Oldham Council has enlisted the help of a cult 00s TV character in the urge to get local residents to follow government guidance and prevent a full “Leicester-style” lockdown in the coming days.
Councillors and government officials have issued last-call warnings to residents of Oldham stating that the borough may be facing full lockdown restrictions “within days” if people do not act now to prevent rising infection rates.
These warnings come after confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have almost doubled in Oldham over the past week.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Oldham Council, the latest figures – released yesterday for the week ending August 8 – show that there have been 255 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Oldham, which is a rate of 107.5 cases per 100,000 people.
The week prior to this there were 137 cases, which is a rate of 57.8 per 100,000.
Katrina Stephens – Director of Public Health for Oldham Council – said officials were discussing with central government the possibility of closing bars, restaurants and gyms in the borough following a “sudden increase” in the infection rate.
Councillor Arooj Shah – Deputy Leader of Oldham Council and Cabinet Member for COVID-19 recovery – added that “there is no time to lose” and “we need everyone to act now and make changes to the way they live, to prevent strict lockdown restrictions being implemented in the coming days or weeks”.
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So, what better way to get this vital message across then? Get Jay from The Inbetweeners to film a video message addressing the residents of Oldham and telling them to “stay safe”, of course.
We understand that might sound like we’re kidding, but we promise we’re not.
If you don't follow the local guidance on #Coronavirus, #Oldham could face a local lockdown so play your part in helping to save lives and preventing the spread of this virus. We ALL have a role to play 👉 https://t.co/fWEJWxfQrr
The short video message – which Oldham Council is believed to have paid £34 for on the celebrity personalised video-messaging platform Cameo – sees actor James Buckley, who is most famous for his role in the hit E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners, remind Oldham residents of the local coronavirus guidelines.
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He acknowledges that “it is tricky, it is complicated”, but asks residents to “stay safe” and “wait for this thing to blow over”.
After issuing the vital message and urging Oldham residents to follow the guidance, in the vein of his character Jay, he signs off the video by saying “maybe we can all head down the Caravan Club when the time is right”.
Brilliant.
Whilst it’s easy to find humour and make light of the situation here, it is extremely important not to lose sight of the urgent message James Buckley is delivering on behalf of Oldham Council.
People in Oldham are now being reminded:
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Limit the number of people you have contact with and work from home where possible.
Do not have visitors to your home or garden.
If you must meet people from outside your household, you must do so in an outdoor location, maintaining social distancing and avoiding physical contact.
When visiting shops and when on public transport or in other enclosed or crowded spaces, you should wear a mask.
Avoid touching your face and wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds.
Stay safe Oldham.
You can find more information about the local restrictions via the Oldham Council website here, and the latest infection rates across Greater Manchester can be found in full here.
For further information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do refer to official sources via gov.uk/coronavirus.
#StaySafeSaveLives
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Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Featured Image – Greggs (Supplied)
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A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
Emily Sergeant -
12th August 2020 
