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AJ Handley-Rowe - 10th November 2021

10 things we can’t believe happened in Manchester in 2025

Daisy Jackson Liam Gallagher thanks Oasis fans in funny twitter post

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.

Sexy Fish? More like Smashy Fish

@renatarastopchina
♬ Jet2 Advert – ✈️A7-BBH | MAN 🇬🇧

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.

‘Jeff is devastated’

Mr Blue Skive https://t.co/bLJkC1x0dE
— Ethan (@halligan_ethan) July 10, 2025

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 — ‘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

Fenced off green space Manchester city centre gated lawn

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.

We lost some good people in the new Zara

@natalie_mccc
Rumour has it still not found her
♬ original sound – Nat Mc

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

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.

Featured image: The Manc Group

Iconic Flying Scotsman steam train returns to Greater Manchester this summer

Emily Sergeant

One of the most iconic steam trains of all time will be travelling through the Greater Manchester countryside this summer.

East Lancashire Railway (ELR) says it’s ‘delighted’ to announce the return of the magnificent LNER Class A3 60103 Flying Scotsman – which is also, affectionately, known as ‘The People’s Engine’ – to its historic train line next summer in June, courtesy of both the National Railway Museum and Northern Steam.

The record-breaking engine is making a long-anticipated return to the line, bringing with it the unmistakable sights, sounds, and nostalgia of the ‘Golden Age’ of steam travel.

This is a rare opportunity to see the engine up close and to feel the power and presence of one of Britain’s most iconic locomotives.

The legendary steam engine will be giving passengers the chance to hop onboard for the ride on various dates throughout June (5, 6, 7, 13 and 14 June), so enthusiasts can make the most of this unforgettable opportunity to travel on this world-famous train.

For those who prefer a closer look, the Flying Scotsman will be on static display on selected dates throughout June too.

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Luxury dining experiences aboard one of ELR’s beautifully restored heritage carriages will also be available to book on the days the Flying Scotsman is here in Greater Manchester.

Unfamiliar with the Flying Scotsman? The train first entered service in 1923, and since then has become a British icon, representing the very best of steam-era innovation. It was the first steam locomotive officially recorded at 100 miles per hour, and over a century later, it continues to attract attention all over the world.

The train’s journey has not always been an easy one though, from budget cuts to multiple ownerships and painstaking restorations – yet through it all, Flying Scotsman has remained a beloved part of the UK’s cultural heritage.

Flying Scotsman’s visits to Greater Manchester drawn record crowds in previous years, and 2026 is set to be no exception.

“We are delighted and proud to once again warmly welcome back the world’s most iconic locomotive, Flying Scotsman, as it returns to the East Lancashire Railway for a five-day visit in June,” commented Mike Kelly, who is the Chairman of the ELR.

“We have an exciting programme of events planned for all our visitors and enthusiasts to enjoy the unique experience of riding behind Flying Scotsman or visiting the footplate and creating wonderful memories.”

Find out more and book tickets to see the Flying Scotsman next summer here.

Featured Image – ELR (via Supplied)