Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is set to make a radical move to smash a “national magnet for criminality” by bulldozing parts of the infamous ‘counterfeit street’.
After decades of repeat raids to seize tonnes of counterfeit clothing and goods worth tens of millions of pounds, the police force has confirmed that buildings on Bury New Road in the Strangeways area of Manchester are to be closed, compulsory purchased, and then flattened – for good.
It’s all part of a new operation known as ‘Operation Vulcan’.
Operation Vulcan is setting out to shut down shops selling fake clothing, perfume, tobacco, and toys that are believed to be a front for serious crime, and comes after GMP has already stablished that 33 organised crime gangs from across the UK have links to the Cheetham Hill area.
The area is also known to have links to illegal immigration, modern-day slavery, human trafficking and women being forced to work as sex workers.
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Police say the gangs also have links to mass money laundering, firearms, drugs, and more.
Greater Manchester Police is set to bulldoze Manchester’s infamous ‘counterfeit street’ / Credit: GMP
But now, the area’s reputation is set for a facelift as GMP is to work with Manchester City Council and other organisations to deliver “a permanent solution”.
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“This comes directly from our Chief Constable. He has described Cheetham Hill as a place that is criminally hostile and he is not prepared to have that in his force area,” Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood, who is heading Operation Vulcan, told the Manchester Evening News.
“Counterfeiting has been around for a very long time but the criminality has shifted into prescription drugs [and] people being exploited sexually and for their labour, and illegal immigration – a microcosm of criminality.”
When asked if Operation Vulcan would eventually see the demolition of the buildings used for counterfeit sales and other crimes in the area, DS Blackwood confirmed this in the works.
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“We are probably in the position of clear, hold, build. Clear it, and hold, so no one comes back, and then its Manchester City Council’s gift to give in terms of rebuilding. Most of those buildings will end up at the end of a bulldozer. Most unrecoverable, because they have been chopped and changed around.
“There has been a lack of consistency – we are there one day not the next, and that is where our chief has recognised that is a problem, so we will be there everyday.
“I have more patience than them.”
It’s all part of a new operation known as ‘Operation Vulcan’ / Credit: GMP
DS Blackwood said the aim of Operation Vulcan is not only to shut down counterfeit street, but also to pursue multiple prosecutions for other major offences.
“It needs to feel safe, it needs to be for the law-abiding community,” DS Blackwood said.
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“We will do whatever it takes – arresting people for drug dealing, if they have premises – which a lot of them do – we will take it off them, and we will close it.”
Featured Image – GMP
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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)
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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.
Emily Sergeant -
25th October 2022 
