A popular pub in Manchester city centre is giving you the chance to get £1 off a pint of Stella, simply if you say “please”.
It’s all part of the ‘Stella Please’ campaign by Stella Artois and Hospitality Action.
With the festive season fast approaching and Christmas only around the corner, the two brands have joined forces for a new campaign that is calling for politeness towards hospitality workers during this busy period as “manners don’t cost a thing”.
New research among hospitality workers from Stella Artois and YouGov has revealed that 41% of those surveyed are concerned that customers will be ruder this festive season, with 40% reporting that customers’ rude behaviour has got worse since lockdown measures lifted earlier this year, and so, to help tackle these eye-opening findings and encourage respectful behaviour, the campaign has been launched today.
Fiery chef Marco Pierre White has even got himself involved with the campaign too, as having been in the industry for 30 years means he knows a thing or two about the inconsiderate behaviours of Christmas revellers.
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Research has also found that not using essential manners like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ (78%) is the most common form of discourteous behaviour experienced by the 1,000 hospitality workers who were approached as part of the survey. This is followed by complaining about the cost of services/products (64%), talking on phone whilst interacting with them (49%), with 71% sharing that they have experienced rudeness from customers.
Not only do manners not “cost a thing”, they can even say you a few pennies in a handful of pubs across major UK cities.
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The Bay Horse Tavern in the Northern Quarter is the Manchester’s pub that’s taking part.
The Bay Horse Tavern in the Northern Quarter is the Manchester’s pub that’s taking part in the ‘Stella Please’ campaign / Credit: Facebook (The Bay Horse Tavern) | Stella Artois
Customers simply need to say “Can I have a Stella, please” when placing their order, and in return will receive £1 off their pint – but that’s not all though, as for each pint ordered, a donation by Stella Artois will also be made to Hospitality Action to support hospitality workers during their busiest season in years.
“Christmas can be a difficult time of year for hospitality workers, even more so this year with many preparing for an unpredictable, yet their busiest festive season in years,” said Tim Ovadia – Global Vice President at Stella Artois.
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“We wanted to raise awareness on the pressure the hospitality workers may face this season and our research shows how small acts of kindness from the public really can go a long way for them.”
Customers simply need to say “Can I have a Stella, please” when placing their order, and in return will receive £1 off their pint / Credit: Twitter (@StellaArtois)
UK-based charity Hospitality Action has been helping hospitality staff get back on their feet after a tough 18 months, with the company’s Chief Executive Mark Lewis adding: “Verbal abuse towards hospitality staff is a serious issue and as research indicates, things have unfortunately intensified since the end of lockdown.
“We praise the efforts of Stella Artois and Marco in helping spread awareness of this important issue and getting the nation to show kindness to the hospitality industry during this busy time of year for them.
“Hospitality staff will bend over backwards to ensure you enjoy the festive season, so please show them some kindness in return.”
The Stella Please campaign is the latest initiative from Stella Artois to support the hospitality industry and workers as they continue to get back to work after lockdown, and comes after the brewer also launched Stella Tips when pubs re-opened earlier in the year to give out £500,000 in tips to hospitality staff in UK pubs – with staff offered £1 for each pint of Stella they pulled.
Two North West cities named among the ‘noisiest’ in the UK – including Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new analysis has revealed a list of the noisiest cities in the UK, and two Greater Manchester locations are in the top five.
From blaring sirens and car horns, to house parties, barking dogs, and loud neighbours, escaping the noise of a city can feel almost impossible – even in your own home.
No matter whether you live in the hustle and bustle, or you’re out in the sleepier suburbs, noise can keep you up at night, disturb your peace, and lead to frustration. But just how loud are Greater Manchester’s cities compared to the rest of the UK? In a bid to get to the bottom of it, Alpine Hearing Protection has done some research to compile a top 10 list.
And both Salford and Manchester have found themselves not just within the top 10, but within the top five… and to make matters worse, Salford has actually claimed the number one spot.
The reason Salford has found itself at the top of the list, according to the research, is because it sits at the intersection of several major transport and urban hubs, with major motorways running through or around the city including the M60, M61, and M62.
Major rail routes also run through the city – including via Salford Crescent – which sees 16 million passengers every year, and also leads to Manchester Airport.
Top 10 noisiest cities in the UK
Salford
Portsmouth
Manchester
Southampton
London
Leeds
Stoke-on-Trent
Wakefield
Newcastle upon Tyne
Bradford
Parts of Salford are also very built-up, making pockets of the city noisy – especially in the concentrated centre where traffic, construction, nightlife and commercial activity get loud.
And of course, like any growing city, construction noises have been noted as ‘particularly bothersome’ for residents where major developments are springing up.
Manchester is third on the list of noisiest cities, due to many of the same reasons as Salford.
But the difference being that Mancunians are noted as one of the many reasons why the city is so loud – with residents making 5,301 noise complaints across Manchester between January 2024 and January 2025, and Hulme identified the loudest area with 304 complaints.
As well all know, Manchester is also home to many universities, which brings an active nightlife scene to the region, especially in the city centre, and in recent FOI data, it was revealed that the University of Manchester saw 2,049 noise complaints in the last five years.
Motorists warned of common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines
Emily Sergeant
With the temperatures drastically dropping now as we head into winter, motorists are being warned against a common driving habit.
On a wintry morning when the windscreens are frozen and your hands are equally as frozen too, it’s pretty common for drivers to start the engine, turn the heater right up, and remain stationary for several minutes to warm the car up before setting off on their journey… but did you know that doing this could see you, inadvertently, fall foul of the law?
That’s right – as ridiculous as it sounds, leaving your car engine running ‘unnecessarily’ while parked on a public road is illegal.
And to make matters worse, the rules on ‘engine idling’, as it’s known, apply regardless of whether the driver is using the heating, waiting for someone, or simply sitting in the vehicle.
Known as a stationary idling offence, Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while it is stationary on a public road, and according to the rule, a fixed penalty of up to £80 can be issued, right there and then.
Motorists are being warned of a common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines / Credit: PickPik | Wikimedia Commons
Fines will only be handed out if a motorist is stopped by a police officer who asks them to switch the engine off, and they fail to comply.
“However tempting it might be to sit in a vehicle with the engine running and the heater on to warm up, we strongly advice against it,” commented RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.
“As well as polluting the air and wasting fuel, drivers who leave their engines idling unnecessarily on a public road also risk an on-the-spot fine of £80. On cold mornings, the best approach is to clear any ice or snow properly and ensure windows are fully de-misted before setting off, then get on your way and let the car warm you up.”
There are some exceptions to the rule, however, as keeping the engine running is permitted in certain circumstances.
This includes when a vehicle is stationary because of traffic conditions, when the engine needs to run so a mechanical fault can be investigated, or if certain work is being carried out on the side of the road.
Emily Sergeant -
7th December 2021 
