Greggs is the latest food chain to fall victim to nationwide chicken supply shortages.
It’s been reported today by PoliticsHome that the same poultry supplies issue that caused around 50 Nando’s restaurants to close across the UK last week has now similarly afflicted the ever-popular bakery chain Greggs – which has over 2,000 branches across the UK, and plans to open a further 100 shops before the year is out.
The Greggs menu has several items containing chicken, including the much-loved chicken bake.
The chargrill chicken oval bite, and several chicken-filled baguettes are also said to be affected, but the bakery chain has stressed that despite the ongoing supply chain disruption, its broad menu meant it had been able to mitigate the impact.
A combination of post-Brexit restrictions and COVID-19 disruption have caused shortages of workers in several industries.
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Addressing the wider issue, Richard Griffiths – Chief Executive of the British Poultry Council – said that members had reported a 5-10% drop in weekly chicken production as a result of workforce issues.
“They are currently producing a reduced range of products for UK customers, and are seriously concerned that the supply of staple chicken products will be impacted,” Griffiths said.
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“When you don’t have people, you have a problem – and this is something we are seeing across the whole supply chain.”
The Greggs menu has several items containing chicken, including the much-loved chicken bake / Credit: TripAdvisor | Greggs
Rod McKenzie from the Road Haulage Association also told the BBC earlier this week that: “We’ve lost 20,000 European drivers, then COVID meant that 40,000 driver tests haven’t happened.”
He added the shortfall, combined with Brexit-related border disruption, represents a “real and present danger” to UK industry.
The UK government has been urged to grant 10,000 temporary visas to EU drivers in a bid to make up the shortfall, however it is currently resisting and instead arguing that companies should concentrate on training up British workers.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “The British people repeatedly voted to end free movement and take back control of our immigration system.
“Employers should invest in our domestic workforce instead of relying on labour from abroad.”
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North West water bills to see the biggest average increase of anywhere in the country in 2026
Emily Sergeant
Water bills in the North West are set to see the biggest increase in 2026 on average.
It has been announced that household water bills in England and Wales will rise by an average of 5.4% overall – which works out to around £33 a year, or approximately £2.70 per month – from April, which is said to be two percentage points above December’s official inflation figure… but when you look closer at the North West, that percentage rises from 5.4% to 9%.
The average United Utilities water bill is set to sit at £660 annually in 2026-27, with that being an increase of £57 from the previous year – the largest increase of anywhere else in the country.
Water UK says the nationwide rise in bills reflects the ‘significant investment’ being put towards upgrading water infrastructure.
More than two million households currently receive help with their water bills. An extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27. Find out more: https://t.co/DSDpAmawX8pic.twitter.com/N2LFpjxEQE
Water companies are said to be currently in the process of delivering a £104 billion investment programme to secure the nation’s water supplies, support economic growth, and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
The money raised by water bills can only be used to fund infrastructure that is independently determined to be ‘new, necessary, and value for money’.
The regulator says United Utilities will begin a £3 billion upgrade in 2026 of the 110 km Haweswater Aqueduct, which carries 570 million litres of water every day to 2.5 million people in Cumbria, Lancashire, and Greater Manchester (or nearly 5% of England’s population), hence water bills increasing at a higher rate to other areas.
North West water bills are set to see the biggest average increase in 2026 / Credit: Raibeart MacAoidh (via Geograph)
“We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” explained David Henderson, who is the Chief Executive at Water UK.
“While we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
“That is why we will help around 2.5 million households – more than ever before – with average discounts of around 40% off their water bill.”
More than two million households currently receive help with their bills through social tariffs, the WaterSure scheme, and other affordability measures, and an extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27, taking the total number to around 2.5 million.
Those who are struggling should contact their water company to see what help is available, as support can often be tailored to individual circumstances.
Featured Image – Sora Shimazaki (via Pexels)
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Deansgate bar Simmons closes just over a year after opening
Danny Jones
London-born bar brand Simmons has closed their Manchester site just over a year after opening their first Northern location.
They’ve lasted roughly 15 months on one of our busiest nightlife strips.
Opening on Deansgate back in October 2024, Simmons Manchester wasn’t just their first foray here up in this half of the country but their only other venue outside of the capital.
An otherwise well-established and popular chain down south, they have a total of 15 different bars in central London, but things clearly haven’t quite taken off as planned here in Manchester.
Placing a poster in the unit’s shopfront besides the likes of Be At One, Yours, The Moon Under The Water Spoons and the Deansgate branch of Slug and Lettuce, as you can see, the fellow franchise founded over a decade ago said: “After much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye”, they add, “We’re incredibly proud of what the team built here and so grateful to them, as well as everyone who joined us over the past year.
“We’ve had some unforgettable nights. We love Manchester, and we hope to be back under the right conditions.”
They go on to thank everyone for being “part of the journey”, but for now, it looks like the room has closed effective immediately.
Simmons started back in 2012 when founder Nick Campbell opened the first bar below his flat in Kings Cross, and their presence has grown hugely since then. The closing sign was spotted and shared on social media earlier this week.
Offering everything from stylish cocktails to New York-style pizza, live music and even private karaoke booths, the place had plenty going on.
With rising business rates, energy bills and more dovetailing with the continuing cost of living crisis that is still hampering both hospitality and the nightime economy, they are just one of many to unfortunately close their doors of late.
For instance, it was only earlier this month that we saw multiple well-known names shut up shop here in the city centre or elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including another long-standing late-night favourite, Revolution.
It’s a shame for any business to close, and we certainly hope they’ll return someday with a model that can be sustained in the current climate.
Emily Sergeant -
25th August 2021 
