A lasting archive of the tributes left by locals to Queen Elizabeth II following her death is to be created in Manchester.
Since the announcement of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s passing on 8 September 2022, a sea of flowers left by mourners had been growing daily in St Ann’s Square in the heart of the city centre – and now, Manchester City Council has announced that all of these heartfelt and moving messages are to be preserved for future generations.
All of these messages will become part of a special city archive, which will also include the city’s Books of Condolence.
With the State Funeral having been held on Monday, and the 10-day period of national mourning having now drawn to a close, the Council has explained that the messages will be carefully removed from the floral tributes by a team of volunteers who will then preserve them for the archive.
The flowers themselves will then also be removed for eventual composting.
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A lasting archive of the tributes to Queen Elizabeth II is to be created in Manchester / Credit: Manchester City Council
“The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is something that has been felt by the whole nation, and not least here in Manchester where we recognise and thank her for her support to the city during times good and bad,” explained Cllr Bev Craig – Leader of Manchester City Council.
“It’s clear from the messages left in remembrance of her both in our Books of Condolence and with the many floral tributes, that Her Majesty holds a special place in the hearts and minds of many Mancunians and that she will continue to do so.
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“We plan to hold onto those thoughts and feelings on behalf of the city in a special archive so that generations from now our children, our grandchildren, and their children, will be able to look back and see for themselves exactly what our longest-serving monarch meant to Manchester, the country, and the world.”
The flowers will be removed early on Wednesday morning and composted.
The compost will be kept and used for a special planting project in Memory of The Queen. pic.twitter.com/uKyF1XvBjr
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.
Admired for her duty and dedication to the role, her remarkable life will be remembered by all.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Emily Sergeant -
21st September 2022 
