It also brought with it dramatic scenes of a sinkhole opening up – which even “swallowed” a car – on Wednesday evening on a residential street in the Abbey Hey area of Gorton, that even shockingly led to the collapse of the frontage of at least two terraced properties as a result.
But as many will know, this is far from the first time sinkholes have caused drama in the region as of late.
In 2016 alone – the year that will be remembered by Mancunians for Brexit, the electing of Donald Trump, and of course, sinkholes – at least six major sinkholes opened up across Greater Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Mancunian Way sinkhole – which was caused by a collapsed water culvert destroying a main sewer, and quickly became a tourist attraction until it was finally fixed and reopened on 16th June – grabbed most of the headlines, but there was also a 10ft deep, 2ft wide sinkhole that appeared on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter in April, the collapse of an old brick sewer that opened one in Whitefield on 12th September, a super storm caused traffic chaos in Cheetham Hill as a crater closed Waterloo Road two days later, and several other notable instances that can all be referenced from that same year.
But now that we’ve actually highlighted the sheer scale of the problem, what actually is a sinkhole? What makes them occur? And just why do we seem to be so plagued with them here in Greater Manchester?
ADVERTISEMENT
We had a dig around to get to the bottom of this – and this is what we found.
What are sinkholes?
If we’re going to get technical with it, the Oxford English Dictionary defines a sinkhole as: “a cavity in the ground, especially in a limestone formation, caused by water erosion and providing a route for surface water to disappear underground”, but in a nutshell, a sinkhole is essentially any hole in the ground created by erosion and the drainage of water.
Sinkholes can either be just a few feet across, or in the case of the aforementioned instances in Gorton earlier this week, large enough to swallow whole vehicles and whole buildings.
ADVERTISEMENT
Although they’re more often than not the result of natural processes, they can also be triggered by human activity too.
Are there different types of sinkhole?
The short answer is yes – there are two basic types of sinkhole.
There’s those that are created slowly over time, which are known as cover-subsidence sinkholes, and those that appear suddenly, which are known as a cover-collapse sinkhole, and as you’d expect, it’s the latter type that creates the sort of headlines we’ve seen this week and in recent years, but both varieties are formed by the same basic mechanism.
Why do they occur?
Now, this is where the real geological explanations have to come into it.
Sinkholes mainly occur in what is known as ‘karst terrain’ – areas of land where soluble bedrock, such as limestone or gypsum, can be dissolved by water.
ADVERTISEMENT
With cover-subsidence sinkholes, the bedrock becomes exposed and is gradually worn down over time, with the holes often becoming ponds as the water fills them in, but with a cover-collapse sinkhole, this same process occurs out of our sight.
With cover-collapse sinkholes, naturally-occurring cracks and small voids underneath the surface are hollowed out by water erosion, with a cover of soil or sediment remaining over the top, and eventually, as the hole expands over time, this cover can no longer support its own weight and suddenly collapses to reveal the cavern that’s been hiding underneath.
Pothole vs Sinkhole
There are a number of differences between a pothole and a sinkhole, that aren’t just the size of the hole and the drama that goes along with it.
It was revealed earlier this month, thanks to a recent study by Manchester-based personal injury lawyers JMW Solicitors and data from fixmystreet.com, that as of January 2021, there were 7,114 reported open pothole cases reported across Greater Manchester – a whopping 2,356 of those being in the City of Manchester itself – with the situation only predicted to get worse, so it would seem that sinkholes aren’t the only recurring issue we have in the region.
But what is the difference between the two?
ADVERTISEMENT
To keep it brief, and without repeating too much of what has already been explained, a sinkhole is a closed natural depression in the ground surface caused by removal of material below the ground, whereas a pothole is usually a fairly small feature caused by a failure of paving materials.
Potholes are known to become more abundant in late winter and spring due to freeze-thaw damage.
Why do we get so many sinkholes in Greater Manchester?
And now we’ve come down to the crux of it.
What is it about the region of Greater Manchester that seems to be revealing so many dangerous and damaging sinkholes in comparison to others? Well, according to Dr Domenico Lombardi – a lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Manchester, who gave his two cents on the topic after the year of sinkhole mayhem that was 2016 – our sinkholes are not a natural phenomenon as much as they are man made.
It’s all about the number of old mines, sewers, a growing population and ongoing building works that we have going on in the region – and of course, increasing rainfall.
ADVERTISEMENT
We know by now that sinkholes occur when underground cavities collapse, causing the failure of the ground above, but in Greater Manchester, our geology is mainly sand and sandstone – which are hardly soluble – so Dr Lombardi says we need to look to old mines and collieries, which are eroded during heavy rainfall or when there is a leaking water main or sewer pipe.
In these cases an underground cavity can form super quick, and the collapse can happen in a matter of hours – as was reported by United Utilities to the case in Abbey Hey yesterday.
Dr Lombardi said: “In recent years, an increasing number of sinkholes have been observed in Greater Manchester and in other regions of the United Kingdom. Arguably, this can be attributed to the increasing number of extreme rainfall events… flooding and an ageing utility infrastructure.”
The solution?
Dr Lombardi recommends timely repairs and maintenance of piping, and a more sustainable drainage system, with more urban green areas too.
ADVERTISEMENT
It’s hard to decipher for sure at this point whether the necessary action is being undertaken to prevent more dangerous and damaging sinkholes from opening up across the region – especially as the number of freak weather occurrences are becoming harder to predict – but with work now officially being underway on Manchester’s first city centre park in 100 years, and the City of Trees initiative – which will see three million trees planted across Greater Manchester as part of The Northern Forest – starting to take shape, there’s no denying that positive ground is being made.
Time will surely tell.
Feature
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | January 2025
Danny Jones
Happy New Year! Can you really get away with that at the end of January?… Who knows?
Either way, 2025 is underway and we just know it’s going be another fantastic 365 days for music.
If you’re new here then first off, hello – we appreciate you clicking and hope you’ll be back here on a regular basis; secondly, for those of you who joined us in 2024, you know the drill: every month we put together a list of Greater Manchester music we’ve been listening to over the past few weeks.
It is to our perennial sadness that we’ll never be able to ‘complete’ all of the music that will ever be released in the world, but we can certainly give keeping up with everything 0161 is doing and has done a good old go or so help us, almighty tunage gods! Enough pratting about, let’s get stuck in:
Five Manchester bands and artists we’ve been listening to recently
1. Casino Club
Ok, landing our inaugural artist nod of 2025 is a group we truly believe is going to go very far this year and part of what is a promising new creative boom down the road in the WN postcode area.
That’s right, we’re heading to Wigan first and foremost and giving a very big shout-out to local band, Casino Club, who are helping spearhead a new generation of music coming out of the Greater Manchester borough. This isn’t just indie rock, it’s indie rock and roll that we’re very excited about.
With rip-roaring guitar riffs that hint at everything from Green Day to Sterephonics and Catfish, as well as frontman Marcus Grimshaw’s fantastic vocals, they’ve struck an infectious and extremely listenable balance already. As for songs, there are plenty, but we’d say start with ‘The Fear’, ‘Kick a Hole Into the Sun’ and ‘Runaway’.
Buzzing to announce our new single ‘Begging You’ will release on 14•02•25
Oh yeah, we do old bands too; this series is just as much about spotlighting perhaps forgotten or underrated Manc music as it is about the new blood and The Chameleons are a great example of that.
The Middleton-formed band came to the fore at the start of the 80s when so many other massive names were coming through the Greater Manchester scene, so it was hard to carve out even a slither of the spotlight let alone one rivalling the likes of The Smiths, New Order, Inspiral Carpets and so on.
But make no mistake, this lot are still going strong, with a die-hard following eagerly awaiting their new album. It might sound like a sweeping generalisation but their sound does typify that era. Most will start with ‘The Swamp Thing’ but their 1993 debut album Script From The Bridge is still their best.
Now up next is a singer-songwriter and chief Manc music queen in charge of ‘devastating alt-pop’: her words, not ours – though we do to tend agree and heartily recommend you give her a listen. She’s actually been going since 2016, unbelievably, but she’s gaining more and more traction year after year.
The BIMM graduate was actually born over in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, but she’s been studying, living and making a new for herself here in Manchester for a good long while now, so yes, we’re absolutely claiming her as one of our own – especially after becoming a Neighbourhood Festival fave.
Her style has definitely evolved but, more importantly, there’s no genre she won’t put a distorted electronic twist on. At present, you’ll get notes of St Vincent, 070 Shake, MARINA and more; ‘Break My Heart’ and ‘Lucky Me’ make for the perfect starting point and ‘IDK’ was on Killing Eve. ‘Nuff said.
Our penultimate pick for January is the iconic electronic and techno outfit 808 State, who made new waves with their sound in the late 1980s, well into the 90s and are partly still going to this day.
If you’ve never come across them before, their influence on modern electronica and the wider dance music is massive, not only being labelled among the pioneers of acid house but former member Gerald Simpson (A Guy Called Gerald) went on to lay the foundations for what would go on to become jungle.
That’s right: we have them to thank for not just drum and bass but many sub-genres of electronic music as a whole. With such and varied long career (even if it’s only co-founder Graham Massey now) there’s plenty to enjoy: ‘Cübik’, ‘Spanish Heart’, and the Bicep remix of ‘In Yer Face’, just to name a few.
5. The Falls
Last but not least, we’re giving an early seal of approval to a young bunch of lads going by ‘The Falls’ and while they might not sound anything like the predecessors from Prestwich – with which their name differs only because it’s a plural – we’re hoping they’re bound for similar success.
Hailing from Salford, this fledgling four-piece has barely even got going yet but they’ve definitely got a good feel for the indie warehouse from the off and
They’ve only released four songs thus far too, so you can get on board with these boys early doors. ‘The Millionth Time’ and ‘Waiting For Yesterday’ promise lots of solo showing off in the future, and the loose-wristed main riff on ‘My mind’ almost reminds us of the fast-paced part of ‘Shiver’ by Coldplay before turning into something very different. We look forward to seeing where they go.
And just like that, the first Manc artists of the round-up of the year is all said and done – we hope enjoyed it and at least we’re introduced to a couple of names you haven’t come across before.
That’s basically how it works: we’ll be back here, ‘same bat-time, same bat-place’ every month with another batch of Manchester bands, solo artists and more for you to feast your ears on.
Until next time, you can get stuck into our final round-up from 2024 down below, not to mention all the others from last year and, as always, keep your eyes peeled on Audio North for all the big and interesting music news.
Oh, and of course, if there are any Manchester artists that you think we should check out then let us know in the comments.
Famous films and TV shows that were shot around Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The streets of Manchester are often taken over and transformed by huge productions for TV shows and for blockbuster films
It’s a pretty common occurrence in the city to stumble across a huge set, whether it’s New York-style taxis cruising through the Northern Quarter or stunt men dangling from the top of buildings.
It’s also quite common to be settling down in the cinema, or at home with Netflix, and being greeted by an unexpectedly familiar scene on the screen.
In recent years, eagle-eyed viewers were kept busy trying to spot all the local locations scattered across smash hit Netflix drama Stay Close.
But there have been plenty of other instances where our hometown of Manchester has been a calling point for Hollywood films and hit series.
The Manchester Film and TV map has itineraries, behind-the-scenes information, and exclusive experiences to enhance their cinematic journey through Greater Manchester.
Bobby Cochrane, Film Office Manager at Screen Manchester, said: “Every day we are privileged to explore Manchester’s magnificence as we open the city up to producers from all corners of the globe. We then enjoy the greatest job satisfaction when locations we have secured appear in all manner of genres across a spectrum of platforms.
“This new map is a brilliant initiative, which will allow visitors to get up close and personal with some of the places where their on-screen heroes have played out their roles. We were delighted to help curate the information included and look forward to being able to add a whole host of new locations in the future thanks to a rich pipeline of productions filmed in the city releasing throughout 2025 and beyond.”
And in the meantime, here are some of the biggest films and television series that were shot here in Manchester so you can explore without leaving your couch.
Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy and co have frequently popped up to Manchester to film scenes of the hit gangster series – despite the Peaky Blinders actually living in Birmingham.
For the most recent series, huge sets and crews were spotted in Castlefield, while in previous years dramatic gun fights have been filmed around London Road Fire Station and on Mangle Street in the Northern Quarter.
Even Tommy Shelby’s massive mansion is up north – Netflix uses Arley Hall in Cheshire to double up as his pad.
Some of the most iconic moments in the drama were filmed here, like the horse auction at Victoria Baths, and the political rally outside the Stockport Plaza.
Pride and Prejudice
Ah yes – Colin Firth in a wet shirt. A truly memorable moment of British television.
This legendary scene was filmed at Lyme Park in Cheshire as part of the BBC’s 1995 retelling of Pride and Prejudice.
So famous has wet Colin become, it’s been referenced in several of his films since, including Love Actually, Bridget Jones, and St Trinian’s.
Colin aside, it’s a stunning setting for the period drama, with the National Trust mansion rising high above the lake.
Captain America
It’s not every day you see a Marvel superhero strolling past the cafes and bars in the Northern Quarter – but that’s exactly what happened back in 2010 when Captain America came to town.
The hero is seen sprinting through 1940s New York in a dramatic chase scene, complete with explosions… because Marvel.
It was a massive operation to dress the sets, with fake shop fronts installed, posters stuck up and even temporary street lights added in.
The Crown
Stevenson Square was completely transformed into Manhattan for the season four finale of The Crown, which showed Princess Diana’s trip to New York.
A fleet of yellow taxis and vintage cars rolled through the Northern Quarter, surrounded by American street signs, traffic lights, and even trash cans.
Elsewhere in the episode, the city centre’s streets were used for basketball games, hospital visits and more, right across Back Piccadilly, Dale Street, and Peter Street.
Stay Close
It’s the Netflix show people haven’t stopped talking about this month, as another of Harlan Coben’s thrillers has been converted for TV.
Stay Close was filmed all over Greater Manchester and the north west, including Blackpool and parts of Lancashire.
There were multiple locations in Manchester city centre itself though, like the above hen do scene in The Refuge, a stag do in the The Edwardian hotel, and multiple scenes filmed inside Impossible.
It’s a Sin
It’s A Sin is one of Channel 4’s most sensational dramas of all time, following the lives of a group of gay men living through the early years of the HIV and AIDS pandemic.
The heart-breaking series was written by Russell T Davis, an adopted Manc who also shot his groundbreaking Queer as Folk in the city.
Although It’s A Sin is mostly set in London, it was a familiar Manchester setting that was used for ‘The Pink Palace’ where the characters lived.
Clampdown Record’s cheerfully retro signage didn’t even need updating for the 1980s programme.
The Stranger
The Stranger was another smash-hit success for Netflix and author Harlan Coben.
Its locations in Manchester included the arched walkway at St Peter’s Square, a stunning house in Didsbury, the cafe near Manchester Cathedral, and even The French inside the Midland Hotel, which was the scene of a karaoke sing-song.
Cold Feet
Cold Feet is a Manchester TV show through and through – the stars are seen all over the city centre ever since it started in 1997.
From drinking in the pub (both The Swan With Two Nicks and The Woodstock feature) to getting married outside the Great Northern, watching Cold Feet gives Mancs serious deja vu.
ADVERTISEMENT
The above scene was shot by the canals in Castlefield.