Reports this morning have suggested that students currently self-isolating at Manchester Metropolitan University will be allowed to return home.
Professor Malcom Press – Vice-Chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University – apparently spoke with BBC Radio Manchester today, confirming that “students self-isolating are allowed home and parents can pick them up”.
It comes following widespread conversation, coverage and criticism after around 1,700 students were sent an email by the university last Friday telling them they must self-isolate in their accommodation for 14 days.
This was in a bid to help contain an outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) at the University.
It’s believed that 127 positive cases were confirmed in connection with both the Birley campus and Cambridge halls of residence.
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Some students residing within the aforementioned accommodation however were reportedly caught by surprise at the announcement and apparently only found out about the need to self-isolate when they encountered security guards at the gates who told them they were not permitted to leave.
This then raised questions among members of the public and legal commentators online as to what authority MMU or Manchester City Council has to impose such measures.
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Geograph / Gerald England
Manchester Metropolitan University officials have previously stated that following the short-notice instruction to self-isolate for 14 days, they are “unable to prevent our students from leaving the halls”.
They did however urge students to “do the right thing”.
In the statement published on the Manchester Metropolitan University website on Sunday, Vice-Chancellor Professor Malcom Press said: “I recognise the impact that this situation is having on our students, particularly given the extremely short period of time we had to inform them of the decision.
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“Many of them are away from home for the first time and still finding their feet. Their welfare is our top priority and that is why we have been working hard with organisations around the city since Friday evening to put in place support to help during this 14-day period.
“We are urgently preparing a care package which we hope will ensure students will have the essentials they require in halls, plus financial support to assist them through this challenging period.
“We expect students to follow the guidance for self-isolation set out by the Government and Public Health England and our staff are on hand 24 hours a day to provide support, guidance and deal with concerns.
“We are unable to prevent our students from leaving the halls, but our students are bright young adults and we trust that they will do the right thing.”
Manchester Metropolitan University
David Regan – Manchester’s Director of Public Health – has also previously confirmed to the MEN that the ‘lockdown’ at the Birley and Cambridge halls is currently optional.
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He said: “We have currently not used any legal measures to enforce the additional requests,”
“We hope our students can understand the rationale for these actions and will support us in helping to contain infection and reduce further spread either amongst the students themselves or into the wider community. The rising weekly incidence rate and increase in the number of COVID hospital admissions at the Manchester Royal Infirmary reinforces why this is so important.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham also said that he is “keeping a close eye” on developments at MMU and has reportedly spoken to police to check “everything is in order”.
Superintendent Chris Hill of Greater Manchester Police’s Manchester city centre divison added that they “will continue to work with MMU and local authorities to engage with students and offer advice surrounding the re-opening of universities and staying safe in the current climate” and they understand that “this situation provides a number of challenges for all involved”.
It was also announced yesterday that Manchester Metropolitan University has moved all first and foundation year learning – including all lectures, seminars and classes / workshops – to online and virtual instruction only.
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In the meantime, any students self-isolating will be permitted to return home to continue isolation with their families.
The Manc has contacted Manchester Metropolitan University for comment.
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The Greater Manchester high street that now has THREE great wine bars in a 200m stretch
Daisy Jackson
A popular suburb of Greater Manchester seems to be having a bit of a wine bar moment – and for once, we’re not talking about Stockport.
Prestwich has a buzzing little food and drink scene, and just this week has welcomed a brand-new wine bar.
That brings the total number of wine bars in the village to three – and they’re all in just a 200m stretch of the high street.
The latest addition is Cellar Door, headed up by siblings Ben and Sarah and sitting side-by-side with acclaimed neighbourhood restaurant The Pearl.
Cellar Door joins long-standing favourite Whole Bunch Wines (formerly known as Grape to Grain) and the new-ish Chin Chin, which comes from the same team behind Elnecot in Ancoats.
And beyond that, The Pearl has a ‘wine window’ where they’ll pass your drink out to you to drink on their pavement bistro tables.
If you much prefer a decent glass of wine instead of a pint, Prestwich is becoming the new hotspot for a bar crawl.
Read on for more on each of these brilliant independent businesses.
Cellar Door
Cellar Door is the newest wine bar to open in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
The newest wine bar on the Prestwich high street is Cellar Door, opened just this month by brother and sister Ben and Sarah.
It’s their first project together and is stocked with more than 200 different wines, plus plenty of beers (including some local names), selected batched cocktails served ice-cold, and a menu of nibbles too.
Spanning two floors, there’s a sunny balcony upstairs for sunnier days, but in the meantime, get cosy in a booth with a glass of something from their VAST vino collection.
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc GroupWhole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
An ‘off licence with a difference’, Whole Bunch Wines (which used to be known as Grape to Grain) is Prestwich’s original spot for a wine.
Almost a decade old now, Whole Bunch Wines has a proper enomatic wine machine which means you can have a glass of their chosen bottles each week (without committing to a full bottle – though no judgement if you do want to do that too).
They also have a counter stuffed with cheese, meat and fresh bread so you can customise yourself a deli board.
There’s not much better than grabbing a bottle to take away from Whole Bunch, then changing your mind and cracking it open sat on one of the barrel tables outside instead.
Last but definitely not least on this mini wine crawl around Prestwich is Chin Chin.
This lovely spot comes from the team behind Elnecot, who initially opened it as Dokes Pizzeria (but then Rudy’s opened up opposite and honestly, who can be arsed) before pivoting it to be a wine bar.
There’s jazz vinyls playing, an enormous selection of rotating wines, a smart interior of tiled tabletops and moody red paint, and – a weekly highlight for locals – Sunday Sessions with roast dinner-inspired sandwiches and £4 pints.
Manchester City hit with backlash from season ticket holders after ‘divisive’ North Stand update
Danny Jones
Manchester City have shared a new update on the impending North Stand expansion and concourse upgrade, but the most recent reveal has been met with plenty of backlash from supporters set to suffer the consequences.
The Etihad is currently undergoing a major transformation that will see numerous new facilities added to the wider campus experience – most notably the increased capacity of the North Stand, which will make room for a further 7,000 or so fans.
Back in March, the club revealed the official brand partners for their upcoming on-site hotel, which will also accompany a new sky bar and rooftop stadium walk experience as part of the wider plans, but while adding more seats and things for matchgoers to do sounds good on paper, it’s come at a cost for many.
Reacting to the news of social media, many regular fans are now set to be forced out of their seats to make way for more hospitality sections at the end of the stadium, meaning the post has proved ‘divisive’ to say the least.
Are you joking? I’ve sat in the same seat for almost 20 years and this is how I find out I’m ‘relocating’. It’s an absolute disgrace the way you’re treating loyal fans in favour of tourists. I was there when we were shit, do you think they will be here if we go to shit again?
As you can see, both Blues, neutrals, and even rivals alike are expressing their shock and disappointment in not only the decision but the manner in which the announcement was made.
One person said on X: “You turfed me and hundreds of others out of our seats four seasons ago when you dug them up for digital signage. We were all split up and had to scrape around for new seats. Had enough of all the new rules and digital tickets/transfers. I sit on my sofa now and save £3k.
Reply in the comments underneath the response, a Manchester United fan added: “I don’t like City, but this is something I can stand with [fans] on.”
Even well-known online commentators like ‘HLTCO’ (Hopkin Looking To Curl One), a.k.a. Dan Cook – a notable Crystal Palace die-hard – shared his two cents online.
“Man City season ticket holders are being told that they’re being permanently moved from the seats they’ve had for years to accommodate a new corporate seating area”, he wrote, adding: “This is the sort of thing that fans everywhere have to push back against; these clubs see us as a nuisance.”
In terms of what the stadium overhaul looks like, the latest CGIs show the first proper glimpse of the new ‘Cross Bar’ that will “offer a relaxed, social atmosphere” for around 300 fans, as well as the new ‘City Hall’ concourse area, which will cater to around 500 punters both on game-days and beyond.
As detailed in the full statement on the club website, they have insisted that they will be supporting those “may need to move seats ahead of the commencement of the 2026/27”, clarifying that no one will need to be relocated to accommodate the Cross Bar, specifically.
They go on to add: “We understand that relocating seats may be unsettling, and we are here to support these fans”. They have promised things like a “priority relocation window” and, most crucially, a guarantee that they won’t have to pay more to sit in what is typically a more expensive stadium block.
However, while they have also assured that people will be able to move groups of seats so as to stay around their friends, as explained by a user above, this is easier said than done and ticket uncertainty remains a big concern among the fan base.
What do you make of the latest Etihad Stadium news, City fans?
The Manc -
29th September 2020 
