News

Tiny Manchester pub brilliantly condemns ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech

'You can let the door kick you on the way out'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 4th August 2025

A micropub in Manchester city centre has spoken out about an ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech.

The Victoria Tap, a tiny little boozer at Manchester Victoria train station, strongly condemned any racist, homophobic or sexist conversations taking place in its venue.

The pub said ‘there is absolutely no room for it’ within its walls.

In a statement – which has been met with praise from customers and followers – they added that anyone bringing hate speech to the pub ‘can let the door kick you on the way out’.

The Victoria Tap wrote: “We’ve noticed an alarming rise in racist, homophobic and sexist slurs/comments/conversations lately and we just want to say that there is absolutely no room for it here.

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“This is a safe space for everyone.

“If you, or someone in your group, want to disturb this philosophy, you can let the door kick you on the way out.”

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It's opened in a former bin store at Victoria Station
The Victoria Tap has brilliantly condemned ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech

Praising their statement, one person wrote: “Great to read this. There is NO place for this. All public spaces should be welcoming.”

Another said: “Pubs should be welcoming environments for people of all walks of life. There’s no room for misogyny, racism or discrimination of any kind. Those who espouse those thoughts need a good hard look in the mirror.”

Someone else commented: “That’s how I see the Vic Tap. Great place for a safe quiet pint. Keep up the great work guys as it’s a fantastic venue.”

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The Victoria Tap opened at Manchester Victoria back in 2023, completely transforming a space that was previously a bin store.

As well as its cosy interior, it has a small beer garden which overlooks the tram tracks in and out of the train station.

It’s operated by the same team behind the Piccadilly Tap and the even newer Oxford Tap.

We know exactly where we’ll be heading for our next pint now. Good work, Victoria Tap.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

News

The Greater Manchester high street that now has THREE great wine bars in a 200m stretch

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Prestwich has become a wine bar hub in Greater Manchester

A popular suburb of Greater Manchester seems to be having a bit of a wine bar moment – and for once, we’re not talking about Stockport.

Prestwich has a buzzing little food and drink scene, and just this week has welcomed a brand-new wine bar.

That brings the total number of wine bars in the village to three – and they’re all in just a 200m stretch of the high street.

The latest addition is Cellar Door, headed up by siblings Ben and Sarah and sitting side-by-side with acclaimed neighbourhood restaurant The Pearl.

Cellar Door joins long-standing favourite Whole Bunch Wines (formerly known as Grape to Grain) and the new-ish Chin Chin, which comes from the same team behind Elnecot in Ancoats.

And beyond that, The Pearl has a ‘wine window’ where they’ll pass your drink out to you to drink on their pavement bistro tables.

If you much prefer a decent glass of wine instead of a pint, Prestwich is becoming the new hotspot for a bar crawl.

Read on for more on each of these brilliant independent businesses.

Cellar Door

Cellar Door is the newest wine bar to open in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
Cellar Door is the newest wine bar to open in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
Cellar Door is the newest wine bar to open in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group

The newest wine bar on the Prestwich high street is Cellar Door, opened just this month by brother and sister Ben and Sarah.

It’s their first project together and is stocked with more than 200 different wines, plus plenty of beers (including some local names), selected batched cocktails served ice-cold, and a menu of nibbles too.

Spanning two floors, there’s a sunny balcony upstairs for sunnier days, but in the meantime, get cosy in a booth with a glass of something from their VAST vino collection.

See more HERE.

427 Bury New Road, M25 1AF

Whole Bunch Wines (fka Grape to Grain)

Grape to Grain wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group

An ‘off licence with a difference’, Whole Bunch Wines (which used to be known as Grape to Grain) is Prestwich’s original spot for a wine.

Almost a decade old now, Whole Bunch Wines has a proper enomatic wine machine which means you can have a glass of their chosen bottles each week (without committing to a full bottle – though no judgement if you do want to do that too).

They also have a counter stuffed with cheese, meat and fresh bread so you can customise yourself a deli board.

There’s not much better than grabbing a bottle to take away from Whole Bunch, then changing your mind and cracking it open sat on one of the barrel tables outside instead.

1 Church Lane, M25 1AN

Read more: Manchester’s most exclusive restaurant, serving omakase sushi to just four customers a week

Chin Chin

Inside Chin Chin wine bar
Inside Chin Chin wine bar

Last but definitely not least on this mini wine crawl around Prestwich is Chin Chin.

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This lovely spot comes from the team behind Elnecot, who initially opened it as Dokes Pizzeria (but then Rudy’s opened up opposite and honestly, who can be arsed) before pivoting it to be a wine bar.

There’s jazz vinyls playing, an enormous selection of rotating wines, a smart interior of tiled tabletops and moody red paint, and – a weekly highlight for locals – Sunday Sessions with roast dinner-inspired sandwiches and £4 pints.

449A Bury New Road, M25 1AF

Read more: Prestwich wine bar Chin Chin now serves roast dinner sandwiches

Featured image: The Manc Group

News

Manchester City hit with backlash from season ticket holders after ‘divisive’ North Stand update

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man City fans angry backlash over being moved out of their seats North Stand stadium expansion plans

Manchester City have shared a new update on the impending North Stand expansion and concourse upgrade, but the most recent reveal has been met with plenty of backlash from supporters set to suffer the consequences.

The Etihad is currently undergoing a major transformation that will see numerous new facilities added to the wider campus experience – most notably the increased capacity of the North Stand, which will make room for a further 7,000 or so fans.

Back in March, the club revealed the official brand partners for their upcoming on-site hotel, which will also accompany a new sky bar and rooftop stadium walk experience as part of the wider plans, but while adding more seats and things for matchgoers to do sounds good on paper, it’s come at a cost for many.

Reacting to the news of social media, many regular fans are now set to be forced out of their seats to make way for more hospitality sections at the end of the stadium, meaning the post has proved ‘divisive’ to say the least.

As you can see, both Blues, neutrals, and even rivals alike are expressing their shock and disappointment in not only the decision but the manner in which the announcement was made.

One person said on X: “You turfed me and hundreds of others out of our seats four seasons ago when you dug them up for digital signage. We were all split up and had to scrape around for new seats. Had enough of all the new rules and digital tickets/transfers. I sit on my sofa now and save £3k.

Reply in the comments underneath the response, a Manchester United fan added: “I don’t like City, but this is something I can stand with [fans] on.”

Even well-known online commentators like ‘HLTCO’ (Hopkin Looking To Curl One), a.k.a. Dan Cook – a notable Crystal Palace die-hard – shared his two cents online.

“Man City season ticket holders are being told that they’re being permanently moved from the seats they’ve had for years to accommodate a new corporate seating area”, he wrote, adding: “This is the sort of thing that fans everywhere have to push back against; these clubs see us as a nuisance.”

In terms of what the stadium overhaul looks like, the latest CGIs show the first proper glimpse of the new ‘Cross Bar’ that will “offer a relaxed, social atmosphere” for around 300 fans, as well as the new ‘City Hall’ concourse area, which will cater to around 500 punters both on game-days and beyond.

You can take another close look down below.

As detailed in the full statement on the club website, they have insisted that they will be supporting those “may need to move seats ahead of the commencement of the 2026/27”, clarifying that no one will need to be relocated to accommodate the Cross Bar, specifically.

They go on to add: “We understand that relocating seats may be unsettling, and we are here to support these fans”. They have promised things like a “priority relocation window” and, most crucially, a guarantee that they won’t have to pay more to sit in what is typically a more expensive stadium block.

However, while they have also assured that people will be able to move groups of seats so as to stay around their friends, as explained by a user above, this is easier said than done and ticket uncertainty remains a big concern among the fan base.

What do you make of the latest Etihad Stadium news, City fans?

Manchester City supporters groups call on club and fellow fans to ‘make their voices heard’
Man City fans have been vocal about their seats, the ‘Flexi Gold’ saga and much more.

Read more:

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Featured Images — David Wilson (via Flickr)/CGIs (via mancity.com)

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