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Manchester United said to be considering demolishing Old Trafford as part of revamp

The club is currently developing a ‘masterplan’ for the modernisation of the stadium to improve the matchday experience for fans.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th March 2022
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Manchester United is said to be considering the demolishing of Old Trafford as part of new redevelopment plans.

Although it is likely to be unpopular with the Premier League team’s worldwide fan base, Manchester United bosses are reportedly open to all ideas when it comes to the redevelopment of the iconic home stadium – and that includes what sounds like some rather dramatic plans to knock down the current ground, and rebuild a new one on the site.

According to the latest reports, the bulldozing of the existing stadium is understood to be the least likely choice at the current juncture, and this is mainly due to the significant obstacle of where the team would play their home games while the new venue was under construction.

United are yet to appoint a preferred partner for the stadium redevelopment, but planners competing for the contract are understood to have offered a variety of options and schemes, and club officials are said to be keeping an open mind at this stage of the process and not ruling anything out.

Other redevelopment options may include razing and rebuilding Old Trafford’s South Stand, or undertaking a complete revamp of the existing structure.

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Until a master planner is appointed, however, no concrete decision will be made.

Bosses are reportedly open to all ideas when it comes to the redevelopment of the iconic home stadium / Credit: @manuelgdsolar (via Unsplash)

With parts of the 74,000-capacity arena showing signs of age, Manchester United recognise the need to upgrade Old Trafford, bring it back up to standard amongst the leading clubs in the Premier League, and ultimately, improve the matchday experience for fans.

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They have been listening to ideas about how to achieve this, and have promised to consult with fans throughout the process.

Speaking last month on redevelopment plans and the club’s current position, chief operating officer Collette Roche said: “Turning to stadium development, since our last meeting we have been assessing the capabilities of globally-leading consultants who want to help us develop a ‘masterplan’ for the modernisation of Old Trafford, with the ultimate aim of improving the matchday experience for fans.

“We have met with companies across a range of disciplines, including architecture, engineering, construction, crowd modelling, transport, security and many more.

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“We are hoping to appoint our preferred partners in the coming weeks; following this, we will be able to formally kick-off phase one of the project, which will be focused on establishing the vision and objectives for the masterplan.”

No notable modernisation of the stadium has occurred since the Glazers bought the club in 2005 / Credit: TfGM (via Twitter)

Manchester United invested almost £20 million in Old Trafford in 2019.

£11 million was known to have been spent on improvements to accessible facilities, £4 million on security, and £4 million on refurbishing hospitality locales – but no notable modernisation of the stadium has occurred since the Glazers bought the club in 2005.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons

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Manchester’s 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness returns with its biggest venue host yet for 2024

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Manchester 24 Hour Charity Run Against Homelessness 2024
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November is well underway which means that not only have the likes of the annual Christmas Markets begun but Manchester is once again ramping up for the latest edition of The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness.

Although the holiday season is a jolly one for many, we’re always reminded that for lots of those less fortunate, the colder months signal an even more difficult time for lots of people all over Greater Manchester, with the region still suffering with the third highest rate of homelessness in the UK.

That being said, each year volunteers from founding organisation, Run Wild MCR (the University of Manchester’s long-standing running society), team up with the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity to help put in the hard yards on their behalf and raise as much money as possible.

Marking the sixth year of the heartwarming and vital fundraising event, the 2024 edition of The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is hoping to be the most impactful yet, landing even more support from local clubs and businesses than ever, as well as their biggest host venue yet.

For anyone still unaware of the event, the annual 24-hour relay run sees thousands of runners turn up from all over the 10 boroughs to participate in 5km laps around the city centre to witness the effects of homelessness first-hand.

Those lacing up their trainers – be they from local clubs like Manchester Road Runners, charitable organisation, Northern business or just a Manc who fancies doing their bit for a good cause – can do as little or as few laps as they like, as well as contribute to the fundraising with donations on the night.

Now with national vehicle marketplace AutoTrader named as the principal sponsor for this year’s run and the Together Co. social charity pledging to match public donations up to £20,000, The Manchester 24 Hour Homeless Run is hoping to achieve its biggest goal to date.

There have already been some serious records broken in past iterations, with multiple runners even going for upwards of 100k in total distance covered and staying overnight in sleeping bags to get their laps done over the 24 hours.

Having made upwards of £30,000 since it started, amassing more than £25,000 during its fifth anniversary in 2023, and raising over £1,400 with its first spin-off event in Birmingham earlier this month, this is set to be a hugely impactful year for the team and Manchester’s ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme.

The growth of the event speaks for itself, with Mayor Andy Burnham now a regular attendee on behalf of his namesake charity, an increase in clubs, influencers and national coverage, not to mention the event landing Freight Island as the 2024 host venue.

You can see a quick run-through of the city centre route here:

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Having sent a huge message to the previous government regarding comments about the homeless community and directly contributing to approximately 842 rough sleepers being given a bed in Manchester during last year’s run, they’ve done incredible work in just a few short years.

With the profile of the ever-important event bigger than ever, as it looks to continue expanding into different cities – especially following the success of its debut Brummy run – we’re expecting big things and even more wholesome vibes as the crowds gather at the now well-and-truly festive Freight Island.

Members of The Manc will also be taking part and putting in as many miles as we can, so come and say hello if you can or, even better, come join the countless other volunteers going for a jog from 12pm on Wednesday, 13 November until noon the next day.

More importantly, please give even a little bit to this crucial cause HERE if you can; the charity livestream will also be active on our Facebook page throughout the duration and QR codes for direct donations will be available at Freight Island on the night.

You can see a full list of the organisations taking part down below. This really is a time when Manchester shows its best face and we can all be very proud that we’re putting in the graft to combat a global crisis.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Supplied

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Viral bakery Half Dozen Other set to open new site this December

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia
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Famed for their incredible sweet treat pastries and fresh bread offerings, Half Dozen Other are preparing to open a brand new cafe and bakery in December.

Founded by ex-Rugby players Jon Wilkin and Mark Flanagan, who’ve both competed for the St. Helens team alongside a whole host of different clubs throughout their astonishing careers.

The pair also own Manchester coffee shop Pot Kettle Black, an establishment which has earned its stripes as a frontrunner in the city centre cafe scene.

Half Dozen Other opened a new bakery last summer, painting the Green Quarter landscape with a splash of coral pink thanks to their brightly coloured warehouse plot – and now they’re expanding again.

This bakery is opening their second site at Circle Square, the new Bruntwood Scitech development which is also home to Onda and Federal.

The esteemed bakery will also be accompanied by a whole host of foodie favourites like Detroit Slims and Hello Oriental who all currently reside in the same neighbourhood.

Some of the incredible bakes and creations by the team over at Half Dozen Other.
The bright coral pink site that started it all for these Manchester-based bakers.
The lovely food and drink options by Half Dozen Other to feed your appetite.
Credit: The Manc Group

Not too long ago, Half Dozen Other collaborated with Indian restaurant Dishoom to launch their tasty ‘Chai custard tart’ creation.

The sweet treat specialists supply their delicious bites to many Manchester famous eateries including some of the city’s favourites like San Carlo and Tast Catala.

At the new site, they’ll be serving baked-fresh-daily ‘classic bakes, modern takes’.

November has been a very busy month for the Half Dozen Other team as they’re halfway through running their specials of the month including a Pistachio Croissant, PBJ Cookie and a vegan Tarte Tatin Croissant.

With so much going on including ever-changing new products and its brand new Oxford Road development, the bakery is teaming up with speciality coffee brand Ozone to offer £1 coffees every day in December.

Jon Wilkin said: “We’re obsessed with creating things that didn’t exist yesterday.

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“Our bakers are already working their magic while Manchester’s bars are still thumping, committing to a mind-bending graft against the clock to ensure your morning toast is worth getting out of bed for.

“Some people count sheep to fall asleep, we count pastries to stay awake. It’s our obsession, an obsession that’s growing. Speaking of growth, we’re pretty chuffed to be opening a bakery shop in Circle Square on Oxford Road. Come at us!”

Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood SciTech commented: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Half Dozen Other to the Circle Square community.

“This is a brand founded on passion, craft and innovation and one we know will thrive within our vibrant neighbourhood, which is fast becoming a city centre hot spot for hospitality innovators.

“As well as freshly baked artisan treats we are excited to be bringing a new artisan bakery to Circle Square and we can’t wait to see what the team create at their new home.

“Half Dozen Other will be joining the likes of Onda, Detroit Slims by Ramona, Firehouse & Diecast, Federal and North Taproom and will complement this exciting mix perfectly.”

Sweet tooth lovers and bread aficionados can count themselves lucky as by next month, they can add a stop at Half Dozen Other at Circle Square on Oxford Road to their morning commute serving pastries, bakes and coffees from 7am.

Featured image: The Manc Group

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