The latest reports suggest that the UK government could be close to introducing new local lockdown restrictions in some of the worst-affected regions imminently.
This could see pubs, bars and restaurants in many parts of the North of England – including Greater Manchester – forced to close premises for a period of time which is not yet understood.
There are also talks that there could be a ban on overnight stays away from home in these areas too.
It is believed that a decision on this could be reached at some point today, with a formal announcement not likely to come until Monday, although this has not been confirmed.
This decision could be set to follow similar restrictions introduced by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday afternoon, which prohibits pubs, restaurants and cafes in most of the country from selling alcohol indoors for more than two weeks, and ordered pubs and restaurants in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley in the central belt to close for 16 days from Friday.
It’s thought that these potential restrictions could take effect from as early as Monday too.
There are also strong suggestions that the government is likely to introduce a three-tier system for local lockdowns, which would see different parts of the country placed into different categories – although ministers are still believed to be discussing the precise details of the toughest level of restrictions over the next couple of days – but what does this really mean?
How could a potential “three-tier” restrictions system look if implemented in Greater Manchester?
Here is everything we know so far.
The Department of Health confirmed last month that a potential new “three-tier” system was being considered, but the concept was signed off by government officials and politicians earlier this month and the roll-out of the new tiers is expected following imminent formal announcement.
As the name suggests – and as understood by the BBC – the system could see towns, cities and regions in England divided into three categories.
Tier 1
Areas that fall into tier one will have fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 of population and residents living in these areas would be required to adhere to national restrictions.
This would include the “rule of six” and social distancing measures.
Tier 2
Tier two would kick in where cases are above 100 per 100,000.
Restrictions for these areas would be similar to those currently in place in large parts of Northern England – including Greater Manchester – such as prohibiting the mixing of households in indoor and outdoor settings.
Tier 3
Under the tightest restrictions, areas which are placed into tier three would have significantly higher infection rates and would face “full lockdowns”, although this would exclude the closing of schools and essential businesses – such as supermarkets and certain retail outlets – as well as places of worship.
This does however indicate that it would pertains to the closing of hospitality venues
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Information on the system – again as seen by the BBC – shows that there are plans for additional money to be distributed to local authorities which are placed into tiers two or three.
Local authorities would get £1 per head of population if placed into tier two, and £2 per head for tier three.
There has been no formal confirmation at this stage as to which tier Greater Manchester would be placed into should the system be implemented in England, nor whether different areas / boroughs of Greater Manchester would be subject to different restrictions, or fall under different tiers.
More information is expected to be revealed to the public in due course.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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‘Major milestone’ as planning permission secured to transform Oldham town centre
Emily Sergeant
Planning permission has been granted for six transformational sites in Oldham town centre, with developers calling it a ‘major milestone’.
This approval marks a key step forward in Muse Places and Oldham Council‘s long-term partnership with a shared ambition to deliver a ‘vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable’ town centre that not only reflects Oldham’s heritage but also meets the needs of the people who live there.
Following ‘extensive consultation’ with the local community earlier this year, where hundreds of people took park and shared valuable feedback to help shape the proposals, a total of 1,619 new homes will be delivered as part of the plans, offering a mix of high-quality, energy-efficient apartments designed for families, older people, and young professionals.
The plans also include social and affordable housing provision too in a bid to help more local people find a home that suits their needs and circumstances.
According to the Council and developers, the approved plans will bring underused sites back into ‘productive’ use and support a ‘cleaner, greener’ future for Oldham, opening the door to new opportunities for local businesses and communities alike.
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham,” commented Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Council.
Planning permission has been secured to transform Oldham town centre / Credit: Muse Places
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans, delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Site investigation works are now complete at the Civic Centre, and works at Prince’s Gate will begin shortly, followed by the former Magistrates’ Court later this year.
With planning consent secured and preparatory works underway, construction at Prince’s Gate is expected to begin this autumn.
Featured Image – Muse Places
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The ULTIMATE guide to Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour at Heaton Park – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
The biggest export in Manchester music history, Oasis, are officially back performing, and they’re about to play five nights right here in Heaton Park this summer.
You can finally ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ over the years spent without the Gallaghers performing together, because the time has finally come… Their momentous homecoming is just DAYS away.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for us Mancs at least – as Oasis are heading to Heaton Park for five whole nights of Britpop brilliance.
Anyway, enough chitter-chatter, you’re here for a comprehensive Oasis gig guide for their Manchester dates, so let’s get stuck in.
Gig guide | Oasis Live ’25 at Heaton Park, Manchester – all the info
Oasis are bringing their reunion tour ‘Oasis Live ’25’ to Heaton Park across five nights in July.Credit: Supplied
Oasis UK reunion tour dates
Fri 4 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium – you can see the scenes from night one HERE.
Sat 5 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium
Fri 11 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 12 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Wed 16 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 19 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sun 20 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Fri 25 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 26 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Wed 30 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 2 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 3 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Are there any Oasis tickets left for the Heaton Park shows?
We feel like you already know the answer to this one, surely?
Unfortunately, all five of their Heaton Park dates – just like the rest of the domestic shows and, indeed, all over the globe – are completely sold out.
However, you’re in luck: our music counterpart, Audio North, is running an exciting competition that includes TWO tickets to see Oasis Live ’25 right here in Manchester at Heaton Park.
Of course, there’s always the off chance of grabbing last-minute spares from friends, family and via trusted resellers like Twickets and TicketSwap, but always proceed with caution, and you might as well throw your hat in the ring whilst you’re here.
It’s simple: pay a visit to either of Heaton Park’s on-site cafes (The Stables or The Lakeside), order ‘Digsy’s Dinner’, or a little lunch for yourself, and you’ll automatically be entered into a prize draw that could see you and a mate living it large on 20 July for the Burnage boys final night in Manchester.
Oasis Live ’25 reunion setlist – so far, anyway
The Manc Britpop legends have seven studio albums to their name, so it will come as no surprise that the setlist for the ‘Oasis Live ’25’ shows is a hefty one that tries to work their way through most of the big hits, but they do prioritise the first three albums.
No ‘Shock of the Lightning’ there, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Oasis starring in their official music video for ‘Wonderwall’ in 1995.Credit: Screenshot via YouTube
Here’s the setlist from the first two nights of the Live ’25 reunion tour, as Oasis played a pair of biblical shows at Principality Stadium in Cardiff to kick off their long-awaited comeback. Of course, they’ll most likely tweak and experiment with this lineup of tracks from time to time, but here’s how it looks so far:
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory
Some Might Say
Bring It On Down
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean?
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away
Whatever
Live Forever
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
The Masterplan
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Wonderwall
Champagne Supernova
Die-hard fans will be pleased to hear they do still walk out to their iconic intro, ‘F***in’ in the Bushes’, so there is some representation post-Be Here Now.
We broke down all the details from Oasis in Cardiff – Night One to see what it could mean for Manchester.
What are the stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester?
According to Ticketmaster, the opening times for doors at each of the Manchester shows are scheduled for 3:30pm; however, Oasis’ Heaton Park stage times are yet to be confirmed by the band themselves.
The Principality Stadium gigs saw support acts starting from 6pm (5:59pm, to be exact) with Oasis taking to the stage from roughly 8:15pm.
In fact, pretty much everyone got started a minute early on night one in Cardiff, so we guess you could say everyone involved was just as eager as the Oasis fans themselves.
Heaton Park has a curfew of 11pm, so fans can rest easy knowing they can listen to every note of the seven-and-a-half-minute-long number ‘Champagne Supernova’ without having to stay up all night long – not that anyone is going to be bed after this full-on cultural event.
Anyone wanting to know how excited Liam is ahead of the upcoming shows needs to take a scroll through his X (Formerly Twitter) and you’ll soon see just how excited he is.
He also confirmed the Cardiff set times prematurely, too. Someone should really take his phone off him at this point…
Nevertheless, we were pleased to see Wigan’s finest, Richard Ashcroft, confirmed as the first warm-up act, who had no shame in confessing he was absolutely “buzzing” to be a part of the reunion shows.
The former Verve frontman and the Gallaghers are big supporters of one another, and we’re sure that Heaton Park will erupt into chaos the second ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ plays out this July.
The Liverpool natives are known for smash hit singles including ‘Walkaway’, ‘Finetime’ and ‘Sandstorm’, joining the younger Gallagher brother, describing these upcoming gig opportunities as “biblical”.
What are the expected drinks prices for the Oasis gigs?
Although official drinks prices have not been released yet, another one of the biggest dates in the Manchester music calendar, Parklife, took place last month and can be used as a rough calculation.
Spirit and mixers
Smirnoff No.21 Vodka- £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Spiced Gold – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Black Spiced – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Johnnie Walker Black Label – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s London Dry Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s Pink Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Casamigos Blanco Tequila – £14.80 for double, £10.90 for single
Included mixers: Pepsi Max, Pepsi Max Cherry, 7Up Free, Ginger Beer, Tonic, Soda, Grapefruit Soda
Rockstar Energy drink mixers: Tropical Guava, Peach Zero Sugar, Original – +£1
Pre-mixed cans
Smirnoff Miami Peach- £9.50
Captain Morgan X Pepsi Max – £9.50
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic – £9.50
Johnnie Walker & Lemonade – £9.50
Captain Morgan Muck Pit Brew – £8.50
Jagermeister
Jagermeister Mule – £11.80
Jagerbomb – £7.90
Jagermeister ice cold shot – £6.90
Jagermeister cold brew coffee shot – £6.90
Wine
Rose/white wine, 187ml – £7.95
Beer and cider
Poretti Lager – £6.65
Somersby Cider – £6.65
0.4% Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Lager – £5.50
White Claw
Blackberry – £7.90
Green apple – £7.90
Mango – £7.90
Raspberry – £7.90
Parklife drinks prices may set the tone for what Oasis fans can expect.There will be an array of bars and drinks options throughout the park.Credit: The Manc Group
Where can I buy merchandise for Oasis Live ’25?
You don’t have to travel ‘Half The World Away’ to find a good selection of Oasis merchandise, our bustling city is full of it – and we for one certainly aren’t complaining.
Ahead of the biggest Manchester gigs of the year, two exclusive Oasis merchandise pop-up shops have opened – one of them being on the city’s shopping hub, Market Street, which has seen the band’s long-standing affinity with adidas rekindled.
Launching to the general public on Thursday, 3 July, adidas and Oasis have teamed up to open a pop-up shop selling an exclusive 90s-inspired collection.
There might even be some merch items that have been right under your nose the whole time, like these impressive and colourful tees from jeans mastermind Levi’s in Manchester Arndale.
Any eager-eyed office commuters will have noticed there’s an official merchandise pop-up trailer outside Manchester Central Library at St. Peter’s Square ahead of the five monumental shows.
And of course, there will be merch points spread across various locations in Heaton Park where you can sport your very own Oasis-branded apparel and accessories like a keyring or bottle opener.
There’s plenty of t-shirts and Oasis memorabilia at the official fan shop in Spinningfields.You can shop Oasis merch at multiple Manchester stores including Levi’s.Credit: The Manc
How to get to Heaton Park
Last but not least, if you’ve never been to the massive green space before, your best bet is to travel via tram or other Bee Network public transport. Metrolink services will be running direct from Victoria to the venue during the day, and thankfully, it’s just a case of getting off at the Heaton Park tram stop itself.
From there, you can enter the event site via the North Gate; after the party is over, the Bowker Vale tram stop located near the East Gate is your quickest exit. Please also be mindful that Heaton Park station will also be closed from 9pm due to help with congestion and safety reasons.
Otherwise, the usual Big Green Coaches will also be running from the city centre, which can be booked in advance, and taxis home will be available from Blackley New Road and along Bury Old Road.
The posters of our Burnage boys Liam and Noel have been cropping up around town.
Throughout the city, there are also lots of official Oasis wayfinding signage which direct any concertgoers to the tram stop at Victoria, which runs directly to Heaton Park every 6 minutes on Oasis gig days.
Alongside this, a shuttle bus service will be running from Lever Street to Heaton Park and back on any of the upcoming Manchester Oasis dates.
The signage will direct people arriving at Piccadilly Station through the Northern Quarter to Victoria Station to either the shuttle buses or the Victoria trams.
And that should be just all the important key information you need to know ahead of what is sure to be nothing short of one of the most memorable nights of your life and in music history.
We’re sure you’re about to have a ‘Supersonic’ night, let’s just hope the weather makes sure to ‘Cast No Shadow’ over these five very important nights of Manchester music history – the last of our puns for today, we promise.
The Manc -
8th October 2020 
