Manchester

Eric Cantona pictured at Peveril of the Peak on reopening day

A footballing legend heads down to one of Manchester's most famous pubs as they prepare to pour the first pints after lockdown.

The Manc The Manc - 22nd April 2021

Thursday was always going to be an important day for Peveril of the Peak. The doors to the famous pub had been locked for months – and this was the date when the pints would finally start pouring again.

But the arrival of a very special guest at the Great Bridgewater St boozer on April 22 turned reopening day from a big occasion into an unforgettable one.

As the barrels were prepped and the tables were propped up outdoors, the first visitor pictured at ‘The Pev’ turned out to be none other than Manchester United legend Eric Cantona.

The former striker – who scored 82 goals during five years at Old Trafford – was seen stood behind the bar on Thursday afternoon.

Posting on social media, The Pev revealed that some filming was being completed at the venue during the daytime and they planned to reopen to the public around 5pm.

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Cantona has been spotted shooting in other locations around the city this week – with another photo showing him in conversation with current United star Bruno Fernandes.

Peveril of the Peak is not just one of the most beloved old boozers in Manchester but also one of the most visually distinct for its iconic green tiled Victorian architecture.

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It is operated by one of the longest-serving landladies in the region – with 89-year-old Nancy Swanick celebrating 50 years behind the pumps in January 2021.

The Pev had originally planned to reopen on May 17 following the national lockdown, but owners brought the date forward “due to much popular demand and nice weather.”

Serving recommences outdoors from around 5pm tonight (April 22).

Manchester

Keo play Projekts: garage and grunge revivalists crush Manchester skatepark for new music video

Danny Jones Danny Jones Keo pop up gig at Projekts MCR skatepark music video Manchester

This past Thursday evening, fast-rising rock band Keo took over Projekts MCR skatepark for a special pop-up gig and to film a brand-new music video for their latest single, ‘Pistol’, starring some of their biggest fans here in Manchester.

In fact, it didn’t take long for us to suss out that plenty of them had flocked from far and wide to be there, and let’s say we’re sure they’ll say it was worth the journey.

We caught Keo’s well-attended festival set inside the Woodlands at Kendal Calling 2025, not to mention their completely sold-out show at the O2 Ritz back in March – their biggest headline date up to that point – and we’re more certain than ever that they’re going to be absolutely massive.

And if they keep up doing more memorable stuff like this, it’s just a matter of how soon…

Packing out Projekts to the point that people were literally hanging off fences and standing on electrical boxes at the side of the street to try and get a peek at the post-punk, grunge and garage rockers, some of their most enthusiastic young fans had been waiting outside the location since 2pm.

For context, doors opened at 6, and the boys didn’t come on until 7:30pm.

Those who signed up to Keo‘s mailing list were sent information regarding securing a spot at the one-off performance earlier this month.

While you would have seen the place fill up even if they were just standard concert tickets, the fact that the band were taping the whole thing to use as the visuals for their newest single, as mentioned, meant that Keo’s avid followers were literally clamouring AND clambering to get the best view position possible.

keo surprise gig manchester
gigs at projetks mcr
Credit: Audio North

Turning the popular skaters’ hub’s central bowl into a makeshift stage, with lights, camera, booms and various crew surrounding the entire venue, it was a surreal experience to say the least.

And, of course, they were absolutely brilliant – just as they were at the Ritz at the start of the year and Kendal before that, playing a short but sweet set that left everyone wanting more and choruses of punters chanting Keo long after the final song.

We can’t wait to see how the video itself turns out, especially seeing how much the people who wrapped around them and the skatepark were lost in the moment, and we’re also looking forward to them headlining Neighbourhood Fest in Manchester city centre this October.

You can grab a ticket to see them and the rest of the NBHD lineup right HERE, but until then, give the full studio version of ‘Pistol’ a play and get ready for their debut album.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Manchester

Man jailed for life after ‘preparing for terrorism’ in relation to Manchester synagogue attack

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A man with links to the Manchester synagogue terrorist attacker has been jailed for life after pleading guilty to preparing for acts of terrorism.

You may remember that earlier last month, it was revealed that Mohammad Asim Bashir, of Shaftesbury Road in Cheetham Hill, had pleaded guilty to one count of preparation for acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2006, and a subsequent two-day sentencing hearing to decide his fate had been set for this week at Manchester Crown Court.

The sentencing this week comes after Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW) launched a large-scale investigation to establish the full circumstances behind the attack.

In case you need a reminder, the shocking knife and car attack took place on 2 October 2025 on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

During the incident, two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who was shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.

GMP synagogue attack
A man with links to the Manchester synagogue terrorist attacker has been jailed for life / Credit: Google Maps | GMP

The attacker was named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.

Following the terrorist attack, enquiries conducted by detectives identified Bashir as an associate of Jihad Al-Shamie, and established that the two of them had conducted ‘hostile reconnaissance of a UK defence facility’ on 14 August 2025.

The pair were seen on CCTV prior to the trip discussing criteria for potential targets to attack.

They were then seen on ANPR cameras making the journey to the site – with Bashir acting as the driver for most of the journey.

GMP synagogue attack
He was sentenced after pleading guilty to ‘hostile reconnaissance of a UK defence facility’ / Credit: GMP

Phones belonging to the attacker were reviewed by CTPNW and identified Bashir as a ‘close associate’ who also held extremist views, as during WhatsApp conversations between the pair, they discussed preparing for ‘war’ and frequently made antisemitic remarks.

Further enquiries established that both men had made a 10-hour round trip to conduct the aforementioned hostile reconnaissance of the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham.

Bashir acted as driver for most of the journey and Al Shamie made notes regarding the security arrangements for the base on his phone.

Both men disposed of the phones they had used to conduct their research and make notes, however the investigation team successfully accessed cloud data for a number of mobile phones linked to Al Shamie – which revealed internet searches for weapons, potential target sites, and individuals with links to the Israeli military.

This, coupled with CCTV footage and audio showing them discussing plans for an attack, provided damning evidence against Bashir.

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Bashir was therefore sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 16 years and 135 days.

“Bashir is now facing the consequences of his actions and I hope his sentence will act as a deterrent to anybody considering taking part in extremist activity,” concluded Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, who holds operational responsibility for Counter Terrorism Policing North West.

Featured Image – GMP

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