Our first Manc of the Month instalment of 2022 is dedicated to Figen Murray, a woman who puts peace first despite her own world being shattered by the Manchester Arena attack.
Monday 22 May, 2017, was a day that devastated and changed Manchester forever.
The attack at the Manchester Arena killed 22 innocent people, and sent shockwaves of grief throughout the region.
Those who lost loved ones on that dark day will never forget what was taken from them on that night.
That grief could so easily have turned into anger – but Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett was killed at just 29 years old, has chosen to embrace and champion peace instead.
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Figen Murray with son Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack
She has recently stated: “One thing I learnt over the past 4.5 years is that there will never be a place in my heart for hate.
“The world is full of wonderful and amazing humans & recognising this has been massively healing. The darkness will never overshadow my life.”
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2022 started in a big way for Figen.
The inspirational campaigner and educator was named on the New Year’s Honours list and appointed OBE, recognised for her services to counter terrorism.
Figen Murray.
Since the tragic death of Martyn, Figen has tirelessly fought to make venues safer.
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Her Martyn’s Law campaign has led to the rapid progression of the Protect Duty, a new piece of legislation that would see certain public places required to be prepared for, and protected against, terrorist attacks.
In a witness statement as part of the Manchester Arena enquiry, Figen said: “The idea for Martyn’s Law came about at the end of 2018.
“My husband had been given two concert tickets for a singer that he likes. The tickets were for 2nd December 2018 in a Manchester theatre. I had not been out and about since Martyn’s death and this was the first time that I ventured into Manchester and into the city life in a long time.
“On attending the venue, I took my smallest handbag with me to enable any bag search to be carried out quickly. When we got to the theatre we walked in and nobody even asked for our entry tickets. We walked past members of staff who were in conversation with each other and took a seat.
We went on Saturday with some of Martyn's friends. It is definitely beautiful. It will be nice when spring adds a touch of colours to it. It is a good place to go and contemplate. I am also sad Manchester needs a memorial. But it is what it is. Nobody can bring them back😔 https://t.co/TTl2GwX9gz
“During the show, I got very tearful as I was astounded by the fact that we had just walked in. Naively, I had until then made the assumption that security checks at public venues were now run of the mill after the Manchester Arena Bombing.”
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She told ITV News: “Absolutely everything I do since Martyn died is purely for the purposes to avoid other families from going through what we as a family have gone through, and are going through and will be going through for the rest of our lives.”
It’s just one example of how this influential woman channels her energies into making the world a safer, more peaceful place.
Before the 2017 terrorist attack, Figen was actually a counsellor and life coach.
Martyn Hett.
She had dedicated her entire career to listening to people, and helping them to build a happier future.
Since making the decision to leave counselling, Figen has embarked on a new challenge, and completed a Master’s degree in Counter Terrorism from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
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She graduated with a distinction (naturally), and said: “This one’s for you, Martyn!”
These are all big, impactful moves – but Figen’s mission for peace trickles down to something much smaller too.
She also knits teddy bears, each one given its own identity and background story, which she sells on Depop.
One of these ‘peace bears’ even made its way into the arms of New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, shortly after the Christchurch mosque shootings that killed 51 people.
Figen says that ‘every grown up should own a teddy bear, as people often forget to have fun and let their hair down once in a while when they grow up.’
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She left one particularly special bear, known as Jordan Bear, on a train in brown paper bag, with clear instructions that he should see the world.
The little blue creature has now passed through dozens of hands and countries – including a little holiday with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
On top of all this, Figen regularly visits schools, colleges and universities to try and instil kindness and tolerance.
She said in a blog post for Educate Against Hate: “I hope to create a positive framework for young people, so they embrace each other’s differences rather than fear them.
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“I want young people to have hope for a kinder future and I want to prevent other families from going through the same pain that we did.”
All of us Mancs have heard the expression ‘Be More Martyn’ by now.
Maybe we should all be a little more Figen too.
About Manc of the Month
We all know that Manchester is home to some special people, some born here and others drawn here, and after a bumpy two years that effectively amounted to one big lockdown, it’s these special people that have inspired and led us through the tough times – so we decided to start a series that shines a light on those who should be celebrated.
Following on from our ‘The Mancs of the Year’ feature towards the end of 2020, Manc of the Month officially kicked off in July 2021, with Marcus Rashford MBE, Manchester’s mural king Akse P-19, the local chef feeding the region’s vulnerable families Mary-Ellen McTague, and Manchester’s groundbreaking new Council leader Bev Craig among previous honourees.
Feature
The Scottish-Indian restaurant selling haggis pakoras and deep-fried Mars bars
Georgina Pellant
Over in Sale’s newly redeveloped Stanley Square, you’ll find an Indian fusion restaurant serving up Scottish ingredients in some decidedly un-Scottish ways.
We’re talking haggis pakoras, Irn Bru negronis, wee puris and seven spice Scotch eggs – all served street food style in traditional metal tiffin boxes.
Opened by Ryan Singh, who hails from Edinburgh, Roti combines the best bits of his Scottish and Indian heritage by putting a spicy twist on some of Scotland’s most sacred foodstuffs.
Think deep-fried Mars bars, ‘chip butties’ in authentic rotis stuffed with curried aloo and chickpeas in aromatic pickle, and an aromatic take on mince and tatties made by combining Roti spiced pork and chole potatoes.
Irn Bru Negronis put a Scottish twist on the Negroni Sbagliato. / Image: The Manc Eats
Deep-fried Mars bars feature on the menu. / Image: The Manc Eats
Elsewhere, you’ll find a decidedly fresh spin on fish and chips combining fresh Panga fish in roti gram flour batter with fluffy masala potatoes on a bed of curried ‘mushy peas’ chickpeas, and a massive Highlander burger topped with a crunchy puri ball.
Haggis – a Scottish delicacy traditionally served on Burns night – features heavily on the menu here too.
A savoury pudding containing sheep’s pluck (a mix of minced heart, liver and lungs) with oatmeal, onion, spices, suet, salt and stock, it’s typically served alongside neeps (better known as parsnips) on special occassions.
Down at Roti, though, it takes some decidedly different forms: shaped into burger patties and topped with coleslaw and apple chutney, or lightly coated in a spiced gram flour and fried into pakoras.
Haggis pakoras at Roti in Sale. / Image: The Manc Eats
Seven spiced Scotch eggs and The Highlander haggis burger at Roti in Sale. / Image: The Manc Eats
Roti first opened on Chorlton’s Barlow Moor Road in 2019, but within a few months found itself forced to close its doors and switch to takeaway only as the country went into lockdown.
After building up a loyal following of takeaway customers, the restaurant – described as ‘not your average Indian joint’ – was inspired to expand and owners moved into the newly refurbished Sale shopping precinct in 2021.
Sadly, they closed the original restaurant earlier this month but you can still find all their brilliant dishes over in Sale alongside hospitality heavy hitters like Rudy’s, Greens and Sugo Pasta Kitchen.
The 1975 ‘At Their Very Best’ in Manchester — they certainly were
Danny Jones
On Friday, The 1975 rocked their way back up to Manchester for the homecoming gig of their ‘At Their Very Best’ tour at the AO Arena and ‘my, my, my’ did they live up to the title of the show.
Returning for the first time since 2020, the band from Wilmslow were clearly committed to putting on a memorable show for the city they grew up in and which essentially put them on the map, with Matty Healy openly admitting: “I don’t need to tell you how big this gig for us”.
It certainly felt pretty momentous for the 20,000 or so of us watching.
The calm before the storm
While a mix of ambient and classic music played before they took the stage and opener Bonnie Kemplay delighted both her die-hards and won over plenty of new ears with her soft and soothing tones, it all felt like a calm before the storm as we knew the level of performance and pageantry that was in store.
We couldn’t have been more right, as despite having fallen ill overnight and being hopped up on Lemsip — he literally spent the first few songs sipping on a cold and flu drink — you couldn’t tell, as Healy’s energy levels looked just as electric as in the now-famed London show, if not even more so.
Not only did he grow into the gig as it went on, as typified by various costume changes (mostly just taking off his shirt), the trademark shaky knees dancing, swapping Lemsip for wine and cigs, as well as his general David Bryne-like eccentricities, but the whole show felt more like an ensemble performance.
From the way his various bandmates were introduced with opening credits as they walked through the various doors on the stage and fans screamed as each of their favourites switched on a light around the beautifully set design, to how they all gathered around the mics to nail the harmonies — it felt like everyone had their moment. And there were quite a few, to say the least…
Chucking on special guests, chewing raw meat and climbing through a TV
With fans having already seen footage of them bringing out Taylor Swift on the first night in the capital, those watching The 1975 ‘At Their Very Best’ in Manchester were understandably excited to see who might appear through the door towards the back of the stage. Oh, just Charli XCX, as you do.
Honestly, the noise that echoed around the AO Arena when she appeared was deafening and though perhaps not everyone in there would usually find themselves listening to her music, even with The 1975‘s own obvious and expertly attuned pop sensibilities, her energy was unparalleled and the crowd lapped it up.
It was a similar story when Carly Holt was brought on for ‘About You’ and they played old cult-favourite ‘Menswear’ from their self-titled debut album.
That being said, it was nothing compared to the slightly maniacal crescendo that closed out of the opening half of the show before she stepped out, as Matty punctuated the songs from Being Funny in a Foreign Language and the more easy-going tracks with a typically meta albeit bizarre interlude.
The frenetic frontman has always been self-referential but he was at self-indulgent best on Friday, as in one fell swoop he went from unbuttoning his shirt and sensually caressing his body whilst smoking on stage, to getting on his knees, eating a raw piece of steak and doing a bunch of press-ups. At one point you could literally see him mouth, “what the f*** am I doing!?”
We have absolutely no idea, Matty. We thought it was surreal enough when he started eating a sausage roll after a fan chucked it on stage, but that was nothing compared to him staring down a camera as he climbed through a TV and disappeared out the back of the set.
We assumed it had some kind of consumerist, fourth-wall-breaking message about being sucked in by media and whatnot, but who knows? It could just be the ever-artsy musician having a bit of mind-bending fun; it gave us trippy Trainspotting vibes and was unlike any other live gig we’d ever seen.
Credit: The Manc
Doing what they do best: putting on a proper show
With the new album and the majority of surprises behind them, the band then kicked things into fifth gear and started playing countless bangers throughout their now more than decade-long studio discography as they steamed towards the final act of their 25-track epic.
Part of the reason this latest record has gone down so well with fans new and old is that it’s much more succinct and simpler than the previous two; back to basics sounds reductive but it was about stripping away a lot of the frills and just writing good songs — the second half of the show very much embodied that ethos.
Matty’s often unhinged, ‘dancing with abandon’ and intoxicated persona on stage is never going to go anywhere, but it didn’t look like he needed anything other than the audience to fuel the performance. They fed off him and he fed off them, as was perfectly epitomised when they dropped ‘The Sound’.
Closing the door and looking towards a new chapter
More poignantly, after the now infamous antics earlier in the show that have now become part of the narrative for this tour, there wasn’t any more self-indulgence. There were no speeches about politics or art, kissing people on stage or sucking thumbs. There was simply no need for it.
There was only pure crowd-pleasing, Matty showing his appreciation for his bandmates and celebrating everything that the band is about at this moment in time, even if that is partly playing the hits and things like doing the ‘don’t like methols’ meme.
I mean, he couldn’t not do it for us, could he?
Best lyric ever.
Last but not least, the set dressing was typically creative from The 1975’s production team as a whole and played a key role throughout, but it was until the end of the show that it hit home how important it was to the whole performance.
The doors dotted all over the stage weren’t just a nice nod to the iconic box logo that the band is known for. After it was illuminated and Matty passed through it for the final time, shutting it behind him and the credits once again rolling for the band, the metaphor hit you like a train: it signified the end of an era.
By walking through it on his way off the stage, it symbolised the band closing the door on the Music For Cars era that has encapsulated their last five albums and more than 21 years of their life as a band, with the last action of Matty going to turn the stage lights as if to ram home that final moment of closure.
Who knows what the next chapter will hold for The 1975? All we know is that we have loved the journey so far and you can sign us up for as many of those gigs as they’re willing to give us.
Daisy Jackson -
28th January 2022 
