Hundreds of people will be protesting outside their local Costa to take a stand against the dairy industry this weekend.
Organised by one of the UK’s leading vegan charities, Viva!, this Saturday is the second of several ‘Days of Action’ this year, and it’ll see activists assemble outside branches of Costas nationwide in an attempt to “educate members of the public about the modern dairy industry”.
They’ll also be encouraging people to opt for plant-based milk alternatives like oat, soya, or almond, and sharing the benefits of switching to them.
Protests will be taking place in 40 towns and cities across the UK – including here in Manchester.
Vegans to protest against the dairy industry outside Costa in Manchester this weekend / Credit: Viva! Vegan (via Facebook)
Campaigners will be taking a stand outside Costa on Market Street in Manchester city centre this Saturday 11 March to hand out leaflets, holding placards, and have “friendly open conversations with customers” about why they should consider choosing plant-based alternatives.
Viva! says its ‘Days of Action’ were set up after the charity conducted a recent undercover investigation into Home Farm – a Red Tractor-approved dairy farm that supplies milk to Freshways, which in turn, supplies milk to Costa Coffee.
The charity says it found cows at Home Farm that were emaciated, lame, and struggling to walk, while others were manhandled, slapped, and shoved, and some were even visibly-injured or in shackles.
But despite the shocking revelations from the investigation, and what Viva! has called a “mountain of evidence indicating breaches of animal welfare laws”, Home Farm is continuing to deny any wrongdoing, according to the charity, and Red Tractor claims that Home Farm abides by their standards.
Campaigners will be taking a stand outside Costa on Market Street in Manchester city centre / Credit: Costa
“After seeing first-hand the despicable conditions that these poor cows and calves are being kept in at Home Farm, I knew Viva! had to act,” said Viva!’s founder and director Juliet Gellatley ahead of Saturday’s protests in Manchester.
“It was heart-rending to see these gentle curious animals being treated so badly.
“So that’s why we’re taking to the streets to educate people about the dairy industry – one that profits from exploitation and suffering.
“We’ll be having judgement-free, positive conversations with Costa Coffee customers, helping them see that dairy alternatives are delicious, and don’t involve suffering.”
Get involved with our next Day of Action on Saturday 11 March!✊🐮
We will be holding protests outside Costa stores all across the country – check to see if your local Costa is covered! 🙏 #ScaryDairy
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Pride Parade 2025
Emily Sergeant
The full list of road closures set to be in place for the Manchester Pride Parade this weekend have been released.
Manchester Pride is a beloved celebration of LGBTQ+ life in Manchester, known for bringing thousands of people into city centre every August bank holiday weekend for four fun-filled, glitter-covered, disco-driven days – and 2025 is certainly no different.
Everywhere you look, the city’s streets are already becoming awash with colour and acceptance – with everyone welcome to come as they are.
Every year, the Festival lineup offers a wide range of activities for the LGBTQ+ community to join together and celebrate, as well as providing opportunities to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, engage families and young people, and celebrate queer arts and culture.
This year’s Festival is set to kick-off this Friday 22 August and round out on bank holiday Monday (25 August).
Of course, for the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a number of road closures and restrictions will need to be put in place, and Manchester City Council has now published a list of everything you need to know.
It’s advised that anyone making their way into and around the city centre this weekend use other modes of transport, such as buses, trams, and trains.
But for those who need to drive, you’ll want to pay attention to this list before setting out on any journeys.
Manchester Pride Parade takes place this bank holiday weekend / Credit: The Manc Group | Manchester Pride (via Supplied)
Manchester Pride Parade 2025 – Road Closures
Saturday 23 August
6am to 7pm
Liverpool Road – from Water Street to Deansgate
Wollam Place – from 30m south of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road
Potato Wharf – from Castlefield Hotel Entrance to Liverpool Road
Old Medlock Street
Lower Byrom Street – from 40m north of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road
Duke Street – from Rice Street to Liverpool Road
Stone Street – from Liverpool Road to Bridgewater Street
Barton Street – from Worsley Street to Tonman Street
Southern Street – from 20m south of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road
9:30am – 7pm
Deansgate – from Trafford Street to Peter Street
Quay Street – from Little Quays Street to Deansgate
Peter Street – from Deansgate to Oxford Street
Watson Street – from Windmill Street to Peter Street
Mount Street – from Windmill Street to Peter Street
Southmill Street – from Windmill Street to Peter Street
Lower Mosley Street – from Windmill Street to Oxford Street
Oxford Street – from Peter Street to Whitworth Street
Chepstow Street – from Great Bridgewater Street to Oxford Street
Portland Street – from Oxford Street to Abingdon Street
Princess Street – from Faulkner Street to Whitworth Street
Whitworth Street – from Beaver Street to Fairfield Street
Fairfield Street – from Whitworth Street to London Road
This year’s Festival is set to kick-off on Friday 23 August and round out on Monday 26 August.
A number of road closures will be in place to facilitate the Manchester Pride Parade this weekend / Credit: Manchester Pride (via Supplied)
The following closures only pertain to ‘one way’ or are revoked turns and bus gates:
One way
One Way Reversal Deansgate from Peter Street to John Dalton Street
Revoked turns
Right Turn Only – Atkinson Street – from Atkinson Street to Deansgate
Left Turn Only – Bootle Street – from Bootle Street to Deansgate
Left Turn Only – Jacksons Row – from Jacksons Row to Deansgate
Right Turn Only – Hardman Street – from Hardman Street to Deansgate
Left Turn Only – Queen Street – from Queen Street to Deansgate
Right Turn Only – Wood Street – from Wood Street to Deansgate
Revoked bus gate
Revocation of bus gate enforcement on Bridge Street Westbound – from Gartside Street to Blackfriars Street
Thousands will flock to the city for a celebration of love and acceptance / Credit: Manchester Pride (via Supplied)
There will also be a number of parking bay suspensions in and around the Parade route on Saturday 23 August, which have also been confirmed here:
6am – 6pm
Liverpool Road – from Water Street to Deansgate
Deansgate – from Liverpool Road to Peter Street
Peter Street – from Deansgate to Oxford Street
Oxford Street – from Peter Street to Portland Street
Portland Street – from Peter Street to Princess Street
Princess Street – from Portland Street to Whitworth Street
Whitworth Street – from Oxford Street to Fairfield Street
Fairfield Street – from Whitworth Street to London Road
Ebden Street – from Minshull Street to Back Acton Street
Back Acton Street – from Fairfield Street to Granby Row
Heading to Manchester Pride 2025 this weekend? Or making your way into the city centre and keen to find out everything happening this bank holiday weekend?
You can check everything you need to know in our full Manchester Pride Guide here.
And you can also discover everything else in Manchester’s social calendar over the next couple of days here, as we are a city bustling with activity.
Why you should be glad Tom Aspinall has said no to a UFC fight at The White House
Danny Jones
In this industry, you can get used to wearing some pretty strange-sounding headlines, but we still had to double-take when we saw the headlines that the UFC is set to hold an event at The White House (yes, really) – even more so when we saw local name Tom Aspinall linked.
You know, as in the home of the actual President of the United States…
While UFC boss Dana White has stated that “it is definitely going to happen”, revealing that he has already met with Donald Trump, one of the UFC’s biggest stars and Manchester’s very own heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, says he has no interest. More importantly, he says you shouldn’t either.
Appearing on Canadian journalist Ariel Helwani’s mixed martial arts (MMA) and wrestling-focused podcast, The AH Show, Aspinall discussed everything from his next bout against French fighter Ciryl Gane, beef between coaches and much more.
However, the pair couldn’t possibly have skipped over the topic on everyone’s lips in the fight world and, indeed, beyond, after President Trump announced that he would be bringing the UFC to what is, for all intents and purposes, the most famous seat of power in the world.
As you can see in the clip above, the Atherton-born and Salford-raised sportsman barely even gave the notion much time of day at all, quickly expressing his ‘boredom’ over talking about it.
Regardless, Helwani did manage to get a clear response from ‘The Honey Badger’, who said: “It has spent zero seconds in my mind. I’m not interested, mate. Not interested, and the world shouldn’t be interested either, because what’s the point? That’s false hope.”
Once again, while both Trump and Dana White insist an official UFC event will go ahead, slating none other than the annual 4 July celebrations as the desired date on the 250th anniversary of the nation’s unification, it still seems like a surreal sentence to even say out loud for most people.
🇺🇸 President Donald Trump says he will host a UFC fight at the White House as part of the America 250 celebration 👀
"We're gonna have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House… championship fight."pic.twitter.com/ouTttg1NPz
Now, while the Manc MMA fighter (who recently became the undisputed champion in his division following fight legend Jon Jones’ retirement) begins by dismissing the idea, he goes on to admit via double negative that the idea “doesn’t not interest [him]” and would be a “cool experience”.
Whether or not he means in the future, perhaps under a different POTUS’ regime, or simply doubts that the deal will even come off at this early stage, who knows?
He might have also just been referring to his doubts that the former three-time champ Jon Jones’ self-proclaimed return to the testing pool just weeks after retiring will amount to anything material, let alone in time for this particular date; even Dana White himself has said the likelihood is “a billion to one“.
First and foremost, Apsinall explains that he believes that “the Americans [fighting in the UFC] should get the shot at the White House” as they obviously have a much more vested interest in the concept and sense of appeal when it comes to utilising it as the latest historic, albeit unorthodox, sporting venue.
Interestingly, he does confess that he neither knows nor cares very little about US politics, stating: “I’m not really a big Trump supporter or against Trump […] I don’t live there, I don’t reside there, I don’t do anything there, apart from pay taxes and fight there. Really, all of that stuff is irrelevant to me.”
However, his minor caveat was that he has no ‘particular’ interest in the proposal and only really reiterated that he’s “not bothered” about when or where it happens, stating simply that he’ll “fight anywhere.”
The White House under the lights on fight night would be quite the sight, there’s no denying that. (Credit: Rob Young via Flickr)
You could argue that the current world number two UFC heavyweight is being careful in his choice of words, playing the bipartisan role ever so carefully so as not to jeopardise his own future in a sport that predominantly revolves around North America.
After all, recent developments in the media world alone would suggest that the Trump administration could make his time working and competing in the US more difficult than it would otherwise be if he made an outwardly public and definitive stance against the mercurial and controversial statesman.
And that’s putting it mildly.
On the other hand, his words could be quite literally taken at face value: he may not care one bit about the rather divisive political climate in America; he is just an athlete who’s making a living has nothing to do with Democrats vs Republicans.
Nevertheless, it seems fairly significant that Aspinall rubbished what are still just unofficial, though admittedly very loud and public, rumours put forward by the two relevant leadership figures involved in these ongoing developments, especially given that the Wigan warrior is currently at the top of his game.
You can see his AH Show interview in full down below.
He may be too wise to say it out loud, but we’d wager Aspinall knows backing a UFC fight at The White House is bad for business.
Given that Donald Trump is known to be an avid fight fan – having famously backed and hosted the 1988 Tyson fight at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, later going to be pictured shaking ‘Iron Mike’s hand at UFC 316 back in June – there could be a chance of the two interacting somewhat closely.
With that in mind, even if this isn’t Aspinall cleverly and indirectly distancing himself from the President, some might say he is at least trying to urge others to hopefully prevent the sport from drifting into the same muddy waters that other modern combat sports have.
As time goes on, boxing in particular seems to be coming more and more about the paegantry and finding new ways of marketing one of the world’s oldest and most primal contests; celebrities entering the ring and YouTube/influencer boxers being the prime example.
The fight world has always been about spectacle, but many would argue it’s become increasingly style over substance in recent years, given the advent of social media, not to mention the line between exhibition and genuine competition becoming increasingly blurred.
Despite their stars remaining underpaid in comparison to headline boxers, MMA has always prided itself on being brutally itself, and whatever you make of it as it continues to grow both commercially and in terms of popularity, personally, we believe people like Tom Aspinall are trying to keep it honest.
Steering clear of not just politics but the same Hollywood trappings and overly spectacular, money-driven, entertainment-for-profit-first focus that often plagues present-day boxing is a wise step, no matter how Jon Jones suddenly wants to join in the hard sell.
Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event. At the end of the day, Dana is the boss and it’s his call whether I compete that night or not. I do know Dana was really excited about the fight, and the door hasn’t…
Emily Sergeant -
8th March 2023 
