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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.”
ADVERTISEMENT
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.”
ADVERTISEMENT
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
Trending
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
Noel Gallagher reveals his and Liam’s children are now ‘best friends’ after the Oasis reunion
Emily Sergeant
Noel Gallagher has revealed that his and Liam’s sons had never met each other before the Oasis reunion last year.
But now? Well now they’re ‘best friends’, apparently.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then I’m sure you’ll know by now that Oasis reunited last year for the first time since they disbanded back in 2009 to bring the world the long-awaited Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour – including five nostalgia-drenched gigs here in Manchester at Heaton Park, which saw more than 300,000 people descend on our city.
It was undeniably one of the biggest cultural events of the 21st century so far, given the fact most fans presumed the Gallagher brothers‘ feud meant they would never meet each other again.
Now though, it’s been revealed that some Gallaghers actually hadn’t met before last year.
According to those lucky fans who have already had the chance to see the Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger documentary concert film – which premiered first at the 2026 Venice Film Festival this past weekend, and then had its world premiere in London last night (7 September) – Noel Gallagher shares a story about how his two sons, Donovan and Sonny, had never met Liam’s sons Lennon and Gene prior to the reunion tour.
Noel Gallagher reveals that his and Liam’s sons had never met before the Oasis reunion:
Noel has three children – 26-year-old daughter Anaïs from his first marriage to Meg Matthews, and then two sons, 18-year-old Donovan and 16-year-old Sonny from his second marriage to Sara MacDonald.
Liam, on the other hand, has four children – daughter Molly, 28, two sons Lennon and Gene, aged 26 and 25 respectively, as well as a 13-year-old daughter named Gemma, who he is yet to meet.
Speaking on the relationship between his kids and their cousins, Noel said: “When my kids met his kids they didn’t know each other.
“Donovan and Sonny had never met Gene and Lennon. Lo and behold they’re best friends now.”
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger is set to show the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live ’25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
It releases in cinemas nationwide, including in IMAX, this Friday 11 September.
Daisy Jackson -
14th April 2023 
