News

Peter Kay’s gigs at Co-op Live have been postponed as the arena admits it’s not ready for opening act

The news comes less than 24 hours before Kay was set to deliver the venue's inaugural show.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 22nd April 2024

Just a day before the venue was set to welcome its very first act, Co-op Live has announced that arena opener Peter Kay’s gigs have unfortunately been cancelled and postponed until later this month.

Both of Peter Kay‘s highly-anticipated shows have ultimately had to be called off after Co-op Live revealed that the brand-new entertainment venue is simply not ready to welcome guests just yet, with work still to be completed on key areas of the building, namely power supply issues.

Issuing a regretful statement on social media, the arena has confirmed that the shows will now be rescheduled to Monday and Tuesday, 29-30 April.

This comes barely a day after its official opening event this past weekend which also saw thousands have their tickets cancelled for the accompanying ‘test gig’.

Co-op Live confirms Peter Kay’s pair of opening shows have been cancelled and rescheduled.

Addressing the situation online, Co-op Live said: “Following our first test event on Saturday, regretfully we have made the difficult decision to reschedule our two opening performances by Peter Kay…

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“It is critical to ensure we have a consistent total power supply to our fully electric sustainable venue, the completion of which is a few days behind. Rescheduling gives us the extra time we need to continue testing thoroughly.

“This is vital to satisfy the rigorous set of guidelines and protocols that are necessary for a venue of this size. Peter Kay has very graciously agreed to perform his record-breaking comedy at Co-op Live on 29 (rescheduled from 23) and 30 (rescheduled from 24) April 2024.

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“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend. We are very sorry for the inconvenience that this change will undoubtedly cause for some.” Safe to say many of those looking forward to the show have been left frustrated.

Speaking to The Manc, a Stockport gig-goer who had tickets said they had to find out via social media and that her group had still received no email notifying them about the cancellation, adding, “We just logged into the app to find the date on our tickets had been changed to next Monday”.

As for the beloved Bolton-born stand-up and British comedy legend himself, Kay added: “I’m truly gutted as I know how disappointing this will be for everyone with tickets, but obviously it’s a brand-new venue and it’s important that everything is finished and safe for full capacity audiences.

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“Fortunately, we’ve been able to reschedule the shows to next week, (I’ll have to miss my Bums & Tums class) but hopefully I’ll see you then.”

The venue also went on to assure that they will still be hosting The Black Keys on 27 April in the lower bowl with 10k fans as planned and will continue to test the resilience of the venue and its operations for the time being.

They also reminded fans who previously missed out on tickets that due to dates being moved, tickets may now become available.

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Featured Images — The Manc Audio/Press Images

News

Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party

Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.

The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.

Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.

He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.

The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”

In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.

This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”

Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…

“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”

Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”

Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”

Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

News

Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.

Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.

At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.

He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.

The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.

When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.

Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.

When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.

After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.

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BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.

Featured Image – BTP

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