The details of how Manchester will commemorate the Manchester Arena attack this year have been confirmed.
On 22 May 2017, the lives of 22 people were taken in a terror attack in the foyer of the huge concert venue.
Manchester has never forgotten those who died, with the city building a beautiful memorial garden – the Glade of Light – in their honour.
And on the seventh anniversary of the atrocity, there is a new plan to remember the Arena attack victims with a dazzling drone display.
The digital art show of more than 100 glowing drones is being created by Andrew Roussos, whose eight-year-old daughter Saffie-Rose was the youngest person killed in the attack.
ADVERTISEMENT
As well as the drone display, which will light up the skies in the city centre up until the time that the bomb was detonated, there will be two separate minute’s silences held at Manchester Victoria.
The first will take place on the concourse at the train station at 12pm, as part of a special memorial service led by the railway chaplain, Mike Roberts.
ADVERTISEMENT
A second minute’s silence will take place at 10.31pm to mark the moment of the attack.
As for the drone display, this will be above Manchester’s Glade of Light memorial between 10.19pm and 10.31pm.
Andrew Roussos has created the beautiful tribute with the help of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and night time economy adviser Sacha Lord.
ADVERTISEMENT
In an interview with the BBC, he said: “It’s in danger of becoming just another church service and another minute’s silence, which is important, but if you’re not careful, you end up only remembering the attack.
“They were at a music gig, they were all vibrant lively people, a light show is more fitting with their personalities.
“It would be lovely to remember them in a positive light, rather than what happened to them.”
Floral tributes are usually laid at Manchester Victoria to remember the victims of the terror attack as well as this year’s drone display. Credit: Geograph, David Dixon
Andrew added: “I know Manchester will never forget and… the families will be forever grateful for the city’s support and love.
“Our pain is with us every day, it doesn’t leave us.
ADVERTISEMENT
“But on 22 May, we are taken back to that moment.”
“If you would like to attend, the light show will take place above Manchester’s Glade of Light memorial between 22.19pm and 22.31pm, finishing at the time the bomb was detonated on the night of the attack. Forever in our hearts.”
Middleton to receive a cinema and Metrolink as part of regeneration plans
Thomas Melia
Greater Manchester town Middleton is about to undergo a huge facelift thanks to a new regeneration project, including a new cinema and Metrolink tram station.
Middleton is one of many bustling communities that make up the borough of Rochdale, and with these new plans, the town might receive a fair few new visitors who want to know what it’s all about.
The Greater Manchester town is undergoing a huge transformation with regeneration plans confirming that Middleton will receive a brand new cinema complex along with an extended Metrolink line as part of the Bee Network expansion covering this area.
This is all thanks to Middleton teaming up with the Mayor to launch the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which pushes forward regeneration plans for the town and future ideas.
Middleton Shopping Centre right in the heart of the town centre.Middleton Town Centre bustling as the markets take place.Credit: Steven Haslington (via Geograph)/@Rept0n1x (via Flickr)
The MDC considers lots of aspects of the town and even aims to create new homes and improve surrounding public spaces.
Middleton regeneration plans have been floated previously, but complications arose due to a lack of land and available funding, which ultimately brought these foundations to a halt.
Now it seems the green light has been lifted and Middleton is about to get a whole new facelift, which will not only improve the town economically but aesthetically too, along with the wider Rochdale region.
For many Middletonians, the idea of a cinema may have felt like a distant memory, with their last big screen location shutting down just over a decade ago.
This all-new high street regeneration will not only bring an array of shopping favourites back to the town centre but also the long-awaited return of a local cinema. Most importantly, the plans also include a slate of new housing, with an estimated 300 apartments set to be created in one building alone.
Early CGIs of the proposed Middleton regeneration plans.Grade II-listed Warwick Mill looks set to be turned into flats.Credit: Publicity Picture (supplied)
This all falls in line with the ‘Atom Valley scheme‘, which has been commissioned in order to generate over 20,000 job opportunities for people in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
The scheme also mentions how it aims to bring a combined economic boost of around £1 billion to these previously mentioned areas.
Rochdale Borough Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: “The development of 1.2 million square metres of employment space around the junction 19 area will help to generate 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1 billion economic boost.”
Featured Image — Publicity Pictures (supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)
News
Scouting For Girls announce stacked UK tour with Manchester date
Thomas Melia
British boyband Scouting For Girls are heading out on an extensive UK tour with dates up and down the country, including right here in Manchester.
If the first thing that pops into your mind when you read this headline is “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know how we’ll make it through this”, then you’re on the right side of history.
Nearly 20 years since their single ‘She’s So Lovely’ reached catastrophic heights and had everyone putting on their best Roy Stride accent, Scouting For Girls are heading back on the road.
This UK tour announcement comes two years after their last project, The Place We Used To Meet, reached our ears and was coined by the band as “Our best work since our debut”.
It’s been 18 years since this Brit trio captivated our hearts with their eponymous debut album, which sold over one million copies and went number one on the UK official charts for two weeks.
Whether you know them for ‘Heartbeat’ or ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, it’s clear to say this band had their fair share of smash hit singles throughout the noughties.
This tour, however, celebrates the sophomore follow-up: Everybody Wants To Be On TV, which went on to continue their legacy and secure them their only number one, ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’, back in 2010.
Now, the boys are treating UK fans to an array of live performances, and if you can’t make one date, fear not because there are 20 different locations for you to choose from.
The group will also be playing the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and a whole host of other Northern cities, so you have plenty of chances to catch them.
If you can’t wait all the way until March 2026 for your next Scouting For Girls fix, lead singer Stride has his own cameo account where you can get the star to read out a message or even sing you a song: “‘Michaela Strachan’ in full, please?…”
Scouting For Girls are coming to O2 Apollo in Manchester on 21 March 2026, with tickets going on sale next Friday, 2 May at 10am HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
21st May 2024 
