Tributes have poured in after the death of Star and Garter’s beloved doorman Ian ‘Strawboss’ Garner following his tragic death.
The much-loved bouncer passed away on Monday 22 May after suffering a stroke in November last year, leaving friends, musicians and regulars devastated by the loss.
Described as being “from a generation of people who didn’t want to retire and put his feet up”, although Ian may not have looked a day over 65 he would have turned 80 in June of next year. As a result, he could – by all accounts – “tell you a story about every pub in the centre of Manchester.”
According to Star and Garter manager Andy Martin Ian was “the most selfless, generous, caring, intelligent, healthy man you could ever wish to meet”.
He told The Manc: “Ian Garner could tell you a story about every pub in the centre of Manchester, sometimes because he had worked there (The Swan With Two Necks) or because he’d fixed or improved the building (The Bulls Head).
ADVERTISEMENT
“Whatever the case, he has seen almost all of them close, more so in recent years, but the Star and Garter was always special to him, primarily because it was his local when he was the live-in manager of Arthur Donnelly’s yard at what is now the kids play area of Mayfield Park.
“The Star and Garter closed in 1987 and reopened under new ownership in 1991. In order to obtain a late licence as part of the plan to turn it into a live music venue, a fire escape had to be fitted to the building. Ian happened to have one going spare from a demolition job he had worked on and was happy to let the new owner buy it.
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: The Star and Garter
Image: The Star and Garter
“It was during the construction of said fire escape that Ian was nicknamed ‘Strawboss’ which has a few definitions but in Ian’s case was very fitting – “a member of a group of workers who supervises the work of the others in addition to doing his or her own job”.
“Ian Strawboss was from a generation of people who didn’t want to retire and put his feet up. Ian was only happy when he had a project or two on the go.
“The Star and Garter owes the ability to carry on trading to Ian for fixing everything from damp in the cellar to the roof and gutters. His knowledge of local history was equal to his knowledge of world history.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He could fix anything or work out a plan to fix a problem – we would describe him as The Oracle to strangers. Ian was the most selfless, generous, caring, intelligent, healthy man you could ever wish to meet and one Sunday in November 2022 it was all switched off by a stroke.
“We hoped he would recover enough to return home and have us help to look after him but although he may not have looked a day over 65, (he would have turned 80 in June 2024) his age counted against his recovery and despite making progress with his speech and movement it became too big an ask of him. In the end his health deteriorated to the point where he could barely move or speak.
Image: The Star and Garter
Image: The Star and Garter
“He wasn’t happy, he described himself as a bed blocker and thought he was a burden. He longed to go home and drive his beloved classic MG soft top (his pride and joy since the early 80s). He had a list of things to fix at the Star and Garter and wanted to finish them.
“He was in a lot of pain, bedridden and just a shell of the man people remembered. In his final weeks he became quite the celebrity at his care home due to the number of visitors he had every day and everyone who visited shared the opinion that he really didn’t deserve any of what had happened to him.
“During one of his final visits he told us he was ready to go and asked us to never forget him, he then told us the care home would be discharging him within a fortnight. Even at the end he kept his dry wit. He wasn’t immortal like we thought he was and he wasn’t aware of how high a regard people literally worldwide held him in.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The Facebook posts are testament to that. He. Strawboss won’t be forgotten – there will always be reminders of how important he was in every room on every floor of the Star and Garter.”
Many people have taken to social media to pay tribute to Ian, remembering his ‘beautiful’ and ‘welcoming’ nature after The Star and Garter announced his death on its Facebook page at the start of the week.
In a post that has been liked over 700 times and received more than 150 comments, each tribute tells the tale of a man who was well-loved by the community.
Ian Jones, Editor at local publisher Creative Tourist, wrote: “One of the most likeable and generous people I met out of the many amazing people I knew through the S&G. He was everyone’s grandad and always kept a watchful eye out for us, in the best possible way. He was an ever-present, vital part of my favourite place, and the outpouring of emotion here says everything. RIP big man.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Music producer and DJ Andy Woods wrote: “It really is with mixed emotions that I write this – so very sad Ian’s gone but also grateful he’s no longer in a state I know would’ve frustrated him, being the vigorous character he was. He’d often come up and ask me what a particular song was or tell me he’d found himself singing it in the week between Smile’s. His particular favourite was the German language version of Kraftwerk’s The Model, Das Model, as Vicky Walker states, and I remember making him a copy of it after he asked me one night.
“He’ll NEVER be forgotten by anyone who ever had a conversation with him and his range of knowledge was astounding as can be seen from the comments here – his subjects for me were the grand prix, his Sunday afternoon’s out in town, railway tunnels plus other engineering wonders and of course Denton ! And as the main post reflects, his contribution to the physical preservation of the building is an amazing legacy to leave behind. Condolences to family, friends and all those customers that will never forget his gigantic presence …….a big, big love xxxx ”
A precious jewel left this world today. I hope he knew the beautiful impact he had on every one of us. Rest In Peace Ian ❤️ greatest doorman that ever was. We will never forget you, of that I promise. Until I see you again, I’ll wear that badge you got me. Your Julie x pic.twitter.com/OGknPQFzSp
Following his death, the award-winning writer and broadcaster Julie Hamill took to Twitter to describe Ian as a ‘precious jewel’, writing: “A precious jewel left this world today. I hope he knew the beautiful impact he had on every one of us. Rest In Peace Ian. Greatest doorman that ever was. We will never forget you, of that I promise. Until I see you again, I’ll wear that badge you got me. Your Julie x”
Read more:
Manchester music promoter Sophie Bea took to Facebook to say she would always remember Ian’s lovely stories, writing that she was ‘heartbroken’ by the news of his passing and that ‘he was always so pleased to see us’.
ADVERTISEMENT
Music collector and devotee Stefan Kris wrote on Twitter: “That’s very sad news, Rest in peace Ian and thanks for always making me feel welcomed.”
Featured image – The Star and Garter
News
Groundbreaking endometriosis tests could help catch diagnosis ‘years earlier’
Danny Jones
In some major public health news, two pioneering and crucially faster tests for endometriosis, which are set to be rolled out across Great Britain soon, could be about to reduce the time taken to diagnose the condition by several years.
That’s according to the National Institute for Healthand Care Excellence (NICE), who have issued an update revealing that the fresh testing technology could significantly speed up the process that can currently take the best part of a decade or even more.
In some cases, it can take upwards of 11 years to fully identify endometriosis, especially within certain ethnically diverse communities, but now the executive non-departmental public body has given the green light for the NHS to introduce the pair of expeditious testing methods here in the UK.
Announced on Tuesday, 7 July, the dual approach – one half of which is already being used domestically as part of a pilot study – won’t serve as a standalone diagnostic system in itself, but should help drastically reduce the time between suspected symptoms, confirmation and treatment.
In the UK, average diagnosis takes over 9 years.
Endosure and Endotest can now be used in the NHS while more evidence is gathered.
Emma Cox, chief executive of Endometriosis UK, said in a public statement: “Availability of these new tests needs to go hand-in-hand with education of GPs and practice nurses to ensure prompt access to those that need them, and an end to pain and symptoms not being recognised.”
The two prongs of this new approach revolve around the already in-trialEndotest®, currently being manufactured by French biotech company Ziwig.
Essentially a straightforward saliva test, it’s been recommended for wider use over some time now.
Meanwhile, the second step is ‘EndoSure’: a non-invasive test that uses “topical electrode pads similar to those used in an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the myoelectric activity of the smooth muscle of the GI tract”, with sensors placed on the stomach area.
You can see an instructional video explaining more information about the former down below.
Put in the simplest terms, in tandem, they could save one in 10 women lots of time and pain.
Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, healthtech programme director at NICE, went on to add: “A diagnosis of endometriosis can for some women take the best part of a decade […] That delay means living with chronic pelvic pain that affects daily life, relationships and work.
“These technologies have the potential to change that by giving primary care professionals better non-invasive tools to identify endometriosis earlier, allowing earlier and better treatment.
“Our draft guidance reflects our commitment to getting promising innovations to patients quickly, while making sure the evidence to support their wider use is built in a rigorous way.”
While both are still pending full approval and eventual scaling across the country, here’s hoping it can make the difference in the lives of millions of British women and beyond.
Title partner and other collaborators confirmed for first-ever Stockport 10k
Danny Jones
The official title partners and other key collaborators for the inaugural Stockport 10k run and road race have been confirmed, with Vitality lending its name as the new lead sponsor.
Now set to be dubbed the Vitality Stockport 10K moving forward as part of a multi-year agreement beginning in 2026, the new running event by the UK’s leading organisers, RunThrough, has already seen huge interest.
The popular promotion and growing sports community currently boasts more than 300 different events across the country over the course of the annual calendar.
Ahead of this new SK iteration launching later this month, the nearby health insurance company are teaming up with the likes of the RunThrough team, Stockport County and more.
We're proud to announce @Vitality_UK the Title Partner of the inaugural Vitality Stockport 10K! 🏃
Join us on 19 July 2026 for an unforgettable road closed race starting and finishing at Edgeley Park.
As mentioned, places are already selling out fast with hundreds signing up from the moment the race went on sale.
Besides Edgeley Park football stadium hosting a memorable finish line at the local ground, Stockport County’s Community Trust arm is also playing a big role in the maiden Greater Manchester movement.
Lots of runners will be taking on the 10 kilometre/6.2 mile challenge for all kinds of reasons, but importantly, this first edition will also help raise money for the Trust’s completely free health and wellbeing programmes across the borough.
Eddie Owen, who heads up the schemes, said in a statement: “We’re delighted to be supporting this new community 10K and bringing people together at Edgeley Park for what promises to be a fantastic event.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to get active, support an important cause and be part of something that will have a lasting impact on our local community.
“Every entry will help us continue delivering our free health projects and move us closer to our goal of funding a brand-new health initiative for an entire year. We can’t wait to welcome runners, supporters and families to Edgeley Park in July.”
As for RunThrough themselves, CEO Jack Williams went on to add: “We’re proud to announce Vitality as the title sponsor of the inaugural Vitality Stockport 10K.
“Their commitment to the local community makes them a fantastic partner for this event, and with the run starting and finishing at Edgeley Park, it already has a strong SK identity. We’re excited to work together to create a welcoming and memorable race day for runners and supporters across the town.”
The run itself is set to start along Harcastle Road, pass through the gorgeous Bramhall Park, back towards the town centre and Edgeley, before finishing at the famous Cheadle End.
Regarding the route itself, the course will treat participants to a route with a fairly flat elevation profile, making it ideal not only for those looking to notch a new personal best but entry level runners, too.
One of the best parts about RunThrough as well is the added bonus of accurate chip timing, a unique finisher’s medal design for each event, goodie bags and even free photos after completion.
Nick Read, Chief Vitality Officer, went on to add: “We’re delighted to partner with RunThrough as title sponsor of the Vitality Stockport 10K. This event brings together the local community in a way that reflects what Vitality stands for — making movement accessible, enjoyable and part of everyday life, whatever your starting point.
“Stockport is a key location for Vitality, both as a growing hub for our people and as one where we want to have a meaningful, long-term presence. It’s particularly fitting that this debut event takes place on the eve of opening our new office at No.3 Stockport Exchange.
“The space has been designed with health and wellbeing at its core, and this event is a great example of the kind of community-led initiatives we’re proud to support, helping to encourage more people to get active in a way that works for them.”
Entries for the Vitality Stockport 10K are open now, with runners from all over Greater Manchester invited to take their place on the start line come Sunday, 19 July 2026 – you can secure your spot HERE.
The North West running renaissance continues, and we’re absolutely here for it.
Georgina Pellant -
24th May 2023 
