It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed in a televised press conference live to the nation last Saturday evening that a new four-week lockdown for England – which will be voted on in Parliament on Wednesday and is expected to come into force at 00:01 GMT on Thursday 5th November – would be introduced in an attempt to try to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Under lockdown restrictions, all hospitality venues are required to close, with the exemption of takeaway services.
“Many pubs, restaurants, cafes and food outlets are not allowed to trade during lockdown, and they have lots of food and drink in stock that may well end up in landfill if they aren’t sold before Wednesday night”, explains Charlotte Green from Manchester waste company TradeWaste.co.uk.
Some of the larger chain pubs have been selling pints of beer for discounted prices in an effort to clear out stocks and avoid huge waste.
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Manchester’s “Bavarian pleasure palace” Albert’s Schloss is among the venues selling pints for just £1.
Pub chain Wetherspoons had also commented on Monday that “any ales not sold between now and lockdown will have to be thrown away, so it’s better that customers can enjoy it at a great price while the pubs remain open”, and Mitchells & Butlers – one of the largest operators – reported that the first lockdown cost it £11 million in waste caused by extra beer in pubs ready for St Patrick’s Day celebrations, which of course did not happen.
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Charlotte Green continues: “The amount of potential waste caused by a sudden lockdown is staggering and could be as high as 307,500 pints in Manchester alone, however it’s thought that because of the length of notice, and the deals on offer, the wastage could be much less, which would be great news”
The big problem facing Manchester pubs and restaurants now though is that a third of their revenue is generated during the Halloween to New Year rush.
This is an important time for cashflow before heading into the quieter months of January and February.
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And the potential for significant food and drink waste is set to become even worse than it may have originally been due to the government’s national lockdown rules which do not allow pubs, bars and restaurants to sell takeaway alcohol.
“Everything needs to go before Thursday” concludes Green.
“So get down to your local Manchester pub and buy a pint, or order some food from your local restaurant, everything you buy this week helps them, and helps save it going down the drain or to landfill”.
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Tickets officially go on sale for rare 70mm IMAX screenings of Dune: Part Three in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Tickets have now officially gone on sale for rare 70mm IMAX screenings of Dune: Part Three in Manchester.
Arriving on screens from 18 December and gearing up to be one of the most anticipated films of the year, Dune: Part Three – which is the third and final instalment in director Denis Villeneuve’s Dune franchise – will be screening in IMAX 70mm at Vue Manchester Printworks, one of only three venues to show it in this format nationwide.
There are only 40 other venues across the globe showing the film in IMAX 70mm, and Manchester is the only city outside of London to screen the blockbuster this way too.
Based on the novels of Frank Herbert and set nearly two decades after the previous film, Dune: Part Three features an ensemble cast of all-star names led by Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya.
Alongside them will be Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rebecca Ferguson, Robert Pattinson, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin.
After seats for a special early screening of the film in IMAX sold out in less than 30 minutes last month, the IMAX 70mm showings – which officially went live today (20 October) – are expected to be snapped up fast by film fans in Manchester.
“A decade in the making, Denis Villeneuve’s epic Dune trilogy is reaching its dramatic conclusion this December,” explained Dean Cross, who is the Senior Screen Content Manager at Vue.
“As the only venue outside of London to be screening Dune: Part Three in IMAX 70mm, it’s a privilege for us to offer this unique way to experience the film.”
Dune: Part Three is coming to Vue Manchester Printworks on 18 December, and you can book your tickets here.
Featured Image – Warner Bros.
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Free pints and live craft experiences coming to a Manchester pub for one night only
Daisy Jackson
A pop-up pub takeover is opening its doors in Manchester, where you can get your hands on a free pint as well as some amazing craft experiences.
The Uncommon Inn is being operated by premium Italian lager brand Poretti, who want to help us Brits break out of our daily routines.
Matt & Phreds on Tib Street will welcome The Uncommon Inn on Thursday 22 October, from 4pm to 8pm, giving visitors the chance to discover unusual creative skills and watch artisans at work, with a free pint in hand.
It comes after research commissioned by Poretti found that 61% of UK adults feel they are living on autopilot, while a quarter have not tried a new creative pursuit in five years or more.
Free pints and live craft experiences are coming to a Manchester pub for one night only / Credit: Supplied
The study also found that adults have an average of just 90 minutes of genuine personal time each day, with 58% spending that time watching television and 35% scrolling through social media.
Exhaustion and financial constraints came out as the main barriers preventing people from trying new things.
The Uncommon Inn has been designed to offer an alternative, bringing together a collective of specialist makers to showcase their skills in a familiar pub setting.
Visitors to the Manchester event can watch Giulio Miglietta embroidering personalised beer mats, using a vintage Singer sewing machine dating back to the early 1900s, alongside live hand-engraving and bespoke jewellery-style crafting using recycled silver.
The Uncommon Inn is being operated by premium Italian lager brand Poretti / Credit: Supplied
Other demonstrations include 3D body-casting by sculptor Ami of Angelcasts and personalised, hand-engraved glassware from Leigh Calligraphy. Sabira of Sken Studios will also demonstrate how recycled silver can be turned into bespoke bottle openers.
Guests will be able to enjoy complimentary pints of Poretti while watching the makers at work.
Caitlin Maley, Senior Brand Manager at Poretti, said: “Modern life moves at an overwhelming pace, and it’s all too easy to fall into autopilot mode where routine replaces curiosity.
“We believe in celebrating intentional craft, rare skills, and authentic human connection – values that are at the core of our brewing heritage.
“We created The Uncommon Inn to turn an ordinary pub visit into an inspiring journey. By bringing together our Masters of Crafts, from chainstitch embroiderers to live engravers and musicians, we’re inviting pubgoers to slow down, pick up a new skill, and enjoy a pint crafted with genuine passion.”
The Uncommon Inn is at Matt & Phreds in Manchester on Thursday 22 October, from 4pm until 8pm.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2020 
