A £2000 cash reward is being offered for information relating to the attacks on Clonezone in the Gay Village, after the shop was attacked for the FIFTH time.
The local business has been the victim of targeted attacks several times this year, with its windows smashed and its security equipment damaged.
GMP have described the attacks as ‘very specific’, with offenders always arriving to the Gay Village business on bikes and attacking the same shop in the same way.
Crimestoppers is now offering a reward if anyone can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved.
One arrest has already been made but the attacks on Clonezone have continued, with five in the last four months
The latest occurred in broad daylight – at around 2pm on Sunday 10 September – and caused £3,500 worth of damage.
Two men approached the shop on Sackville Street on a bike and attempted to smash the windows, which are now protected by iron bars. They then threw an object at the doors and at the security equipment.
CCTV has been released of the latest shocking vandalism as GMP appeals for the public’s help in locating the bike used.
The latest attack on Clonezone in Manchester’s Gay Village. Credit: GMP
Chief Inspector Steve Wiggins of GMP’s City Centre Neighbourhood Team, said: “So far, we have arrested a person but we know that there is someone out there who knows where this bike is and who it belongs to and we are urging them to reach out to us.
“We appreciate that the images in the CCTV image are not of the best quality, but we are releasing them in the hope that someone was able to witness this attack and can come forwards with information.
“The attacks are very specific, with all five attacks showcasing the same style of offending to one specific shop, with offenders arriving on bikes and causing significant damage. We are keen to find out the motivations behind the attacks which will assist us with tracing those responsible and bringing them to justice.
“This is the fifth attack on this business in the last four months and this cannot continue. We are doing everything in our power to investigate the incidents whilst protecting the business.
“We have a dedicated specialist unit investigation in addition to patrols being conducted by neighbourhood officers, and we hope this goes someway to reassure the local community that we are committed to protecting the public.
2023. In Manchester City Centre. In broad daylight. Again.
“The neighbourhood officers who are out and about are approachable so please come and speak to us if you have any concerns or information that may help us.
“Community intelligence is crucial for us to focus these patrols in the right areas at the right times to catch individuals involved in crime so please report anything which appears suspicious and out of the ordinary to police.
“Crimestoppers is offering a £2,000 reward for information given to them directly that that leads to the arrest and conviction of any involved. This information can be passed anonymously through the Crimestoppers independent charity on 0800 555 111.
“Information regarding the bike or if you can identify the men in the image information can also be passed by calling officers on 0161 856 3345 or via 101.”
‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
News
Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
Daisy Jackson -
12th September 2023 
