Spinningfields Thai restaurant Thaikhun is giving out free meals in Manchester tomorrow to welcome new undergraduate students.
It will park its signature tuk-tuk at the University of Manchester between 12-5pm offering freshers free rides and a private tour around the city, ending at the restaurant.
Students will be dropped at Thaikhun on Hardman Street, Spinningfields, to enjoy a pad thai on the house – a famous national dish made with your choice of protein, Thai rice noodles, egg, spring onions, sweet turnip, bean sprouts, tofu, peanuts, vegetables and a tamarind sauce.
Protein options meanwhile include chicken, pork belly, roast BBQ pork, prawn, beef, tofu and plant-based chicken, leaving plenty of choice for meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans and pescetarians alike.
Normally priced at £10 a dish, for one day only students in the city will be treated to a freebie on the house.
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Kim’s pad thai recipe has stayed the same for nearly 2 decades and has won awards. / Image: Thaikhun
At the age of just 15 with big dreams and an entrepreneurial spirit, Kim left her village to set up her own Pad Thai cart. / Image: Thaikhun
Simply by taking a picture of themselves dining at Thaikhun, groups could also be in with a chance to win a complimentary meal for four.
Becky, Restaurant Manager at Thaikhun Manchester, explains: “We’re so excited to be bringing this exclusive and totally unique experience to Manchester Freshers Week, offering students a free ride in a tuk tuk and a complimentary Pad Thai at Thaikhun. We can’t wait to welcome students and freshers into our restaurant to enjoy our signature dish for free, for one day only.
“They can also win a dining experience for four guests by simply uploading a photo of themself either at the restaurant or with the Thaikhun tuk tuk, which will be based at the University campus, using #ThaikhunTakeover on Instagram. We will select a winner at random after the event and contact them the next day where they can redeem their prize within 30 days.
“We encourage all students in the city to enter, no matter what University you’re at. It certainly won’t be one to miss!”
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Image: Thaikhun
Image: Thaikhun
Located on Hardman Street, Spinningfields, Thaikhun offers Thai street food inspired by the food markets of Bangkok.
Pad thai is a dish especially close to its heart, being one of the first dishes its founder Khun Kim ever perfected .
At the age of just 15 with big dreams and an entrepreneurial spirit, Kim left her village in rural Khiri Mat for the busy streets of Bangkok. Kim’s main passion has always been food and so, in 1993, she set up her first Pad Thai cart.
Through pure dedication and hard work, she expanded the business to run several street food stalls and won an award for the delicious flavours of her Pad Thai recipe, which is still proudly used across Thaikhun’s restaurants today.
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Kim almost met her husband Martin whilst working on that stall in 1997 – and shortly after she moved to Leeds, Martin’s hometown, to start building her Thai restaurant empire.
Feature image – Thaikhun
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The richest people in the North West have been revealed, featuring Harry Styles, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and Gallaghers
Daisy Jackson
The Sunday Times Rich List has been published today, revealing the wealthiest person in the North West to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The annual list highlights the richest people in the UK, often filled with famous faces and business moguls.
This year, the 350 individuals on the list hold a combined wealth of £783.5 billion – that’s about a quarter of the UK’s total annual GDP.
The Sunday Times Rich List also highlighted other North West figures, such as Harry Styles, the Issa brothers, and Tyson Fury.
Other famous faces from elsewhere in the UK include Sir Elton John, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, JK Rowling, Charlotte Tilbury and Sir Lewis Hamilton.
It found that Sir Jim Ratcliffe – chemicals magnate, Ineos CEO, and Manchester United shareholder – still tops the list regionally despite falling revenues and a £515.7 million loss.
Mohsin and Zuber Issa are fourth on the list of the wealthiest in the North West – the Blackburn billionaire brothers founded the EG Group petrol stations, and acquired the supermarket giant Asda.
Betfred brothers Fred and Peter Done come next, with an estimated net wealth of £3.6bn.
Property developer and Renaker founder (Renaker is behind the Deansgate Square towers) Daren Whitaker saw his wealth grow by £100m in a single year.
Elsewhere on the list are Liam and Noel Gallagher, making their Sunday Times Rich List debut at £375 million.
Michael and George Heaton, the British brothers behind the Represent streetwear brand, paid themselves minimum wage for a decade before selling a stake and making £18.5m each.
Robert Watts, compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List, said: “This year’s Rich List is a tale of two exoduses. One in six of the individuals and families who appeared on the list two years ago don’t feature this time.
“Many foreign billionaires who have been living in the UK have also dropped out because they have moved away. We have also seen a sharp rise in the number of British nationals now resident in Dubai, Switzerland and Monaco. As UK nationals these people remain on our Rich List — wherever they now live.
“These two exoduses pose challenges for the UK economy and its public finances. Will more of the wealthy now set up or grow their ventures overseas and in doing so create fewer jobs here? How much tax — if any — will Rachel Reeves’s Treasury be able to extract from those affluent Brits who have now left the country?
“For nearly 40 years the Sunday Times Rich List has analysed the fortunes of Britain’s most affluent people. We believe understanding where wealth lies and where it is being accumulated is a vital part of a functioning democracy.
“Over the years our research has told us a lot about our country, charting the way a generation of largely self-made entrepreneurs overtook the old money of the landed gentry.
“This year’s edition shines a light on fortunes made from artificial intelligence, driverless cars and crypto-currencies as well as baby milk, make-up, hoodies and other everyday items. We know many of our readers find those rags-to-riches stories of entrepreneurs who started out with little more than a laptop and an idea particularly inspiring.”
Man jailed for 10 years after raping ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after being found guilty of raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman multiple times in Manchester city centre.
Benjamin Wilson, of Norwood Avenue in Chesterfield, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison after being found guilty of offences committed in Manchester city centre back in June 2022, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
The victim – who was described as being ‘extremely vulnerable and intoxicated’ – plucked up the courage to go on a night out with friends in Manchester, however she became separated from them and was later subjected to a serious sexual assault, which was linked to a suspected drink spiking.
During the evening, the victim – whose identity has been withheld – and her friend believed their drinks had been tampered with, and she later found herself alone, heavily intoxicated, and extremely vulnerable, before she came into contact with Wilson near a takeaway.
Wilson took advantage of the situation, guiding her into a taxi before repeatedly raping her at a flat in Manchester.
The following morning, he dropped her near the hotel where she had been due to stay with her friend, and she proceeded to report the incident to police shortly afterwards.
A man has been jailed for 10 years after raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre / Credit: GMP
From the outset, investigators said they faced ‘significant challenges’ – including limited early forensic opportunities and issues securing CCTV footage, all while needing to prioritise the victim’s wellbeing.
Hundreds of hours of work went into analysing witness accounts, financial and phone data, intelligence checks, and overcoming cross-force barriers leading to Wilson’s arrest in Derbyshire.
“The case was ultimately built through meticulous investigation, persistence, and, crucially, the strength and courage of the victim’s testimony,” GMP said.
Speaking following Wilson’s sentencing this week, DC Phillip Sargeant, of GMP’s Longsight CID, commented: “I am awestruck not only by the courage of the victim in coming forward, but also by her patience and resilience in waiting for justice.
Georgina Pellant -
21st September 2022 
