Clonezone, an adult store in Manchester’s Gay Village, has been broken in to for a third time in six weeks.
The shocking spate of vandalism against the local business, which has been part of the city for almost 40 years, last night saw its windows smashed with a crowbar.
The vandals reportedly sped off from the scene on a moped.
Canal Street Media shared photos of the shop, which was the UK & EU’s first Gay superstore, on Instagram, writing: “We’re sad to report that for a 3rd time in 6 weeks @czmanchester has had their windows smashed in.
“It’s evident that @gtrmanchesterpolice and @manchestercitycouncil need to act now to protect #lgbt spaces.”
Jeremy Hoad, chair of Friends of Manchester’s Gay Village Committee, posted on Facebook: “Clonezone has been attacked for a third time with both windows smashed with crowbars.
“FOMGV Chair Jeremy Hoad spoke to staff this evening to check they were OK and offer support against this violence.
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“Coincidentally, Jeremy and FOMGV Deputy Chair John Cotterill attended a meeting only hours before this latest attack to discuss policing in the Gay Village alongside others from our community.
Clonezone Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
“GMP are already investigating the first two attacks and providing an additional presence in the Gay Village.
“We stand together against any and all violence targeted at individuals or businesses in the Gay Village.”
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Glitterbeam Radio posted on Twitter: “We are shocked to see that Clonezone Manchester has been vandalised AGAIN. It’s the 3rd time in 6 weeks. @AndyBurnhamGM @gmpolice we hope in your intervention with a matter of emergency.”
Another person said: “Yet again it looks like CloneZone, a queer business that is located right in the heart of the Gay Village of Manchester, has been targeted and vandalised in clearly targeted hate and harassment. This has got to stop.”
Someone else posted: “My thoughts with the team at @czmanchester who are putting up with endless hate at the moment. I hope all the queer community rally behind them and give them support as they have been putting up with endless targeted hate. We must defend our community.”
My thoughts with the team at @czmanchester who are putting up with endless hate at the moment. I hope all the queer community rally behind them and give them support as they have been putting up with endless targeted hate. We must defend our community pic.twitter.com/qA13ZObrD0
Less than two weeks ago, Clonezone reported another incident of targeted vandalism.
They wrote at the time: “It saddens me to, again, be writing this but would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of well wishes and support we have received after the second incident of targeted vandalism against Clonezone Manchester.
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“All the staff are safe and well. And Clonezone Manchester is open for business as usual.
“We are working with the police and other village businesses to try and find the culprits and bring them to justice.
“If anyone does have any information or witnessed two grown male-presenting people on a motorbike driving along Sackville Street on Thursday 13th April, at around 9:40pm, please get in touch. You will be kept anonymous, should you wish.
“Once again a huge thankyou from the team at Clonezone Manchester for all the support and kind words. We will not be beaten by this.”
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
News
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Daisy Jackson -
25th April 2023 
