A major council in Cheshire has become the first local authority in the North West to ban pets being handed out as prizes.
As animal welfare organisation The RSPCA continues to call on both the UK and Welsh governments to ban pets being given away as prizes under any circumstance, and for national legislation in both countries to be a requirement as part of its ongoing #NoFunAtTheFair campaign, Cheshire West and Chester has announced that it will become the first in the North West to do so.
The North West local authority joins 30 others in England and 12 in Wales in implementing the ban – which has been backed by more than 8,000 supporters nationwide.
The ban by Cheshire West and Chester, as well as the other participating councils and local authorities, currently only relates to land owned by them, which does therefore mean that pets could still be handed out on private land.
But the move is still being referred to as an “important step for animal welfare”.
“We are delighted to see Cheshire West and Chester take this important step for animal welfare in their community,” said Lee Gingell from the RSPCA.
“It really does prove there is a strength of feeling about this issue and it is great to see local authorities doing their bit to raise awareness and prevent this practice from happening on their land.”
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Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, says that the local authority is “pleased” to have implemented the ban, and explained that the move has been taken following several complaints it had received about events organised by third parties on council land.
“Some of our councillors also received comments from residents asking for a ban on this practice,” she added.
As many will know, the most common pet to be given out as a prize is a goldfish.
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Council in Cheshire becomes first in North West to ban pets as prizes / Credit: Andy Watkins (via Unsplash)
But the RSPCA says they “shouldn’t be acquired via a spur-of-the-moment game”, despite what great companions they make – with Lee Gingell adding: “Goldfish are easily stressed and very often fish that are won as prizes suffer miserably from shock, oxygen starvation or die from changes in water temperature, and many may die before their new owners can get them home.
“They can make great companions – but can actually be challenging to look after and new owners must do their research before they acquire the fish, not afterwards.”
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 -
17th March 2023 
