One of the co-founders of Manchester’s iconic Factory Records has revealed he intends to travel to Ukraine on a humanitarian aid mission.
72-year-old Alan Erasmus – who started out as an actor, before going on to launch the pivotal record label alongside Tony Wilson in 1978, and then later co-found the Haçienda nightclub with Wilson, Rob Gretton, and Manchester band New Order – said he is “not having this” and wants to “stand up” to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who he has branded a “bully”.
He has described his imminent mission as a “very, very, very important moment in history”.
Revealing more about his mission in a message to his friend – the writer, broadcaster, and Haçienda DJ Dave Haslam, who shared it on social media yesterday – Erasmus explained that he is travelling to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv to help those affected by the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
“I’ve fought bullies of one kind or another all my life, Putin is no different. This is a very, very, very important moment in history Dave, it cannot be lost.”
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Message received this morning from Alan Erasmus co-founder of Factory Records. This is genuine and heartfelt. Alan has a history of humanitarian action. Can anyone help put him in touch with contacts in Kyiv? pic.twitter.com/2se6SylbKA
He continued: “I booked a flight to Krakow for tomorrow, from there I will make my way to Kyiv.”
Then making reference to The Durutti Column, which was an Anarchist column in the Spanish Civil War that was made up of volunteers who wanted to fight for an egalitarian society, and also inspired the name of a band he managed in the 1970s, Erasmus continued: “Once there (with Durutti in mind) I will set about convening the Factory Nentsov Column made up of fellow helpers and volunteers.”
“Maybe one person can make a difference. Wish me luck, stay safe,” he concluded.
Alan Erasmus with fellow Factory Records co-founder, the late Tony Wilson, and prominent graphic designer Peter Saville / Credit: Jamie Anderson (via Flickr)
After the message was shared by DJ Dave Haslam on Twitter yesterday, with Haslam describing it as “genuine and heartfelt” and asking if anyone can help put Erasmus in touch with contacts in Kyiv, the tweet has since grabbed the attentions of hundreds of people worldwide.
Many have also offered to assist Erasmus once he arrives in Ukraine, by connecting him with relevant people and organisations he can offer aid with.
North West water bills to see the biggest average increase of anywhere in the country in 2026
Emily Sergeant
Water bills in the North West are set to see the biggest increase in 2026 on average.
It has been announced that household water bills in England and Wales will rise by an average of 5.4% overall – which works out to around £33 a year, or approximately £2.70 per month – from April, which is said to be two percentage points above December’s official inflation figure… but when you look closer at the North West, that percentage rises from 5.4% to 9%.
The average United Utilities water bill is set to sit at £660 annually in 2026-27, with that being an increase of £57 from the previous year – the largest increase of anywhere else in the country.
Water UK says the nationwide rise in bills reflects the ‘significant investment’ being put towards upgrading water infrastructure.
More than two million households currently receive help with their water bills. An extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27. Find out more: https://t.co/DSDpAmawX8pic.twitter.com/N2LFpjxEQE
Water companies are said to be currently in the process of delivering a £104 billion investment programme to secure the nation’s water supplies, support economic growth, and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
The money raised by water bills can only be used to fund infrastructure that is independently determined to be ‘new, necessary, and value for money’.
The regulator says United Utilities will begin a £3 billion upgrade in 2026 of the 110 km Haweswater Aqueduct, which carries 570 million litres of water every day to 2.5 million people in Cumbria, Lancashire, and Greater Manchester (or nearly 5% of England’s population), hence water bills increasing at a higher rate to other areas.
North West water bills are set to see the biggest average increase in 2026 / Credit: Raibeart MacAoidh (via Geograph)
“We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” explained David Henderson, who is the Chief Executive at Water UK.
“While we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
“That is why we will help around 2.5 million households – more than ever before – with average discounts of around 40% off their water bill.”
More than two million households currently receive help with their bills through social tariffs, the WaterSure scheme, and other affordability measures, and an extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27, taking the total number to around 2.5 million.
Those who are struggling should contact their water company to see what help is available, as support can often be tailored to individual circumstances.
Featured Image – Sora Shimazaki (via Pexels)
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Deansgate bar Simmons closes just over a year after opening
Danny Jones
London-born bar brand Simmons has closed their Manchester site just over a year after opening their first Northern location.
They’ve lasted roughly 15 months on one of our busiest nightlife strips.
Opening on Deansgate back in October 2024, Simmons Manchester wasn’t just their first foray here up in this half of the country but their only other venue outside of the capital.
An otherwise well-established and popular chain down south, they have a total of 15 different bars in central London, but things clearly haven’t quite taken off as planned here in Manchester.
Placing a poster in the unit’s shopfront besides the likes of Be At One, Yours, The Moon Under The Water Spoons and the Deansgate branch of Slug and Lettuce, as you can see, the fellow franchise founded over a decade ago said: “After much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye”, they add, “We’re incredibly proud of what the team built here and so grateful to them, as well as everyone who joined us over the past year.
“We’ve had some unforgettable nights. We love Manchester, and we hope to be back under the right conditions.”
They go on to thank everyone for being “part of the journey”, but for now, it looks like the room has closed effective immediately.
Simmons started back in 2012 when founder Nick Campbell opened the first bar below his flat in Kings Cross, and their presence has grown hugely since then. The closing sign was spotted and shared on social media earlier this week.
Offering everything from stylish cocktails to New York-style pizza, live music and even private karaoke booths, the place had plenty going on.
With rising business rates, energy bills and more dovetailing with the continuing cost of living crisis that is still hampering both hospitality and the nightime economy, they are just one of many to unfortunately close their doors of late.
For instance, it was only earlier this month that we saw multiple well-known names shut up shop here in the city centre or elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including another long-standing late-night favourite, Revolution.
It’s a shame for any business to close, and we certainly hope they’ll return someday with a model that can be sustained in the current climate.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd March 2022 
