UK residents will no longer be able to buy free-range eggs in the supermarket from today due to a huge outbreak of bird flu that has required egg-laying hens to be kept indoors.
A spike in cases has caused free-range eggs to vanish from shelves, as farmers have been required to keep their hens indoors for the past 16 weeks under government advice intended to stop the spread of avian flu cases.
Before Christmas, the UK’s chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss instructed farmers to keep their birds housed inside following the “largest-ever outbreak of bird flu”, but now, after four months indoors, their eggs can no longer legally be branded as free-range.
Instead, from Monday 21 March free-range eggs will be rebranded in supermarkets as ‘barn eggs’ – the name given to eggs produced by birds that are permanently kept indoors.
Whilst the UK has one of the largest flocks of free-range eggs in Europe, there are typically four different types of eggs sold in supermarkets here: organic, free-range, barn-reared and caged.
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Hens laying free-range eggs must, by law, have unlimited daytime access to open enclosures with at least 4 sq m space per bird.
In the barn system, by comparison, there can be as many as 9 hens housed indoors per square metre, whilst organic hens housed indoors are allowed a maximum of 6 in the same amount of space.
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Image: Rawpixel
EU law permits free-range laying hens to be kept indoors for up to 16 weeks before their eggs must be renamed as barn eggs.
That time period has now passed and, with orders to keep birds indoors now being extended, the indoor confinement looks set to continue for some time still.
So in response, the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) has decided to relabel all commercial boxes of free-range eggs – for now, at least – to help level the playing field for farmers, the majority of whom are still allowed to let their birds outside if they follow “strict disease prevention measures”, says DEFRA.
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Prices are not affected, and farmers hope consumers will be supportive as they say the relabelling is just a technicality – adding that their hens are still free-range, just being temporarily housed inside.
Feature image – Pxhere
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Simon Wood announces gutting closure of Manchester restaurant after seven years
Danny Jones
Celebrity chef and Manchester local Simon Wood has announced that his self-titled WOOD Restaurant has sadly closed its doors.
The Oldham-born chef-owner who won MasterChef back in 2015, revealed the unfortunate news on Wednesday, 2 October, confirming that the First Street site will be closing immediately. Truly gutting.
Wood has remained one of Greater Manchester’s most-renowned chefs for the past decade, not to mention a huge advocate for supporting the hospitality industry, especially post-Covid and during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Sharing an emotional post on Instagram, he wrote: “It is with much regret that I have to inform you that I must close the doors here at WOOD for good, with immediate effect.”
“We have had 7 years as part of the Manchester city dining scene and I’m very proud of what the team and I have achieved”, the 48-year-old continued.
“Sadly with COVID rent arrears now being demanded by our landlord and an increasingly difficult marketplace, energy increases, ingredient costs and soon-to-be spiralling business rates we just cannot make this work.”
“I’d like to thank everyone for your support and patronage over the years. Thank you, Simon.”
It was only at the start of the week that Wood shared a frustrated post about a group of no-show customers over the weekend that failed to even pre-warn that they would no longer be attending one of his most exclusive and costly experiences.
We’re starting to lose count of how many local businesses are unfortunately struggling in the face of the rising business rates and energy bills that all independents are facing at the minute.
It was only last month that we saw Almous Famous had to call it a day with their Withington location and beloved sandwich spot Micky’s sadly suffer the same fate. Even cult favourite Cafe Marhaba looks to have gone up for sale. So tough to swallow.
We’re genuinely gutted for everyone involved with the brand. All the best, Si – we know you’ll be back stronger than ever one of these days.
Featured Images — The Manc Group
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No trams to run through major Manchester city centre station this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Arguably Manchester city centre’s most important tram stop is set to be out of action this weekend, with no services running through it.
In what is another part of Transport for Greater Manchester‘s (TfGM) ongoing programme of works intended to “maintain and improve” the Metrolink system and ensure tram journeys in Greater Manchester remain “safe, reliable, and accessible”, it’s been confirmed that no trams will run through Cornbrook this weekend.
Due to this, there will be a change to operating patterns across the majority of the Metrolink network on both Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October.
As is often the case in instances like these, disruption to passengers is expected.
On Saturday and Sunday [5 and 6 October], no trams will operate through Cornbrook.
There will be a change to operating patterns and replacement bus services will be in operation.
On Saturday (5 October), the tram service pattern will change to Altrincham – Old Trafford, Bury – Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury – Firswood, Etihad Campus – Bury (peak time only) / Victoria (after peak only), Manchester Airport – Firswood, Rochdale Town Centre – Deansgate-Castlefield (via Exchange Square), and The Trafford Centre – Wharfside.
Similarly, on Sunday (6 October), the only difference to the above service pattern is that the Etihad Campus tram will only run to Victoria, not Bury.
Services will operate every 12 minutes, except for on the Eccles line, where no trams will run at all.
TfGM is also warning that there may be changes to the first and last tram times during these works, but, in bid to help people still get to their destinations, three bus replacement services will operate from Firswood to Victoria, Old Trafford to Piccadilly, and Eccles to Piccadilly.
No trams will run through major Manchester city centre station Cornbrook this weekend / Credit: TfGM
The Old Trafford to Piccadilly bus service will run through Wharfside, while the Eccles to Piccadilly will travel via MediaCity.
“These works are a vitally important part of maintaining a safe and reliable network for all our customers,” explained
Ian Davies, who is TfGM’s Interim Network Director for Metrolink, said these works are “a vitally important part” of maintaining the Metrolink, and that work has been scheduled by TfGM to “minimise disruption to passengers and residents as much as possible”.
Georgina Pellant -
21st March 2022 
