Local government and business leaders have come together in a bid to ‘do data better’; aiming to turn the region into a responsible data user that learns lessons from the summer exams fiasco.
Key personnel are pledging their support for the Declaration for Responsible and Intelligent Data Practice – a shared vision for the region co-created by Open Data Manchester (ODM) with expert practitioners from multiple sectors.
The Declaration seeks to differentiate ‘the good’ from ‘the bad’ among those that use data and turn Greater Manchester into a ‘pioneer’.
Its 23 principles have been created to prevent repeats of issues like those seen with the disastrous exam results algorithm earlier this year.
Launching with the support of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), along with tech trade body Manchester Digital, the Declaration represents public and private-sector commitment to making good decisions.
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Councillor Sean Fielding, GMCA Lead for Employment, Skills and Digital, said: “For Greater Manchester to achieve its digital ambitions we need the whole ecosystem to pull together and it’s fantastic to see collaboration of this kind informing how we ‘do data better’ across the region.
“It’s vital that our people have absolute confidence in what’s happening to their information and that our professionals use data responsibly and effectively to improve decision-making, supporting those most in need.
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“The commitments made in this declaration will help us create a digital city region for everyone. A region that takes an approach to digital that ensures no one gets left behind.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson came in for criticism following the exam results fiasco – Flickr
Katie Gallagher, Managing Director of Manchester Digital, added: “This is pioneering piece of work that puts the region at the forefront of responsible data use.
“Adopting these principles will further enhance and differentiate the region’s reputation for being a leading technology hub.
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“Manchester Digital is delighted to support this work and we look forward to working with Open Data Manchester to encourage businesses to adopt the declaration in the coming months.”
The UK government launched a consultation on a new National Data Strategy earlier this month – which has ‘responsible data use’ as one of its themes.
The government’s consultation closes in December and the results will be shared next year.
To explore the issue further, Open Data Manchester is launching a series of events called Demistifying the Algorithm, including one called Policy, Politics and the Algorithm.
Visit the official website for the Declaration here.
News
The 10 restaurant and bar closures that shocked Greater Manchester in 2025
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester has one of the most exciting and fastest-growing restaurant scenes on the planet – but that doesn’t make our city immune from hospitality closures, as 2025 has shown.
Given the economic climate and the increasing pressures on hospitality, it’s actually shocking (and a relief) that we haven’t lost even more beloved local spots.
In 2025, there have been some high-profile closures in Manchester that no one saw coming, as we bid a sad farewell to some local legends.
The good news is that the number of openings still outstrips the number of closures – you can see some of the biggest spots we welcomed last year HERE.
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Almost Famous
Greater Manchester
Almost Famous / Credit: The Manc Group
It’s no surprise that this was one of the biggest stories in Manchester in 2025, because we simply could not believe our eyes when Almost Famous announced its closure.
The burger craze of the mid-2010s may have died down, but this spot had always felt like a Northern Quarter OG with a loyal enough following to stand the test of time.
Alas, it closed its doors very suddenly back in January, shortly followed by its sister smash burger brand Super Awesome Deluxe, with a staggering outcry and a lot of fall-out locally.
Thankfully, a short while later it was rescued by the team behind PINS Social Club.
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Hip Hop Chip Shop
Ancoats
Hip Hop Chip Shop / Credit: The Manc Group
Another sad day for the Manchester food scene arrived in February, when Ancoats favourite The Hip Hop Chip Shop announced its closure.
Having first opened in 2014 as a street food stall, to opening their own site in Ancoats, the present financial pressures took their toll, and Hip Hop Chip Shop shut its shutters just a few weeks later.
We still fantasise about their battered halloumi.
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Another Heart To Feed
Northern Quarter
Another Heart to Feed / Credit: The Manc Group
It felt like one of the Northern Quarter’s top brunch spots, and with queues around the block nearly all the time, seemed like a safe spot.
But the award-winning Another Heart to Feed’s popularity was not enough to overcome the challenges facing the industry.
In their statement, this lovely brunch spot and wine bar thanked customers and staff, past and present – you can read more here.
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Mother Mary’s
Oxford Road
Mother Mary’s / Credit: The Manc Group
One of Manchester’s newest Irish bars announced its sudden and immediate closure in November, citing financial pressures.
Mother Mary’s took over the old student haunt that was Font bar, just off Oxford Road, filling the venue with a state-of-the-art sound system for hosting live music and club nights.
It was much more than just an Irish bar and had become a safe space for so many locals – accessible, queer-inclusive, independent, and dedicated to championing local talent.
One of Manchester’s most legendary bars closed its doors after 13 beautiful years in the city earlier this year, shocking us and everyone who loved it.
Sandinista quietly shut down in October, throwing one final knees-up for loyal (and very sad) punters.
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The bar, just off St Ann’s Square, was famed for its menu of beers, tequila, and cocktails, including a pint of Zombie served on fire.
There’ll never be another one like it.
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Bohemian Arts Club
Stockport
Bohemian Arts Club / Credit: The Manc Group
Stockport lost a good one back in September – Bohemian Arts Club, the stunning cocktail bar launched by Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden and his wife Katie, closed for good.
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It had been a much-loved addition to town, a real vintage-style speakeasy serving top quality drinks, and you could feel all the love the couple had poured into it (even down to the heart-shaped chairs handmade by Katie’s mum and dad).
Thankfully, it stayed in the family – Katie’s incredibly successful Bohemian Salon has expanded from downstairs to take over the entire three-storey building.
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Feel Good Club
Northern Quarter
Feel Good Club / Credit: Supplied
After five incredible years in the city, brewing up some of the finest coffee, serving an all-day brunch menu full of all your favourite comfort food dishes, hosting countless events, and just generally being a wholesome community space for anyone and everyone who needs it, it’s the end of the road for Feel Good Club.
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Founders Kiera and Aimie sadly announced they would be closing the doors to their Northern Quarter cafe in the summer, after struggling to stay afloat this past year like so many other local indies.
They said: “We’ve had the time of our lives, and met the most incredible people along the way.”
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Kala
Manchester City Centre
It was part of Gary Usher’s acclaimed group of restaurants, but Elite Bistros shut down one of its top spots earlier this year.
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City centre bistro Kala closed for good back in June, with a heartfelt and very honest statement.
Usher wrote: “Thank you to all the team past & present & I’m so sorry to all of you and all the guests that I couldn’t create something with longevity.”
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Medlock Canteen
New Jackson
Medlock Canteen / Credit: The Manc Group
Just months after celebrating its first birthday, Medlock Canteen announced it was moving out of the Deansgate Square neighbourhood.
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The brilliant local restaurant served a really gorgeous menu that included rotisserie chicken, full English breakfasts, and quite possibly Manchester’s best Caesar salad.
It was all proper hearty food that you actually want to eat, with a stunning mid-century restaurant space and great drinks too.
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Osma
Prestwich
Osma / Credit: The Manc Group | Osma
Prestwich’s burgeoning restaurant scene was dealt a major blow at the start of 2025, when Osma announced its closure.
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The Scandi-esque restaurant was a front-runner of Prestwich’s ever-growing food and drink scene since it opened in 2020, fronted by Manchester born Danielle Heron, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals 2024, alongside Sofie Stoermann-Naess.
You can still find their brilliant cooking at Exhibition in the city centre, but as for the restaurant itself, Osma said they ‘struggled to find experience staff, leaving us with little to no personal life’.
Sorely missed.
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Featured Image – The Manc Group
News
19-year-old arrested after hitting and killing two women with car on rural Bolton road
Emily Sergeant
Police are appealing after two women sadly lost their lives in a double fatal road traffic collision in Bolton yesterday morning.
At around 7:42am yesterday morning (Monday 22 December 2025), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to reports of a collision at the junctions of Scout Road, Smithills Dean Road, Colliers Row Road, and Coal Pit Road, all in a semi-rural area of Bolton.
The driver of a VW Polo was travelling down Scout Road and collided with two pedestrians who were walking down Smithills Dean Road.
Both pedestrians, two women aged 57 and 59, suffered fatal injuries and sadly died at the scene.
#APPEAL | Officers from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are appealing for information and witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision involving two pedestrians in Bolton.
The driver of the car, a 19-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of causing two deaths by dangerous driving, and investigations are now ongoing into this incident.
Officers from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are now appealing to the public to help with their investigations, and are asking for anyone with any information, or who may have been in the area at the time the incident occurred, to please come forward.
This also includes anyone who witnessed the incident or have dashcam footage of it.
The Manc -
2nd October 2020 
