G-A-Y owner gives Manchester nightclub away, citing poor mental health
"Losing G-A-Y in Manchester would have broken my heart, so I came up with the inspiration of being Willy Wonka and G-A-Y Manchester being the Chocolate Factory."
The owner of G-A-Y nightclub in Manchester has given away the venue to its current manager, it has been revealed.
Nightclub boss Jeremy Joseph has given away the Manchester nightclub, which has been an iconic fixture on Canal Street for over ten years, comparing himself to Willy Wonka in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
Taking to social media over the weekend to explain his decision, Mr Joseph said he had been struggling with his mental health since the start of the pandemic and attributed this with his decision to give away the club.
He also confirmed that he had gifted the Manchester nightclub to his friend and site manager, Lee Kellow, who will now take over the venue as his own franchise.
Elaborating on why he has given G-A-Y to the manager as opposed to selling up, Mr Joseph said, “losing G-A-Y in Manchester would have broken my heart, so I came up with the inspiration of being Willy Wonka and G-A-Y Manchester being the Chocolate Factory.”
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“I’ve known Lee for too many years, he’s been the manager at G-A-Y Manchester for too many years and to give a friend an opportunity to take on a venue I built, means that the brand continues if Lee makes it work.
“It gives him security and Manchester continues to have a G-A-Y venue.”
He continued to outline his logic behind the move, and in doing so showed just how much he cares not just for the brand he has grown himself but for Manchester’s independent LGBT bar scene too.
He said: “It keeps G-A-Y in Manchester and more importantly it allows Canal Street not to lose an independent LGBT venue.”
“I don’t know what the future holds for me, I now have to think what I want for me and the London venues, but the first move was to protect the future of G-A-Y Manchester and also protect the future of a friend.”
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Mr Joseph continued, saying he hopedthat Manchester continues to support the site following the change of hands.
“I hope Manchester will support Lee as he takes on the risk of owning and running an LGBT venue, I know he’s going to make a huge success of it and I’m so happy even though I’ve struggled with my mental health running venues, something good has come out of it by creating an opportunity for Lee to take on G-A-Y Manchester for hopefully many years to come, unless, of course, he fucks it up.
“One of the greatest honours has been for G-A-Y to put on the headline acts of Manchester Pride. Walking on stage and getting to introduce some amazing talent has been an honour that I’m so proud of. I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported G-A-Y over the years in Manchester and I hope you will continue to do so.
“Look after Lee and the staff at G-A-Y Manchester, look after independent LGBT venues, and be nice on social media.”
Numerous comments have since flooded in online over the weekend, with celebs including Rupaul’s Drag Race stars Shangela and Brooklyn Hytes, TV personality Denise Van Outen and singer Alexandra Burke all rushing to show support for the move.
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G-A-Y will continue to operate its normal hours, which are 12 pm – 4 am Monday to Sunday.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
Georgina Pellant -
1st November 2021 
