to waste across the city.
But instead of simply tossing the grub aside, Mary-Ellen – who runs The Creameries in Chorlton – used the leftover ingredients to whip up meals for NHS workers instead.
Within weeks, she was coordinating an incredible response that stretched right across the city – uniting hospitality owners as they came together to deliver food to the frontline.
Instead of just bemoaning the unfairness of the situation, restaurant owners channelled their energy into doing something amazing for people who were even less fortunate.
For all its troubles, 2020 did at least introduce the nation to Captain Sir Tom Moore – the spirited centenarian and war veteran who captured hearts (and won a knighthood) by raising a staggering £32.79 million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden.
But there was another hero from the golden generation who did similarly special work – someone much closer to home here in Manchester.
Dena Murphy.
The 92-year-old has helped hundreds of young offenders get their lives back on track through her community allotment – whilst dedicating her time during the COVID-19 pandemic to supporting the community.
She has run a luncheon club for the elderly and also given up her free time on weekends to help struggling locals get back on their feet.
This year, Dena was rightly recognised for her work – presented with a Pride of Britain award.
It was quite a moment.
“It’s the first time in 30 years I’ve actually cried,” said the grandmother.
“I love working in Moston to support people and am very touched by the award.”
Almost every morning in lockdown, whilst the rest of Stockport slept soundly, Mama Flo was in the kitchen cooking.
Throughout the pandemic, the owner of the eponymous Caribbean restaurant on Buxton Road would rise at 4am and spend hours prepping meals for NHS staff, critical carers, essential/key workers and the most vulnerable.
The chef adopted and embodied a fitting mantra – ‘be kind and share the love’ – which boosted Stockport’s spirits at a particularly tough time.
Residents tried to repay Flo for all her hard work by rushing to honour her on social media during summer – spreading the word about what a difference she was making to the community.
A Facebook post by a local police officer summed it up nicely.
It read: “Flo…you are a hero of your community and we salute you.”
Manchester was wracked with grief last year when the iconic frontman of The Piccadilly Rats passed away.
Ray Boddington was struck by a Metrolink tram in April 2019, and despite being rushed to hospital and placed on life support he tragically succumbed to his injuries aged 77.
For so long, Ray had been part of Manchester’s city centre scenery, and it’s felt like something’s been missing ever since.
But this year, both the frontman and his busking outfit were immortalised in print.
In September, author Martin Green published The Rats Tales: The Extraordinary Life Stories of The Piccadilly Rats – a project that delved deep into the backstory of a beloved local group of musicians who’ve led “colourful lives on society’s margins”.
The book meant that the band received renewed focus and attention during the second half of 2020 – with people beyond Manchester discovering them for the first time.
Losing Ray was painful for the city. But what this year showed is that the love for The Piccadilly Rats is still alive and well.
The steadfast Mancunian spirit was pushed to its absolute limits in 2020. But it prevailed thanks to one particular group of people: The army of superheroes that stood up to fight a new threat to our city whilst we hunkered down in our shelters.
All year, we’ve watched them work. Images of the frontline battle scars – bruised faces, damaged skin, and exhausted eyes – have travelled far and wide, and in a bid to show our gratitude, we’ve applauded from the safety of our doorsteps and cheered them on from our living rooms.
For a fleeting moment, it looked like they might have already won. But sadly, it’s still not quite over yet.
In December, COVID revealed a trick up its sleeve – mutating and spreading all over again just in time for Christmas.
Thousands more nurses, doctors and paramedics have since been thrown back into the trenches to combat a virus that’s attacking the country all over again.
It seems we still have the secret weapon to win the war in the shape of the vaccine. But until everyone gets it, the local frontline is our only form of defence.
Key workers carried us through 2020. And we owe them everything.
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.
The Manc -
27th December 2020 
