Co-op Live has suddenly cancelled its opening night gig, asking all fans to leave the area.
The huge Manchester venue was finally ready to open the doors for the first official gig – A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – tonight.
But mere minutes before the action was due to begin, the venue has announced it’s no longer going ahead.
The Co-op Live had already been hit with several high-profile delays, including postponing Peter Kay’s opening gigs (twice) and pushing back The Black Keys.
In a statement issued this evening, they’ve now confirmed that A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has also been cancelled.
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The news came after the venue was meant to have opened its doors.
Co-op Live wrote: “Due to a venue-related technical issue, tonight’s A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie show will no longer go ahead.
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“We kindly ask fans to leave the area.
“Ticket holders will receive further information in due course.
“We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”
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Fans have understandably left gutted by the last-minute cancellation, and worried for their tickets for Olivia Rodrigo later this week.
One person wrote: “I’m getting whiplash, are you safe to open or not?? I have Olivia Rodrigo this weekend and I did not fight the Ticketmaster war for this.”
Another said: “My kids were going… cancelled it 10 mins after the doors were due to open.”
Someone else wrote: “My son’s two mates just got told as they arrived! How can they let it get so late in the day before cancelling? Crazy?”
One person commented on The Manc’s Instagram post: “At this point they need to shut the venue until its finished and then reopen it when it’s done. I was there for a residence opening before Peter kay and wires everywhere and loos that isn’t flush. They need probably atleast another month of work.
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“Also we are missing 32 restaurants and bars that are not even close to being started on yet.whole reason they’re opening is because of contract stipulations and people need invoicing and the company running this does not want to loose more money. Bare in mind this has nearly cost 400 million so far and overdue on the build schdual anyway….”
One follower said: “Literally stood in the queue for 30 mins while they was letting people in and then decided to cancel it ! If there was a chance of it being cancelled why do it after the doors had opened.”
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
News
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Daisy Jackson -
1st May 2024 
