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Legendary Manchester gig venue shortlisted as one of the best in the country

"It’s great to be recognised and for us to be shouting about the positive things that we do and have done for the past 31 years."

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 8th March 2023

One of Manchester’s most iconic gig venues has been shortlisted in the prestigious Music Venue Week Awards.

The Northern Quarter’s Night & Day Cafe has had a tough of time of it this last year as it battles a Noise Abatement Notice, despite having been a fixture of the city centre’s music scene for over thirty years.

But through adversity comes strength. And apparently, a bit of good luck, because the venue has just been shortlisted for a big award – and is up against big names from across the UK.

The intimate venue on Oldham Street is hoping to cinch the title of Grassroots Venue 2023, going up against the likes of Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, The Windmill in Brixton, Leadmill in Sheffield and The Globe in Newcastle.

Night & Day. Credit: Supplied

Supported by the Music Venue Trust, the awards celebrate and recognise the achievements of the entire music industry across 25 different categories.

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The awards will champion the country’s best marketing teams, retailers, promoters, record labels, venues, radio shows, ticketing companies and more.

“We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for the Music Venue Week Grassroots Venue 2023 award. It’s an absolute honour for Night & Day to be recognised amongst some of the very best grassroots venues in the UK” says Ben Smithson of Night & Day Cafe.  

Read more: Ramona and The Firehouse to open giant new venue with ‘Manchester’s biggest beer garden’

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Smithson continued: “The award comes at a time when live music and grassroots venues continue to face challenging times.

“In addition to this, Night & Day still remarkably has a Noise Abatement Notice served upon us. We’re currently working with Manchester City Council and hope that things will get sorted very soon.” 

“It’s great to be recognised and for us to be shouting about the positive things that we do and have done for the past 31 years.

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Read more: The legacy of Night & Day Cafe as it turns 30 years old

“We’re up against some amazing iconic venues so we’ll need every one of your votes please!”

The winner will be announced live on stage at the Music Week Awards ceremony, London in May. Voting is now open until the end of March at the Music Week Awards website here 

Feature image – Supplied

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Manchester locals appealing for more information over a month after from finding family member’s body

Danny Jones Danny Jones GMP appeal after body of Chorlton man found dead in bedroom

A Greater Manchester family are still calling for more information now over a month on from the discovery of a man’s body at his Chorlton home.

William Riddell, 49, was found dead in the bedroom of a property on Astbury Avenue at approximately 11:35pm on Sunday, 10 November after being found by his stepdaughter, Sarah Hayden.

Details surrounding his passing are still scarce but a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail “pending further enquiries”, leaving Sarah and the rest of her family still none the wiser as to the exact nature of his death.

Preparing to spend their first Christmas without him, they have issued a desperate appeal for more information, urging anyone who might have information to come forward.

Riddell, more commonly known as Billy by those close to him, was described as a “good, caring man with a big heart” and a popular figure in the local area.

Speaking via Greater Manchester Police, Sarah, said: “I want to be Billy’s voice and get answers for him. Billy was a nice and lovely man and all the community knew who he was. He was well-liked and we gave him a good send-off at his funeral.

“I would just ask anyone who knew him or has any information to come forward and tell police. Even if you think it’s a little or small thing – please come forward. We just want to get to the bottom of what has happened.”

Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, who serves on GMP‘s Major Incident Team, added in an official statement: “The family of Billy deserve answers following his death and we are working hard to ensure they get exactly that.

“We have closely supported Sarah and the wider family over the last month, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can as they face their first Christmas without him.

“While a suspect has been bailed, we are still working flat-out to understand more about Billy’s life, the people he was close to, and events leading up to his death just over a month ago.”

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With that in mind, both GMP and Riddell’s family are asking anyone who might know anything or have information regarding people associated with Billy to come forward, reiterating that “even if you consider something to be small – your help could greatly benefit our investigation.”

You can contact police via 101 or by using the live chat function HERE, quoting log 3227 of 10/11/24.

Alternatively, you can contact the UK’s independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

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

Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police

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Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.

As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.

This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.

According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting. 

The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.  

Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.

Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.

More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.

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This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.

It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.  

Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)

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