Staff at the Old Abbey Taphouse in Hulme were left terrified after masked men drove up to the community pub and launched an attack on the venue this weekend.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, two people arrived at the community pub on a motorbike dressed in balaclavas. It was 4am and the pub was already closed, but staff were still inside the building closing down after a long but uneventful shift.
The venue was then attacked and all of the windows at the front of the building were smashed, leaving workers fearful and the building in disarray with broken glass everywhere.
According to a statement put out on social media by the pub’s owners over the weekend, the police were called during the incident but “unfortunately they are still yet to attend the scene.”
Image: Old Abbey Taphouse
Image: Old Abbey Taphouse
The statement continued: “The attack seems completely unprovoked, extremely aggressive and totally out of the blue.
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“Thankfully, no one was hurt, we have insurance, but we’re completely devastated and our staff are extremely upset. We work so hard and this is something no one deserves to experience.”
Earlier that evening, the pub had hosted its annual Winter Feast for residents from the Hulme community. The Old Abbey Taphouse is known locally as a community-led venue, where owners and staff work tirelessly throughout the year to bring people together and provide a safe space.
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In September, the venue was crowned CAMRA’s Community Pub of the Year for the work it does in the community by the Trafford & Hulme branch.
The flagship venue of STEAM Hubs and Pubs C.I.C (Community Interest Company), it was specially designed to be a safe space for the community when purchased in 2018 and does a lot for its vulnerable neighbours.
As well as hosting community feasts, during the pandemic owners Frankie and Rachele ran a successful Taphouse TV Dinners campaign that saw the pub deliver nearly 3,000 two-course dinners to people who were struggling in the local community.
Owners are now appealing for anyone who has any information that can help them understand why the attack happened or who did it to contact them directly ‘in confidence.’
They said: “If you have any information that can help us understand why this happened or who did it please contact us in confidence. If you live locally and have any CCTV that maybe help us please get in touch.”
Feature image – Old Abbey Taphouse
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Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
England football fans warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of World Cup
Emily Sergeant
England football fans are being warned to remain vigilant, as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup merely weeks from officially kicking off in the North America and Mexico on 11 June, football fans are being urged to guard against scams, as newly-released data from Lloyds has revealed that football ticket scams increased by more than a third (36%) during the current Premier League season.
The findings – which are based on thousands of scam cases between October 2025 and March 2026 – showed that fraudsters focused heavily on popular teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Fraudsters also repeatedly targeted supporters looking for tickets to some of the most in-demand football matches in the UK, which is why, with the upcoming World Cup set to be one of the most speculated sporting events of the year, scam warnings are being issued.
It’s anticipated that fraudsters will target the big-name fixtures and attempt to exploit international demand, according to Lloyds.
England football fans are being warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the World Cup / Credit: Picryl
On average, it was revealed that victims lost £215 during the current Premier League football season, but some fans even paid thousands of pounds for ‘season tickets’ or VIP seats that never existed.
Hopeful football fans are expected to pay much more for expensive World Cup tickets, meaning the potential loss for victims could be ‘devastating’.
As scammers know demand for World Cup tickets will be huge, it’s expected that they will mimic the methods seen in club level scams – including fake listings on social media, pressure to act fast, and requests for bank transfers.
“Fraudsters thrive on urgency and target fans looking for hard to get tickets for big name fixtures,” explained Liz Ziegler, who is the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds.
“Most of the football ticket scams we see start on social media, before the criminal moves the buyer onto WhatsApp and insists on a bank transfer to pay. It’s incredibly convincing, and we don’t want fans to lose their money trying to support their team.
“We’re urging supporters to stay alert and stick to official ticketing channels.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Lloyds and the Home Office have teamed up to take action to protect fans by highlighting how criminals will try to exploit the excitement – with Lord Hanson adding: “Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen support for victims.”
Georgina Pellant -
12th December 2022 
