Ever wondered what self-driving cars are actually like? Manchester will have the opportunity to find out this weekend.
In what is part of an innovative study lead by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) – which is a joint Department for Transport, and Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy unit – the people of Manchester are being invited to head on down to the Great Self Driving Exploration this Friday 22 – Sunday 24 July.
The exciting new event is happening at the Etihad Campus, next to the Metrolink stop, and will be open over the three days from 9am-6pm.
Self-driving vehicles are said to have the potential to make our journeys “greener, safer, and more reliable”, and could make a difference to everyone’s transport – no matter where they live, whatever their income level, and whether they have a disability that limits their ability to access to different transport services.
The Great Self Driving Exploration roadshow will give people the chance to look at self-driving vehicles, ask questions about them, and even take a ride in one if they fancy.
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A safety supervisor will always be in the vehicle with anybody test-driving.
The Great Self Driving Exploration is coming to Manchester this Friday 22 – Sunday 24 July / Credit: Pxhere
They will be ready to take control should there be any requirement to do so, as well as being on hand to help answer any other questions people may have.
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The CCAV is working with BritainThinks to bring the event to our city.
“This is an ideal opportunity for people from Manchester and the wider North West to see first-hand the innovation, safety features and convenience that self-driving technology could bring to our roads and communities,” said Transport Minister Trudy Harrison.
“This innovation has the potential to completely reform how we get from A to B.
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“It’ll make our future journeys easier, more environmentally friendly, and most importantly, safer, while creating thousands of high skilled job opportunities right across the UK.”
Lucy Farrow – Associate Partner at BritainThinks – adds that the event will offer “a unique opportunity” to understand both what people think of self-driving vehicles as they are now, and what their “hopes and expectations” are for the future.
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores
Emily Sergeant
Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.
And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.
After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.
All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.
Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.
Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.
Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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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.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th July 2022 
