Manchester has a reputation for being a 24-hour party city, with a nightlife scene that’s globally renowned.
Since Covid shuttered the world, our city has bounced back in a big way, from gigs, to clubbing juggernauts like the Warehouse Project, to festivals, to club nights.
But while our after-dark socialising is back with a vengeance, there’s a crucial piece of the jigsaw that’s still missing – our public transport.
If you cast your mind back to the autumn of 2019, you might remember Metrolink trams running all the way through to almost 2am.
There are calls for Manchester’s late-night tram network to return / Credit: Unsplash
It was part of a ‘festive enhancement’ championed by both Mayor Andy Burnham and night time economy adviser Sacha Lord, and benefitted not only members of the public but also an estimated 414,000 night-time workers across the city centre.
Everyone loved it, but then Covid hit and any mention of a late-night public transport offering seemed to disappear again.
According to TfGM, the return of the late-night trams is ‘not being considered’, despite increasing calls for it.
A petition to bring them back has been launched by the Salford Lib Dems, who say: “If you are out working or enjoying yourself late at night, Greater Manchester Councils are giving us a curfew, expensive taxis or a risky walk home in the dark.
“Even at current, the trams are under capacity and do not fit the current population. The local population is set to double in the next 3 years. We want to change this declining service.”
Similarly, local brewery Beer Nouveau said: “We’re supposed to be a party city, but our public transport turns off the music and turns on the lights, closing the parties early.”
Someone else wrote on Twitter: “24 hour or at least late night Metrolink is the missing piece of the jigsaw. Would open everything right up.”
One person said that the idea of Manchester being an international city is ‘b*llocks’ without public transport that runs past midnight.
Manchester – an international city?
Bollocks !
International cities don't have public transport that shuts down before midnight.@AndyBurnhamGM talks about the great future but he can't even get @MCRMetrolink to run a service that supports our night time economy.
At the time of the festive enhancement, Andy Burnham said: “I am committed to improving Greater Manchester’s transport system and one of the things I want to see is later running public transport.
“I’ve been working closely with TfGM and night time advisor Sacha Lord to look at how we can improve night-time transport and help people get home quickly and safely after work or after a night out.
“So, I’m really pleased we can introduce these enhancements, which will be a welcome boost for the many people that will be working, shopping or socialising over the Christmas period.
Andy Burnham (left) and Sacha Lord (right) / Credit: GMCA
“We will be closely monitoring the uptake to help inform our long-term plans, and ensure we have a transport system that works for everyone.”
Meanwhile Sacha Lord said back in 2019: “Accessible and safe public transport is vital to a thriving night-time economy, for people going out and for the hundreds of thousands of people in Greater Manchester who work at night.”
A spokesperson for TfGM said this week that returning to later-running trams would be looked into if there was the right demand.
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Head of Metrolink, said: “The return of late-night trams is not currently being considered, though we would like to explore this in the long-term if there is demand for it.”
The Manc has approached Andy Burnham and Greater Manchester Combined Authority for comment.
Featured Image – Unsplash
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Manchester City dedicate derby win to late and beloved boxing blue, Ricky Hatton
Danny Jones
Manchester City players past and present, club members and fans alike have paid tribute to the late, great boxer, Ricky Hatton, following his shock passing this weekend, honouring him with a fitting derby day win.
Safe to say there’ll be a blue moon all over Greater Manchester this week.
The tragic news about Ricky Hattonwas sadly announced just hours before the 197th Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 14 September, with the entire ground observing a ‘minute of appreciation’ before kick-off.
Manager Pep Guardiola looked visibly emotional when the camera panned to him applauding his memory in the crowd, and there were plenty of other tributes to ‘The Pride Hyde’ spotted both the home and away ends, with several famous City faces taking to social media after full-time to share their own.
Our pre match display funded as ever by you the fans. We’re planning a Ricky Hatton tribute for Burnley. pic.twitter.com/l67gyyjSTK
Perhaps one of the most moving tributes came from Guardiola himself, who has always immersed himself in local Manc culture beyond just football, so it was no surprise he felt the sorrow in the stands.
Speaking to the media in his post-match duties, the Catalan coach and former athlete himself said: “I’ve been here for ten years, [seen/heard] a lot of minute [silences/applauses], and I don’t remember one so, so intense like today.
“I want to say thank you so much to the Man United fans because they behaved and applauded. I know he was a World Champion in boxing. It was a special, special moment. There are no words that can contain the pain that the family can feel right now for this loss, but we are close.
“I know how much of an incredible Man City fan [he was]. He lived the bad moments and the good moments in the last 10/15 years. I know for the fans how close he was [held]. The moment of applause was unbelievable.
“It was an experience I will always remember because I felt in every applause of every person in the stadium the gratitude for what he has done professionally and being a massive, massive City fan.”
Once again, he wasn’t the only familiar sports personality, blue or otherwise, who made it known how much he was admired by those in and around the region of Greater Manchester.
Both Manchester United legend Roy Keane and ex-Man City defender Micah Richards joined the Sky Sports panel in discussing his legacy as a local sporting icon.
Rest in peace to a legend and a mental health hero.
Everyone involved paid tribute to Ricky Hatton as City claimed the win over United.
Such a sad day for combat sports. Sad day for Great Britain. Sad day for Manchester. I remember as a young boy staying up late to watch his legendary career. The original people’s champion, one of us. Rest in peace Ricky Hatton 💔 pic.twitter.com/2phiyCEneM
Featured Images — Sky Sports (screenshot)/SamboD (via Flickr)/Man City via (X)
News
Warrington-born Adolescence star Owen Cooper becomes youngest ever male Emmy winner
Emily Sergeant
Owen Cooper has made history.
The Warrington-born actor who burst onto the scene as a newcomer in the Netflix smash-hit drama series Adolescence, starring alongside other big names like Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Walters, has become the youngest winner ever in any male acting category at last nights Emmy Awards 2025.
He took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series.
Youngest Emmy winner ever in any male acting category.
At just 15 years old, Cooper beat out his fellow co-star Ashley Walters for the award, as well as other renowned actors like Javier Bardem, Peter Sarsgaard, and Rob Delaney.
Adolescence, if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates – with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot.
The truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.
Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented?
Adolescence gained universal critical acclaim when it debuted on Netflix earlier this year / Credit: Netflix
Cooper was a complete screen newcomer starring as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, and the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside because of it.
Taking to the stage to accept his award last night, Cooper – who began taking weekly acting lessons with The Drama Mob here in Manchester – said: “[The win] is just so surreal. Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind [at The Emmys].
“So I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”
Elsewhere on the night, Adolescence cleaned up as a whole.
Co-creator and star of the show, Stephen Graham, took home the Best Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series award, as well as a Writing award alongside co-writer Jack Thorne, while Erin Doherty claimed the Best Supporting Actress accolade in the same category, and director Philip Barantini won the Best Director award.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd July 2022 
