A firearm has been found inside a lavish new Manchester restaurant in the middle of an equally lavish launch party.
Habbibi has now released a statement after police were called to its star-studded opening on Saturday evening.
The beautiful restaurant opened this week in Spinningfields, serving a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food that’s made it a huge hit over in Leeds.
But during its launch party, a member of the Habbibi team discovered a firearm on site and GMP were called.
The weapon was removed from the premises and the venue has said all guests were ‘completely safe’.
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A police investigation has now been launched to determine how the firearm came to be on site.
GMP has said that ‘suspected drugs’ were also seized and sent off for testing.
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Habbibi said it has been ‘saddened and shocked’ by what they have stressed is an ‘isolated incident’.
Since the firearm was found in the middle of its launch night, the restaurant has said ‘this is not how we wanted to start our journey’.
Inside Habbibi, a new Middle-Eastern restaurant in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Their full statement reads: “We are saddened and shocked to confirm that on the evening of Saturday 8th June, during our Manchester launch event, a member of the Habbibi team discovered a firearm on site.
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“As a venue we immediately took all appropriate action, notifying the police and securing the weapon in our safe until officers arrived to safely remove the firearm from the premises. The police were able to confirm that the firearm was not loaded. All of our guests were completely safe and at no stage was there any wider danger.
“There is an ongoing police investigation as to how the firearm came to be on site, so we are limited with the information we can share at this time.
“This is of course not how we wanted to start our journey, to join the vibrant and buoyant hospitality scene in Manchester as a new venue.
“However we want to reassure all of our guests and the residents of this great city that this is an isolated incident. We will share further information as and when we are able to, and will continue to work closely with the police.
Cocktails at Habbibi ManchesterFood at Habbibi Manchester
“Whilst we are still in shock at the incident, we would like to thank everyone who has supported us so far and look forward to welcoming you all to join us at Habbibi and to show people how amazing the culinary scene in this great city is!”
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A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “At around 8.45pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, we were called to reports of a firearm being located at a business property on Hardman Boulevard in the city centre.
“Our officers attended and recovered the firearm in question. A quantity of suspected drugs were also seized and sent for testing. The firearm was made safe at the scene and no arrests have been made. Investigations are ongoing.”
As well as the restaurant space, Habbibi in Manchester also has an outdoor terrace with a shisha set-up.
Northern’s ‘Flash Sale’ is back for 2026 with millions of train tickets on sale for £2
Emily Sergeant
Millions of train tickets are currently on sale for just £2 each, as Northern has brought its popular ‘Flash Sale’ back for 2026.
A whopping FOUR MILLION of them, to be exact.
For the last couple of years, the rail operator has made life a little easier for train travellers by giving them the chance to grab one of several million tickets for much cheaper than normal – and now, with the cost of living crisis sadly continuing to make its impact felt, Northern has decided to kick off the autumn season by slashing prices once again.
It means that millions of people will have the opportunity to make a cut-price journey across the north of England before the end of October is out.
With the company’s regular ‘Flash Sales’ having gone onto become a, somewhat, legendary event at this point, it probably comes as no shock that you’ll need to act fast if you want to be in with a chance of get your hands tickets.
Tickets went live today and the sale runs for three days, closing on Friday 4 September – with tickets valid for travel between 9 September and 23 October 2026.
The top local destinations with the most tickets available in the sale are Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria, and Manchester Oxford Road, as well as Wigan and several other neighbouring towns.
A list of routes where tickets will be available can also be found using the ‘cheap fare finder’ tool on the Northern website here.
Northern’s ‘Flash Sale’ is back for 2026 with millions of train tickets on sale from £2 / Credit: Northern | Wikimedia Commons
“With four million tickets up for grabs, this is one of our biggest Flash Sales yet, and there’s something for everyone,” commented Alex Hornby, who is the Commercial and Customer Director at Northern.
“With millions of tickets available for just £2 each, our Flash Sale will make the railway even more appealing, and we believe it will inspire everyone to explore everything our fantastic region has to offer, from bustling cities to countryside and stunning coastlines.
“Customers will need to book early to avoid disappointment, as once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
Tickets are available to buy on Northern’s app, online, at ticket offices, and on ticket machines at stations managed by Northern.
Featured Image – Northern
News
Four people named and charged in relation to wildfires near Dovestone Reservoir
Emily Sergeant
Four people have been charged in relation to the devastating wildfires near Dovestone Reservoir over the summer.
They have also been publicly named by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as Tyler Warburton, Toby Wilde, Jake Eyre, and Lyreec Bryan-Gavin, all aged between 18 and 22-years-old.
The four men have each been charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, while Wilde and Eyre have also been charged possession of class B (cannabis) on top of that.
They have all been bailed ahead of a scheduled court appearance on 25 February 2027 at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court.
These follow the arrest and subsequent charging of 20-year-old Shania Care-Slede, from Hyde.
Care-Slede had been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving, and was remanded in custody before appearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 14 July.
The charges relate to the blaze that broke out on the evening of Saturday 11 July at the popular beauty spot in Oldham – prompting a major multi-agency response, with fire crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) working around the clock in challenging conditions to contain the fire and prevent further spread across the moorland.
Specialist wildfire resources, command support units, drone technology, and partner agencies were also been deployed as operations continued across multiple sectors of the incident.
To make matters worse, ‘strong’ winds carried smoke across parts of Greater Manchester – with reports of haze and the smell of burning being received from areas well beyond the immediate vicinity of the fire.
Officers are continuing to pursue a number of lines of enquiry, and are seeking to identify any other individuals who may have been involved by appealing to the public.
Can you help? Anyone with footage or information that may assist the investigation can submit it via the Dovestone Fire Evidence Submission Portal here.
Daisy Jackson -
11th June 2024 
