A rare L.S. Lowry painting that hasn’t been seen in public for close to 60 years is set to go on display next month.
Talk about a monumental occasion, right?
The artwork in question, which is titled ‘Sunday Afternoon’, was thought to have been painted by Greater Manchester‘s most-famous artist all the way back in 1957, and pays resemblance to a lot of the other well-known works in his expansive and massively-celebrated portfolio.
As you’d expect from L.S. Lowry, ‘Sunday Afternoon’ depicts a densely-populated industrial landscape, which the Stretford-born figure often described as the “battle of life”.
‘Sunday Afternoon’ was previously sold at auction in 1967 for a “record price” after being obtained from the collection of Keith Showering – who was a former chief executive officer of Europe’s biggest drinks business, Allied Breweries.
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A rare Lowry painting is going on public display for the first time in nearly 60 years / Credit: Smabs Sputzer (via Flickr)
And now, it’s set to go to auction once again in a couple of weeks time with auction house, Christie’s – which was founded in 1766, and was actually the auctioneers to sell the painting the first time round in the mid-60s – down in London as part of the Modern British and Irish Art Evening Sale on Wednesday 20 March.
The auction house said the painting is expected to fetch somewhere between £4-6 million when it goes up for sale.
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But not before it gets publicly displayed for the first time in 57 years, that is.
Speaking ahead of the highly-anticipated auction next month, Phillip Harley – who is the Senior Director at Christie’s, commented: “Sunday Afternoon by LS Lowry will return to the public eye at Christie’s for the first time since it was last seen here 57 years ago.
‘Sunday Afternoon’ can be seen by the public before it goes to auction next month / Credit: The Lowry Gallery
“This important painting has remained in the collection of Sir Keith and Lady Showering since 1967, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire a work of this magnitude and scale. The composition represents the wonder the artist felt as he recorded his many observations of the evolving society around him.
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“We are thrilled to bring Sunday Afternoon back to auction.”
Clients and visitors, alike, are invited to view ‘Sunday Afternoon’ when it goes on free display in London from 13 – 20 March.
So, if you fancy a trip down to the capital, a rare art piece is ready and waiting for you.
Featured Image – Christie’s Images LTD 2024
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Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd February 2024 
