There’s been a fierce debate raging this week as to whether children should be banned from pubs – but it turns out if we all had our way, we’d be introducing some pretty strict rules to boozers all over the place.
Mancs have said they’d also like to get rid of the presence of mobile phones, animals, TVs, fancy crisps, vapes, and just generally all other people while they’re nursing a pint.
This all kicked off from one Tweet posted over the Easter weekend, when journalist Ava Santina said: “I’m sorry but kids at pubs running around uncontrolled by parents are really annoying and always makes me question why I’m spending money to suffer it.”
Thousands started weighing in with their opinions, including outspoken local chef Gary Usher.
A tweet from Gary’s new country pub The White Horse in Chester said: “It’s the uncontrollable rude adults that cause problems when out not happy kids. Please bring your kids & dogs to The White Horse pub where we have kids menus & crayons & also dog biscuits & water for your four legged family members.
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“Some of my best memories as a kid are running around pubs my mum & dad would take us to. Beer gardens help obviously but just being in pubs when you’re younger with family & friends is the good stuff. Learning how to play pool or having a PINT OF COKE! We were all kids remember.”
When we asked The Manc audience what they wanted banning from pubs, kids came up as a pretty popular answer.
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Hundreds suggested that children had ‘no place in pubs’, and hated ‘kids running around whilst the parents get drunk’.
Another thing that popped up plenty was mobile phones and social media.
One person wrote: “Social media..people used to go to the pub to socialise now people sit with a drink in hand on their phone on fb telling people who aren’t even there how much of a fantastic night they are having. Put the phones away enjoy the night out with the people who are out with u and then let it all creep up on you the day after what went on the night before then have a laugh about it.”
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Another person said that mobile phones are the ‘biggest conversation killers of all time’.
A common gripe seems to be the distance that pub loos tend to be from the bar.
One person said: “Upstairs toilets….. Why’s it always the womens that are upstairs?! Heels, alcohol and stairs DO NOT MIX WELL!!!”
Someone else posted: “Stairs to toilets just put them bar level risky when you’ve had a few J20s.”
And another wrote: “The 5 mile trek to the loo in spoons.”
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More common complaints were the increasingly expensive cost of a pint, people who vape or smoke in the doorways, and anyone who kicks off inside the pub after too many drinks.
Someone who definitely works in the hospitality industry said: “People who put empty crisp packets in their empty glass.”
And really specifically, one person wrote: “Anyone playing Mr Brightside on the jukebox.”
Featured image: Unsplash
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Manchester Remembers Foundation announces its return for a special anniversary charity match
Danny Jones
The Manchester Remembers Foundation has announced the return of its charity football game in 2027, which will coincide with a special anniversary close to all Mancunians.
For those unaware, the MCR Remembers charity matches were set up in memory of the Manchester Arena victims, helping raise funds for the families of the 22 who sadly died in the attack.
While the fifth iteration of what started out as an annual vision, set for this past summer, was sadly cancelled back in May and the Foundation itself seemingly shut down, the co-founders have decided they’re not ready for it all to end just yet.
Somewhat quietly confirming the return of the fundraising footy match on social media, the next fixture will be returning next year, which marks a full decade since the tragedy.
Folks, having time to reflect we’ve decided that we just couldn’t go out like we did. No matter how difficult things get we have to keep going.
We are planning a spectacular return for the 10th anniversary in 2027. Plans and talks to begin shortly pic.twitter.com/ZRTmAJalov
— The McrRemembers Foundation™️⚽️🐝 (@McrRemembers) October 2, 2025
Writing a slightly lengthier statement on Instagram, MCR Remembers creators Aaron Lee and Paul Corrigan said: “No matter how difficult things get and how little support we get from people in positions to help, we have to keep going.
“We take inspiration from the brave and courageous people who were so closely involved with the arena attack. We will continue to remember those affected and celebrate their legacy.
“We are planning a spectacular return for the 10th anniversary in 2027. Plans and talks to begin shortly We will reassess after that event. As always, thank you to those that stuck by us. We see you, and we appreciate every single one of you. Stay tuned. Aaron / Paul.”
Lee – a local and a former police officer on 22 May 2017 – set up the organisation with his friend and fellow fundraiser (10 marathons in 10 months) with the aim of not only honouring those lost but also to help raise vital funds for their families and native bereavement charities.
They’re two incredibly inspiring individuals who have done a lot to help those in and around Greater Manchester, as well as keep that date in our heads and hearts.
Although information is still scarce in these early stages, The MCR Remembers Foundation has assured that details regarding exactly when and where the game is set to take place will be shared over the coming week and months.
It goes without saying that we here at The Manc are glad to see the moving charity match being confirmed for a comeback, even if it’s only for a one-off, and can’t wait to see which ex-pros and celebrity players get involved.
Then again, who knows? A successful return could signal the start of a fully-fledged revival, and we sincerely hope it does.
Watch this space and see you next year for the anniversary edition of Manchester Remembers 2027.
The ‘most complained-about’ show in Britain over the last five years has been revealed
Danny Jones
The TV show with the most complaints in Britain over the past half-decade has seemingly been confirmed, and we can’t exactly say it’s given everyone watching a good morning…
Yes, it’s GMB.
Well, that’s according to research by Aura Print, anyway; they dug down into the official Ofcom data to try and discover which British TV programme got the most complaints – an unwanted accolade that was earned quite comfortably by Good Morning Britain.
This might not come as too much of a surprise to many of you, especially regular viewers over the last few years, with GMB often popping up in headlines alongside phrases like ‘viewers complain’ and ‘Ofcom’. Either way, here’s what the study found:
Rank
Programme
Service
Number of complaints (2021-2025)
1
Good Morning Britain
ITV1
91,890
2
Love Island
ITV2
66,252
3
Julia Hartley-Brewer
TalkTV
18,525
4
Dan Wootton Tonight
GB News
9,207
5
King Charles III: The Coronation
ITV1
8,389
6
This Morning
ITV
7,387
7
Celebrities: What’s Happened to Your Face?
Channel 5
7,082
8
Oprah with Meghan and Harry
ITV
6,456
9
I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
ITV1
6,203
10
Jeremy Vine
Channel 5
4,982
11
Big Brother
ITV1 / ITV2
4,678
12
Lorraine
ITV
4,675
13
Breakfast with Kay Burley
Sky News
3,467
14
Emmerdale
ITV1
2,405
15
Vanessa
5
1,986
16
Loose Women
ITV
1,799
17
Married at First Sight UK
E4
1,748
18
Coronation Street
ITV
1,348
19
Lee Anderson’s Real World
GB News
1,668
20
Friday Night Live
Channel 4
1,630
21
Headliners
GB News
1,498
22
Ant Payne
Capital FM
1,430
23
Naked Education
Channel 4
1,413
24
The Brit Awards
ITV1
1,157
25
Today with Samantha Washington
Sky News
1,270
As you can see, GMB has racked up nearly 92,000 complaints over the past five years, which is well over 25k more than the next most inflammatory.
The rest of the top five is also made up of other mainstream news commentary programmes (four out of five), bar the second runner-up in Love Island, with 66,252.
It’s also worth noting that ITV is the most complained-about broadcaster of any network on the list. GB News came in second with three different shows on the list: Dan Wootton Tonight, Lee Anderson’s Real World and Headliners.
Certainly not surprising whatsoever was the particular episode that received the most complaints of all those in the history of Good Morning Britain, which went out on 8 March 2021.
In case you haven’t guessed which one this is already, it was the infamous Piers Morgan episode discussing Meghan Markle’s mental health, which was reported to Ofcom a whopping 57,973 times.
This feels like a lifetime ago, but we remember it receiving most Ofcom complaints Britain had ever seen at the time.
Yes, more than half of the complaints they have ever received come after ONE viral moment.
In terms of particularly divisive presenters, second only to Piers Morgan, Julia Hartley-Brewer was the next most complained-about presenter, racking up a total of 18,500 complaints.
GB News’ Dan Wootton came in at number three with 9,207 complaints, but also worth noting that plenty of what most would consider popular mainstream entertainment IPs like I’m A Celeb and Big Brother racked up over 10k collectively during this period.
You can find the full breakdown of Ofcom data from 2021-2025 right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
14th April 2023 
