Photos show devastating damage caused to Blackpool Pier following fire
South Shore Fire Station, part of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, posted the pictures on their official Twitter account, claiming that the fire has now been brought "swiftly under control."
Images showing the dreadful damage caused to Blackpool Pier by an early-morning blaze have surfaced online.
South Shore Fire Station, part of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, posted the pictures on their official Twitter account, claiming that the fire is now “swiftly under control.”
Mounds of charred rubble and debris have been left at the scene, with ribbons of smoke still rising from the wreckage.
Fire engines rushed to Blackpool Pier this morning (17 July) around 3am, with as many as 50 fire fighters called in to successfully bring down the blaze.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire.
#FyldeCoast Firefighters, once again working in arduous conditions to save a historical Blackpool land mark, @BplCentralPier.
The pier was well alight but fortunately, outstanding team work bought the fire swiftly under control. ????? pic.twitter.com/JHHxrVumXU
— South Shore Fire Stn (@Sth_Shore_Fire) July 17, 2020
— Peter Ian Mowbray (@LIVEINBLACKPOOL) July 17, 2020
Shame for North Pier, hope the damage isn’t too bad. Well done to the fire service in Blackpool for containing the fire before it had chance to engulf the whole Pier. We are all too aware of how fires have taken other piers from seaside resorts. pic.twitter.com/NjhkZeguyN
— Brendan Bunting ???? (@DapperArtist) July 17, 2020
Luxury £125-a-month Manchester gym Zeno Health Club suddenly shuts down
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s premium fitness facilities, Zeno Health Club, appears to have suddenly shut down.
The luxury £125-a-month gym, formerly known as Hero Training Clubs, sent an ‘urgent’ note to members late last night, saying the club is closed ‘until further notice’.
They then added: “We do not anticipate it reopening.”
The gym has promptly deleted its entire social media history.
Several of the trainers who lead the classes at Zeno Health Club have now shared their own updates and statements regarding the gym’s closure, expressing their heartbreak.
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Zeno Health Clubs, located at the foot of Moda Angel Gardens, was split into four premium fitness areas, including a state-of-the-art weights room which held group PT and weightlifting sessions.
The gym also had a spin studio, an open gym with Hyrox and boxing facilities, and a pilates and yoga studio.
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In the note sent to members, they said: “Please be advised that the club is closed tomorrow until further notice. We do not anticipate it reopening.
“A further communication update will follow on Thursday 23rd October. We apoligise for any inconvenience.”
Zeno Health Club in Manchester has shut down. Credit: The Manc GroupThe spin studio at Zeno Health Club. Credit: The Manc Group
Head coach Adam North shared: “This evening has been an incredible hard evening. I have put my heart and soul into zeno and from me I am sorry it’s the end of this chapter.
“I will respond to people in time and I understand there will be many questions. When I know anything I will answer them.
“But for now please be kind and rember people have potentially lost their livelihoods, passions and purpose.
“My love to all the zeno members past and today. Just know this isn’t the end from me.”
And another coach, Holli, said: “I do not have the words to express my heart break. I have tried to write this so many times and failed.
Zeno Health Club boxing. Credit: The Manc GroupThe spin studio at Zeno Health Club. Credit: The Manc Group
“But thank you for the most incredible 4 years. The friends, the community, the love, the support, the confidence I have gained will never go unnoticed, or unappreciated. You all have my heart and soul.
“Despite, what you may have to say, or think, please remeber people like myself have lost their job, their livelihoods, where they run their business. Everything they’ve built. please PLEASE be kind in your words.
“What I will say though, please hold onto some hope. Because this journey isn’t over. My hero and Zeno people, from the beginning to now. This family isn’t over. I’m working hard behind the scenes…. And a new door is about to be opened.”
The news comes just months after the shock closure of Blok, a similarly popular fitness and pilates studio across town.
The Manc has attempted to approach Zeno Health Club for comment, but the club has shut down its email accounts and social media.
It’s not yet known what will happen to members who have paid for up-front memberships.
Pizza Hut releases list of 68 branches set to close – including several in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Pizza Hut has published its list of 68 restaurants that are set to close their doors, and includes several in Greater Manchester.
In case you missed the announcement earlier this week, Pizza Hut confirmed that it had entered into administration, and DC London Pie – the firm running the once-popular chain’s restaurants in the UK – had appointed administrators from corporate finance firm, FTI.
Since its start, Pizza Hut has always been known and loved for its family-friendly dining, particularly its popular pizza buffet, salad bar, and ice cream machine.
But business in the UK has been struggling for the chain for a while, and it had previously gone into administration less than a year ago, but that was when DC London Pie stepped in and saved the chain’s restaurants from insolvency.
Now though, some 1,210 people are due to be made redundant as 68 Pizza Hut restaurants close down.
Pizza Hut has released its list of 68 branches set to close their doors / Credit: Alan Hardman (via Unsplash)
Branches in Bolton, Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale are among the locations in Greater Manchester set to close their doors, as well as several others in the North West like Liverpool, Preston, and Lancaster, and even major capital cities like Edinburgh and Cardiff.
11 delivery outlets are also set to close, which do not have indoor dining seating – however none of these are in Greater Manchester.
Luckily, a total of 64 branches have been saved as part of a rescue deal by American hospitality giant Yum! Brands, which owns the global Pizza Hut business.
Yum! Brands said it had bought the UK restaurant operation in a pre-pack administration deal, and the rescue has secured the future of 1,276 workers.
Full list of Pizza Hut locations set to close
Ashton-under-Lyne
Beckton
Bolton
Bournemouth
Bradford, Vicar Lane
Brighton, Marina
Bristol
Cardiff
Carlisle
Chatham
Clacton
Cortonwood
Crawley
Cribbs Causeway
Croydon
Dudley
Dundee
Durham City
Eastbourne
Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Fountain Park
Edinburgh, Kinnaird Park
Enfield
Falkirk
Feltham
Finchley, Lido
Great Yarmouth
Greenwich
Grimsby
Hartlepool
Hayes
Hereford
Huddersfield
Hull
Inverness
Kettering
Kidderminster
Lancaster
Leeds, Colton Mill
Leeds, Kirkstall Road
Leeds, White Rose
Liverpool
Llanelli
Lowestoft
Manchester Fort
Middlesbrough
Norwich
Oldham
Poole, Tower Park
Portsmouth
Preston
Reading Gate
Rhyl
Rochdale
Romford
Russell Square, London
Scunthorpe
Shrewsbury
Silverlink
Solihull
St Helens
Stratford-upon-Avon
Thanet
Truro
Urmston
Wellingborough
Wigan
Yeovil
A spokesperson for Pizza Hut UK said it was ‘pleased’ to secure the continuation of 64 sites to safeguard its guest experience and protect the associated jobs.
“Approximately 2,259 team members will transfer to the new Yum! equity business under UK TUPE legislation, including above-restaurant leaders and support teams,” the spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.
Nicolas Burquier, who is the Managing Director of Pizza Hut Europe and Canada, called Monday’s agreement a ‘targeted acquisition’, Sky News reports.