And sadly it wasn’t long before the consequences of that decision began to surface.
October and November brought with it the news that over 127 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed in connection with both the Birley campus and Cambridge halls of residence at Manchester Metropolitan University – which saw around 1,700 students instructed to self-isolate in their accommodations for 14 days – along with several student protests at the University of Manchester, campaigning for a number of issues to be addressed, and the subsequent responses from both institutions as a result.
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This all made for widespread headlines and national coverage.
But it was the hidden side of the student experience that friends and filmmakers Gabriel Paul, 22, and Joseph Hunt, 23, were keen to focus on.
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Unsatisfied with the portrayal of students in the media, and both sharing a strong passion for “making documentaries and films with social impact”, the two South London lads – who have been friends since their early school years and had recently graduated from university themselves – decided to travel up to Manchester to get a grasp on the bigger picture.
The documentary was shot in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.
Filmed over two days at the start of October 2020, the documentary features first and second year students, both in halls and privately rented houses, at the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
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But despite its short 13 minute run-time, the documentary still manages to cover a lot of ground.
It touches upon everything from the students’ concerns over personal finances, living situations and rental prices, the level of education they are receiving, and difficulties making friends, to how safe they feel studying on campus, their mental health struggles, the empathy they have for students in even trickier situations to them, their apprehensions about returning home for Christmas, and even their opinions on the government’s handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as a whole.
Fundamentally, it shines a light on just how much the student experience has be affected.
“As the summer of 2020 was ending, we couldn’t help but notice that talk of students returning to university was a subject the media was covering extensively” Gabriel told us.
“We felt that the media’s portrayal of students was unfair and one sided, with the finger being pointed at them for the growth in cases and a blasé attitude towards national health, [and] having recently graduated ourselves, we wanted to contribute to the narrative that students are not just the nations scapegoat,
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“We felt it was important to document the lifestyle of a student in 2020 in the most real and authentic way possible, and to enable student’s voices to be heard.
“We decided to focus on students in Manchester, because it felt like the epicentre of media coverage on that issue”.
He continued: “We were keen to document the experience of students at both Man Met and the University of Manchester to gain a more full understanding of the situation [and] fortunately, we had individual links at both, through friends and family.
“[So] we asked these individuals to rally together groups of people who were willing to give their insight and were happy to feature in our documentary.”
Standing up for students and providing them a voice was a core goal for Gabriel and Joseph.
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“During this pandemic, we noticed that society seemed to be searching for someone to blame for the situation”. Gabriel continued.
“More and more, the finger seemed to be pointed at students.
“We therefore felt it extremely important to shine a light on the experiences of these individuals who were receiving an unfair amount of blame.
“[And] as we were interviewing the students, the importance of shining this light on their experience became more and more obvious [and] vital issues such as mental health, students being owed compensation, and the lack of support from the establishment, illustrate the gravity of the situation.
“We believe it’s vital that we nurture a conscious awareness of what each member of society is going through and promote stories that unite, rather than divide us.
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“The story we’re telling is really important, and we’d love as much support as possible to spread the word.”
Beat-Herder Festival 2026 – the wonderfully weird festival we can’t stop coming back to
Emily Johnson
Another weekend done in the magical, mystical world that is Beat-Herder.
For one weekend every year, a farm in Clitheroe transforms into what the organisers describe as “a place full of beats and barminess” – and honestly, they couldn’t have summed it up any better.
Big enough to keep you discovering something new all weekend, yet small enough that you’ll keep bumping into the same friendly faces, Beat-Herder strikes the balance perfectly.
Every corner has something different going on, every stage has its own personality, and every sound system is absolutely dialled in.
Where else can you go for a swim, get a tattoo, pop into church, visit Paris and dance until sunrise? No, we’re not describing a chaotic stag-do… we’re talking about Beat-Herder.
Every stage deserves a mention, but a few really stood out this year.
Julie’s Barn, a.k.a. ‘Gay Paris’, remains one of the festival’s best-kept secrets. Hidden away in the woods, it’s worth every wrong turn trying to find it.
A glowing dancefloor, disco balls hanging from the trees and a crowd that somehow never seems to leave. We even stumbled across a secret ‘Samurai Breaks SSBB’ set that had the place bouncing all the way through until sunrise.
Credit: The Manc Group
Over at Stumblefunk At The Factory, Breakage delivered one of the sets of the weekend. The bass rattled the roof, the crowd never stopped moving, and the whole place felt like it was about to lift off.
It’s also home to one of Beat-Herder’s many weird little surprises, with hidden missions and the chance to spy on other festival-goers. If you know, you know.
The Garage is another annual favourite. DJs squeezed into the front seat of a car while everyone else danced on the bonnet of old scrapped cars, bouncing to the bass that rattled from White Noise Audio’s soundsystem. It’s those ridiculous little details that make this festival unlike anywhere else.
Then there’s Beat-Herder’s Got Talent, which has become a non-negotiable part of our weekend. The winner earns a slot on the main stage, so every act gives it everything. This year’s line-up featured everything from incredible harmonica performances and live bands to rap duos.
But one contestant completely stole the show.
She walked on stage, admitted she wasn’t sure her talent was quite as impressive as everyone else’s, and the crowd fell silent. No instrument. No backing track. You could hear a pin drop. What on earth was this contestant about to do? And then she proceeded to fit her entire fist in her mouth.
If that doesn’t sum up Beat-Herder, we’re not sure what does. The wonderful woman didn’t win the contest unfortunately, but let’s hope she can get booked for next year, ey?
One of this year’s new additions was The Dub Tub, which quickly became one of our favourite discoveries. Artists like Woody Cook swapped high-energy sets for slower, dub-inspired sessions, creating the perfect place to reset before diving back into the madness.
Oh, and of course, in true Beat-Herder fashion, the DJs were performing in a bathtub, of course.
And speaking of madness… all the classics are still there. The famous tunnel leading to hidden stages, the weird and wonderful walkabout performers, the random discoveries you’ll never find on a map, the hidden swimming pool, fancy dress costumes, and the constant feeling that you’re about to stumble across something completely unexpected.
Massive credit has to go to everyone behind the scenes. From the organisers to the volunteers and crew, everything runs incredibly smoothly, despite how wonderfully chaotic it all feels. Beat-Herder, you’ve done it again; roll on 2027.
Meet the team that reimagined The Horse and Jockey into a gastropub masterpiece
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Horse and Jockey is a historic neighbourhood pub that has forever been a cornerstone in the heart of Chorlton, with its iconic Tudor exterior and outdoor seating looking out onto The Green.
Since the team behind the well-known and loved The Black Friar and Leo + Roobs in Salford, headed by Managing Director Neil Burke and Executive Chef Ben Chaplin, reopened the pub in October 2025, we have since seen some significant changes.
Positioning themselves as Chorlton’s first-ever proper gastropub, they’ve expertly balanced maintaining the pub’s character and restoring the cosy indoors while catering for Manc foodies, with an ever-evolving menu consisting of fresh local produce as well as a wide selection of Joseph Holt award-winning beers.
Credit: Bigger Boat Hospitality
We’re not the only ones who have noticed the hard work these two have put in – the transformation has led to the Horse and Jockey being crowned as one of the best local boozers at the Pub and Bar Awards.
Today, we had a chance to talk with Ben, who is the mastermind behind their delicious dishes and makes it all possible…
For anyone who doesn’t know you, give us a little bit of background on your career as a chef thus far?
“I started in the kitchen when I was 15 and worked my way up through different kitchens. Ended up working for Aiden Byrne, who remains the youngest person ever to achieve a Michelin star at 22. I worked for him for about nine years, ran one of his pubs for him and helped develop Manchester House.”
“I then went off and worked as head chef at Australasia for two years and 20 Stories for another three years before meeting Neil. Together we opened The Black Friar in 2021, Leo + Roobs in 2024, now the Horse and Jockey and are 100% looking for more venues.”
How would you sum up the Manc food scene at the minute?
“Very diverse. Within the industry side of it, it’s difficult with a lot going on with VAT and wages, but there are some great venues doing some great food even just in Chorlton alone, and there is a lot of choice – I actually think it rivals London.”
This has become a staple of their annual calendar of events. See more from this year’s edition HERE.
We already know you’ve worked wonders bringing The Black Friar back to life and taking it beyond just a pub – what lessons have you taken from that experience to the Horse and Jockey?
“I think not just the Horse and Jockey but one of our values as a company for Bigger Boat is we are ‘yes people.’ So trying new things and not just saying no to something because we don’t want to do it, saying yes first and trying to find a way to achieve it.”
“It’s something that we don’t just do here, but we do it at the cafe, The Black Friar, and we’re going to do it going forward, opening more and more places.”
If you could describe how the approach is different between the two venues, what would you say?
“The spaces in The Black Friar allow us to do a lot more events; we obviously have a bigger outdoor area, so that leads to us being able to sell different areas for different events. We don’t have that as much here, and this is more of a neighbourhood, local pub, serving gastro-style food.
“The Black Friar we can go from events to weddings pretty seamlessly – we do a lot more there as there’s space for it and even more to come.”
They’ve even started doing a picnic basket offer. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
What is your favourite dish on the menu?
“We change the menu so often here (the Horse and Jockey) following the seasons, often changing a dish a week. However, right now my favourite is probably our lamb rump with a red pepper and harissa hummus with a hazelnut and sesame seed dhukka.”
And if you could sum up the food in three words, what would they be?
“Evolving, tasty and bold.”
These two truly know what they’re doing with these restorations, and we can’t wait to experience what else they take over in the future.
Don’t believe us? Go on down and try it for yourself.
You can read our full review of the food and drink from when they first reopened the gorgeous suburban, village-style spot down below.
Emily Sergeant -
27th January 2021 
