The iconic Manchester worker bee is to feature on a new eco-friendly takeaway cup that’ll soon be available throughout the city.
In a bid to celebrate and champion the city’s identity, all while helping the region cut back on the consumption of single-use plastics, family-run Stockport-based catering equipment business, Stephensons, has created a new environmentally friendly takeaway cup that you’ll soon be able to buy from a wide range of places across Manchester.
And around 5% of all the sales will be donated to the life-changing We Love MCR Charity too.
The certified plastic-free cup is fully compostable, and is designed to be recycled along with paper and card after use.
It will be available in 8oz and 12oz sizes, with 16oz soon to follow, and is to be sold to hospitality outlets, venues, and event organisers, alongside independent coffee shops, universities, museums, and everywhere in between.
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Iconic worker bee to appear on new eco-friendly takeaway cups across Manchester / Credit: Supplied
The iconic Manchester worker bee – which is a symbol of the city’s resilience and work ethic, and the embodiment of the Mancunian spirit – takes centre stage on the cup, with the design originating from the striking mosaic in the Town Hall that can also be spotted throughout the city, on everything from lampposts and street art, to bins and beyond.
The launch of the new cup comes after the success of Stephensons’ – which is one of the few companies to have the official rights from Manchester City Council to use the iconic bee symbol – now widely-recognised 100% recyclable bee straws.
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The bee straws were notably introduced back in 2018 as part of the first step of a Greater Manchester initiative to eradicate avoidable single-use plastic, ahead of the government-imposed ban on plastic straws.
Just like the new bee cups, a percentage of the sales of the bee straws were donated to the We Love MCR Charity – with over £5,000 of vital funds raised to date.
“We came up with the idea of putting the bee mosaic on a disposable cup when we launched the straw back in 2018,” Stephensons’ Managing Director, Henry Stephenson, explained ahead of the cup’s official launch next week.
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“But it was only until recently that the technology finally arrived, allowing us to put the bee on a truly sustainable, certified plastic-free cup.
“We’re proud to see both the cup and the straw as a simple but powerful statement from the city’s hospitality industry, reflecting its collective commitment to sustainability.
“As a Manchester-based business since 1868, we understand the pride and identity people associate with the Manchester bee, so to have the bee as a continued symbol of the city’s desire to limit single-use plastics is fantastic.”
The new plastic-free cups will soon be available across the city / Credit: Supplied
Lord Mayor of Manchester, Donna Ludford – who is also Chair of the We Love MCR Charity – says she “can’t wait to see the beautiful cups in cafes, bars, and venues throughout Manchester”, and added that they’ll make “a great impact in helping reduce waste”, while the donations made to We Love MCR Charity will help “improve more lives across Manchester.”
Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, also says she welcomes the bee cup initiative.
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“The Manchester worker bee positively represents Manchester, so to see it on biodegradable coffee cups across the city will be a great way to celebrate our heritage whilst making a positive difference to our communities and our environment,” she added.
The official launch of the cup will take place at the Northern Restaurant and Bar show at Manchester Central on Tuesday 14 March, before being distributed across the city.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Manchester’s new aesthetics clinic with a budget-friendly tiered pricing model
The Manc
There’s a new medically–led aesthetics clinic in the heart of Manchester, which offers a tiered pricing model that will get you the right treatment at a price that suits your budget.
The Academy Clinic has opened up on Quay Street, specialising in natural, balanced results with a massive range of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments
The clinic was founded by Dr Tristan Mehta, Dr Emily Mehta, and Dr Marcus Mehta, who want to raise the standards of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments across the UK.
It’s part of Harley Academy, the UK’s leading provider of postgraduate training in aesthetic medicine.
And that’s what sets it apart from a lot of other clinics in the UK, and makes it a stand-out in an industry that is largely unregulated – at The Academy Clinic you won’t ever be treated by non-medics or anyone without formal medical training.
It means that you are always in the hands of a registered medical professional – whether it be practitioner or trainee, and doctor, nurse, dentist or clinical pharmacist – who would be able to manage complications, so you can feel confident you’re in the best hands.
The Academy Clinic in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
And the tiered treatment model really does suit every patient’s budget and preferences – you can take a more affordable treatment option, where qualified medical professionals are learning and being upskilled with expert supervision during your treatment; or you can opt for a fully private experience with a senior practitioner and no training elements involved.
There’s a wide range of treatments available, including popular injectable skin treatments such as Profhilo® and Profhilo Structura®, polynucleotides, dermal fillers, microneedling, HydraFacial and more, all designed to deliver natural-looking, confidence-boosting results.
Beyond patient care, The Academy Clinic’s clinical team also trains and mentors medical professionals through its GMC-registered aesthetics training academy, Harley Academy.
Dr Tristan Mehta, Founder & CEO of The Academy Clinic and Harley Academy, said: “Our mission has always been to raise standards in aesthetics. By combining education with patient care, we can ensure treatments are delivered safely, ethically, and with natural results.
Treatments include HydraFacials
“Bringing The Academy Clinic to Manchester means more people can access medically-led aesthetics with confidence.”
The Academy Clinic is now open at St John’s Court on Quay Street in Manchester, having acquired SkinViva last October.
To keep up to date with the latest news and promotions, you can follow The Academy Clinic on Instagram @theacademyclinic. For bookings or enquiries, call 0161 865 1141, visit theacademyclinic.co.uk or email [email protected].
Exclusive offer for The Manc readers: Use code MANC25 at the time of booking or when in clinic for 25% off any treatments excluding wrinkle reduction treatments.
Wigan favourites Stanleys release first single ahead of debut album next year
Danny Jones
Fast-rising Wigan band Stanleys have dropped the lead single from their debut album, which is finally on its way and will be coming sometime next year.
Entitled ‘Pass The Time’, the Stanleys’ latest outing arrived on Friday, 20 February, and while there’s still no specific release date for the first-ever full-length LP, we do know it’s coming at some point in 2027.
To simply label it as more catchy indie would be a disservice to the craft and graft these lads have put in: this is definitely a step forward and in a slightly different direction, with an even more guitar-driven feel and an extra bit of gruff about it compared to previous Stanleys material.
Our only minor complaint is that we wish it lasted a little longer – we want MORE.
An energetic two-and-a-half-minute track that we can already see becoming a fan favourite, it’s one we’re looking forward to hearing in the flesh.
We’ve caught the Stanleys boys live a few times now, both here in Manchester city centre and at their sold-out show in Wigan as part of The Monaco relaunch, as well as at the likes of Kendal Calling festival in recent years.
Safe to say, they never disappoint, and neither do their growing crowd of die-hards.
With lyrics touching on not just the passing of time but also that sense of youthful ambition and how it fluctuates with age, it feels like one of those defiant indie rallying cries we grew up listening to in our own adolescence, and it definitely has plenty of energy to it.
Both The Manc and our wider Audio North team had the pleasure of chatting with them back in November 2024, and you can tell they have big plans to take on not just the local music scene but the UK and beyond.
The release of ‘Pass The Time’ comes almost a year on from their last song, ‘Out the Door’: a similarly fast-run song, albeit with a different vibe.
Positioned as part of Wigan’s next generation of new bands and artists, Stanleys are clearly looking to keep developing as musicians, and if tunes like these are anything to go by, then we can’t wait for their first full record.
They’re also going to be playing a night here in Manchester city centre and beloved grassroots venue, Night and Day, this April; you can grab tickets HERE.
So get adding it to your Spotify playlists, watching the music video, and maybe we’ll see you at the gig.
Emily Sergeant -
9th March 2023 
