The UK is set for a washout this weekend with heavy rain to put a damper on ‘Super Saturday’.
The Met Office believes that between 35-50mm of rain is expected to fall.
This unfortunate turn in weather comes as many pubs, bars and restaurants, are once again able reopen to the public on 4th July – dubbed ‘Super Saturday’.
Brits up and down the country are expected to flock to their locals, but Saturday’s wet weather may mean that some indoor venues could struggle to implement necessary social distancing measures as intended if people ditch outdoor spaces to move inside for shelter.
‘Light rain’, with average highs of 18°C and lows of 14°C, is predicted on Saturday across Greater Manchester.
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A Met Office spokesperson, Nicola Maxey, stated that although the rain will lessen during the evening on Saturday, low cloud and drizzly conditions are highly expected continue through to Sunday.
Speaking to PA News, she said: “Saturday will see more unsettled conditions, with showers beginning in the west during the morning which will begin to move across to the east. While it won’t be unusually wet for the time of year, some areas in the east could become particularly heavy for an hour or two in the mid-morning to early afternoon.”
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“Pushing in after that will be a spell of drizzly downpours and some low cloud which will hang over the UK for the rest of the day.”
Although Wednesday is the first day of a new month, July will begin on a similar note to how June ended – changeable and rather unsettled!
Mostly cloudy for many areas to begin the day with some showery rain in places ☔, but sunny spells developing, especially in the south ?️. pic.twitter.com/fiYmddkeZF
A spokesperson from JD Wetherspoon, which plans to reopen all 750 of its venues on Saturday, said: “The weather is out of our control, but our pubs tend to be three times larger than others so we are not worried about people being inside our venues.”
“We can’t predict what the weather will be like in England, but we have faith that our customers and staff will be as safe as possible.”
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A spokesperson for Stonegate Pubs, which owns The Slug and Lettuce chain, said: “Throughout our pubs and bars, we are implementing clear, safe socialising measures both inside and across our outside spaces. We are encouraging customers to pre-book and all bookings work on a time-limit which enables us to manage capacity and customer expectation.”
“Should the weather be inclement, we will work with our customers on a common-sense approach, accommodating where we can those that have had to move from outside areas.”
“Most customers are likely to check the weather and be prepared for the expected short spells of rain or drizzle.”
For more information regarding weather in Greater Manchester and the North West ahead of the weekend, visit the Met Office website here.
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Coronation Street and Emmerdale cancel filming after news of cutbacks and reduced schedule
Danny Jones
Coronation Street and Emmerdale production crews are said to have cancelled at least one day of filming this week following news of more cutbacks and a reduced schedule of programming.
The beloved British soaps have been up against it for some time now, with viewing figures and costs struggling at both ends of the spectrum, and the latest development doesn’t spell great news for the cast and crew, not to mention audiences.
According to Digital Spy, regularly scheduled filming was due to take place in Manchester and Leeds on Tuesday, 5 February, with each show shooting roughly six to eight weeks in advance of storylines.
However, following reports of more hits to the industry and the latest steps ITV, specifically, which will see fewer episodes of both Corrie and Emmerdale air each week, film crews are said to have been stood down as they await further updates.
Part of the Coronation Street set over in Salford Quays. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Announcing steps at the start of February, ITV confirmed that Coronation Street and Emmerdale are to see their content cut by an hour a week between them from next year.
While Corrie currently broadcasts three hour-long episodes per week and Emmerdale four half-hour episodes plus one full-hour instalment, the new slate will see both soaps dial back to only air 30-minute episodes, with a so-called ‘soaps power hour’ every both shows at 8pm and 8:30pm.
Put in simplest terms, viewers will have half an hour less of their regular soaps to watch overall each week but with episodes airing at more regular intervals, which the network claims is “viewer-led” and will allow fans to enjoy the shows “in the most digestible way.”
Metro writer Duncan Lindsay has labelled the decision as a tough one to make but something that could ultimately “save” the two long-standing soap operas in the long run.
On the other hand, this obviously means a big chunk of work being lost for those working on sets across the board, with ITV having already taken steps to cut costs ever since the pandemic, and the UK’s viewing public has given mixed reactions, to say the least.
The hour of scripted content saved from the overdue cut to Corrie and Emmerdale should be pumped into a new continuing drama. It’s the only way to justify the loss to the industry.
With an increased focus on streaming and making both shows more accessible, episodes will continue to be released from 7am on ITVX before airing on live telly later that evening.
Responding to the changes, the performing arts union Equity admitted that the steps do cause “further cause for concern”, especially following the cancellation of other soaps like Doctors and Hollyoaks also having recently seen its schedule adjusted.
It remains unclear when the respective cast and crews will return to filming.
What do you make of the cutbacks: will you miss the sum total of 60 minutes being shaved off your Corrie and Emmerdale catch-ups, or do you think it’s a bittersweet step that could help freshen up the format and sustain it for years to come?
New survey reveals one in three shoppers admits to stealing at self-checkouts
Emily Sergeant
Almost 40% of UK shoppers have failed to scan at least one item when using self-checkouts, new research has revealed.
Self-checkouts started to become popular in the UK in the 1990s, and since then have evolved to meet consumer demands and solve the problem of queueing, especially taking on a life of their own in supermarkets from the 2010s onwards… but now, some exclusive new research for The Grocer has revealed that could be causing more hassle than they’re worth.
A national survey of more than 1,000 shoppers found that only 63% said they ‘never’ failed to scan an item when using self-checkouts, which leaves almost two in five who do so at least occasionally.
A third (32%) also admitted to having weighed loose items incorrectly, while 38% said they had put through an incorrect loose item.
Experts say these statistics show that “a new breed of shoplifter” has been created.
A new survey has revealed that one in three shoppers admits to stealing at self-checkouts / Credit: Aldi
“You’re creating opportunities for people who otherwise wouldn’t even think about shoplifting,” commented Matt Hopkins, who is an associate professor in criminology at the University of Leicester,
When it comes to the biggest culprits of failing to scan items at self-checkouts, the survey revealed that the under 35 age group, and men overall, came out as the most common, but it’s unclear whether this could be blamed on system error, missing barcodes, or rushing shoppers, instead of being intentional.
Surprisingly though, despite public perception and a recent headline-grabbing move by supermarket chain Booths to remove self-service checkouts from all but a select few of its busiest stores, this new research also shows that shoppers actually prefer to use self-checkouts (54.2%), over staffed checkouts (29.8%).
“In a short space of time, the self-checkout option has gone from zero to an accepted norm – and now to an active preference for many,” commented Lucia Juliano, the UK head of research and client success at Harris Interactive.
The speed and relative freedom provided by self-checkouts were the main advantages of using them, according to shoppers, with 56% choosing to use them because they’re faster.
52% cited the fact that self-checkouts allow them to ‘go at [their] own pace’.
Juliano did, however, comment that shoppers’ preference for self-checkouts may only be a reality “when there are no tech issues during the transaction”, which is said to be the “biggest bugbear by far” according to the survey.
The Manc -
2nd July 2020 
