Britain has become the first country in Europe to approve a car with self-driving technology for use on motorways nationwide.
Is the future really here then?
Less than a month after residents in Greater Manchester got a taste of futuristic life as they spotted little robots began delivering Co-op shopping around the region, it’s now been confirmed that the Department for Transport (DfT) has this week granted Ford permission to use driver assistance technology in some of its Ford Mustang Mach-E cars on the country’s motorways.
The DfT’s approval of the self-driving technology – which is named BlueCruise – comes after Ford carried out a number of tests on British roads, and on 100,000 miles of European roads in total.
Hands off to be more hands on. #MustangMachE drivers can now activate BlueCruise subscription for hands-free driving on pre-mapped motorways in Great Britain.
According to Ford, the testing process in Britain featured routes with several hazards presented along the way – including worn-out lane markings, poor weather and roadworks – all to see how the technology would react and deal with the situation.
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Now that the groundbreaking BlueCruise technology has been approved, it means that motorists could soon see the self-driving cars travelling on the 2,300 miles (3,700 km) of motorways in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Ford claimed the DfT’s approval is a “watershed moment for drivers”.
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The company said it expects the new technology to be rolled out in other European countries in the coming years, so drivers should keep their eyes peeled.
Britain becomes first country in Europe to approve self-driving car on motorways / Credit: Flickr
Transport minister Jesse Norman says he’s “delighted” that Britain is “once more at the forefront of innovation”, and adds that the latest advanced driver assistance systems “make driving smoother and easier, but they can also make roads safer by reducing scope for driver error”.
But, how exactly does it work then?
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Well, as Ford explains, the technology in the car monitors road markings, speed signs, and traffic conditions to control steering, acceleration, braking, and lane position, and is activated when the car detects that it’s on a motorway and then deactivates when it senses the car has exited.
To make the experience safer, the driver of the car is able to set the speed and the distance they want to travel from the car in front of them.
It’s also pretty crucial to note that, although it’s considered as self-driving technology, the car still requires motorists to pay attention to the road at all times, but the driver is able to take their hands off of the wheel and move their feet away from the pedals.
A 90-day free trial is to be offered for owners of a Ford Mustang Mach-E 2023 model car to subscribe to.
Featured Image – Ford
News
The 10 restaurant and bar closures that shocked Greater Manchester in 2025
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester has one of the most exciting and fastest-growing restaurant scenes on the planet – but that doesn’t make our city immune from hospitality closures, as 2025 has shown.
Given the economic climate and the increasing pressures on hospitality, it’s actually shocking (and a relief) that we haven’t lost even more beloved local spots.
In 2025, there have been some high-profile closures in Manchester that no one saw coming, as we bid a sad farewell to some local legends.
The good news is that the number of openings still outstrips the number of closures – you can see some of the biggest spots we welcomed last year HERE.
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Almost Famous
Greater Manchester
Almost Famous / Credit: The Manc Group
It’s no surprise that this was one of the biggest stories in Manchester in 2025, because we simply could not believe our eyes when Almost Famous announced its closure.
The burger craze of the mid-2010s may have died down, but this spot had always felt like a Northern Quarter OG with a loyal enough following to stand the test of time.
Alas, it closed its doors very suddenly back in January, shortly followed by its sister smash burger brand Super Awesome Deluxe, with a staggering outcry and a lot of fall-out locally.
Thankfully, a short while later it was rescued by the team behind PINS Social Club.
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Hip Hop Chip Shop
Ancoats
Hip Hop Chip Shop / Credit: The Manc Group
Another sad day for the Manchester food scene arrived in February, when Ancoats favourite The Hip Hop Chip Shop announced its closure.
Having first opened in 2014 as a street food stall, to opening their own site in Ancoats, the present financial pressures took their toll, and Hip Hop Chip Shop shut its shutters just a few weeks later.
We still fantasise about their battered halloumi.
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Another Heart To Feed
Northern Quarter
Another Heart to Feed / Credit: The Manc Group
It felt like one of the Northern Quarter’s top brunch spots, and with queues around the block nearly all the time, seemed like a safe spot.
But the award-winning Another Heart to Feed’s popularity was not enough to overcome the challenges facing the industry.
In their statement, this lovely brunch spot and wine bar thanked customers and staff, past and present – you can read more here.
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Mother Mary’s
Oxford Road
Mother Mary’s / Credit: The Manc Group
One of Manchester’s newest Irish bars announced its sudden and immediate closure in November, citing financial pressures.
Mother Mary’s took over the old student haunt that was Font bar, just off Oxford Road, filling the venue with a state-of-the-art sound system for hosting live music and club nights.
It was much more than just an Irish bar and had become a safe space for so many locals – accessible, queer-inclusive, independent, and dedicated to championing local talent.
One of Manchester’s most legendary bars closed its doors after 13 beautiful years in the city earlier this year, shocking us and everyone who loved it.
Sandinista quietly shut down in October, throwing one final knees-up for loyal (and very sad) punters.
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The bar, just off St Ann’s Square, was famed for its menu of beers, tequila, and cocktails, including a pint of Zombie served on fire.
There’ll never be another one like it.
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Bohemian Arts Club
Stockport
Bohemian Arts Club / Credit: The Manc Group
Stockport lost a good one back in September – Bohemian Arts Club, the stunning cocktail bar launched by Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden and his wife Katie, closed for good.
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It had been a much-loved addition to town, a real vintage-style speakeasy serving top quality drinks, and you could feel all the love the couple had poured into it (even down to the heart-shaped chairs handmade by Katie’s mum and dad).
Thankfully, it stayed in the family – Katie’s incredibly successful Bohemian Salon has expanded from downstairs to take over the entire three-storey building.
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Feel Good Club
Northern Quarter
Feel Good Club / Credit: Supplied
After five incredible years in the city, brewing up some of the finest coffee, serving an all-day brunch menu full of all your favourite comfort food dishes, hosting countless events, and just generally being a wholesome community space for anyone and everyone who needs it, it’s the end of the road for Feel Good Club.
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Founders Kiera and Aimie sadly announced they would be closing the doors to their Northern Quarter cafe in the summer, after struggling to stay afloat this past year like so many other local indies.
They said: “We’ve had the time of our lives, and met the most incredible people along the way.”
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Kala
Manchester City Centre
It was part of Gary Usher’s acclaimed group of restaurants, but Elite Bistros shut down one of its top spots earlier this year.
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City centre bistro Kala closed for good back in June, with a heartfelt and very honest statement.
Usher wrote: “Thank you to all the team past & present & I’m so sorry to all of you and all the guests that I couldn’t create something with longevity.”
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Medlock Canteen
New Jackson
Medlock Canteen / Credit: The Manc Group
Just months after celebrating its first birthday, Medlock Canteen announced it was moving out of the Deansgate Square neighbourhood.
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The brilliant local restaurant served a really gorgeous menu that included rotisserie chicken, full English breakfasts, and quite possibly Manchester’s best Caesar salad.
It was all proper hearty food that you actually want to eat, with a stunning mid-century restaurant space and great drinks too.
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Osma
Prestwich
Osma / Credit: The Manc Group | Osma
Prestwich’s burgeoning restaurant scene was dealt a major blow at the start of 2025, when Osma announced its closure.
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The Scandi-esque restaurant was a front-runner of Prestwich’s ever-growing food and drink scene since it opened in 2020, fronted by Manchester born Danielle Heron, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals 2024, alongside Sofie Stoermann-Naess.
You can still find their brilliant cooking at Exhibition in the city centre, but as for the restaurant itself, Osma said they ‘struggled to find experience staff, leaving us with little to no personal life’.
Sorely missed.
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Featured Image – The Manc Group
News
19-year-old arrested after hitting and killing two women with car on rural Bolton road
Emily Sergeant
Police are appealing after two women sadly lost their lives in a double fatal road traffic collision in Bolton yesterday morning.
At around 7:42am yesterday morning (Monday 22 December 2025), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to reports of a collision at the junctions of Scout Road, Smithills Dean Road, Colliers Row Road, and Coal Pit Road, all in a semi-rural area of Bolton.
The driver of a VW Polo was travelling down Scout Road and collided with two pedestrians who were walking down Smithills Dean Road.
Both pedestrians, two women aged 57 and 59, suffered fatal injuries and sadly died at the scene.
#APPEAL | Officers from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are appealing for information and witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision involving two pedestrians in Bolton.
The driver of the car, a 19-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of causing two deaths by dangerous driving, and investigations are now ongoing into this incident.
Officers from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are now appealing to the public to help with their investigations, and are asking for anyone with any information, or who may have been in the area at the time the incident occurred, to please come forward.
This also includes anyone who witnessed the incident or have dashcam footage of it.
Emily Sergeant -
14th April 2023 
