A Cruz 101 employee who posted a racist meme has been removed from the business.
The nightclub posted a statement this afternoon confirming that the staff member in question ‘no longer works’ for the company.
The gay nightclub on Princess Street launched an investigation when one of its team members posted an offensive meme on Instagram.
Cruz 101 says that it has a zero tolerance policy to abuse and will ‘encourage the calling out of hate’.
They said that the former employee ‘made a serious error of judgement’.
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Cruz 101. Credit: Google Maps
The full statement from the club said: “Earlier this week a member of our staff made a serious error of judgement and shared a racist post on Instagram. Following an investigation, that member of staff no longer works for our company.
“Whilst this former employee made this post in their own time & on their own personal page, it has raised a very important conversation around how people of colour feel in all LGBTO+ spaces.
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“We commit to continue our work as a diverse & inclusive club at the heart of the LGBTO+ community in Manchester, and whilst we’re discussing many ideas currently that we hope to let you all know about soon, we have some things we can implement immediately.
“Our zero-tolerance policy to any abuse will be strengthened.
“Our managers will be available all night, at any time, to report incidents of abuse to. Be that racism, transphobia, homophobia or anything else. They will take immediate action to resolve this. As a customer simply ask to see the manager at reception.
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“All our staff will receive training and have a clear process to follow should they see or hear any form of abuse.
“With these commitments we will solidify a culture which encourages the calling out of hate. We will not tolerate it.”
People have praised the club for its swift action, with one person responding: “Fair play! Hats off to you for doing the right thing. We should love everyone regardless.”
Another said: “Well done @Cruz101Official for treating this issue with the seriousness that it deserves, and for your commitment to make the venue a safer place for LGBTQ+ people of colour. Racism has no place in LGBTQ+ spaces or in our communities.”
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Someone else commented: “Its such a rare moment of relief that a company I spend my money on has shown solidarity in seeing/listening to QPOC and advocating for our comfort and safety. I was honestly expecting them to keep him on.”
Featured image: Google Maps
News
Brewdog’s beer hotel in Manchester has closed with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
The ‘beer hotel’ operated by Brewdog in Manchester has closed with immediate effect, as part of the Scottish brewery’s £33m sale.
A whopping 38 Brewdog bars around the UK have closed, resulting in hundreds of job losses.
As well as the beer hotel known as DogHouse in Manchester, which was home to a large bar and rooftop terrace, the Oxford Road brewpub known as the OutPost has also closed.
The DogHouse Hotel on Fountain Street had a range of boutique bedrooms, fitted with features like beer fridges in the shower, beer taps in the room, guitars, record players, and pet beds.
Just 11 pubs have been retained in the rescue deal, including the Brewdog bar on Peter Street in Manchester city centre.
The brewery has been bought by US beverage and medical cannabis company Tilray for £33m, a sale which includes its UK brewery operations, brand, and a handful of pubs.
Yesterday, Brewdog announced all of its bars would be closed for the day to enable staff to attend staff meetings.
Administrators confirmed yesterday that 484 jobs had been lost in the sale, with 38 bars closing.
Unite, the union which represents thousands of hospitality workers, said it is ‘appalled’ at how Brewdog staff have been treated during the sale.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a devastating day for Brewdog workers. Nearly 500 lost livelihoods while yet another corporate deal is stitched together behind closed doors.
“Brewdog workers built this brand. They deserved respect. Instead, they were treated as disposable pawns. Unite will not rest until our members have legal and financial justice.”
Unite national lead for hospitality Bryan Simpson said: “The way in which senior management have conducted themselves throughout this sales process has been nothing short of a national disgrace – with workers being given no information about the company’s plans or their futures.
“For the CEO to tell workers that they were redundant with immediate effect, on a conference call with only 25 minutes notice, has echoes of P&O and is deplorable. Unite will be ensuring that our members receive everything they are legally entitled to.”
Brewdog was founded in 2007 by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie.
Council approves £1 billion budget to ‘improve Manchester’ after 14 years of Government funding cuts
Emily Sergeant
Manchester City Council has officially approved a £1 billion budget for 2026/27.
After 14 years of funding cuts and ‘unfunded pressures’ from 2010 to 2024, which saw Manchester among the hardest hit places in the country, Manchester City Council says that its financial position has improved this year due to ‘fairer funding’ from the current Government which overall reflects the city’s needs.
For the first time this year, the Council’s revenue budget exceeds £1 billion (£1.045 billion, to be exact.)
This leaves the Council able to invest even more in supporting residents’ priorities, and ultimately begin to build back some of things which were previously affected by austerity.
As well as continuing to support those who are considered to be most in-need in the city, this current 2026/27 budget also makes a series of investments in measures – which the Council says will make ‘visible improvements’ across the city.
Some of these measures include £5.13m towards ‘ significantly enhancing’ street cleaning services across the city, more than £1.7m to boost the maintenance of public spaces, especially parks and green spaces, and almost £1m to further crack down on flytipping and littering.
This year, there’ll also be one-off investments of £1.1m improve road, pavement, and path surfaces, and £500,000 to increase pavement and footpath gritting in local centres.
The Council has approved a £1 billion budget to ‘improve Manchester’ / Credit: Chris Curry (via Unsplash) | Manchester City Council
Elsewhere, capital funding will continue to be used to build the Council, social, and ‘genuinely affordable’ homes that the city needs, as well as invest in local high streets and district centres across the city.
“Manchester is an incredible city which we are all proud to call home,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the leader of Manchester City Council.
“We’re seeing record levels of investment in our neighbourhoods and communities, more council and social homes built than for decades and stronger economic growth than anywhere in the UK.
“But we believe that Manchester can be even better, and that’s what we’re determined that this budget will help achieve – a city where everyone can have a good home, a good job and a good life in an well cared for, invested-in neighbourhood.
“That’s exactly where the extra funding available to us in this budget is being focused.”
Daisy Jackson -
4th February 2022 
