Tommy Dolan, the man behind the legendary Tommy’s House of Fires in Old Trafford, has died aged 72.
His iconic storefront has been a fixture in the town for years – and any self-respecting South Mancunian will be more than familiar with its busy, if dilapidated, frontage.
Owned for decades by the Eccles-born businessman, who identified as a Hulme lad through and through and ran a series of successful chippies before venturing into the world of marble fireplaces, there’s nowhere else quite like it.
For years, Tommy’s House of Fires was a go-to spot, not just for Old Trafford locals but also for rich and famous footballers thanks, in part, to its close proximity to the Manchester United grounds.
Counted amongst Tommy’s most famous customers was The Prodigy Firestarter the late Keith Flint, who notoriously then went on a three-day bender with Tommy that, allegedly, saw the businessman spiked with LSD.
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The 72-year-old also saw a fair bit of national fame in his time, thanks to a series of weird and wonderful advertising campaigns he ran in the 90s.
Most famous, of course, was the ‘FREE SEX (with every 100 fires sold)’ advert, swiftly followed by ‘TOMMY’S GETTING A DIVORCE – (come get it before she gets half)’.
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Tommy may not have been actually getting a divorce, but that didn’t matter – it landed him in all the national newspapers, and that more than did the job of promoting his business.
Tommy passed away peacefully in his sleep unexpectedly last month, leaving behind his wife Judy of over 50 years Judy, and his four children TJ, Emma, Anna and Danny.
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An iconic South Manchester character, he will be greatly missed by all who knew him and those in the local community who grew to know his shop over the years.
His funeral will be held on Tuesday 22 August at St John’s in Chorlton at 12pm, followed by a wake at The Woodstock in Didsbury at 2pm.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
Georgina Pellant -
10th August 2023 
