Pubs in the UK will be allowed to open later than usual over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, the government has announced.
Venues in England and Wales will be granted permission to extend their opening hours from 11pm to 1am over the celebratory long weekend, which will run from Thursday 2 June to Saturday 4 June.
The plans come in preparation for a long weekend of festivities, designed to mark 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne.
Whether you are a royalist or not, it will be a huge historical moment for the country – marking Queen Elizabeth II as the longest-reigning incumbent monarch and the longest-reigning female monarch in history.
Even if you don’t want to celebrate the royals, you can still enjoy a few extra hours in the pub this June as a perk.
It’s been reported that the Queen likes a bit of a tipple herself, and is a particular fan of martinis.
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According to former royal chef Darren McGrady. she starts her day off with a cocktail of gin and wine-based aperitif Dubonnet, served with ice and a slice of lemon.
At lunch, she takes a glass of wine or a gin martini, and later reportedly enjoys a glass of champagne or two with her dinner.
It has been reported separately in Vanity Fair that she also enjoys another martini after dinner.
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Image: The Crown and Kettle
Read more:Cost of stickers to cover up Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone signs revealed – and it’s big
Elizabeth II became Queen on 6 February 1952 and officially became the UK’s longest-reigning monarch in 2015 when she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
When she commemorated 65 years on the throne with her Sapphire Jubilee in 2017, she was the first British monarch to ever do so. Now, this summer, she will break another record as she celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.
As part of the celebrations. the BBC has announced plans to host a special ticketed concert at Buckingham Palace this June, with performances from global pop and rock stars, opera singers and a full, live orchestra.
Image: The City Arms
Celebrities will celebrate some of the most significant moments from HRH’s reign, with 10,000 tickets available on a first-come-first-served basis.
The extended pub licensing hours for the Platinum Jubilee could possibly be a sign of things to come in Britaingoing forward.
It has been said by the minister for policing, Kit Malthouse, the government wants to relax closing times for pubs more generally.
Speaking to The Independent, the minister said that an impact assessment is currently being prepared by officials to make amends to Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003.
The Act currently permits extended hours at moments of local, national and international significance, but it’s been suggested that the government intends to relax these further.
Feature image – Sadler’s Cat
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PinkPantheress named the youngest ever recipient of the BRIT Awards 2026 Producer of the Year Award
Clementine Hall
The BRIT Awards 2026 has announced that multi-platinum recording artist, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress is the recipient of this year’s Producer of the Year Award.
The award is decided by a group of expert judges from the music production sector, and has previously been presented to an incredibly selection of British producers including Paul Epworth, Calvin Harris, Fred again.., and last year’s winner, A. G. Cook.
At just 24 years old, PinkPantheress will be the youngest ever recipient of this coveted award, which recognises the excellence of her work in music production.
She is also the first woman to be presented with the honour.
As well as taking home Producer of the Year, PinkPantheress is also nominated for two further awards, for Artist of the Year and Dance Act.
The BRIT Awards are coming to Manchester for the first time in its history in 2026 / Credit: ITV / BRITs / Co-op Live
PinkPantheress spoke about winning the award: “As the first woman to win this award, I’m grateful to be recognised. My music production is the thing I’m proudest of, and I’ve worked really hard at it, so I hope this inspires others to pursue their passion.”
Stacey Tang, Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK said: “PinkPantheress is both an inventive and instinctive voice in British pop right now. As a producer, she’s precise and playful, building bold, boundary expanding sounds that travel beyond the UK.
“She’s quietly reshaping what modern pop can be, and in doing so, opening the door for a new wave of female producers to step forward. Celebrating her at the BRITs is both timely and significant.”
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 28 February from Manchester’s Co-op Live, and audiences at home can watch on ITV live or stream later on ITVX.
Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall will return to presenting duties in 2026 – his sixth time hosting the show.
This year’s incredible line-up of artists include Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X, Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson, ROSALÍA, Alex Warren and SOMBR.
Acclaimed Manchester cocktail bar named one of UK’s best quietly closes its doors
Emily Sergeant
An acclaimed Manchester cocktail bar that was formerly named one of the best in the UK has quietly closed its doors for good.
Tucked away beneath the former set of Coronation Street in the Old Granada Studios complex, and hidden in the basement of Manchester‘s historic 1800s Bonded Warehouse at St. John’s, Project Halcyon Distillery officially opened its doors in 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic delays – with the intimate venue going on to become a city favourite.
The acclaimed, Speakeasy-style bar drew inspiration from Prohibition-era Chicago, focusing on ‘halcyon days’ of calm and luxury.
It included an on-site distillery used to create bespoke ingredients for its seasonal menu, and beyond cocktails, even featured a so-called ‘Stillroom’ for masterclasses and had private, curtained room dedicated to absinthe, with traditional fountains, called ‘Salon Vert’.
Project Halcyon has quietly closed its doors for good / Credit: Project Halcyon | The Manc Group
But despite its success over the years, and even earning a place in the coveted Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK list on several occasions, Project Halcyon has officially – but somewhat quietly – now closed its doors for good.
“It was with sincere regret that due to unexpected challenges at the ownership level we must close our doors for the foreseeable. Though we say goodbye, the memories live on.
“Thank you to everyone who shared in our craft, our community, and our story.”
After the news broke on social media, Project Halcyon’s Instagram post was flooded with dozens of comments showing support for staff members, and remembering the venue as one of their favourite cocktail bars in the city centre.
The nature of some of the comments also prompted Project Halcyon to issue a follow-up statement below addressing concerns over money owed to workers and other partners, adding: “We sincerely hope that anyone who may be owed by the owners of Project Halcyon – past and present team included – receives what they are owed.
“We are not deleting comments and have no interest in doing so. We also cannot control how Instagram manages comment threads. This page is run by the team, not the owners.”
Georgina Pellant -
22nd March 2022 
