Talking to Brits about brews is very delicate business.
Why? Well, because put simply, Brits love a brew.
Statistically too, Brits have been buying tea more than ever during lockdown – with an additional £24 million spent on the stuff in a four week period – so we’re not joking about this.
Brits love a brew and Brits love a debate, so it makes perfect sense that one of the country’s most long-standing debates would involve tea and how to make the perfect cup. Last month, the Queen’s official tea finally settled the long-standing ‘water or milk first’ battle once and for all, but now a ‘professional tea taster’ wants to chip in too.
Yes, that is a real job.
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Arguably, us Northerners love a brew more than anywhere else in the country too, but are we going to be big enough to at least hear this ‘professional tea taster’ out?
Let’s see what they have to say at least.
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Meet Kevin Gascoyne.
First of all, he grew up in Yorkshire, but he’s also since travelled the world seeking out the perfect cuppa, he works as a taster for a specialist tea shop – Camellia Sinensis in Canada – and has co-hosted the World Tea Awards on several occasions.
Oh, and he drinks about four or five litres of the stuff each day too.
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According to Kevin, when it comes to making the perfect brew the first thing to remember is, how ever you like it is the best way and that should settle a few arguments about whether milk goes in first, second, or not at all.
Secondly, there’s a science to it.
Kevin explained to LADbible that: “Priority number one is getting pleasure from your brew. We are each the expert on what tastes good to us so if you have a preferred method, be it milk first or last, stick to your guns.
“[But] I would say it depend on the infusion technique we are using.
“Scalding water messes with the milk, it curdles into curds and whey getting lumpy. It only takes your water a short time to cool a few degrees for this to be avoided. So, with this in mind, in an ideal world my tea would always be brewed loose leaf in a teapot [because] as the leaves infuse for three minutes or so the temperature has come off the boil a few degrees so in this scenario I’d say milk first.”
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What about the office brew round though?
What about those of us who don’t have teapots at home?
Kevin added: “The teapot method is not always the most practical for a quickie or a large group.
“For such times, we revert to the combat conditions of the line-up of mugs and bags. With this set-up, putting the milk first and pouring water straight from the kettle risks splitting the milk, plus the milky water reduces the efficiency of the tea-water reaction, it just won’t brew as efficiently.
“So, for the ‘bag in mug’ set-up, water first-brew then add milk once the tea is brewed and cooled a few degrees.”
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Well, there you have it.
After all that, the perfect brew is how ever you like to make it – can really argue on that front, can we?
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Medlock Square: Manchester’s new £300 million entertainment destination on the Etihad Campus
Danny Jones
Manchester’s newest entertainment destination, located over at the ever-growing Etihad Campus, has finally been given a name ahead of its launch later this year.
Alongside the recently announced and Radisson-run hotel, Medlock Square will see the Manchester City-partnered mini leisure district aim to become a new must-visit part of the city.
Hoping to draw in crowds beyond just matchdays and those heading to concerts across the way, approximately £300 million is being pumped into the project.
With Co-op Live having already brought huge revenues into Greater Manchester, it isn’t just set to be a pricey development, but one that will look to serve as yet another money spinner for the wider City Football Group (CFG) and the City Region.
Credit: CFG (supplied)
Unveiling the first CGIs of the square this week, this new area will essentially see attractions and activities spill out of the Etihad Stadium, Co-op Live and the soon-to-open Medlock hotel and on to the campus as a whole.
With other parts of Sportcity already revolving around the footballing epicentre, such as the Manchester Regional Arena and National Squash Centre, this will not only see even more sporting events and supporters brought to the roughly 80-acre plot, but also fans of various other forms of entertainment.
For instance, within the plans that already include the food and drink offerings you would expect – with Radisson Blu backing more of the relaxation and indulgent side of things – other activities include everything from “an adrenaline-fuelled sky walk experience”, as well as zip-wire and abseiling.
We already knew about some of these from the details in Man City’s stadium expansion plans (including the likes of The Medlock and rooftop bar), and glimpses of the impending hotel opening gave us a better idea of the overall look, but there looks to be plenty more in the pipeline.
You can see a trailer for what they have in mind for Medlock Square down below.
Welcome to Medlock Square. Manchester’s newest entertainment destination. A place where mouthwatering cuisine and world class entertainment, experiences and events converge. Coming soon! pic.twitter.com/4bC7NQbMHT
As per an official press release by the fledgling team, more information on further business and employment opportunities has also now been confirmed, centring around the new ‘One Medlock Square’ structure that will be built on the campus.
“Designed to accommodate up to 300 employees, the state-of-the-art workspace will offer high-quality, modern office facilities alongside access to shared event spaces and wellness amenities, uniquely positioned within Manchester’s most exciting new destination”, the statement reads.
There’s certainly some ambitious stuff in the works, put it that way.
And, of course, these will also slot into a renovated club shop turned meagstore, an all-new Man City museum, the Co-op arena, live music and other open-air events, just to name a few. A specific opening date is yet to be scheduled, but you can guarantee it’ll be a big deal when it does launch.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via City Football Group)
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Staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals to start wearing body-worn cameras after rise ‘abusive behaviour’
Emily Sergeant
Frontline staff at four hospitals in Greater Manchester are set to start wearing body-worn cameras on their shifts.
In a move designed to protect and keep frontline healthcare colleagues safe following a noticeable rise in ‘abusive behaviour’ directed towards them, Northern Care Alliance has announced that it has made the decision to introduce body-worn cameras across all four of our hospitals in Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, and Salford.
It’s hoped that these small cameras will help create an overall ‘safer environment’ for staff and visitors, and also allow the NHS to use the footage as evidence in any criminal or civil court action.
— Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) (@NCAlliance_NHS) March 4, 2026
They will be worn by all designated clinical staff with the aim of reducing violent incidents of threatening behaviour for both staff and other patients.
So, how will they work?
The Northern Care Alliance has explained that the cameras are only activated when a worker feels threatened and only after informing the individual involved. Once switched on, they record both video and audio, creating a clear, unbiased account of what happened. This footage can be used to support investigations and deter future incidents.
Staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals are to start wearing body-worn cameras after a rise ‘abusive behaviour’ / Credit: Pxhere
“As a team working on the frontline of emergency care, we have welcomed the introduction of body‑worn cameras as an important step in protecting both our staff and our patients,” commented Julie Newton, who is the lead nurse in the Emergency Department at Fairfield General Hospital.
“Unfortunately, incidents of violence and aggression do occur, and these devices provide an objective record that helps ensure situations are managed safely and appropriately.
“Knowing that footage can support investigations and, where necessary, prosecution gives our colleagues greater confidence and reassurance.
“Most importantly, the cameras help us create a safer, more respectful environment so we can focus on delivering the best possible care to those who need us.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th September 2020 
