A number of essential retail and hospitality outlets have remained open in two of the region’s largest shopping centres under Tier 4 restrictions.
Greater Manchester was placed into Tier 4 restrictions following the second official review of the UK government’s system last Wednesday, which has seen all Greater Manchester residents told to “stay at home” and not leave / be outside of their home except for specific purposes.
All hospitality and non-essential retail has thus closed – except for takeaway, drive-through or delivery services – as well as all indoor leisure and entertainment venues having closed too.
But a selection of businesses in Manchester Arndale and the Trafford Centre have remained open.
This “partial opening” of the two shopping centres is permitted under Tier 4 restrictions to provide visitors with a range of services deemed essential.
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Manchester Arndale
Manchester Arndale is currently open to provide access to a number of essential retail services.
Additionally, a selection of retailers have also chosen to provide a Click & Collect service, and a number of food outlets are also offering takeaway and delivery services in line with Tier 4 regulations, with the mall asking shoppers to consume takeaway food and drink outside the centre as sitting inside the centre is not permitted.
Shoppers are encouraged to check the website of the stores they wish to visit as opening times may vary.
In line with government guidelines, visitors are required to wear face coverings upon entry to the centre, and in all stores and communal areas throughout, except fo those with medical conditions and disabilities who are exempt to the rule, along with children under the age of 11.
Customers will also be required to wear face coverings when ordering takeaway food and drink from shops.
The list of shops and hospitality businesses currently open in Manchester Arndale are:
Aldi
Apple (Click & Collect)
Argos (Click & Collect)
Arndale Market
Boots
Cafe Nero (Takeaway Only)
Chopstix (Takeaway Only)
Costa Market Street & Winter Garden (Takeaway Only)
Currys PC World (Click & Collect)
Euro Change Lower & Upper Mall
Five Guys (Takeaway Only)
Greggs Lower & Upper Mall (Takeaway Only)
Hasty Tasty (Takeaway Only)
Holland & Barrett
i Smash
Krispy Kreme (Takeaway Only)
KFC (Takeaway Only)
Lush (Click & Collect)
McDonalds (Takeaway Only)
Metro Bank
Nespresso (Click & Collect)
Newspoint
Next (Click & Collect)
Over the Rainbow
Pandora (Click & Collect)
Post Office
Poundland
Rymans
Specsavers
Starbucks (Takeaway Only)
Subway Upper Mall (Takeaway Only)
Superdrug
Timpson
Taco Bell (Takeaway Only)
Vision Express
Vodafone (Takeaway Only)
WH Smith
Wilko
You can find more information via the Manchester Arndale website here.
Manchester Arndale
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is also “partially open” as Greater Manchester kicks off the new year in Tier 4.
The shopping centre will be giving customers access to essential services including pharmacies, opticians and the M&S Foodhall, and several food outlets will also be staying open to offer takeaway, as well as Click & Collect, and virtual services.
Mirroring that of Manchester Arndale and according to government regulations, face coverings must be worn at all times – unless exempt – and all food and drink must be consumed outside the centre.
Opening times of each store may vary.
A statement on the Trafford Centre website writes: “We’ve always put the safety of visitors and staff first and we’d like to say an enormous thank you to our customers for doing their part and our amazing staff for keeping The Trafford Centre clean and safe.”
The list of shops and hospitality businesses currently open in the Trafford Centre are:
Boots
M&S Food
Superdrug
Holland and Barrett
Vision Express
Optical Express
WHSmith
Archie’s
Barburrito
Burger King
Costa
Five Guys
Frankie & Benny’s
Gourmet Burger Kitchen
Greggs
Haute Dolci
KFC
Krispy Kreme
McDonalds
Millies
Pizza Hut
Slim Chickens
Starbucks
Tampopo
Tru Street
Three entrances to the Trafford Centre will remain open in Tier 4 – the lower entrance next to Debenhams, the entrance next to Namco Funscape, and the lower entrance next to John Lewis.
You can find more information via the Trafford Centre website here.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Bury FC offering free tickets to Morecambe fans amid ongoing club crisis
Danny Jones
Bury FC are offering free tickets to travelling Morecambe fans free tickets to an upcoming match in a show of solidarity for the fellow North West football club amid their ongoing crisis.
For anyone unaware of the situation in the Lancashire town, Morecambe FC could soon be no more after being suspended from the National League as they face further financial uncertainty.
At present, controversial owners Bond Group Investments LTD, led by businessman Jason Whittingham, have failed to sell the struggling club despite multiple deadlines, leaving the vital community sporting organisation on the precipice of complete collapse.
While the seaside team currently have no fixtures to look forward to with the 25/26 season now underway for various parts of the football pyramid, the Greater Manchester outfit, which only recently survived similarly their own precarious circumstances, has offered Morecambe fans free admission.
Although this is a very temporary alternative, with complimentary tickets being offered for Bury’s Northern Premier League West season home opener against Newcastle Town, it is a touching show of support from regional counterparts who know all too well the fear and pain of potential dissolution.
Sharing a post on their official website and social media along with the message, “We’ve been where you are. We stand with you.”, The Shakers have stated that anyone who turns up at Gigg Lane for the game this Saturday, 9 August, with their season ticket or wearing a Morecambe badge can enter for free.
It was only back in 2019 that Bury themselves were expelled from the football league after 125 years as a result of their unpaid debts. It’s fair to say that the state of affairs at Morecambe looks strikingly familiar.
Plenty of clubs have been placed into administration and hit with suspensions over the years, and Bury did go on to reunite their AFC phoenix club back in May 2023, but unfortunately, nothing is ever certain given how money-driven modern football is.
To add more context, Whittingham has been registered as the director of 25 companies during his career, but it’s important to add that a staggering total of 18 have been dissolved (either forcibly or voluntarily), put into administration, liquidated, or put into receivership – the stage before full liquidation.
It remains to be seen how many travelling Shrimps supporters will make the nearly 50-mile journey to 0161 for the game, but Bury’s classy gesture has nevertheless been met with plenty of praise.
For now, it has been reported that Morecambe have anywhere between the end of the week and 20 August – when the National League meets to discuss the matter again – to balance books and/or discover their fate.
The beautiful game belongs to everyone; people of all regions and walks of life, from the grassroots all the way up to the Premier League, and as a footy-obsessed part of the world, we all know all too well how important it is to have these sporting and crucially social outlets in local areas.
Sending all our support to all those at Morecambe FC, and we hope to see these dire straits resolved with the right outcome sooner rather than later.
Bury offering free tickets to Morecambe fans is touching, but when are clubs going to get better protection from questionable ownership?
Blackpool Pleasure Beach announces its famous ‘late night riding’ is back this summer
Emily Sergeant
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced that its famous ‘late night riding’ event is making a grand return this summer.
Don’t quite feel ready to say goodbye to summer just yet, and want to cling onto that laidback lifestyle for a little longer?
Well luckily the Lancashire seaside town’s beloved theme park has just announced that it will be bringing back its ever popular ‘late night riding’ hours for one Saturday only later this month, and tickets are now on sale.
It’s not just us calling it ‘late night riding’ for nothing, by the way, that is genuinely what Blackpool Pleasure Beach has decided to name the event.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s famous ‘late night riding’ is making a comeback / Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Anyway, on Saturday 23 August, Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be open from 10am right through until late in the evening, so thrill-seekers can enjoy their favourite rides under the town’s twinkling lights once the sun has gone down.
“Enjoy the fantastic atmosphere as the park sparkles and shines in the dark,” Blackpool Pleasure Beach said as it announced the event‘s return.
While Blackpool Pleasure Beach is always a great day out during the daylight hours anyway, Late Night Riding gives you the chance to ‘brave your favourite rides in the dark’, and experience the park like never before.
Staying open until late means there’s even more hours to ride into the night on the UK’s tallest rollercoaster, the Big One, check out the twists and turns of ICON in the evening, enjoy a night race on the Grand National, and ride on the the Big Dipper at dusk.
There’ll also be a show-stopping fireworks display on the day at 10pm.
The spectacular fireworks displays have a different theme each Late Night Riding event, and always fill the skies above the rollercoasters, rides, and attractions of the park with plenty of colour, while special shows, themed music, and live entertainment fill the park below, all to make sure that visitors have the most immersive experience
The popular event will return for one night only later this month / Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Tickets for Late Night Riding on Saturday 23 August are available online, and will set you back £35 for an online ticket or £50 on the day.
If you’re unable to make this month’s Late Night Riding though, don’t worry, as you’ll have a chance to visit in a couple of months time when the event returns again in late November
The Manc -
4th January 2021 
