Much-loved independent Chinese restaurant Blue Eyed Panda has sadly seen the third break-in at its premises in less than a year.
Property was damaged and windows were smashed during the abhorrent act.
The Ancoats restaurant first opened its doors to the public on Jersey Street back in April 2019 and has already experienced two other break-ins last November – which too resulted in damaged property – before the unfortunate events which took place this week.
Owners of the popular eatery have taken to social media today to share the devastating news.
In a desperate post urging those who committed the act to refrain from doing so again in the future – accompanied by a picture of the damage – Blue Eyed Panda said: “Please. Why again? You or your people came [to our premises] last November twice and you know we have no money or valuables, or did you [just] really enjoy the Spring Rolls and the Crispy Duck last year?
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“We trying to survive in this difficult time,
“Please let us breathe, let us move on [and] don’t waste your time.”
The post has since gone on to receive a widespread outpouring of support from members of the public, who also share in the restaurant’s shock that an act such as this has happened once again.
Many have commented their intentions to continue helping the restaurant during tough times.
Unfamiliar with Blue Eyed Panda and are yet to try it out for yourself?
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This modern Chinese restaurant has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and is located in the heart of Manchester’s new and up-and-coming food and drink hub.
Not only does it offer authentic Chinese options like steamed dim sums, stir fry, salt and pepper, and a range of casserole dishes, but it also serves up some special Venezuelan-influenced fusion dishes too, such as grilled marinated lamp chops and more.
There’s also a wide range of mouthwatering vegetarian options available as well on the extensive menu.
Blue Eyed PandaBlue Eyed Panda
In true Manchester spirit despite the break-in and damage of property, Blue Eyed Panda said that it “won’t give up that easy” and has confirmed via Instagram story that it will still be open from 4:30pm today.
How brilliant is that?
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Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and current local lockdown restrictions, Blue Eyed Panda is open Monday & Wednesday – Saturday from 4:30pm to 10:00pm, and on Sunday from 2pm – 9:30pm.
Both dine-in and takeaway services are available.
To do your bit and get behind this local independent business at a time when it really needs it most, you can make a dine-in reservation in advance, or place an order for takeaway via the Blue Eyed Panda website here.
You can also support Blue Eyed Panda by giving it a follow on Facebook and Instagram.
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The COVID-19 pandemic may have taken its toll on industries of all shapes and sizes over these past few months, but supporting local/independent business has never been more important than it is right now.
The Manc is #BuzzingToBeBack – find out more about eats in Manchester here.
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Drivers could be fined for using common ‘thank you gestures’ on UK roads
Emily Sergeant
Motorists are being warned that some common unspoken rules of the road could actually see them hit with a hefty fine.
Given that us Brits are known for our manners and being polite, it has become common practice for drivers across the country to use a number of popular gestures to say thank you to our fellow road users when they give way to us, let us into a junction or lane, or just generally do something to help us out on the road.
A quick wave, thumbs up, or a flash of the headlights takes just a second to do, but the kindness goes a long way and helps to keep the peace.
In fact, when another driver doesn’t say thank you, we tend to think it’s pretty rude.
To prove this point, a new study of UK drivers was conducted by National Tyres and Autocare, and it found that one in five drivers choose to flash their headlights to say thanks, while one in three like to give a classic wave, and then one in six opt for a simple thumbs up.
But did you know that some of these gestures are actually in breach of the Highway Code and could end up landing us in a bit of trouble and see us have to fork out money if we’re caught in the act?
In some cases, fines can rack up as high as £1,000.
Motorists are being warned that some common unspoken rules of the road could see them fined / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
When it comes to flashing our headlights to say thank you, rule 110 of the Highway Code actually states that we should “only flash headlights to let other road users know that you are there”, and we should not do not flash them to “convey any other message or intimidate other road users”.
Using hazard lights is another common way to say thank you, but again, according to rule 116 of the Highway code: “You must not use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead.”
It’s stated that we should only use hazard lights “for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed”, and nothing more.
By far the most common way to say thank you on the road during the daytime is to give a classic wave or thumbs up, but according to rule 160 of the Highway Code, once moving a vehicle you should “drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible as this will help you to remain in full control of the vehicle at all times”.
It’s common practice for drivers across the UK to use gestures to say thank you / Credit: Vladimir Proskurovskiy (via Unsplash)
It adds: “You may use driver assistance systems while you are driving but make sure you use any system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.”
The latter of these common thank you gestures is the one that could land drivers in the most trouble if caught, as not only can fines rack up to £1,000, but being in breach of having proper control of your vehicle could also mean discretionary disqualification, and three penalty points on your licence as well.
A Manc photographer is taking beautiful on-the-spot portraits around the city
Danny Jones
There are about a hundred and one brilliant photographers taking pictures around the city centre every day, but most of them tend to focus on the macro scale of things — snapping our lovely architecture, long shots of our rain-soaked streets, parades of morning commuters and so on.
So, when we stumbled across this lovely little TikTok account showcasing some of the most simple but beautiful portraits you’ll see anywhere online, all taken around the streets of our beloved city, it understandably caught our attention.
Manc photographer Scott James, or ‘certigrammer‘ as he goes by online, makes his living doing everything from weddings and commercials shoots to music videos, taking photos for Sheffield United and more, but we happened to come across a more recent pastime of his: taking pictures of strangers.
People are clearly chiming with his casual, understated and fundamentally wholesome style. So are we, and it’s not hard to see why.
Perhaps most impressively, it seems like he’s only been at this particular kind of photography for a little over a week and is already pulling in thousands of well-earned views across his social media.
As you can see, there is a very candid nature to his approach; he snaps people just going about their business and even when he stops people on the spot and asks if they’d be willing to pose, he still manages to capture that impromptu and organic vibe.
From happy couples and randomers on the street, to complimenting an old boy on his style, he photographs people from all walks of life.
Whether it’s Northern Quarter, the more upmarket surround of King Street, or the backstreets just round the corner from the Arndale, you also get a good feel for the city we know and love.
Best of all, even in such a short space of time, Scott has managed to provide a wonderful cross-section of Manchester‘s cosmopolitan nature. That’s what it’s all about.
While this city is a veritable rainbow of colour, some of the shots we enjoy the most are his black and white photos. There’s just something about them.
It’s hard to pick a favourite but if we had to pick one, it might have to be his picture of this older gentleman about town, simply because it looks like it really made his day. You love to see it.
Emily Sergeant -
1st October 2020 
