Manchester has welcomed a new Lord Mayor this week, and he’s ready to “serve hardworking Mancunians who want to see their beloved city thrive”.
Following Councillor Yasmine Dar’s departure from the role, Councillor Paul Andrews has now taken over the reins, and was officially appointed the new Lord Mayor of Manchester during a full Manchester City Council meeting yesterday (15 May).
This makes the “proud Mancunian” the 126th person to hold the Mayor title in the city’s history.
Born in Crumpsall, and spending the majority of his life living in the Bradford area of the city before moving to Wythenshawe in 1959, Cllr Andrews successfully completed an apprenticeship in the print industry following his graduation from Poundswick Grammar School in 1970.
His working life began as a baggage handler at Manchester Airport in 1978, but it was almost two decades before he started his politics career.
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Cllr Andrews was first elected to Manchester City Council in 1996, where he represented the Woodhouse Park Ward.
Manchester has welcomed ‘proud Mancunian’ Paul Andrews as the city’s new Lord Mayor / Credit: Manchester City Council
The “tireless work ethic” he demonstrated throughout his Airport career was carried over into his Councillor role, with other Manchester City Council members often noting his “outstanding” participation in committees, his serving on and completing of two terms on the Executive Committee, and his sitting on numerous governing bodies.
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Most notably, he was the Council’s Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, and he also served on the Foster Panel for a decade too.
Even throughout his time as a Councillor, Paul was keen to keep to “his roots”, and chose to serve on the Manchester Airport Trust Fund and the Port Health Authority as a way of reflecting his “unflinching dedication” to “bettering Manchester”.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) May 15, 2024
Celebrating carers is described as one of Cllr Andrews’ and his wife, Karen’s – who he has been married to since 1996, and has been a “steadfast supporter” in his duty to public life – “most revisited themes”, as he was known for being passionate about improving the livelihoods of vulnerable young people with help through volunteers and professional organisations.
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Outside of his political life, Cllr Andrews’ favourite way to pass the time is fishing, and he also likes to take regular visits to Ireland and Scotland with his family.
“To be appointed as Lord Mayor of this city is humbling and an utmost honour,” Cllr Andrews said after being appointed as the new Lord Mayor of Manchester yesterday.
He said the honour is one he “does not take lightly”.
“As I seek to serve hardworking Mancunians who want to see their beloved city thrive, under my tenure and through our core values of hard work, collaboration, and innovation, I aim to continue Manchester’s legacy of being a city that supports our residents to succeed,” Cllr Andrews concluded.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall
Emily Sergeant
A new era for The Orient is on the horizon, as the Trafford Centre has begun its months-long refresh of its iconic foodhall.
Forming part of its ongoing commitment to ‘enhancing the visitor experience’, the Trafford Centre is investing in a major refresh of seating and customer facilities within The Orient – creating a more vibrant and welcoming environment for guests to eat, meet and relax.
Works are now underway and will be delivered in phases over the coming months.
Improvements are being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to shoppers, while creating a more comfortable and contemporary dining environment at the same time.
The refreshed area will increase seating capacity by more than 60%, introducing a range of new seating styles in the process – including banquettes, family-friendly tables, accessible seating for guests with mobility requirements, and dedicated areas equipped with phone and laptop charging facilities.
The Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall / Credit: The Manc Group
Inspired by The Orient’s longstanding maritime heritage, the design takes cues from a contemporary cruise liner, and the space will also feature upgraded furniture and enhanced lighting, alongside flexible areas designed to encourage visitors to spend more time in there.
There’ll also be modern furnishings and a ‘refreshed’ colour palette to create a brighter and welcoming environment.
“The Orient is one of the most popular destinations within Trafford Centre, welcoming millions of visitors each year,” a Trafford Centre spokesperson said on the refurb.
“This investment reflects our commitment to continually improving the experience for our guests, creating a more modern, comfortable and social environment where visitors can meet, dine and spend time together.
“The improvements will not only significantly increase seating capacity but also deliver a much more flexible and accessible space for all visitors to enjoy.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Uber has officially started trialling driverless taxis in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… driverless taxis have hit the streets of Manchester.
As the leading transportation company looks to bring robotaxis to other major cities around the UK, it has been confirmed that a trial of autonomous vehicles is now underway in Manchester – with the services being operated using the technology of Uber’s partner firms, Pony and Verne.
Uber said it was ‘excited’ to take this first step toward ‘making this technology accessible’ to people across the UK.
The three companies first collaborated on the deployment of a commercial robotaxi service back in March of this year, combining Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework.
At this time, there has been no official application to launch passenger services in Manchester, according to The Guardian.
However, posts on various social media platforms – such as X, LinkedIn, and Instagram – by each of the companies this week have confirmed that trials are underway in the city.
“New technologies play an increasingly important role in the growth of our city region,” TfGM said. “But they need to be introduced responsibly, safely and with real thought about what it means for our residents.
“Safety will always be our top priority, and we will need strong assurances that no vehicles will operate on our roads that pose any risk to residents.”
Manchester, we’re on our way! Today, we’re announcing that we’re partnering with @Verne_robotaxi and @PonyAI_tech to pilot autonomous vehicles in Manchester. Building on our service together in Zagreb, Gen-7 Robotaxis are now testing in Manchester.
We’re excited to take this first step toward making this technology accessible to people across the UK. 🇬🇧
“By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology, Verne’s operational and market expertise, and Uber’s global platform, we’re taking an important step toward making autonomous ride-hailing available to more riders in more places.”
Emily Sergeant -
16th May 2024 
