Parents of children at a primary school in Lancashire are said to have been left fuming after the institution goes permanently “meat free”.
Although a letter confirming it would solely be offering vegetarian school dinners was only believed to have been sent out last Thursday, Barrowford Primary School – which is near Nelson in Lancashire – was said to have introduced the meat-free rule for school dinners last year, and also urges parents to exclude meat from packed lunches too.
In a letter sent home to parents, headteacher Rachel Tomlinson said the decision had been made in an effort to curb climate change.
She pointed out the “huge environmental cost” of the meat and dairy industry.
In a statement provided exclusively to The Sun, Tomlinson said: “We made our school lunches meat-free over a year ago, and while we have not received any complaints from parents, I’m happy to discuss it with anyone who has any queries.
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“Our children learn about the principles of sustainable development as part of the national curriculum, and are really interested in how they can contribute to better looking after our environment [so] we made our school lunches meat-free to demonstrate how each of us making a small change to our daily habits can have a much wider positive impact, and that reducing meat consumption is just one way to do this.
“We have been careful to approach this in a balanced way, and teach that it is fine to eat meat, but that reducing our consumption can help our planet.”
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Barrowford Primary School said the decision had been made in an effort to curb climate change / Credit: Google Maps
The school says that no parents have made a formal complaint as of yet.
However, according to The Sun, several parents have blasted the decision, with one mum saying she’s “fuming” after her daughter was served a veggie sausage that she did not like the taste of, and has been on packed lunches ever since.
The mum told the newspaper: “It is a joke.
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“I’m looking to move as I’ve had enough of that school. I think they forget that non-meat eaters and vegans have to take a lot of supplements. What supplements do they get instead at that school? Nothing, probably saving on food costs.”
She also claims that she only found out about the rule change via email last week, despite the change being made more than a year ago.
Another person questioned why the school could not just include vegetarian and vegan options as well as meat versions, and said it was “absolutely ludicrous” to request that packed lunches also be meat-free.
The response from parents hasn’t been all negative though, as according to The Sun, some have welcomed the change with open arms, with one admitting that: “I am not vegetarian and I think the lunch choices are great [and] if people are upset they have the option to send a packed lunch if they wish, nothing is forced.”
Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th February 2022 
