As England’s final game of the group stage looms, we can’t help but feel stressed and apprehensive — especially after seeing what these poor sods in Newcastle had to put up with the last time out.
In a series of viral clips circulated on social media following the England vs USA game, fans watching the match (or at least trying to) at the NX Newcastle music and events space were left in limbo and utterly furious as the venue struggled with audio and video issues throughout the 90 minutes.
Punters resorted to throwing drinks, hopping barriers; shouting abuse at the staff, as well as chanting “we want our money back” and “you’re getting sacked in the morning”.
At least someone got a chuckle out of it… Well, mainly us and the rest of football Twitter.
Even despite some more positive pint launching when they eventually got the game on, albeit sarcastic, you can only imagine the sheer frustration expressed by so many who not only chose to watch the game there but also had to pay even just to enter the Newcastle fan zone.
As detailed above, the organisers issued an official statement apologising to fans for “such a disappointing experience”, adding that they are now looking into exactly why the various technical issues occurred. We’d definitely not trust the remote to whoever was holding it on Friday night.
Either way, the damage was already done and hundreds of Geordies were left incensed. I mean, you would be, wouldn’t you?
NX went on to assure that further information regarding refunds would be shared and seemed to intimate that the lion’s share of the blame lies with the promoter Box 2 Box, who despite having a “long-standing track record of delivering sports events” clearly fell desperately short of the mark on the night.
We also resisted the urge to make a ‘they didn’t miss anything’ joke given the disappointing 0-0 result, as those present were kept in the dark for so long that they didn’t know what was going on in the game.
Moreover, we’re sure they were only further annoyed once they did learn of the score and even when partial coverage did return, they were ultimately forced to watch it without sound. Pain.
Anyone got the score?
Screens went off and now we are watching Angels of the North briefly.
After a while, football is back on but with no sound at all. Fans are calling for a refund and, to be honest, they probably deserve one… #ThreeLionspic.twitter.com/pL3EDN0fy7
We can only sympathise with those unlucky enough to be present for the shambolic screening and pray nobody else suffers the same for the England vs Wales game on Tuesday, as the Three Lions look to secure qualification into the knockout stages of Qatar 2022.
While the promoters have insisted the screen is now fixed and are trying to tempt supporters back with an after-party, we imagine locals will be steering clear of this particular Newcastle fan zone for the rest of the tournament.
To make sure you avoid any similar dramas round this end, it’s probably best you check out our list of the best places to watch the World Cup in Manchester — we’ve given them all the Manc seal of approval.
‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
News
Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
Danny Jones -
28th November 2022 
