Like a lot of us over this past year, Becky Kay had celebrations planned for her birthday that sadly had to be put on hold.
She usually likes to spend her special day relaxing with an overnight stay at a spa hotel.
Free bubbly on arrival, complementary chocolates on the pillows, a wealth of treatments and massages available to choose from, all followed by a three-course meal and room service throughout her entire stay, is something she was understandably looking forward to – especially as an NHS staff member, who has worked throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
But with England firmly within its third national lockdown, the public advised to “stay at home”, and spa facilities told to close their doors because of this, that unfortunately couldn’t be her reality this year.
So her three daughters hatched a plan instead.
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In a bid to make sure her birthday didn’t pass by unmarked, Becky’s daughters – Molly, Lola, and Scarlet – decided to secretly transform their Salford home into ‘The Kay Hotel & Spa’ as a surprise, so Becky could still celebrate her big day in the way she knows best.
And judging by the photos shared by the girls’ father, Stevie, to social media yesterday, they really put a lot of time and hard work into bringing it all together.
“[The girls] have been thinking about it for a couple of weeks, as we usually spend a night at a spa hotel every year for Becky’s birthday.
“[And] our eldest, Molly, did most of the planning over the last week.
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“She wrote me a list of everything we needed, and I sneaked out to get it all the day before”.
The Costa del Salford’s aptly-named ‘The Kay Hotel & Spa’ – which we have also been told has an impressive “5* rating on TripAdvisor” – is home to everything you could ask for from a spa getaway, with its very own reception area, room key cards, hospitality menus, complementary room service, massage and facial facilities, candle-lit bathtubs, and more.
Becky and Stevie didn’t even have to move a muscle either, as the three sisters were happy to wait on them hand and foot throughout their ‘stay’.
He continued: “It [certainly] made my life planning Becky’s birthday very easy”.
How brilliant is all of this?
While you unfortunately won’t be able to make reservations for your own stay at the exclusive ‘The Kay Hotel & Spa’ any time soon, you can still check out all the photos of the venue on Facebook here.
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Frank Warren’s special anniversary fight card, featuring local fighters, is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Queensberry Promotions is toasting founder Frank Warren as he marks a major milestone in the industry, with a massive Manchester fight event and plenty of regional boxers on the card.
The 73-year-old entrepreneur and boxing manager is set to hold a landmark fight night in early 2026 as he celebrates four and a half decades in the business.
Being hosted not just the biggest indoor entertainment venue in Manchester, but all of Europe, Co-op Live, the legendary promoter and his company will be welcoming a wealth of both local and global athletes to the arena, which is continuing to attract more live sport and combat sports, specifically.
They’ve put together a fight card with plenty of interest, and the evening is sure to feature plenty of other familiar faces out in the audience, too.
Dubbed ‘The Magnificent 7’, the headline fight will be a face-off between 20-year-old Moses Itauma and American boxer Jermain Franklin.
The heavyweight clash is sure to be a tasty one, with Itauma having now famously defeated veteran Dillian Whyte in a first-round demolition; meanwhile, Frankling is riding a wave of confidence following a trio of consecutive wins.
But while the main event will have plenty of global eyes on, we’ll confess that we’re most excited by the roster of Manc talents on show.
Featuring on the undercard is not only experienced Ashton-born boxer Zak Miller, but 24-year-old ‘Super’ Alex Murphy.
The up-and-coming fighter, who also happens to be a big Bolton Wanderers fan, trains just down the road at Eccles Boxing School and has 14 wins from 16 bouts.
Manchester’s combat sports stars certainly delivered for Queensberry in a recent event at the Co-op earlier this month, and we expect the same next January.
The last Frank Warren-backed event in Manchester didn’t disappoint.
Speaking on the big booking in line with his big anniversary, Warren said in an official statement: “We are thrilled to be delivering such a strong Magnificent 7 bounty for the fans in our first UK show of 2026…
“We are delighted with what we have put together across 2025 in tandem with our new broadcast partner DAZN, but we have the scope to go bigger and further in 2026, which we will do and make it a landmark year for the sport.
“This show will also effectively celebrate my 45th year in the professional business, and I believe this card certainly does justice to the occasion. I’m very happy to have our heavyweight prodigy Moses, topping the bill in another perfect test of his unquestionable credentials against a very tough American in Jermain Franklin.”
Presale for official Co-op Members goes live from 12 noon on Monday, 17 November, while general admission tickets will be available from the same time the following Wednesday (19 Nov); you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Inside the stunning Grade II-listed farmhouse in rural Wigan that’s got an actual MOAT around it
Emily Sergeant
It’s not every day you come across a residential moated house in Greater Manchester.
Yeah, we know they exist, we’re not that naive… but it’s hardly a common occurrence in our region in this day and age, is it? Let alone the country as a whole – especially ones that members of the public can just buy like they would do any normal house on the market and live out their fairytale fantasy dreams in.
That’s why you’ll have to forgive us for getting a bit perplexed when we came across Gidlow Hall, deep in the Wigan countryside (yes, that is a thing), on Rightmove.
Now, before you get carried away, unfortunately this house is sold – but that doesn’t mean we still can’t have a nosy inside, right?
This is Gidlow Hall / Credit: Jackson Stops
Gidlow Hall is described by estate agents as being an ‘enchanting’ five-bedroom moated house in a fairytale setting with beautiful views that dates all the way back to the 16th Century, and it’s been lovingly restored by the current owners while still preserving all its original character and charm.
The exceptional Grade II-listed property is set within about 7.41 acres of land, including landscaped gardens, its very-own paddock, and a large lake.
The house is textbook Tudor from the outside, but on the inside, it has evolved into a beautifully renovated residence with a long and rich history, and thanks to its heritage listing, the original character of the property has largely remained intact – with all modern interventions, like the bespoke hand-crafted kitchen and large side extension, seamlessly integrated.
The stunning Grade II-listed farmhouse in rural Wigan has an actual moat around it / Credit: Jackson Stops
Grand double doors from the side extension lead out to a stunning garden room, which has an original stone floor, and there’s also a large barrel-vaulted cellar underneath.
Then stepping upstairs, the house features a dual-aspect master bedroom with a vaulted ceiling, French doors that open to a terrace, a bespoke-fitted dressing room, and an ensuite, as well as four other generously proportioned bedrooms and a lovely family bathroom.
As mentioned, Gidlow Hall is just as impressive outside as it is inside… if anything, more impressive.
The residence is reached by a small no-through lane with an electrically gated entrance, and from this, a tree-lined sweeping drive leads to a stone bridge and moat that encircle the Hall’s parterre gardens and terrace.
As you can see, there truly is no other property like this currently on the market here in Greater Manchester, and although it’s already been spanned up, you can still view it online.
Emily Sergeant -
4th February 2021 
