The plan to regenerate Withington Village is set to be adopted following a consultation posted out to over a thousand properties in the area.
After consultation information was sent to more than 1,200 properties in the south Manchester suburb in January of this year – supplemented by COVID-secure online events – to agree a long-term strategy to support future investment in the area, Manchester City Council has revealed that local residents, organisations and businesses have shown “overwhelming support” for proposals to improve and develop Withington Village.
90% of respondents either strongly agreed, or agreed with the proposals set out in the framework.
The Withington Village Framework will aim to establish a vision for Withington as a liveable place, generate confidence in the area for future investment, provide support for future funding bids, and resent options for how future design and investment could be achieved.
According to Manchester City Council, some of the key findings from the consultation include responses related to reducing the levels of traffic in the village, with a view to making the area more pedestrian and cycling friendly, alongside strong support for reducing the number of junctions onto Wilmslow Road though the village, as well as the introduction of wider pavements, limiting the number of loading bays on the high street and improving pedestrian crossings.
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Significant support was also received around the potential to pedestrianise Copson Street, while ensuring local access.
Another common theme of the respondents was around increasing greenery and tree planting in the area, along with more opportunities for public parks and family friendly public spaces, and improving the look and feel of the high street was high on the agenda too, with the wish to see shop front and signage improved, as well as the express hope to attract more independent businesses.
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The conversation and celebration of Withington Village’s rich history was also often brought up, including the area’s diversity, which should be celebrated.
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Speaking on the consultation findings, Councillor Suzanne Richards – Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration – said: “We have a community in Withington that is incredibly committed to driving positive change in and their partnership approach and dedication to improving their neighbourhood is impressive and has achieved real results already.
“The positive responses that we have received following the consultation early this year shows that we also have the support of the wider community and we will continue to work closely with the Withington Partnership as individual schemes are brought forward.
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“Hopefully increased investment in the village will follow”.
Dave Payne, Chair of the Withington Village Regeneration Partnership – a committed collective of local groups and initiatives set up in 2017 to actively pursue a community led policy and encourage positive regeneration in Withington – added: “This feels somewhat momentus in the lifespan of the village.
“Our group has been working for the last five years to develop proposals for schemes to improve and enhance our neighbourhood.
“I’m pleased to see that previous projects – such as Withington Walls – has been broadly welcomed by the local community, and we should look forward to further strides to bring positive investment in the coming months and years.”
The Withington Village Framework will be heard by the Manchester City Council’s Economy Scrutiny Committee today (Thursday 11th March) ahead of agreement by the council’s Executive next Wednesday 17th March.
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Once formally adopted, individual projects will be developed as part of the improvement plans for the local community.
You can find more information via the Manchester City Council website here.
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Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
11th March 2021 
