Extinction Rebellion to continue protests in parts of Manchester for two more weeks
Manchester City Council hwarned that delays are "inevitable" as XR protestors plan to flock to various points around the city centre over the coming fortnight.
Extinction Rebellion will continue to protest for a further two weeks in Manchester as the group campaign for tougher action from the government to tackle climate change.
XR members have congregated in St. Peter’s Square in the past – but a particularly large crowd is expected in this part of the city on Tuesday morning (10am) with hundreds potentially flocking to occupy the square for several hours.
Disruption to public transport is expected in and around the area throughout the day.
Protests will resurface in the square on Wednesday from around midday – as the group perform a dance to highlight the importance of ‘public sector pension fund divestment.’
Friday 4 September will see Extinction Rebellion head to Manchester Piccadilly early in the morning to protest the construction of HS2 – with members occupying spaces along the proposed track.
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Passengers could face lengthy delays as the group swarm the commuter hub from 8am.
Another early morning protest will take place in Media City on Saturday 5 September – with the group planning to gather in Salford to protest against the media.
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The gatherings are tipped to continue in the following days, as Extinction Rebellion aim to make their presence known in various cities around the UK including London and Cardiff.
A few photos from yesterday's Manchester Making History March. A tour around Manchester, highlighting it's colonialism, slavery and fossil fuel funding. pic.twitter.com/FFx8F9vIfX
Manchester City Council called delays “inevitable”.
In a statement on the planned gatherings, the council says it “respects people’s right to peaceful protest and has been working alongside Greater Manchester Police and other agencies to ensure they can demonstrate safely.”
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Representatives added: “We declared a climate change emergency last month and we are determined to be at the forefront of tackling this critical issue. We have set an ambitious target of making Manchester a zero carbon city by 2038 or earlier – at least 12 years ahead of the national target – and we are working hard on a detailed action plan for how this will be achieved.
“But in return for respecting the rights of protesters we expect that they respect the right of Manchester residents to go about their day-to-day business with minimal disruption.
The council also said it working with police, Transport for Greater Manchester and CityCo to “minimise the impact on the city.”
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New Lancashire Cricket investors aiming to make Manchester Originals as big as United and City
Danny Jones
Lancashire County Cricket’s new investors and Manchester Originals’ majority owners have stated their desire to make the local Hundred team as big as Man United and City.
The Originals were courted by the RPSG (Rising Pune Supergiant) Group this month, with the Goenka family agreeing to buy up a 70% share of the club after LCCC sold part of their stake in the franchise.
Famously in charge of the Lucknow Super Giants over in the Indian Premier League and their Durban equivalents in South Africa, the possibility of not just a shiny new kit but the Originals being renamed the ‘Manchester Super Giants’ isn’t out of the question, though it would be much further down the line.
Although the conglomerate was initially interested in one of The Hundred’s Southern teams, London Spirit – and they were quizzed on this in a press conference on Friday, 14 February – Vice Chairman Shaswat Goenka’s answer was simple: “Lords is Lords but Manchester is Manchester.”
Expressing a huge amount of respect and admiration for the city’s competitive history, even dubbing it a “sporting powerhouse”, Goenka began by insisting that the opportunity presented is one to build a perfect marriage of culture and a love for cricket.
Going on to identify sport as “one of the single biggest things that unites people across the world, regardless of race, colour” and so forth, he believes that while this is categorically not football, this new chapter could rival its prominence here in the UK and especially Manchester.
From there, he went so far as to argue that the stopping power is there and that RPSG “want the Manchester franchise in the Hundred to become the third biggest sports team in Manchester and challenge those two sports teams [Man City and Man United] in Manchester.”
Quite the statement indeed – but one that was echoed by his two new key collaborators in Lancashire’s CEO, Dan Gidney, and Manchester Originals Chair, James Sheridan.
Gidney in particular was visibly energised by the prospect, reflecting on the moment he realised a great potential after seeing the fanaticism shown by the crowd during India vs Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Even with new leadership, Lancashire Cricket will remain 30% owners of the Manchester Originals. (Credit: The Manc Group/Matt Eachus)
Waxing lyrical about seeing “just how much supporters celebrate a single game of cricket”, he said the goal is to “inject some of that passion into Manchester and LCC“.
Doubling down on Goenka’s statement, he continued: “We’re a bit conservative in the UK, we need to embrace the power of this sport; the fandom is off the scale – [it could be] stronger than the Premier League, in my opinion.”
All three executive speakers were also keen to reiterate that is by no means a complete takeover but rather a “joint venture” aiming to achieve a “true partnership” which could pose even more exciting cross-pollination in the future.
The consensus seems to be that further collaboration with the Super Giants is pretty inevitable and not just in regards to the men’s game but that this merging of brands presents a huge opportunity for young players and the women’s team too, the idea of players spending more time over in India and even some games perhaps being held still sounding very plausible.
Manchester Originals’ Chair, James Sheridan, did caveat the discussion by noting that “contracting isn’t straightforward in franchise cricket” but that conversations have at least started to take place” and, like Goenka, they don’t see this as a gamble but what is bound to be a “formidable partnership.”
He also reiterated the belief that Manchester is “probably the UK’s No 1 sporting city, adding “There you go, I said it”, and that the vision is to build the best team, the biggest fan base and the best culture – with this particular region being the perfect staging ground to do so.
The Manchester Originals Chair and LCCC Chief Exec welcome the incoming co-owners. (Credit: Supplied)
Two players were present for the press conference as well, with Originals Women’s star Beth Mooney saying she had “admired The Hundred for afar” since it started and quickly knew she “100% wanted to be a part of it”, aiming to “help create a legacy with the Originals as the tournament.”
Men’s player Phil Salt welcomed the new ownership as the start of an “extremely exciting new era” that should help them “bring the best product to the UK”, reiterating that “being part of the right organisation is key.”
Although the investment is yet to be fully ratified by the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and Lancashire made no bones about the arrears they still have on the books, Gidney was keen to label a lot of as ‘good debt’ and an investment in facilities and infrastructure, something which RPSG will only further aid.
One of the biggest outlays even prior to the new co-owners is the ongoing Farrington project but since the wider county region may have struggled to cheer on a Manchester team, the Originals and Lancashire, more importantly, will no doubt benefit from its completion.
The new sister stadium will be based over in Preston, offering a second home for what is crucially a Lancashire club. (Credit: Supplied)
Featured Images — Matt Eachus (supplied via Lancashire County Cricket Club)
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Free roses are being handed out at a Manchester train station this Valentine’s Day
Danny Jones
In an effort to spread the love this Valentine’s Day, free roses are being hands out to commuters at a Manchester train station this week.
Add that to the ever-growing list of why we absolutely adore this place.
Not everyone is coupled up come the most mush day of the year, nor do they need to be – self-love, Galentine’s and even just a whoelsome pint or two with the boys – but it’s nice to see Greater Mancs going out of their way to make things nicer for each other.
In our eyes, in a relationship or otherwise, this day is just about sharing the love with everyone and if you happen to arriving or leaving Manchester (excuse me, why would you ever?) from Victoria station this Friday, you could be in for a lovely little surprise.
The brains behind the touching little gesture is the city’s legendary live music and entertainment space, AO Arena.
Although many arrive at the venue via the Trinity Way Tunnel on the other side of Arena, the AO is already directly attached to Victoria by a simply set of stairs, meaning you can arrive in the city centre via train or tram and arrive directly at your destination.
It’s also one of the busiest stations in the North West, so for commuters looking to start the day with a little love, whether that be to treat their significant other, brighten a colleague’s day or just make themselves feel good, these roses are set to be handed out on Valentine’s Day morning.
100 of the most romantic flowers will be up for grabs from 8am at Manchester Victoria Station on a first-come, first served basis, naturally, Simple as that – but it gets better…
There is also an exciting chance to win a handful of surprises, including free tickets to a show at the arena, which will be given away with a select few lucky roses.
This year marks an extra special milestone for the AO Arena, as they are celebrating thirty years of spreading joy in the city as Manchester’s longest standing large music venue.
With that in mind and tying together the arena’s history and love for entertainment, each rose will be individually wrapped in a special 30th birthday edition print.
This design features the names of all artists and acts who have performed there over the last three decades; consider it just a small token of AO‘s love and affection for 0161, wrapped in nostalgia.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Manchester – you’ll always be ours x