The memorial – which was unveiled in 2019, just before the 200th anniversary – is intended to remember those who died in the Peterloo Massacre of 16 August 1819, but shortly after opening, the circular-stepped feature came under fire from disability campaigners.
Jeremy Deller, the Turner Prize-winning artist who designed the memorial, intended it to be “a place of meeting and assembly where people could stand and sit together” – but the council said it did not anticipate Mr Deller’s interpretation of his brief, which proposed the monument to be interactive without accommodating wheelchair access.
Manchester City Council said last week that several options involving various ramp or lift designs have been explored in detail to make the memorial accessible, but that none of them “have proved feasible”.
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Councillors have now agreed to meet with campaigners to discuss fresh proposals.
The circular-stepped feature has come under fire from disability campaigners / Credit: Geograph (David Dixon)
Mark Todd, a member of the Peterloo Memorial access campaign, told the council’s communities and equalities committee that the time for working with Mr Deller and architects on finding a solution had passed.
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“What we’ve done is we’ve worked together as Mancunians to come up with a solution we think works,” he said.
“We want it to be an access solution that gets us to the top as the promise was made, so we can take part in the same way as any other citizen, but we think it can do more than that.”
Cllr Luthfur Rahman – Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council – admitted that mistakes had been made and that if he could, he would “go back and start right at the beginning again”.
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Several committee members also agreed that the proposals by campaigners should be considered.
“I think what we need to do is sit down together and have a look at the proposals,” added Cllr Susan Cooley, the council’s Lead Member for Disabled People.
Councillors also accepted that lessons learned from the Peterloo monument had paved the way for more inclusive future memorials such as the Glade of Light – which will commemorate the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena attack.
Manchester City Council insisted that there are no “viable solutions” for accessibility / Credit: Flickr
The Peterloo Massacre took place at St Peter’s Field in Manchester in 1819, when masses arrived to hear radical speaker Henry Hunt campaign for parliamentary reform, but a troop of sabre-wielding cavalrymen charged into the crowds.
At least 11 people were killed and 400 were injured.
The ‘headphone dodger’ proposal that could see people who play loud music on public transport fined
Danny Jones
A group of politicians are calling for people who play music and videos out loud on public transport to be fined, and not just a small fee, either. How about a grand?…
Yes, a new idea floated by members of the Liberal Democrats would see so-called ‘headphone dodgers’ hit with a penalty of a whopping penalty of up to £1,000.
Obviously, the idea would need government backing in order to make it through as an official bill, but it seems several Labour and Conservative MPs agree, and the suggestion alone already has caused plenty of online discussion.
Should 'headphone dodgers' who play loud music and videos on public transport face a fine of £1,000?
Sparking quite the water-cooler conversation too, the proposal is something that clearly taps into a fairly common nuisance among the general public and one that has increased in the era of smartphones, tablets and so on.
While it’s definitely something people can relate to, and the highly reactionary idea of charging them such a large sum of money, many on social media have noted that while the concept is one they can get behind, the figure seems excessive to most.
The no-headphone fine would apply to those playing music and video out loud on buses, trains and trams at what would generally be considered an obnoxious volume; if given the green light, this rule would be included in the railway byelaws and the current ‘Bus Services Bill‘ amended.
It has been suggested that a potential national campaign deterring this kind of behaviour would follow, with the party arguing plainly that commuters deserve to “enjoy a moment of peace.”
A similar policy has emerged regarding drivers as well.
This push from the Lib Dems comes after they commissioned a poll which found that “more than half of Brits said they would not feel empowered to ask somebody to turn down their music” while on board public transport, with over a third confessing they’ve come across the issue before.
Lisa Smart, the party’s home affairs spokesman, said: “Far too many people dread their daily commute because of the blight of antisocial behaviour — and headphone dodgers playing loud music on buses and trains are some of the worst offenders.”
She went on to add, “It’s time to take a stand for the quiet majority who just want to get from A to B in peace.” It is believed that both politicians in power and members of the opposition have already expressed support for the idea, even if specifics like the severity of the fine are up for debate.
Greater Manchester cleans up at first-ever Festival of Women’s Football Awards
Danny Jones
This week marked the inaugural Festival of Women’s Football Awards (FWFA), which not only saw a whole host of female talent from up and down the English pyramid celebrated, but Greater Manchester in particular picked up a number of accolades.
Of course, we all know that 0161 is the true home of football, with Manchester’s rich sporting heritage known worldwide, but it’s always nice to see our region recognised for its continued contribution to the beautiful game.
That reputation goes double for the women’s game too, as the 2025 FWFA saw a trio of local clubs and a trio of different players winning across multiple categories.
Starting with the blue side of Manchester, Manchester City Women star Yui Hasegawa picked up Player of the Year from a strong shortlist of midfielders.
Joining the club back in the summer of 2022, Hasegawa famously scored on her debut and was named in the PFA Team of the Year that season.
Playing in 92 of the 96 games since her arrival, she is widely considered not just one of the best midfielders in the Women’s Super League (WSL) but the world.
As for the red half of the city, not only did Phallon Tullis-Joyce – who has shone since filling the very big boots of Mary Earps – pick up the award for the best shotstopper, but centre-back Maya Le Tissier was named both Defender and Young Player of the Year.
Latics Women only launched their squad this season but have already amassed a passionate following, hence the award, and also won the Lancashire Women’s County League Championship at the first time of asking.
Congratulations to all the Greater Mancunian footballing organisations and sports personalities recognised at this year’s Festival of Women’s Football Awards – here’s hoping for even more in 2026!
🏆 We were delighted to attend this evening’s Festival of Women’s Football Awards in London…
It was an honour to be shortlisted for eight national awards, and take home the ‘Best Fan Experience’ prize! 💙#wafc 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/OoeN92Vxwv
The Manc -
25th June 2021 
