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.
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”