The “painstaking” restoration and repair of Manchester Town Hall is being featured in a new TV documentary that’s airing later this month.
You may have caught a glimpse of the iconic Grade I-listed building – which is often considered a Victorian neo-gothic masterpiece – in the heart of Manchester city centre on screen before in numerous films and TV dramas, where it’s often seen acting as a ‘double’ for the Houses of Parliament.
But this time round, it will star in its own right as the subject of an episode of the series Great British Landmark Fixers.
Manchester Town Hall is 144 years old and, according to Manchester City Council, is in need of careful repairs to “preserve its heritage from the ravages of time” and ensure that it remains at the centre of civic life for many decades to come.
The documentary will look behind the scenes at all the work taking place to restore the building.
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It will meet and tell the stories of some of the people dedicating years of their working lives to the project – which will be completed in 2024 – and learn how its legacy will not just be in “protecting and enhancing” the building itself, but also in helping a new generation of Mancunians learn heritage and construction skills.
The 144-year-old building will be the subject of an episode of the series Great British Landmark Fixers / Credit: Flickr (Michael D Beckwith) | Wikimedia Commons
“Manchester Town Hall is a building with a long and fascinating history,” explained Bev Craig – Leader of Manchester City Council, and lead member for the ‘Our Town Hall’ project.
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“The work which is taking place now to safeguard it, while sympathetically bringing it up to modern access and safety standards, is the latest chapter in that story [and] this documentary really gets across the scope of the project, the level of care and attention that is being put into the smallest detail, and the pride and passion of those who are working on it for the city.
“It showcases the beauty of the building and the fact that its treasures, including some artefacts we are finding through the works, will be more accessible to the public once it reopens.”
Great British Landmark Fixers is airing Yesterday at 8pm on Monday 20 December.
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Other national landmarks also being featured in the series include Canterbury Cathedral, and the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.
With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.
But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.
The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.
During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.
One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)
There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).
16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.
Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.
Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.
Clearly, the moral of the story here is , enjoy yourself… but just not too much.
Featured Image – The OurWhiskey Company (via Pexels)
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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals
Emily Sergeant
Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.
No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.
However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.
Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.
A new survey has revealed that half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner / Credit: Freepik | GoodFon
As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.
Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.
The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.
Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik
Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.
“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.
Emily Sergeant -
15th December 2021 
