A number of restaurants, bars and coffee shops have said they will be closing their doors today and tomorrow as temperatures across the region soar above 30C.
Hatch street food traders Fuku and Cheeky Tikka Bites have shared news that they will close up shop today (18 July) and tomorrow – with the latter adding their team will be “enjoying some down time with some chilled drinks and ice creams” as they wait out the heatwave.
Northern Quarter coffee shop North Tea Power has also announced it will close today and tomorrow “due to the high temperature.”
Image: NTP
Elsewhere, Greater Manchester food halls Mackie Mayor and Altrincham Market have both said they will close tomorrow, Tuesday 19 July, amidst the ‘red warning’ heatwave.
Bosses at both the city centre and Trafford food halls said that they made the decision to close in order to protect both their staff and customers from extremely high temperatures, which the Met Office has already warned pose a ‘danger to life’.
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The decision to close affects over ten different traders at the food halls, including Tender Cow, Picoss, New Wave Ramen, Chilli B and Mummas Fried Chicken.
An additional food hall site the Picturedome in Macclesfield, Cheshire, will also remain shut until Wednesday, when ‘much more manageable temperature[s]’ are expected to return, whilst Stretford and Sale food halls remain open as usual.
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Image: Mackie Mayor
Sharing the news on social media, the Mackie Mayor team wrote: “STAY COOL.. Due to the mad temperatures predicted on Tuesday (19th) we’ve decided to close for the day. for the welfare of our staff and customers.
“Sorry for the inconvenience but don’t worry.. we’ll be back to normal on Wednesday with a much more manageable temperature.”
Altrincham’s outdoor market and New Market Square will remain open, with the indoor food and drinks are closed until Wednesday.
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Hatch will stay open, but several of its traders have decided to close up shop for a few days. / Image: Hatch
Last week, Britain’s first ever extreme ‘red’ heat warning was issued by the Met Office with advice for commuters to stay at home and avoid travelling unless deemed absolutely necessary.
The Red extreme heat national severe weather warning covers parts of central, northern, eastern, and southeastern England on Monday 18 July and Tuesday 19 July.
This elevated weather warning followed an Amber Extreme heat warning, which had previously been in place for much of England and Wales for Sunday.
Feature image – North Tea Power
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Georgina Pellant -
18th July 2022 
