The UK Supreme Court is sitting for the first time ever here in Manchester this week, and it’s open for the public to watch.
Not only is it the first time that the UK’s highest court – which is the final court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – has sat in our city, but it’s also the first time it has sat outside of its permanent home in London, or in the other capital cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast.
The Supreme Court cases will be heard at Manchester’s Civil Justice Centre in Spinningfields.
Opened in 2007 and often nicknamed the ‘filing cabinet’ because of its distinctive external design, the Manchester Civil Justice Centre will welcome some of the top judges in the country on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Three cases are set to be heard this week.
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The Supreme Court has arrived at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, where the Justices were welcomed by His Honour Judge Bird. The Court will be hearing cases in Manchester this week, and public are welcome to observe the proceedings. Find out more: https://t.co/LdzIPUJ8VHpic.twitter.com/MQT6u2QmMa
As the Supreme Court’s stay in Manchester aims to be “open and accessible” to all, curious members of the public are welcome to attend either of the three hearings happening this week to witness the court proceedings live in action.
Not only that, but the cases will also be streamed live online for those who are unable to make it in person.
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Lord Reed, who is the President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Hodge, Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Burrows, Lord Stephens, Lady Rose, and Lord Richards are just some of the judges attending.
“The Supreme Court is committed to being one of the most open and accessible courts in the world,” Lord Reed said previously, “like all our hearings, the cases we hear in Manchester will be live streamed via our website for everyone who cannot get to see us in person.”
The UK Supreme Court is sitting in Manchester for the first time ever this week / Credit: Supreme Court UK
The judges are also set to attend several other events in the city while they’re here this week – including acting as judges for university students in mock cases, and a Judicial Assistant recruitment event at the Manchester Law Society.
They’ll also be hosting a Q&A session with sixth form students in the region.
Featured Image – Flickr
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Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
6th March 2023 
