So, that’s it. 2021 is over, and we can all take a breath. Even by the insane standards of recent history, this was a year that managed to leave a trail of eye-rubbingly implausible stories in its wake.
After a deadly pandemic put Blighty’s famous ‘Blitz Spirit’ to the test in 2020, we’d have all settled for a simple 12 months with some normality. But what we got instead was another unpredictable, topsy-turvy chapter that seemed to crawl and fly by simultaneously.
Bookended by the grim spread of COVID variants with some light in the middle of the tunnel, 2021 has turned out to be as much of a rollercoaster as its predecessor. It all began with a winter of discontent as everyone hid indoors, and it looks set to finish in a similar way. But en route there was plenty to talk about. And some of the strangest stuff happened right on our doorstep.
Here, we look back at the most peculiar episodes during another wild year in Manchester. The result is a list that features giant pigeons, penis enlargement adverts and ‘Julie’s I Pad’…
Flying for a beef sandwich
This fella flew from Salford to Preston for a beef butty in lockdown / Image: Chipping Farm Shop
In March 2021, lockdown was in full force, but there was hope on the horizon. The government’s ‘roadmap to freedom’ had been unveiled, COVID cases were falling, and businesses were finally preparing to reopen their doors to customers. Within a matter of days, we’d be able to head to pubs and restaurants and dine outdoors.
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But one helicopter pilot didn’t feel like waiting until the restrictions eased. He was hungry now, and what he really fancied was a beef butty.
So, he hopped in his chopper, took off from Salford, whizzed 80 miles across to the Chipping Farm Shop in Preston, and collected his sandwich before flying back home.
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Pictures of the man receiving his order were posted on social media and the story made quite the splash, but authority figures didn’t see the funny side.
One councillor labelled it a “fragrant abuse of lockdown rules”, and police forces said they opened an investigation into the matter.
Two thieves took refuge in Robinsons Brewery / Image: David Pickersgill
Picture this: You’re in Stockport, you’re on the run, and you need a place to hide. Where do you go?
Two suspected burglars faced this conundrum in March 2021. And they chose badly.
Having already been identified as fugitives by police and with sirens hot on their heels, the duo decided to dive into Robinsons Brewery.
At the time, it might have seemed like a decent spot to stay until the heat died down. The famous building on Lower Hillgate is big, dark, and best of all, full of beer.
In April 2021, a press release sent Gary Neville into meltdown.
“I’m disgusted,” he snarled, his gnashing teeth obscured by a padded Sky Sports microphone.
“Absolutely disgusted. I’m disgusted with Manchester United and Liverpool most.”
The former England footballer was delivering an emotional on-screen response to the published plans for the European Super League (ESL) – a new breakaway division featuring 12 of the continent’s biggest football teams (including Premier League sides Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea).
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The contest effectively amounted to an elite members’ club where the same sides would play one another over and over again and the rich owners would get richer. It was foul.
Neville was one of the first to start frothing at the mouth in response, but he would not be the last. Within days, the vitriolic backlash against the ESL saw panicked clubs pull out and the competition folded like a house of cards. But fan power’s fight continued – with supporters using the victory over the ESL as a springboard to battle back against the club owners who had signed up to join the division in the first place.
On May 2, with the world watching, Manchester United fans held a demonstration against the Glazer family at Old Trafford before their match with old rivals Liverpool. The barriers were breached and several hundred people broke into the stadium before kick-off.
The match was abandoned – and the passionate scenes made headlines across the globe.
The incident prompted the Premier League to bring in a new owners’ charter designed to stop any future attempts to join a breakaway league. It also led to the Glazers briefly opening a dialogue with supporters via a fans forum – the first communication of its kind during nearly 16 years of ownership.
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Fans had won the battle, but not the war. Ringleaders over at Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona still want to revive the ESL project when the time is right. And the vilified American Glazer family remain at the helm at Old Trafford.
This one isn’t over.
The chaotic parish council meeting in Handforth
Handforth Parish Council’s emergency meeting was an unlikely global hit / Image: ma0sm
A year ago this month, a council meeting was taking place in Handforth – a little town just outside of Greater Manchester – that would end up shooting its participants to stardom.
The group had arranged an emergency online forum to talk politics, with question marks hovering over the conduct of certain members.
The whole thing was a typical Zoom huddle of blurry faces, scrambled audio and people talking over one another. But when a recording of it was posted to social media in February 2021, everything changed.
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The footage revealed a council meeting so jaw-droppingly chaotic it proved a monster hit online – generating thousands of views in a matter of minutes.
Handforth Parish Council became its very own soap opera: Introducing us to a rich mix of four dimensional comedy characters that ranged from the tooting Brian Tolver to the enigmatic Julie’s iPad.
The breakout star, of course, was Jackie Weaver – a member of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils who’d seemingly been drafted in to get the Handforth house in order. Weaver gained worldwide fame for remaining stoic in the face of disruptive members during the meeting, responding to an onslaught of cries and accusations by coolly kicking complainers out of the call.
The endlessly quotable (“You have no authority here Jackie Weaver!”; “Read the standing orders! Read them and understand them!”) footage has done the rounds all year – and even led to the council changing its name to “move away from the toxic side of Handforth”.
Weaver, meanwhile, has published a book titled You Do Have The Authority Here! and become one of Handforth’s most famous associates, even being invited to switch on the town’s Christmas lights in 2021.
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Giant pigeon parades through Piccadilly Gardens
“These pests at Piccadilly are really getting out of hand now” / Image: LeafyLeg via Reddit
You can usually find something peculiar happening in Piccadilly Gardens at any time of day. It’s a part of Manchester where seemingly anything goes. Even human-sized pigeons.
Pigeons are so populous in Piccadilly Gardens they ought to be paying rent. Walking down the paths here involves tiptoeing around dozens of pests all fluttering and cooing by the fountains, whilst dozens more swoop in to feed on scraps left behind by commuters, shoppers and loiterers. They’re everywhere. Which might explain why a mammoth bird almost managed to get across the gardens unnoticed in 2021.
It was a piping hot August day, and everyone was simply minding their own business, when someone dressed in a huge pigeon suit began plodding through Manchester’s central square.
One person nearby managed to capture a snippet of video, but few others seemed to bat an eye.
We’re apparently so used to pigeons round these parts, even the gigantic ones can blend in…
On a cold, dark January evening, supermarket staff working the late shift were stunned to witness an ambulance rock up in the car park with its blue lights flashing, before an entire family spilled out of the vehicle to do some shopping.
Puzzled police turned up and proceeded to pull the driver aside, discovering they had no insurance and were wanted by the court.
It was later revealed that the ambulance had been purchased second hand, and that the driver had been taken into custody for the incident.
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So, just to recap: An uninsured, wanted driver bought an emergency services vehicle and used it to take his family shopping, turning on the lights in the process. During lockdown.
Ridiculous.
Swarms of bees descend on the city
Bee-MW… / Image: The Manc Group
Something miraculous happened in Manchester this summer. For a magical moment, it seemed like the bee symbols dotted right around the city had all sprung to life.
On at least three separate occasions during June, thousands of bees were found swarming to specific spots of Mancunia. First, they took over the back window of a BMW, before settling on a sign for Manchester International Festival on Peter Street. Later in the month, a few thousand more were spotted around the corner as they engulfed a canopy outside of Albert’s Schloss bar.
The sudden appearance of these pulsing gold and black blankets was a sight to behold – but it also invited many questions. Why had these insects apparently decided to reclaim Manchester?
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According to the British Beekeepers Association, it’s not unusual for honeybee colonies to swarm on warm days between May and July – ordinarily after a queen departs. Scout bees search for a suitable new spot to make a nest, whilst the other bees wait together until a home is chosen.
That’s apparently what we were seeing back in summer. And it was pretty amazing.
Sunny Brow Park made the headlines in 2021… for a very strange reason / Image: Wikimedia Commons
Lots of Gorton residents head into Sunny Brow Park when the weather is good, either to enjoy a leisurely stroll with river views or take the kids to the playground.
In many ways, it’s a park like any other. But in June 2021, this unassuming little green space on Knutsford Road made the headlines for a very strange reason.
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A couple were spotted – and pictured – engaging in some frisky activity in broad daylight below a tree.
First at around midday. Then again at 2pm.
The incident(s) resulted in stunned by-passers calling the police, and the duo were arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency.
Yikes.
Posters for penis enlargement pop up in shop windows
The peculiar posters appeared on Market Street in autumn / Image: The Manc Group / TikTok
Head-turning artworks have a habit of appearing overnight in Manchester. Throughout 2021, we’ve woken up to huge posters lambasting Boris Johnson for his failures in government, and a stencilled spray painting of a boy flying a kite in Stockport (which was initially rumoured as a Banksy before Salford artist Mr Eggs took credit). But the most bizarre of the bunch was an ‘advert’ for free penis enlargement.
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In November, an image materialised in a shop window on Market Street joking that drivers of specific vehicles could be eligible for the enhancing treatment.
The caption read: “Do you drive a 4×4, Jeep or Range Rover in the city? You could be entitled to FREE penis enlargement therapy on the NHS.”
A phone number was displayed below images of the vehicles, alongside a logo for a company called Megacorp.
This prank, promotional device, or political stunt – whatever it might be – has apparently been done before, with the Metro reporting that a similar poster was seen three years ago in the Midlands, albeit with a different contact number listed.
The Manchester Evening News believed the latest posters had been put together by an anonymous designer working under the alias Foka Wolf.
The real purpose remains unclear. But it definitely raised a few smirks at the time.
Ravyn Lenae at Gorilla Manchester – Our ‘One Wish’ was granted
Thomas Melia
This was Ravyn Lenae’s first rodeo at Gorilla and it’s safe to say she had the Manchester crowd hooked on her live set like ‘Candy’ (sorry).
Only two lines in and three puns deep but Ravyn’s performance was nothing to joke about, especially with her to-die-for vocals and killer live accompaniment.
Her most recent album and tour are both branded, Birds Eye, and while Gorilla may not be the most panoramic place in our beautiful city to overlook the Manchester skyline, the bubbly and engaging crowd sure painted a pretty well-rounded picture of the Mancunian hospitality.
The introduction to ‘Bad Idea’ feels like a spaceship descending to earth and it couldn’t be more fitting because let’s face it, an artist this good simply can’t be living on the same planet as us she’s simply out-of-this-world.
Similarly, the follow-up ‘1 of 1’ has an identical space-tech vibe with a static-filled opening and instrumental making it a perfect predecessor. These two tunes have impressive soundscapes with the live drums even more so helping to excite a sold-out venue.
Ravyn Lenae wasn’t shy on stage, commanding the Gorilla stage.Lenae appreciating the roars of the Manchester crowd.Credit: Audio North/The Manc Group
Seven tracks into the setlist, Lenae knows how to keep Gorilla at her fingertips performing hits ‘M.I.A’, ‘The Night Song’ and ‘Candy’ back-to-back-to-back – easily the holy trinity of track runs on this tour.
Taken from her debut outing Hypnos, the afrobeats and lo-fi inspired ‘M.I.A’ doubles as a dancefloor filler and an instant crowd pleaser, ironically we were lost in the music.
The middle of this three-track-run ‘The Night Song’ keeps spirits high and boosts our confidence as the 25-year-old has us singing, “Hair down, feeling alright/ Got my edges on tight, It’s a party tonight”.
Her sweet-named album track ‘Candy’ jet sets us to a tropical paradise with its reggae-fused rhythms, and after a full ten minutes of side-stepping and attempting to dance, the cold temperature outside didn’t even cross the crowd’s mind.
Besides being some of her best numbers, these three upbeat tunes take us through a small piece of her past three projects with each of the singles featuring on a different respective release from 2018 all the way up to present day.
Nothing but love from Ravyn Lenae and her crew for the Mancs.Lost in music, Lenae and band at Gorilla, Manchester.Credit: The Manc Group
Steve Lacy produced ‘Sticky’ was another standout, her rocker chic-esque vocal style flaunts all over the live band’s arrangement as she flaunts, ‘What did you do?/ Got me confused’.
‘One Wish’ was ethereal; I may have an unfair bias with this single being my personal favourite in the American star’s discography, but the vocal delivery and Lenae’s characterisation elevated this to new heights – even better than its original studio recording, maybe.
Manchester never misses the chance for an encore, especially not when it’s the plucky guitar bop ‘Love Me Not’. Up there with one of her best.
The crowd erupted as Lenae asked, “You want one more?”, before whistling, “See right now I need you, I’ll meet you somewhere now”, it was obvious concertgoers wanted this show wasn’t done.
The Manchester date marks the final show of the whole tour and Lenae was feeling very reflective during song breaks, telling the buzzy crowd, “I’m so grateful that I still get to tour this part of the world and I appreciate you all braving the cold for me”.
When you’re getting to witness someone as remarkable as Chicago-born singer Ravyn Lenae, a little bit of nippy Manchester weather is nothing!
The best, biggest and bouijiest hotels to stay at in Manchester city centre
Daisy Jackson
Hotels are opening in Manchester city centre at a rate that’s hard to keep up with, diversifying the overnight offering with every passing minute, and they’re also some of the very best in the UK.
We’ve got plenty of familiar boltholes if you can’t tear yourself away from the familiarity of a Premier Inn purple bedroom, or the reliable comforts of a Hilton, but also plenty of smaller names offering a stylish place to rest your head.
We’ve rounded up a dozen of the very best that Manchester has to offer – expect rooftop pools, riverside terraces, grand architecture and celebrity chefs.
And not all of them come with an eye-watering price tag…
If you want a hotel with loads of atmosphere as well as a grown-up space with a dark, moody interior, then Dakota is absolutely the one for you.
This beautiful hotel opened back in 2019; a huge £30m black box on the outskirts of the Northern Quarter that has seen celebrity guests such as Hugh Jackman, Molly Mae-Hague, Mel B and many more.
Formerly Hotel Brooklyn – we all know Manchester has a habit of drawing comparisons to New York, albeit a smaller, soggier version, – voco Manchester still has all the glamour as was originally intended.
The hotel first opened at the worst possible time, being thrust in and out of lockdowns within weeks of opening, but since then it’s attracted rave reviews and been named among the top 20 ‘hottest new hotels’ by Traveller’s Choice among many glowing reviews.
Even after being over by IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in December 2023, the 189-room hotel has taken on a new life, boasting the in-house Runyons Restaurant which still keeps those US connections, as well as an open-plan lobby lounge featuring a big screen for live sport and entertainment.
It may be different from what it was but there’s still plenty of style to be seen here.
Just across the border into Salford is The Lowry Hotel, and a big, sweeping curve of pure class sticking out above the river. It’s got a global reputation and it’s no surprise when its guestbook features some of the biggest celebrities of all time.
Remember when Taylor Swift rented out the entire place, or Jose Mourinho decided to just live there, rather than find an apartment, during his time as Manchester United manager? Not to mention Britney Spears, David Beckham, Rihanna, Take That, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and countless others.
Having undergone a £5m bedroom refurb, The Lowry has one of the smartest and brightest interiors in the north of England, one of the region’s most expensive hotel rooms (a casual £4,500 a night for the presidential suite), as well as a super high-tech spa. We also enjoy just heading there for the Lowry bottomless brunch, to be honest.
The Kimpton Clocktower – previously known as the Palace and Principal Hotel, among multiple other monikers – oozes timeless sophistication, a relic of Victorian grandeur but with a boutique hotel feel to it.
The lobby is one of the most impressive spaces in Greater Manchester, all polished tile and marble beneath a glass-domed ceiling, setting the scene for the rooms themselves (high ceilings, big windows, and plenty of historical details).
Another big plus when it comes to the Kimpton is its in-house bar and restaurant: The Refuge, which is a cut above the average hotel offering and is very much its own entity with a reputation for fabulous late-night and seasonal events, a divine bottomless brunch and plenty of other distinct draws.
The lobby at Kimpton ClocktowerOne of their many stylish roomsCredit: Kimpton/The Manc Group
5. The Midland
If only walls could talk, The Midland Hotel would have some of the best stories on Earth.
The landmark hotel has been part of the fabric of Manchester for more than 100 years, with 312 luxurious rooms, and it’s storied that it’s where Charles Rolls and Henry Royce (of Rolls Royce fame) were introduced.
Then there are the communal spaces, even fancier now after their £14m refurbishment, including restaurants Adam Reid at The French and Mount Street Dining Room, and the incredible circular champagne bar in the middle of the lobby.
It’s also the place to come for a traditional afternoon tea and has a truly cracking spa. This place doesn’t need any kind of sale pitch: it’s unquestionably one of the best hotels in Manchester – if not the best.
The curb appeal of Whitworth Locke is something else, from its decadent bar housed in a Parisian-style conservatory and fine culinary offerings (Peru Perdu and a Foundation Coffee House are both in here), to its incredible location right on the edge of the Gay Village.
Each of the rooms is a self-contained haven, from studio apartments all the way up to two-bedroom duplex suites, decorated in a Pinterest-worthy palette of greens and pinks (a muted sample of the terracotta bricks outside).
There’s a free workspace area that spills into a truly stunning conservatory bar, as well as a packed calendar of events too, so whether you’re an out-of-town guest or a local Manc looking to fill a few hours, you’ll be kept busy enough.
Safe to say we’re big fans of this much-loved Manchester hotel.
7. King Street Townhouse
You have, almost without a doubt, seen photos of the King Street Townhouse before – this is the hotel that introduced the infinity pool to the city centre, with views of the Town Hall (well, currently of scaffolding).
The hotel has its own cinema room, a rooftop terrace bar, a new gym, and incredible afternoon teas.
The smart rooms range in size from ‘snug’ to ‘cosy’ to ‘comfy’ to suites, with suites priced at around £430 a night.
From afternoon tea and lunch deals to spa offers, big group events, private screening and so much more, King St Townhouse isn’t just one of the best hotels in Manchester, it’s also one of the most well-rounded in terms of its overall hospitality.
One of the newest hotels to open in Manchester (and they are popping up like daisies) is The Alan, which has stripped the old Princess Street Hotel back to expose and celebrate its original features.
There are 137 bedrooms, each with high ceilings and warm textures, an open-plan kitchen, a restaurant and bar, as well as event spaces.
The devil is in the detail here and the design has been carefully thought-out. The floor is made from a collage of discarded marble, and the dried flowers illuminated beneath the bar were actually foraged by the hotel’s owners at the time they secured plans for The Alan… while they were broken down on the side of the motorway.
It’s gone on to become comfortably one of the best luxury hotels in Manchester since it opened in 2022.
9. Stock Exchange Hotel
Famous names absolutely litter Stock Exchange Hotel, which is easily one of the grandest spaces in all of Greater Manchester.
Not only does it come from Gary Neville’s rapidly-booking hospitality empire, but it’s also backed by world-famous hotelier Winston Zahra, not to mention high-profile chefs and hospitality figures like Tom Kerridge and The Schofield Brothers having run the kitchen.
You could be looking at as much as £1500 for a night in the suites, but the rooms start at a much lower rate – and then there’s ‘The House’, an enormous fully serviced, ultra-exclusive penthouse apartment with its own roof terrace.
The newest addition to Manchester’s ever-growing hotel and resort sector, The Reach has landed just a short walk from Piccadilly Station and is only a few minutes away from the bustling Northern Quarter, meaning that like Dakota, it’s picked a prime logistical and cultural location.
But enough about topographical perks, this place is simply sublime, serving exquisite food and drink from its Lock 84 restaurant overlooking the Rochdale Canal, with rooms that are just as spacious as they are luxurious.
Perfect for business or pleasure, The Reach is already becoming a popular choice for those visiting Manchester and has comfortably landed itself on the list of the very best hotels we have to offer here in the city centre.
The Manc -
1st January 2022 
