It’s been another one of those years in Manchester where a lot of weird stuff has happened – big closures no one saw coming, celebs getting in spats online, and major new openings.
Here at The Manc we’ve done our best to bring you the biggest stories from the North West, and you’ve all lapped it up.
As we come to end of 2025 we’ve been looking back at the stories that caught everyone’s attention this year, from beautiful properties to crazy shopping trends.
Did you remember all of these?
10. Olly Murs says no
Olly Murs addressed his abrupt exit from the stage ahead of his Manchester gig
Olly Murs was back on tour this year, selling out arenas (I know, who’d have thunk it?!) across the country.
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But poor Olly got off to a bit a rough start and had to walk off stage after just six shows in Glasgow, then going on to cancel his Manchester gig too.
He did look pretty bereft about the whole thing, to be fair to him.
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9. Tommy Robinson getting ‘kicked out’ of Hawksmoor
Back in the summer, acclaimed steak house Hawksmoor had to publicly address a quite viral video which showed far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants because staff felt ‘uncomfortable’ serving him.
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff had complained but that it is ‘not a political organisation, but a group of restaurants’.
Its CEO wrote: “We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
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Who do you think was in the right here?
8. Drama Call’s tram-inspired trainers
Streetwear brands take their inspiration from a lot of different sources, but we were in no way prepared for Manchester-based label Drama Call’s spring drop.
The popular brand teamed up with adidas to release a shoe inspired by… a tram.
The Superstar II ‘Drama’ featured teal accents that paid homage to the city’s classic tram design – long before the yellow of the modern era, and Mancs went nuts for them.
7. The Victorian Villa
This Manchester house is so fancy, it actually appeared twice on our list of the top stories of 2025 – once when it first went on sale, then when it got re-listed later in the year.
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And it’s not hard to see why. This Whalley Range home has some of the most beautiful interiors we’ve ever laid eyes on – we’re talking rich colours, vintage cinema seats, loads of gold, and a show-stopper of a kitchen.
What seemed to keep Mancs reading though was the fact that the house in Whalley Range could go for a whopping £1.75m.
6. The capybara keeper
New jobs simply didn’t come cuter than this in 2025, and when Chester Zoo posted an advert looking for a new keeper for its capybaras, you lot couldn’t get enough.
Responsibilities of the role included caring for the meerkats and capybaras as well as rodents, Xenarthra, Macropods, small carnivores, and the zoo’s free flight bat habitat.
Realistically, only a handful of people locally would have actually been qualified for this job, but that didn’t stop. us all having a nosey at the job description anyway.
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5. Peter Kay’s sass
Peter Kay is a famously very private man and has rarely even been spotted in public in recent years, plus his social media presence has almost entirely been dedicated to promoting his record-breaking tour.
But the Bolton comedian had plenty to say after a ‘humiliated’ woman was kicked out of his gig at the AO Arena in Manchester.
Addressing the ribbing he gave the lady during the gig, where he compared her to Lisa Riley, Peter Kay’s statement said: “The lady who was escorted out did bear a striking resemblance to Lisa Riley, though I don’t see how that’s an insult.”
It’s no surprise that this was one of the biggest stories in Manchester in 2025, because we simply could not believe our eyes when Almost Famous announced its closure.
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The burger craze of the mid-2010s may have died down, but this spot had always felt like a Northern Quarter OG with a loyal enough following to stand the test of time.
Alas, it closed its doors very suddenly back in January, shortly followed by its sister smash burger brand Super Awesome Deluxe, with a staggering outcry and a lot of fall-out locally.
Thankfully, a short while later it was rescued by the team behind PINS Social Club.
3. Primark Home arrived
Primark Home is opening this weekend at Trafford Palazzo
Did anyone really doubt that the arrival of a new ENORMOUS Primark store totally dedicated to homeware was going to go a little bonkers?
We practically had people banging down the doors to the massive Trafford Palazzo retailer (the first in Britain) when we were allowed in for a sneak peek before its official launch.
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It’s a pretty impressive space – get a load of it HERE.
2. Big Night of Musicals
This event takes place basically every year and yet the lure of free tickets seems to catch everyone’s attention year-in, year-out.
The Big Night of Musicals sees the world’s biggest musicals all joining together on one stage at the AO Arena for a bumper night of live entertainment.
Tickets are free for National Lottery players and although the first batch are all gone, they usually release some more in the new year… watch this space.
1. Highland cows
The Highland Cow safari in the Peak District
One very adorable story ended up comfortably on top for The Manc audience this year – a lovely little feature on a Peak District farm where you can cuddle and groom Highland cows (sorry, coos).
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Highland Cows of the Peak Experiences at Whirlow Hall Farm has loads of activities for all ages, from Highland Cow safaris to cow cuddling.
It’s an absolutely adorable experience and we’ll definitely be back next summer for more – read all about it HERE.
Featured image: The Manc Group
News
Police issue urgent warning following a rise in scam calls across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The public is being urged to ‘remain vigilant’ following a rise of scam calls across Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says it has been made aware that scammers, who are impersonating police officers, are contacting people trying to convince them to hand over personal and sensitive information linked to their ownership of cryptocurrency.
From the numerous reports that GMP has received, one common method the offenders appear to be using is claiming that a suspect has been arrested and was found to be in possession of the victim’s personal documents – such as their passport, driving licence, or banking details.
On several occasions, fraudsters asked victims about their cryptocurrency accounts – specifically looking for their IDs, recovery phrases, and security codes.
GMP is urging the public to know that the police would never ask you to share this information or move your accounts.
The police have issued an urgent warning following a rise in scam calls across Greater Manchester / Credit: Rawpixel | Nordwood Themes (via Unsplash)
“These calls can appear convincing and are being made through spoofed GMP phone numbers but we are urging the public to remain vigilant, especially when providing sensitive information via phone calls,’ GMP said in a statement this week.
GMP is asking that the public ‘be wary’ of unsolicited calls, emails or messages relating to cryptocurrency investments or accounts, and that they never share passwords, recovery phrases, or security codes with anyone, as well as refusing to transfer any money or cryptocurrency to accounts suggested by a caller.
DS Reed, from GMP’s Cyber Crime Team, said these calls are ‘incredibly sophisticated’, and those responsible are targeting ‘vulnerable communities’
“We take offences of this nature incredibly seriously, and our Cyber Crime Team are working around the clock to understand how these offences have occurred, and how to prevent it from continuing,” DS Reed concluded.
Featured Image – Priscilla Du Preez (via Unsplash)
News
Jewish leaders call for cancellation of huge Fontaines D.C. gigs in Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
Jewish leaders have expressed ‘profound concerns’ regarding the two enormous Fontaines D.C. gigs taking place in Heaton Park next summer.
The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region has called for the shows to cancelled.
They said that ‘the safety of our community must be paramount’.
Irish rockers Fontaines D.C. have been outspoken at their concerts in the past in their support for Palestine, displaying ‘Free Palestine’ messaging on huge screens across the globe.
Now, the JRC has publicly expressed concerns about ‘the potential consequences of inflammatory rhetoric from the band’.
They added: “At a time of heightened antisemitism, the comments and chants associated with the band risks importing tensions from the Middle East into the UK, with Jewish people here becoming the targets.”
Fontaines D.C. are set to play two massive shows at Heaton Park next summer, on 3 and 4 July.
Manchester City Council has stressed that they will be working closely with members of the Jewish Representative Council as event management plans are developed, and added that ‘partners from the Council, emergency services including Greater Manchester Police (GMP), and event organisers, will comprehensively review the plans in place ahead the concerts’.
In a statement, the JRC said: “The JRC has registered our profound concerns with Manchester Council regarding Fontaines D.C.’s forthcoming concert at Heaton Park and has called for it to be cancelled.
“Despite our representations, it appears the concert will be going ahead. We expect and will be working with the council to ensure robust and adequate safeguards are in place to protect the Jewish community.
“We have no objection to Heaton Park hosting concerts.
“Our concerns are not about legitimate political expression but the potential consequences of inflammatory rhetoric from the band.
“At a time of heightened antisemitism, the comments and chants associated with the band risks importing tensions from the Middle East into the UK, with Jewish people here becoming the targets. The safety of our community must be paramount.”
A Manchester council spokesperson said: “We understand the very real concerns that members of our Jewish community have in the wake of the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue last year and a wider rise in antisemitism. Our thoughts remain not just with those who lost their lives and their loved ones but with the whole Jewish community.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with them in saying there is no place for antisemitism or discrimination of any form in Manchester and continue to work with the police, communities and other partners to provide reassurance and support.
“On the specific concerns expressed by some members of the Jewish community in relation to the two Heaton Park concerts in summer 2027, addressing these concerns will be front and centre in preparations for these events. We have met recently with members of the Jewish Representative Council and will continue to work closely with them as we develop event management plans.
“Partners from the Council, emergency services including Greater Manchester Police (GMP), and event organisers, will comprehensively review the plans in place ahead the concerts. This is standard practice for all major events in the city and is there to ensure events take place safely and successfully.
“In advance of the concerts, as with any other large-scale events, a thorough risk assessment of every aspect of the event will be carried out, focused on ensuring the safety and security of the event, its attendees and the wider community.
“The organisers, City Council and GMP will put in place suitable and proportionate mitigations and assurances to make sure that the concerts are delivered in full compliance with the licensing conditions. Organisers would also be happy to meet with concerned parties to help address any concerns. They are clear that discrimination or intimidation, including antisemitism, have no place at their events.”
Daisy Jackson -
18th December 2025 
