People share their favourite Deaf Institute and Gorilla memories after venues close permanently
The Manc invited readers to share their greatest moments - and live music fans arrived in droves to relive some unforgettable evenings spent dancing into the early hours.
Live music in Manchester is embroiled in the biggest fight of its life. And earlier this week, two of its most treasured veterans fell.
The Deaf Institute and Gorilla, an iconic, decorated duo on the local gig scene, confirmed on Thursday they would permanently close – sparking a mass, bassline-like groan that warbled right beyond the M60.
There’s been a growing undercurrent of panic and nausea in the live music sector in recent months, and this was the biggest blow yet.
Both of these venues have been at the forefront of Manchester’s gig scene for years, earning special status among artists and fans.
Deaf Institute, on Grosvenor Street, has doubled as a stomping ground for amateurs cutting their teeth and a stage for world-famous performers, whilst Whitworth Street’s Gorilla has been inviting clubbers to party below the railway arches since 2012.
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Sacha Lord is currently attempting to find a way to save the venues by speaking to potential buyers, claiming “there is hope.”
Fingers are crossed. But whatever happens, we’ll always have the memories.
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The Manc invited readers to share their greatest moments at Deaf and Gorilla – and live music fans arrived in droves to relive some unforgettable evenings spent dancing into the early hours.
Among the respondents was local DJ Hattie Pearson.
This rapturous response is a real reflection of just how important a role these venues have had in maintaining that electric atmosphere Manchester is famed for.
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In the best case scenario, a new chapter may begin – with owners Mission Mars asking “any industry and music entrepreneurs who might be interested in this as an opportunity to please get in touch.”
Manchester’s Night-Time Economy Adviser is already on the case. Perhaps one, or both, of these venues can reopen later down the line.
The concern for now, however, is that the closure of Deaf and Gorilla is only the beginning.
Simply put, more money must be pumped into our favourite venues over the coming weeks and months or they’ll continue to fall like dominoes.
A campaign entitled Let The Music Play was launched on 2 July in an attempt to acquire the necessary funds to keep the live music industry ticking over – with the sector set to lose £900m and cut jobs by 50 per cent if gigs do not resume in 2020.
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Many major artists including Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Dizzee Rascal, Johnny Marr, The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney have all signed a letter addressed to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden calling for help.
The government have since provided a £1.57bn cash injection to support the arts sector – providing music venues with emergency grants and loans.
The money will help some venues survive. Others will not be so lucky.
Two of Manchester’s top spots have fallen already.
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Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”