Picture this: you’re at a festival, your wellies are sinking deep into the mud. It’s been steadily drizzling for the past ten hours and you just paid over the odds for a little bit of Pimms and lemonade in a plastic cup.
Summertime really doesn’t get much more British than that. Unless perhaps you add in rained-out BBQs that need to be finished off in the oven.
With last summer one of the weirdest on record, we’re getting a bit nostalgic. So, it seems, is The Lawn Club – who’ve just revealed some giant Pimms cocktails served in welly boots.
The Lawn Club
Combining two of British summer’s most iconic elements, the new sharing cocktail holds four servings of the Wimbledon favourite – a mixture of Pimms’ no.1 secret blend, lemonade, cucumber, lemon, orange, mint and strawberries. Priced at £20, that makes it just £5 a glass.
A quintessential part of summer in Manchester, whether you like to hang out in Spinningfields or not everyone has been to The Lawn Club at some point or other.
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Over the years it’s changed a fair bit, adopting various guises as its moved around Hardman Square – hosting all sorts over the years, from giant film screenings to an ice curling rink.
Now sitting next to The Ivy, it’s undergone some extensive renovations for 2021 with new features including a fully enclosed interior area and outdoor terrace.
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The bar is also bringing back its nifty little Lawn Pods and Lawn Houses, which resemble mini greenhouses and offer private space for groups of up to six, as well as its ever-popular deck chairs which will be strewn across the lawns.
For those looking to dine, there’s also new spring/summer menu from the kitchen featuring some tasty burgers, bagels and bowls.
Booking is recommended, with just a few tables held back for walk-ins. When booking the Lawn pods and houses, a card authorisation of £30 is required in the event of a no show.
UK Government announces £100 fines for ‘antisocial behaviour’ on public transport
Emily Sergeant
The Government has today announced plans to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport.
In a bid to crackdown on loud music, littering, vaping, and other threatening behaviour on buses and trains, guidance was issued by the Government today for local authorities to prosecute and even issue fines of up to £100.
For many, playing audio out loud on public transport – also known as ‘loudcasting’ – has become one of modern life’s most irritating parts of the daily commute, but now, a new national campaign is aiming to encourage rail passengers, in particular, to ‘share the carriage, not the noise’ to improve the journey experience for all.
This will include reminders of the rules in place on the rail network and, if a passenger refuses to stop when asked by authorised rail staff, they can be removed from the train at the next station or face fines up to £1,000.
On buses, however, the powers for authorities were already made possible by the Bus Services Act 2025, meaning all local transport authorities in England are able to set and enforce their own rules.
Authorised officers – including transport safety officers and the police – will be responsible for enforcement, rather than bus drivers themselves, and they will be tasked with a three-step approach to deal with incidents. They will need to:
Engage with the person
Explain the rules and their impact on other passengers
Take enforcement action if they refuse to comply
“We’ve all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone,” commented Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
“It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey, so we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.”
Ben Plowden, Chief Executive at the Campaign for Better Transport, added: “Antisocial behaviour is not just irritating, it can be a real deterrent to people using public transport – especially people with different accessibility requirements.
“If these new powers are properly and visibly enforced, they should help everyone feel safe and comfortable on public transport and enjoy the ride.”
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Police provide update after stabbing of 14-year-old boy at Manchester Arndale carpark
Emily Sergeant
Police have provided an update following the stabbing of a young boy in Manchester city centre over the weekend.
At around 3:15pm this past Saturday afternoon (17 October 2026), officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of a stabbing on the ninth floor of the Arndale carpark in Manchester city centre.
Emergency services attended the scene, and a 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital with injuries consistent with a stab wound.
Thankfully, the victim’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life changing, but an investigation and enquiries are ongoing.
Detective Inspector Sam Jones, of GMP’s City of Manchester District CID, said this will ‘understandably’ cause concern, but has assured the public that police believe this to be an ‘isolated incident.
“Detectives at the scene are working extremely hard to process the scene with Crime Scene Investigators,” explained DI Jones in an update statement issued.
“The car park is expected to be closed for several hours, so we ask for your understanding and patience whilst we gather evidence to bring these offenders to justice.
“Detectives and Officers will be in the area today to speak with local businesses and members of the public to provide reassurance. This is believed to be an isolated incident with no risk to the wider public.
“Greater Manchester Police are committed to diligently investigating all knife crime and bringing offenders to justice, and we are asking for anyone with information about this incident to come forward to assist with our enquiries.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log 2050 of 17/10/2026, or via the LiveChat function. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
13th May 2021 
