The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II is taking place today, and there’s several ways the people of Greater Manchester can come together to pay their respects.
HM Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 on 8 September 2022.
During her reign, she served as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – undertaking an important symbolic and unifying role as a head of state, spanning numerous geographical regions, cultures, and religions.
She was not just the longest-reigning British monarch in history, but she was also the first-ever monarch to reign in the UK for 70 years.
With the UK in a period of national mourning, it was confirmed by Buckingham Palace and the UK government that the State Funeral would be held at 11am in Westminster Abbey today (Monday 19 September) – with a bank holiday declared, so that mourners nationwide have the time to properly pay their respects to the late monarch.
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Due to the bank holiday, many businesses, companies, and organisations across the country have made the decision to close their doors today as a mark of respect, but for those wishing to watch the funeral in the company of others, there are still several ways that people can come together to do so.
Here’s a round-up of different ways to watch the State Funeral in Manchester today.
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The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II is taking place today at Westminster Abbey at 11am / Credit: The Royal Family
Big Screens
For those who wish to publicly pair their respects, Manchester City Council has confirmed that big screens in the city centre will show coverage of the State Funeral from 9am in these three popular locations:
Cathedral Gardens
Exchange Square
Inside Manchester Cathedral
Each site will be open to the public without the need for tickets.
There will be bag searches in operation and access to the squares will be limited when they reach capacity, but the Council has confirmed that people will be able to move in and out of the big screen areas throughout the day.
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“This Monday will be a historic occasion as Queen Elizabeth II is honoured with a State Funeral,” said Cllr Bev Craig – Leader of Manchester City Council.
“We recognise that many people will take comfort in gathering together to share the moment as they pay tribute to the late Queen and reflect on her long and momentous reign and we are pleased to be able to support this communal remembrance through a public screening of the event.”
Coverage of the State Funeral is to be broadcast nationwide from 9am / Credit: The Royal Family
Cinemas
While Odeon, Cineworld, Picturehouse, Showcase and The Light – most of which have sites across Greater Manchester and the North West – have all confirmed they will be closing theatres nationwide today, others have taken a different approach.
Curzon and Arc are two of the cinema chains that have chosen to screen the funeral for free and cancel the rest of scheduled programming the day.
Vue – which is one of the UK’s largest cinema chains, and the operator of a handful of sites in Greater Manchester – has decided to do a combination of both, by cancelling all of its scheduled screenings today, but opening a select number of venues to screen the funeral from 11am.
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“Seats will be free of charge and we will close our retail stands, but will offer complimentary bottled water during the broadcast,” Vue said in a statement.
With UK government guidance giving hospitality businesses nationwide the option to decide how they operate on the day of the State Funeral, several chains have chosen to keep their doors open and screen the funeral for free rather than shut up shop.
A few of the hospitality chains that have confirmed screenings today include.
HM Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 on 8 September 2022 / Credit: The Royal Family
Stonegate
This pub group more than 70 sites in Manchester, including The Slug & Lettuce on Deansgate, Walkabout Printworks, the Oxnoble in Castlefield, The Railway in Sale, The Beech Inn in Chorlton, and The Metropolitan in Didsbury.
Another popular chain that operates 20 pubs in the Manchester borough itself – including the Lass O Gowrie, Ye Olde Cock in Didsbury, the Kings Ransom in Sale, the Matchstick Man at Salford Quays and The Trevor Arms in Chorlton – as well as plenty of others throughout the city region.
Wetherspoons has confirmed that “the majority” of its pubs nationwide will be open from 1pm today following the State Funeral coverage, and will operate “normal trading hours after that”, so that means several of the city’s most popular drinking sites – including the Moon Under Water on Deansgate, The Waterhouse on Princess Street, and the Sedge Lyn in Chorlton – will be open for business to celebrate the Queen’s life.
Scheme approved and date set for work to begin on Piccadilly Gardens transformation
Emily Sergeant
The long-awaited Piccadilly Gardens transformation is a go.
It’s official – planners have given the green light for the scheme to transform Piccadilly Gardens, with Manchester City Council having received no objections to the proposals which meant that officials were able to approve the full planning application without it needing to be considered at next month’s Planning Committee.
The decision means that preparation works can continue at pace, ready for the main works due to get underway this autumn.
In case you aren’t up to date with the Piccadilly Gardens transformation plans, the idea is, in a nutshell, to put the ‘Gardens’ back in Piccadilly Gardens.
But what exactly does this mean?
Well, the approved plans show a vision for more green space – including lawns, trees, planting, seating, and colourful horticultural displays – with the temperamental fountains being removed for good and replaced with a new space called The Pavilion that will host family-friendly events.
Date set for work to begin on Piccadilly Gardens transformation / Credit: Supplied
The low concrete walls and raised planters at the edge of the gardens will be ripped out, improving the setting of the Queen Victoria statue.
An there’ll be a new, larger playground for younger children, created in the same high-quality style as the new parks at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
The plan is to also make the space ‘safer’ overall, through improved sightlines, better lighting, and enhanced CCTV.
The Council and its partners say they are ‘clear’ that delivering a ‘better’ Piccadilly Gardens cannot just be about physical improvements, but it also requires improvements to how the area is managed and maintained.
We're putting the Gardens back into Piccadilly Gardens
The major regeneration plan to transform the square has now been approved by planners.
This means we can start work this autumn to make the Gardens more colourful, vibrant and safer for residents and visitors. pic.twitter.com/5Ayv2k9SRw
This process is said to have already started, primarily with a strengthened police presence, but a new management model is also being developed to ensure that improvements are sustained.
“Securing planning permission means that before this year is out, we can get started properly on work to transform the space and have it finished and ready for the public to use next year,” explained Councillor Garry Bridges, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“Piccadilly Gardens has huge potential to be a real asset to the city and its people. We know it hasn’t been good enough – but that’s about to change.”
Work is set to begin in November, with further dates and timelines announced in due course.
Featured Image – Supplied
News
Greater Manchester announces £15m investment in grassroots culture
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Greater Manchester is investing more than £15 million in grassroots and community culture over the next three years, with funding set to support organisations across all 10 boroughs.
The funding will support a range of cultural activity, including disability arts, youth engagement, community music-making, theatre, live music, dance, and documentary filmmaking.
Investment will be prioritised in neighbourhoods that are viewed as facing greater barriers to cultural engagement, addressing inequalities in access, meaning these community theatres, grassroots music venues and local production companies are set to be given an additional £407,540 per year.
This investment is a fantastic opportunity for Mancunians to come together and celebrate the beautiful place that we are lucky enough to call home.
Culture is absolutely essential for unity and reinforcing our sense of civic pride, in addition to bringing valuable skills, expertise and new opportunities to our region. Not to mention the benefits co-creation can have on wellbeing and positive growth.
Recognising the transformational impact culture can have, Greater Manchester has pledged continual support to existing leading regional institutions which will ensure culture remains central to local regeneration, as well as committing funds and support to new grassroot talent.
What’s more is that funding has been secured for enrichment across all ten boroughs, meaning nobody has to miss out.
This boost in funding will also help deliver on the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s commitment to putting ‘things to do’ at the heart of town centres, with nine new organisations to receive funding for the first time. Included in this are OT Creative Space, String of Hearts, Manchester’s Reform Radio, Venture Arts, and Stand and Be Counted Theatre.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig said: “Shared cultural experiences are powerful opportunities to bring people together, create opportunities and build pride. We are investing more than £15 million for culture over the next three years, funding organisations of all shapes and sizes, in all 10 boroughs, so that everyone in Greater Manchester has access to an experience that speaks to them.
“Doorstep access to everything from theatre to live music, dance to documentary filmmaking, has the power to transform lives and shape communities. The Culture Fund is a key part of my commitment to putting things to do at the heart of our towns.”
This exciting £15m investment is to be divided into just over £5m each year, for cultural organisations in the region, across a three year period. This funding is designed to increase reach to more people within our communities and to ensure that the cultural sector remains thriving and strong.
Greater Manchester has also vowed to give the well-known Inspire Fund a £20,000 annual boost, to provide small grants to more local artists, small cultural organisations, creatives and freelancers.
In Rochdale, Breaking Barriers, known for amplifying unheard voices by co-creating work with local communities, have received an annual award of £40,000, as well as Skylight Circus Arts securing an annual award of £27,540 for its inclusive circus workshops for communities and schools.
Doc North, a not-for-profit organisation supporting working-class documentary makers and storytellers in the North of England, has been given £42,000 and popular grassroots music venue, The Snug, has been awarded £70,000.
In response to the challenges faced by the sector, a new Structural Fund of £100,000 has also been implemented to help to solidify stronger cultural networks and partnerships across the region. This will aid organisations to take risks and experiment in the delivery of new ideas.
In a city region so rich with culture and history, it’s about time we start engaging within our communities and celebrating what we have on offer here in Greater Manchester.
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2022 
