Police put Manchester under strict orders over the bank holiday weekend after a 150-strong crowd descended on the city centre.
The group were engaging in anti-social behaviour, with officers called after a paramedic was pushed off his bike in broad daylight, at around 3.45pm on Sunday. Thankfully, he was uninjured.
The group of 150 people then crossed over the tram tracks at Exchange Square, causing disruption, and entered the Arndale centre.
Here, several individuals were spraying the walls and windows in the busy shopping centre.
Extra officers were deployed to the city centre and a man was detained on suspicion of causing damage and taken into custody.
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GMP implemented a massive dispersal order which ended at midnight, in a bid to curb the anti-social behaviour.
The Section 35 Dispersal Order covered a huge area including the Northern Quarter, Manchester Victoria, the Arndale, and Piccadilly Gardens.
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#NEWS | Manchester City Centre is subject to a dispersal order until midnight following a disturbance.
The affected areas are highlighted on the pictured map.
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) May 7, 2023
The order allows police to exclude a person or people from an area for up to 48 hours through a written notice.
Superintendent Nicola Williams said: “On occasion, we have problems with people coming into the city centre and engaging in anti-social behaviour and the police are taking decisive action to stop this.
“Members of the public who live, visit or come into the city to work should not have to witness this behaviour or be put at risk. Today, my officers have had bottles thrown at them and this is totally unacceptable.
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“The Dispersal Order means we will serve anyone who is taking part in this disturbing behaviour, notice to leave our City and they won’t be allowed to return for at least 48 hours.”
Featured image: Google Maps
News
Hundreds of staff to strike at four Greater Manchester hospitals next week
Emily Sergeant
Hundreds of staff at four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals are set to strike next week.
More than 350 Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust (NCA) employees – including nurses, clinical support workers and housekeepers – are walking out for three days next week after union UNISON says an offer to ‘resolve’ a dispute was withdrawn before discussions could take place.
According to the union, the dispute centres on the NCA’s use of an outside agency called NHS Professionals (NHSP) to manage overtime.
When covering staff shortages, workers are entitled to time-and-a-half pay – however in some cases, staff earn less than they would on a normal shift, and some have even been missing out on more than £80 per shift, the union added.
Operating theatre staff were previously on picket lines in June, and although an option to resolve the row was initially tabled by NCA bosses, this has now fallen through.
Hundreds of staff at four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals are set to strike next week / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
This means that staff at Salford Royal Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, and Fairfield Hospital in Bury are walking out next week on Monday 24, Wednesday 26, and Friday 28 August.
In particular, staff from all four sites will also gather in Salford on Wednesday (26 August) for a ‘unified’ day of protest.
Understandably, some disruption is expected at each of the hospitals on strike days.
“Those at the top of NCA have shown a lack of leadership and made their disregard for their staff clear,” explained UNISON North West regional organiser, Kevin Dolan.
“A deal was put on the table but taken away before we had chance to talk it over. We are ready to continue negotiations, but it’s obvious NCA has no intention of resolving this.
“This isn’t complicated. Staff are simply asking for what their contract says they’re entitled to. Nothing more.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Wetherspoons introduces new phone rule at all UK pubs after customers are ‘driven nuts’
Emily Sergeant
JD Wetherspoon has announced a major new phone rule in all its sites across the UK after customers complain of being ‘driven nuts’.
The pub chain – which has nearly 800 branches across the UK – announced earlier this week that it has made the decision to ban people from playing music or videos out of their phones, and from taking calls on loudspeaker.
The ban, which has been introduced effective immediately, follows a rising number of complaints from customers about the noise – with owners saying sounds from smartphones and tablet computers had become an ‘increasing problem’ in recent years.
Wetherspoon founder and chairman, Tim Martin, says he wants Wetherspoon pubs to be ‘an oasis of tranquillity and contemplation’.
Wetherspoons has introduced a new phone rule at all its UK pubs after customers are ‘driven nuts’ / Credit: Allan Rohmer (via Unsplash)
A formal statement from the company announcing the ban reads: “Following complaints from customers, who are being driven nuts by other people’s videos and amplified phone conversations, Wetherspoon has asked customers to switch their phones to silent or to use earphones.”
Tim Martin added: “In order to avoid customers being driven chicken jalfrezi by a cacophony of sound, we are kindly asking phone users to pipe down.”
Wetherspoon’s ban follows a YouGov poll conducted last year questioning public opinion on a proposition made by the Liberal Democrats of introducing fines of up to £1,000 for ‘headphone dodgers’ who play music out loud on buses and trains.
62% of people, on average, said they would back this move if it was introduced.
The poll, which surveyed 6,815 British adults, found that almost three-quarters of those over 65 would support the fines, while those aged between 18 and 24 were split 47% to 43% in favour of it.
Early public reactions to Wetherspoon’s ban appears to be overwhelmingly positive.
Daisy Jackson -
8th May 2023 
