Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has vowed to fight any restrictions imposed on the region that come with inadequate support.
Speaking on BBC’s Question Time on Thursday evening (9 October), the region’s leader appeared to be losing patience with the government after being kept in the dark at crucial points during the pandemic.
The Mayor said he had learned of the looming hospitality closures in northern England on the front page of a newspaper, and pledged to “challenge them in any way” he could if they did not come with necessary compensation.
“I didn’t know about [the measures], nobody told me,” Burnham said on the BBC programme.
“But it doesn’t really matter about me… what about the people who work in those pubs and restaurants?
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“This has got to stop.
“We cannot face a national crisis with the government just imposing decisions from the centre with no agreement from the people who have to face the real world today – people saying: ‘We can’t go in another lockdown, our businesses will finish.'”
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If the Government closes businesses across the North without providing proper compensation and a local furlough scheme for staff, then, yes, I will challenge them in any way I can. https://t.co/ra0MOraaXa
Burnham said he had attempted to establish a dialogue with Westminster regarding a local furlough scheme for hospitality workers – citing the example of Bolton whereby pubs and restaurants were banned from operating without financial aid to help them.
“The message I’ve given to the government is a pretty clear one: There can be no restrictions without support,” Burnham stated.
“If it’s going to be the Tier Three restrictions, effectively a national lockdown, we have to go back to a full furlough scheme for those staff [and] support for those businesses.”
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David Dixon
The Mayor warned that the north of England was at risk of being “levelled down” by the new measures, are apparently set to bring about the full closure of pubs, restaurants and cafes.
“I will not accept it,” Burnham added.
“I will not accept restrictions without support.
“I will not accept the government just imposing restrictions these decisions upon us, briefing them to newspapers late at night. They need to treat the people of the north of England with more respect.”
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Glitzy Spinningfields bar famed for its bottomless deals shuts down
Daisy Jackson
Popular cocktail bar group Banyan has suddenly closed its glitzy bar in the heart of Spinningfields.
The restaurant and bar, which is part of the Arc Inspirations group that also operates Manahatta and Box, has shut down with immediate effect.
A sign has been posted in the window of the Spinningfields site of Banyan confirming its closure.
Banyan opened in 2018 and was the second site for the brand, which has been operating out of the Corn Exchange since 2015.
Inside, the huge 7,000sq ft space was split into spaces for drinking, dining and dancing, including a large mezzanine and a huge white marble bar.
Banyan is famed for its bottomless deals, whether that’s a classic bottomless brunch or their bottomless Sunday roast (endless Yorkshire puddings, gravy, wine, and roast potatoes).
It also offered two-for-one cocktails, all day every day.
The bar stands on the side of Spinningfields, directly opposite The Ivy and alongside The Alchemist.
Banyan in Spinningfields has shut downThe note in the window of Banyan
But now it has permanently closed its doors, thanking people for their custom over its almost-decade in Manchester.
The sign on the door says: “Banyan Spinningfields is now permanently closed.
“Thank you so much for your custom over the years, we’ve loved being part of this wonderful city and have made so many friends.
“Don’t be a stranger, we’d love to continue to welcome you to our Banyan bar in the Corn Exchange. Team Banyan.”
Council seized £4.3m worth of counterfeit goods from Manchester’s streets in 2025
Emily Sergeant
A whopping £4.3 million of counterfeit goods were seized from Manchester’s streets in 2025, the Council has revealed.
Now that 2025 has come to end, Manchester City Council has announced that its Trading Standards Team seized and destroyed more than 43,500 counterfeit items in the last year – ranging from everything like fake handbags, trainers, and jewellery, to electronic items, sportswear, children’s toys, sunglasses, and much more.
Through ‘exemplary partnership work’ with Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the Council says this criminal industry has taken a ‘substantial hit’ over the past 12 months.
It’s also estimated that the goods seized would have lost the industry up to £43 million.
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, who is the Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council, said the Council hopes this action ‘sends a message that we will not tolerate this harmful trade.’
The Council seized £4.3m worth of counterfeit goods from Manchester’s streets in 2025 / Credit: GMP
“The counterfeit industry was substantially embedded in our communities, but through their diligence and the support of our valued partners we have driven away some of the worst offenders and are beginning the process of regenerating the areas of Manchester that were long blighted by this sort of crime,” she added.
It’s not just counterfeit goods that’ve been targeted either, as a substantial push was also made throughout the year to crack-down on the sale and distribution of illicit tobacco.
In total, 316,625 cigarettes – which is equivalent to nearly 16,000 individual packs – were seized by the Council and police.
258kg of hand rolling tobacco was also seized, as well as more than 18,000 illegal vapes that don’t comply with UK laws or regulations.
Detective Chief Inspector Melanie Johnson, who is the lead coordinator of Operation Machinize for GMP, says the police takes any information it receives about counterfeit trading ‘very seriously’.
“We will continue to investigate all aspects of this criminality to protect our communities from the harms of illegal products.”
The Manc -
9th October 2020 
