Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the UK government has announced today that a small number of sporting events will be used to pilot the safe return of spectators over the next few weeks.
These pilot events will take commence through late July and early August and form part of the #EnjoySummerSafely campaign, which was announced by Boris Johnson in a live press conference earlier today.
A view to reopening competition venues for sports fans, with necessary social distancing measures in place, is to be introduced from 1st October 2020, but only “if it is safe to do so”.
All sports venues have been closed to spectators since lockdown measures were implemented on 23 March 2020, however in recent weeks, certain elite sports have resumed behind closed doors, including Premier League and Championship football, and international cricket.
According to guidance provided on the gov.uk website, the pilot sporting events chosen to take place over the next couple of weeks have been carefully selected to represent a range of sports and indoor and outdoor spectator environments, and are expected to include two men’s county cricket friendly matches, the World Snooker Championship from 31st July, and the Glorious Goodwood horse racing festival on 1st August.
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There are also likely to be further pilot events for other sports in order to build up to and prepare for the full, socially distanced return of sporting events from 1st October, but these are yet to be announced.
From 1 October, if it's safe to do so, fans will be able to return to stadiums and competition venues with social distancing. We'll be running pilot events over the summer at the Snooker World Champs, Goodwod and in County Cricket – with more to follow. pic.twitter.com/Lnb9gSScGt
Speaking on the announcement of these pilot events, Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “For months millions of us have felt the void of being unable to go to the match to support our team or attend a top-class sporting event, so I am pleased that we are now able to move forward with a plan to help venues safely reopen their doors to fans.”
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“I recognise that not every sport, team or club has the benefit of huge commercial revenue, and it is often their dedicated fans that are the lifeblood which helps keep them going.”
“By working closely with sports and medical experts, these pilots will help ensure the safe return of fans to stadia. Although it will remain some time before venues are full to capacity, this is a major step in the right direction for the resumption of live spectator sport across the country”.
Pleased the Prime Minister had announced plans for further easing of lockdown restrictions including:
— Nigel Huddleston MP (@HuddlestonNigel) July 17, 2020
The pilot events will provide the opportunity to stress-test the government’s ‘stage five’ guidance, on the return of fans to elite sports events.
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More information in relation to this be found detailed in full here.
Further guidance outlining the licensing obligations for sports stadia and how venue operators must calculate safe capacities in line with social distancing restrictions is expected to be published by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority in due course.
For more information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do ensure you refer to official gov.uk/coronavirus sources here.
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PinkPantheress named the youngest ever recipient of the BRIT Awards 2026 Producer of the Year Award
Clementine Hall
The BRIT Awards 2026 has announced that multi-platinum recording artist, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress is the recipient of this year’s Producer of the Year Award.
The award is decided by a group of expert judges from the music production sector, and has previously been presented to an incredibly selection of British producers including Paul Epworth, Calvin Harris, Fred again.., and last year’s winner, A. G. Cook.
At just 24 years old, PinkPantheress will be the youngest ever recipient of this coveted award, which recognises the excellence of her work in music production.
She is also the first woman to be presented with the honour.
As well as taking home Producer of the Year, PinkPantheress is also nominated for two further awards, for Artist of the Year and Dance Act.
The BRIT Awards are coming to Manchester for the first time in its history in 2026 / Credit: ITV / BRITs / Co-op Live
PinkPantheress spoke about winning the award: “As the first woman to win this award, I’m grateful to be recognised. My music production is the thing I’m proudest of, and I’ve worked really hard at it, so I hope this inspires others to pursue their passion.”
Stacey Tang, Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK said: “PinkPantheress is both an inventive and instinctive voice in British pop right now. As a producer, she’s precise and playful, building bold, boundary expanding sounds that travel beyond the UK.
“She’s quietly reshaping what modern pop can be, and in doing so, opening the door for a new wave of female producers to step forward. Celebrating her at the BRITs is both timely and significant.”
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 28 February from Manchester’s Co-op Live, and audiences at home can watch on ITV live or stream later on ITVX.
Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall will return to presenting duties in 2026 – his sixth time hosting the show.
This year’s incredible line-up of artists include Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X, Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson, ROSALÍA, Alex Warren and SOMBR.
Acclaimed Manchester cocktail bar named one of UK’s best quietly closes its doors
Emily Sergeant
An acclaimed Manchester cocktail bar that was formerly named one of the best in the UK has quietly closed its doors for good.
Tucked away beneath the former set of Coronation Street in the Old Granada Studios complex, and hidden in the basement of Manchester‘s historic 1800s Bonded Warehouse at St. John’s, Project Halcyon Distillery officially opened its doors in 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic delays – with the intimate venue going on to become a city favourite.
The acclaimed, Speakeasy-style bar drew inspiration from Prohibition-era Chicago, focusing on ‘halcyon days’ of calm and luxury.
It included an on-site distillery used to create bespoke ingredients for its seasonal menu, and beyond cocktails, even featured a so-called ‘Stillroom’ for masterclasses and had private, curtained room dedicated to absinthe, with traditional fountains, called ‘Salon Vert’.
Project Halcyon has quietly closed its doors for good / Credit: Project Halcyon | The Manc Group
But despite its success over the years, and even earning a place in the coveted Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK list on several occasions, Project Halcyon has officially – but somewhat quietly – now closed its doors for good.
“It was with sincere regret that due to unexpected challenges at the ownership level we must close our doors for the foreseeable. Though we say goodbye, the memories live on.
“Thank you to everyone who shared in our craft, our community, and our story.”
After the news broke on social media, Project Halcyon’s Instagram post was flooded with dozens of comments showing support for staff members, and remembering the venue as one of their favourite cocktail bars in the city centre.
The nature of some of the comments also prompted Project Halcyon to issue a follow-up statement below addressing concerns over money owed to workers and other partners, adding: “We sincerely hope that anyone who may be owed by the owners of Project Halcyon – past and present team included – receives what they are owed.
“We are not deleting comments and have no interest in doing so. We also cannot control how Instagram manages comment threads. This page is run by the team, not the owners.”
The Manc -
17th July 2020 
