Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has shared a video showing the stark reality of Christmas cancellations, with hundreds of hospitality businesses calling on the Government to offer proper financial support.
The chef owns several restaurants and pubs across the UK, including two-Michelin star pub The Hand and Flowers and the acclaimed Bull & Bear in Manchester city centre’s Stock Exchange Hotel.
Kerridge is arguably one of the most successful restaurateurs in the country – but even he is warning that many places ‘will crumble’ without help.
Tom Kerridge.
Businesses are now calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to give them some relief, saying that the ‘cost of protecting the NHS is being put onto businesses’.
The Government hasn’t ordered the closure of pubs and restaurants at this stage, but the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and the introduction of ‘Plan B’ restrictions is having a devastating impact on the industry anyway.
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Kerridge posted a video on Twitter yesterday that showed a list of cancellations received in just one of his restaurants.
The list is pages and pages long and shows 654 guests pulling out of reservations.
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Here we are… This is the list of cancellations taken in one of our restaurants in the past six days… 654 guests I understand why. Public health is THE most important thing. But what will the government do to support the industry? Many places will crumble without help… pic.twitter.com/OyA2xTustJ
He wrote: “Here we are… This is the list of cancellations taken in one of our restaurants in the past six days… 654 guests.
“I understand why. Public health is THE most important thing.
“But what will the government do to support the industry? Many places will crumble without help…
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“And before some gammon faced idiot says “you can afford it fat lad!” ….. yes I probably can, but this isn’t about me or my restaurants. It’s about our industry and peoples livelihoods.”
Gusto
Gusto’s CEO Matt Snell echoed this, posting: “15% of our booked covers cancelled on the day. 7% just didn’t bother to show up and didn’t let us know. This cost us almost 100k in sales.
“For us it hurts, for some it will finish them off! @RishiSunak”
Michelin starred chef Tommy Banks said: “Devastating!! @ChefTomKerridge asks the right question of the government. What are you going to do to support the industry’s affected?”
Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc also replied to Kerridge, writing: “Hello Tom @ChefTomKerridge. I know my dear friend. It is the very same in all our @brasserieblanc. its a carnage. And we all hope that the governement will help the industry best.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted: “Getting London’s economy back on its feet is a top priority but businesses are already being hit very hard again this winter – this time without additional support. The Govt must provide proper financial support to get them through this difficult period.”
Prof Christina Pagel added: “Independent SAGE have been calling for more support for hospitality (& other affected) industries. (correct) Messages to avoid social contact *without* support or legislation puts the cost of protecting NHS onto businesses. Govt should step in – it’s a collective responsibility.”
Publican Adam Brooks has also shared shocking photos of an empty pub just days before Christmas, a time when most venues are packed to the rafters.
I’m sat in my pub atm doing some paperwork, it’s 11 days before Christmas Day…@BorisJohnson@RishiSunak what have you done?..
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”