It has been confirmed that a Burnage cafe at the centre of a widely-reported police investigation following a scuffle between an officer and the venue owner has officially been stripped of its licence.
It comes after a Closure Order for Kate & Luc Cafe Restaurantwas issued at Manchester Magistrates’ Court last month, with the cafe described as “the source of frequent complaints from the public to Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police over failures to follow COVID-19 restrictions”.
The owners were then told to close the premised until 9th May and pay legal costs of £3,586.52.
At the time, Manchester City Council said that breaches at the cafe dated back to November 2020, with staff previously refusing to wear masks or put up protective screens and making “no effort” to enforce social distancing.
Two separate Fixed Penalty Notices were issued in early February, along with a Premises Closure Warning, but the cafe continued to operate.
Now, a Manchester City Council licence review hearing was told on Monday that owner Lucjan Domanski showed a “flagrant disregard” for public health at the Kate & Luc Cafe Restaurant during lockdown after Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council licensing officials made five visits to the premises in January and February following the receiving reports of it being “rammed” with people.
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The licensee refused to accept that he was breaking the rules, the hearing was told.
Mr Domanski told the hearing that he had suffered a mental health breakdown as he struggled to apply for financial support for his business during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but the council’s licensing subcommittee described his behaviour as “appalling” and PC Alan Isherwood – of Greater Manchester Police’s licensing team – said it was “clear that Mr Domanski is unfit to hold the licence”.
A representative of Mr Domanski said he had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and that the enforcement visits had caused him distress, “impeded his actions” and provoked a “fight or flight response”.
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Mr Domanski said: “We tried hard with all the restrictions, we lost 85 to 90% of income. We just couldn’t do it and I gave up. I had no choice, that was my feeling.
“I’ve got a problem with depression for nine to 10 years, I’ve been on and off medicines. It’s too much stress for me.”
Greater Manchester Police / Manchester City Council
Mr Domanski admitted to the hearing that he had broken COVID regulations, but that he did so while “under duress”, and asked the committee to give him the chance to open in a COVID-secure way, however the hearing panel agreed to revoke the licence, meaning that the business will no longer have permission to trade.
The hearing panel said in a statement: “The reasons for revocation are the flagrant disregard by the premises holder for COVID regulations.
“The committee are absolutely appalled at how the premises licence holder treated the officers, and they have no confidence that the licensing objectives will be upheld due to the actions taken by the premise silence holder during this pandemic.
“A measured approach was taken by GMP and Manchester council officers to work with this premises licence holder, however he clearly has not cooperated whatsoever”.
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
The Manc -
16th March 2021 
