Manchester City Council confirms it has shut down a house in Crumpsall that was said to be “a nightmare for locals” after alleged criminal activity.
The North Manchester property, on Seymour Road in Crumpsall was linked to possible violence, drug supply and exploitation of women, but has now been shut down and a three-month ban will be placed on anyone returning to it by Manchester Magistrates Court.
For years the dwelling had been “a blight on the community” and local residents frequently complained that its owner was, not only failing to maintain the premises, but was also failing to prevent its use for criminal activity.
The house was declared “a significant drain on resources for both the police and Manchester City Council”.
Greater Manchester Police are said to have responded to at least 86 phone calls since 2014 relating to issues at the property, with evidence of drug use and possible links to exploitation and drug supply having been found during police and Council visits.
A string of waste offences were also connected to the property since 2016.
Following an application made by Manchester City Council, a Premises Closure Order was granted by Manchester Magistrates Court on 2nd July, following a two-week adjournment.
We have successfully shut down a house in Crumpsall that was a nightmare for locals – with regular anti-social behaviour & criminal activity.
— Manchester City Council #StaySafe❤ (@ManCityCouncil) July 8, 2020
Councillor Nigel Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council,said: “This property has been nothing short of a horror show for the people living in this neighbourhood [and] as a Council, we always want to try and engage with people before we go to the courts but in this case our attempts have been futile.”
“The owner has failed to address the litany of problems, so we were forced to take this action.”
“Officers from across the Council have diligently collected evidence that have resulted in this order and I am incredibly grateful for their efforts. This has been a long and complex case and I am glad to have secured a victory for our residents.”
“The Council wants to ensure that everyone in Manchester can enjoy a healthy and happy life, free of anti-social behaviour.”
The premises are now closed for three months, with it being an offence punishable by imprisonment for a period of up to six months, an unlimited fine, or both, if anyone other than the owner, employee, or agent acting on behalf of Manchester City Council, or the emergency services, enters.
The Council has the authority to extend the order by a further three months.
A long-term solution is still being sought for this property to ensure that the people of Crumpsall can have permanent respite from the anti-social and criminal behaviour linked to the address.
For more information, visit the Manchester City Council website here.
News
‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
News
Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
The Manc -
9th July 2020 
