Openreach has said it will install broadband for free to UK households on Universal Credit that have no other earnings.
The company – which is owned by BT – would usually charge ISPs such as Sky or TalkTalk for connecting households to broadband, but the waiving of this installation charge as part of the ‘Connect the Unconnected’ offer means that it’s estimated about one million people could save up to £92, depending on how internet firms pass on the saving.
According to an Ofcom report published in July, two million households struggle to afford internet access.
These households cannot afford to pay the fees that the likes of Sky, Virgin Media or TalkTalk charge for connecting households to broadband.
The report noted that some ISPs had introduced low-cost tariffs for people on benefits, or improved existing ones, but it said take-up had been low and had only reached at most 1% of those in receipt of out-of-work benefits.
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It suggested that if the industry did not do more, there would be a strong case for “exploring whether mandatory social tariffs would be necessary to fill the gaps in support, alongside other potential options”.
Our ‘Connect the Unconnected’ offer is designed to help those most at risk when not connected to our #network – an estimated one million people throughout the country. #WeAreOpenreachpic.twitter.com/0zItK17weL
The ‘Connect the Unconnected’ offer will apply to households that receive Universal Credit with zero other earnings, which have not been connected to the Openreach network for the past 90 days.
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Openreach’s decision to waive installation fees for Universal Credit households has been both welcomed and queried by analysts.
A spokesperson from The Good Things Foundation commented: “Access to data is a lifeline. Public services like Universal Credit are already online, and the pandemic has meant more of us are managing our health online through contacting GPs via video call, or making use of the NHS apps.”
Mark Jackson – Editor-in-Chief of broadband news site ISP Review – said the offer was “a positive development” but commented that caveats meant the announcement “may only have a limited impact” and it is yet to be seen how the savings would be passed on.
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Openreach said ISPs can choose to implement the savings to customers in a number of ways, either by cutting costs up front or over the course of a contract.
Speaking about the new broadband offer, an Openreach spokesperson told the BBC that while the company could not insist that the savings were given to customers, “clearly the right thing to do would be to pass it on”.
Featured Image – Openreach
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Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
The Manc -
8th September 2021 
