Chester Zoohas welcomed nine new baby penguin residents, and has shared adorable footage and pictures from their first few days.
Penguin Island at the UK’s biggest charity zoo is now said to be “buzzing with activity” after the arrival of nine endangered Humboldt penguin chicks who go by the names of Plum, Peach, Papaya, Cherry, Rhubarb, Banana, Lemon, Satsuma, and Iona-Berry.
Keepers have named the zoo’s newest residents after some of their favourite fruits.
Iona-Berry was also named after a vet who last year saved the eyesight of the baby penguins’ father, Munch.
Weighing in at just 80g when they first hatch, the nine penguin chicks will triple in size in their first three weeks of life and quickly reach around 3kg – just like their parents.
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Found on the rocky coastal shores of Peru and Chile, Humboldt penguins are one of the world’s most endangered penguin species, and are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as they face a number of threats including climate change, over-fishing, and rising acidity and temperature levels in the oceans.
That’s why births like this are said to be so important for Chester Zoo’s ongoing mission to prevent extinction.
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“There’s nothing quite like hearing tiny chirps coming from the penguin nests and seeing little balls of fluff snuggled up with their parents just moments after hatching,” said Sophie Bissaker – Parrots and Penguins Keeper at Chester Zoo.
“Zookeepers have a trend of naming the penguins using a different theme each year.
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Chester Zoo has welcomed nine new baby penguin residents / Credit: Chester Zoo
“Previously we’ve had brands of crisps, chocolate bars and in 2020, our NHS Heroes, but after some serious thought, we’ve decided to name this year’s class after different types of fruit.”
Zoe explained that the nine new arrivals have just started to venture out of the nest, which is “such an exciting time” for staff at the zoo at visitors alike.
“Now they’re starting swimming lessons in the main pool, where they’ll learn how to catch food for themselves,” she continued.
Penguin Island at the zoo is now “buzzing with activity” / Credit: Chester Zoo
“For the first three months of life, mum and dad keep their new chicks tucked away while they feed and nurture them [but] to help them gain weight while they’re so young, we provide the parents with extra fish, which they swallow, churn into a high-protein soup and regurgitate at feeding times.
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“In a few weeks they’ll shed their fluffy grey feathers to reveal their iconic black and white feathers underneath.
“[The feathers] are waterproof and help them zoom through the water.”
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
Emily Sergeant -
11th July 2022 
