News

Greater Manchester leaders still fighting for Tier 2 as London heads for Tier 3

Local leaders are continuing to fight for Greater Manchester's "strong case" to exit Tier 3 this week.

The Manc The Manc - 14th December 2020
UnitedCity

Local leaders are continuing to fight for Greater Manchester’s “strong case” to exit Tier 3 when the UK government reconsiders its restrictions system this Wednesday.

All ten Greater Manchester boroughs were placed straight into Tier 3 measures on 2nd December, which left many local premises having to close doors beyond the end of the national lockdown, but case numbers and infection rates have continued to plummet across the region in recent weeks.

Both Mayor Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said they will be “pressing very hard” for a reduction to Tier 2 measures this week.

Mr Burnham said: “We have been in restrictions coming up for five months and I think we are looking to the government to give us a bit of hope and reward the good people of Greater Manchester who have followed the restrictions.”

Mr Leese added that the “significant decline” in cases reflected that the region was ready to have the toughest measures removed.

Sacha Lord – Night Time Economy Advisor for Greater Manchester – also hailed this week as “absolutely significant” for the hospitality sector, and joined newly-formed campaign group UnitedCity in calling on the government to review tier restrictions on a weekly basis.

The discussion around the decline in Greater Manchester case numbers comes as a number of major media outlets are projecting this afternoon that London is likely to move up into Tier 3 restrictions this week – with discussion between MPs and local leaders currently taking place – in order to contain surging cases in the capital.

Officials said to be “deeply concerned” about a sharp rise.

Sadiq Khan – Mayor of London – said it was possible that an announcement could be made today on moving the capital into Tier 3 earlier than expected, due to the fact that “we have seen over the last few days a big increase in the virus”.

He told Sky News: “My understanding is that Covid-O is meeting as we speak… [and] we will have to wait and see what the government decides,

“It’s a government decision, not my decision or London leaders’ decision.”

Council leaders in London are understood to be alarmed at the projected rise in cases across the region, with some even pushing for a “tier three plus” regime, which would see tougher restrictions than tier three on its own introduced.

Some areas in and around London have recorded large increases in confirmed coronavirus cases over the past week alone.

According to the latest data, Epping Forest – which straddles London and Essex – has recorded a 71% increase in cases during the most recent seven-day period, and Havering in East London has seen a 48.5% rise, with a rolling rate of 470.8 confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Essex may also be moved up to tier three, which would mean that mixing with other households anywhere indoors is banned, people advised against travelling to other areas, and sports fans excluded from events.

No official decisions regarding tiered restriction reviews have yet been announced.

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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.

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News

There’s a World Gravy Wrestling Championship near Greater Manchester

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia World Gravy Wrestling Championships Greater Manchester

Just on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, there’s a country pub set in a rural village that hosts a world gravy wrestling championship.

Leave it to us northerners to organise a world gravy wrestling championship because let’s face it, there’s nothing more northern than plummeting yourself into bucket loads of gravy.

It’s a well-known fact that we Brits, especially northerners, love a good splash of gravy with our meals – so much so, in fact, that according to one study, we drench meals in gravy three times a week.

At The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in the village of Stacksteads, it’s not just their meals they’re drenching in the brown nectar; they drench any willing guest in this beige saucy goodness too as part of the World Gravy Wrestling Championships.

Here’s a little taster from nearly a decade ago.

Participants are expected to wrestle in the gravy for two minutes, with the winner being judged not only on their play-fighting skills but also on their choice of fancy dress, comedy effect and entertainment.

Past wrestlers have rocked up as zebras, racehorse jockeys and famous TV characters like Ali G and Mickey Mouse.

Each wrestler is encouraged to raise money on behalf of a charity of their choice, but if you don’t have one, donations will be sent to East Lancashire Hospice, which has helped people countywide suffering from life-limiting illness for the past 30 years.

The World Gravy Wrestling Championships have been held outside this very pub for over a decade, with the first ever event taking place at a car park in Wigan before it found a permanent home outside The Rose ‘N’ Bowl.

And if swimming in a pool of gravy isn’t for you, don’t fret because there’s a handful of sauce-free activities you can get involved with spread throughout the pub’s car park.

Fret not, past events have included bouncy castles, cheerleading performances, craft beer stalls, cake and tombola stands and even a BB gun shooting range that are all completely gravy-free.

There will even be help from a local fire brigade who will be on hand to wash down wrestlers in between their gravy-filled tournament, so they can wander round all the stalls too.

Read more:

The 2025 World Gravy Wrestling Championships are coming to The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in Stacksteads on 25 August, with tickets available in person only, but plenty of information about the event HERE.

If you’re after signing up to be one of the wrestlers at this event, applications are still open and you can get stuck in with all the details you need HERE.

And if that wasn’t enough Northern food competitive action, we’ll catch you at the World Black Pudding Hurling Championships, innabit.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – Caravanum (via Flickr)

News

Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and more near Greater Manchester

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

There’s a million-pound Victorian-style mansion that has 10 bedrooms and its own personal swimming pool just outside of Greater Manchester.

Just like the childhood nursery rhyme, “There were three in the bed and the little one said… there’s another seven beds, roll over!” or at least that’s how they remember it in this character property.

Located in Warrington, less than an hour away from Manchester city centre, this property is a semi-detached Victorian property built in 1860, with 10 bedrooms and its own private swimming pool, all spread across four floors.

As soon as you enter the foyer, your eyes are drawn to the sleek silver chandelier before you notice the grand staircase, which feels like a piece of living history.

Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market)

The ground floor hosts two of a whopping 10 bedrooms alongside a teal-toned farmhouse-style kitchen and that extremely impressive swimming pool with its own built-in projector.

In the kitchen, the focal point is the large wrap-around kitchen unit, which is accompanied by a variety of hanging lights and a big central island.

On the way to the swimming pool, there are a handful of lockers identical to those found in a leisure and as you enter the room, your eyes are drawn to the island-inspired feature wall.

Venture upstairs to the first floor and you’re greeted by five spacious bedrooms with one having its own en-suite while the rest share a main bathroom.

Each of these bedrooms follows a completely different design style, with the largest following a muted grey palette with pops of yellow thanks to the artwork and bed accessories.

The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market

As you go upstairs again, you’ll find (you guessed it) even more bedrooms, three to be exact, with the standout

The stand-out of this second floor is the navy-walled bedroom with a vintage vanity unit, patterned floor-to-ceiling curtains and a similarly dark-blue rug to match its four walls.

Another flight of stairs and you’ve finally reached the top of this property, and there’s an LED-lined ceiling and a neutral bedroom colour scheme of greys, whites and everything in between.

There are various amenities nearby, including three schools and three train stations… for if you get fed up of strolling around your four-floored ten-bed, swimming pool-owning mansion.

Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market

We know this property may not be in the price range and might not be affordable for a lot of readers, ourselves included, but we can dream, right?

You can check out this Victorian mansion and flick through even more pictures of this property – Snooping never hurt anybody? Official site HERE.

As always, make sure to check out The Manc‘s property page to check all the other stunning structures currently on sale/in progress across Greater Manchester and in the nearby North West.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – Supplied via On The Market

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