One of Manchester’s best-loved ice cream brands, Lazy Sundae, has announced the permanent closure of Northern Quarter site.
Opening its doors on Tib Street back in May 2021, and bringing sunshine and colour to the heart of the Northern Quarter, Lazy Sundae became beloved dessert spot along the way, famed not only for its adventurous ice cream flavours, but also it selection of bubble teas, and jiggly Japanese souffle pancakes.
Having proved so popular since opening the Northern Quarter site, Lazy Sundae went from strength to strength, and was soon able to open a second site.
The closure of Lazy Sundae’s original site was announced on the same day that another iconic Manchester burger joint, Almost Famous, sadly shared that it was also closing all of its sites in Manchester – both in the Northern Quarter, as well as inside Great Northern Warehouse – and Leeds with immediate effect.
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Lazy Sundae’s statement reads in full: “With a heavy heart, we have to share that Lazy Sundae has closed its doors on our NQ site. The reasons were beyond our control after facing landlord difficulties.
“Northern Quarter is where our dreams of sharing travel inspired ice cream with everyone was born. We remember the days running up to the grand opening post lockdown were filled with both excitement and anxiety.
“At one point, J was convinced no one would even like ice cream, but the Manchester community really showed up for us. We had no idea how many of you would share our passion for flavours from our culture and childhood.
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“To everyone who has visited our little corner on Tib Street with family, friends and fur babies – we are forever grateful. Watching you all enjoy what we have put so much time in creating has brought us incredible joy. (Sorry for all the awkward stares whilst you lick ice cream!) We have made some wonderful friends and memories.
“Saying goodbye to this space is heartbreaking for us, but we are excited for a new chapter.”
The owners closed out their statement by declaring that the Northern Quarter closure “isn’t the end of Lazy Sundae” only a goodbye to “where it all began”.
“Follow us on our journey to finding a new home for the community to enjoy and share our love for travel inspired ice creams and desserts,” the statement concluded, before thanking Manchester “for the support” throughout the years.
Lazy Sundae remains open inside Manchester Arndale.
NHS launches new AI and robot cancer detection pilot offering ‘glimpse into future’
Emily Sergeant
The NHS has launched a ‘trailblazing’ new AI and robot pilot to help spot cancers sooner.
Patients who are facing suspected lung cancer could get answers sooner under the new pilot that makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic technology to help doctors reach hard-to-detect cancers earlier, and all without with fewer tests too.
At the moment, patients are faced with weeks of repeat scans and procedures to come to a diagnosis.
But this could soon be replaced with a single, half-hour cancer biopsy – reducing prolonged uncertainty, and avoiding more invasive surgery.
According to the NHS, the new approach uses AI software to rapidly analyse lung scans and flag small lumps that are most likely to be cancerous, before a robotic camera is then used to guide biopsy tools through the airways with much greater precision than standard techniques.
A new NHS pilot using AI and robotic technology will help doctors reach hard-to-detect lung cancers earlier.
Weeks of scans and procedures could be replaced with a single biopsy, reducing uncertainty and avoiding more invasive surgery.
The robot can reach nodules as small as 6mm – which is around the size of a grain of rice – that are hidden deep in the lung and are often deemed too risky or difficult to access using existing methods, and once AI has highlighted higher-risk areas, doctors can then take a precise tissue sample, which is sent to specialist laboratories and reviewed by expert cancer teams to confirm or rule out cancer.
The NHS’s top cancer doctor hailed the pilot – which is currently being carried out at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust – as ‘a glimpse of the future of cancer detection’.
“Waiting to find out if you might have cancer is incredibly stressful for patients and their families,” admitted Professor Peter Johnson, who is NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer.
The NHS has launched a new AI and robot cancer detection pilot that’s offering a ‘glimpse into future’ / Credit: rawpixel
“Our lung cancer screening programme means that we are picking up more cancers at an early stage than ever, and by bringing AI and robotics together in this trailblazing NHS pilot, we’re bringing in the very latest technology to give clinicians a clearer look inside the lungs and support faster, more accurate biopsies.
“This is a glimpse of the future of cancer detection.
“Innovation like this is exactly how we can help diagnose more cancers faster, so treatment can be most effective, and why the NHS continues to lead the way in bringing new technology safely into frontline care.”
If successful, the pilot will help the NHS to generate evidence to develop a national commissioning policy for robotic bronchoscopy.
It will also support more consistent access to the technology across the NHS in future.
Featured Image – Tima Miroshnichenko (via Pexels)
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Chester Zoo announces new spring date for its popular running event to help UK wildlife
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this year, and this time, there’s a new spring edition.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo seen success with this event in the past few years, with thousands of runners signing up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences and all funds raised going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.
This year though, the much-loved event’s focus brings conservation ‘a little closer to home’ and will protect some of the UK’s most threatened species instead – with all funds helping to safeguard hedgehogs, kingfishers, otters, harvest mice, and more.
It comes as the UK is currently considered one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.
Participants will first get to wind through the zoo and enjoy glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Adults can choose from a 10K or 5K route, while younger runners are invited to take part in a one-mile ‘Zoom’ race, open to children aged four-15, which takes place entirely within the zoo’s incredible 130-acre grounds.
All runners will receive free entry to the zoo for the rest of the day as part of their registration, along with a 25% discount for friends and family who come along to show support.
Chester Zoo’s popular 10K charity run is returns with a new spring date / Credit: Chester Zoo
Lorraine Jubb, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo, called the Run For Nature a ‘really special event’.
“In previous years, runners have already supported conservation efforts for Asian elephants, Eastern black rhinos and Northern giraffe,” she explained. This springtime though, we’re turning our attention much closer to home in the UK, and to the wildlife we share our gardens, parks and countryside with.
“With one in six species now at risk of extinction in the UK, every runner will be playing a vital role in helping us protect animals and supporting our growing nature recovery work across right across Cheshire.
Emily Sergeant -
28th January 2025 
