Manchester City Council has shut down an illegal nightclub that was concealed as a restaurant and takeaway.
Officers observed the shutters on the premises being raised and lowered to allow people – often appearing intoxicated – to enter.
Queens Lounge, also known as Tasty’s Restaurant, had been attracting complaints from neighbours, who reported significant noise and anti-social behaviour taking place.
Evidence gathered by Council staff, GMP and via members of the public confirmed that the restaurant was indeed a front for late-night activity.
The basement space of the Oldham Road property was being used as an unlicensed nightclub and bar, complete with large quantities of alcohol and even a receipt book.
Licensing and Out of Hours Officers carried out observations, noticing people coming and going throughout the night on 6 November 2022, when officers heard music coming through the door of the venue.
They also saw two women, who appeared to be intoxicated, entering the premises through the shutters at approximately 3am.
Similar activity was noticed on other occasions too.
The closed sign at Tasty’s Restaurant, which was operating illegally as a nightclub. Credit: Manchester City Council
Residents in the area reported arguing and fighting around Tasty’s, loud bass music coming from inside, and litter including Nitrous Oxide canisters being left in the alleyway behind.
On 25 March, Manchester City Council officers and GMP visited and found alcohol clearly intended for sale.
As a result of all the evidence of serious nuisance, disorder and criminal conduct, the Council moved to impose a Closure Order on the premises.
On Friday 16 June, the order was granted after a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, ordering Tasty’s to close immediately until 15 September 2023.
All persons are banned from entering the premises, other than Rubina Jamal Malik (owner of the premises leasehold), Manzoor Malik, and members of the emergency services, Council officers, or contractors working on behalf of the Council.
Councillor Luthfur Rahman, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Residents surrounding this premises have for too long had to tolerate an unacceptable level of disturbance and disruption.
“The constant nuisance and anti-social behaviour which took place causes significant harm and diminishes the overall wellbeing and amenity of the surrounding community.
“The wealth of evidence uncovered through our investigation proved beyond doubt this venue was operating as an illegal bar and club.
“This closure order will now give the Council an opportunity to work with the owner of the business, and the owner of the building, to find a long-term solution to this issue.
“I am grateful for the diligence shown by our officers and legal team in securing this closure order, and I’d reiterate to our residents that we remain committed to tackling any kind of disturbance that negatively impacts our communities.”
Featured image: Manchester City Council
News
‘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.
Daisy Jackson -
19th June 2023 
