The Royal Family has today unveiled the programme of celebrations as Queen Elizabeth II marks her 70-year reign next year.
Her Majesty The Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June 2022, and this milestone means she will be the first ever British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
She acceded to the throne in 1952 at age 25.
A number of events are planned for the celebratory four-day weekend, including Trooping the Colour, lighting of Platinum Jubilee Beacons, a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral, and crucially, an extra Bank Holiday.
Announcing the news on the Royal Family’s official Twitter account this morning, a spokesperson said: “The weekend will provide an opportunity for communities across the UK to come together to celebrate this historic milestone.”
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Her Majesty The Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee from Thursday 2nd – Sunday 5th June 2022 🎉
Trooping the Colour and the lighting of the beacons will take place on Thursday 2 June 2022.
Beacons will also be lit in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth countries for the first time to celebrate the occasion, as well as throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK overseas territories.
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The service of thanksgiving will be held on Friday 3 June 2022, and “further events will be announced in due course”, according to the official spokesperson.
There will also be a live ‘Platinum Party at the Palace’ concert, The Big Jubilee Lunch and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
The concert – which will be staged and broadcast by the BBC – will be held on Saturday 4 June 2022, and is aiming to “bring together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars”, according to the Royal Family’s website.
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Members of the public will be invited to apply for tickets to attend.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne in 1952 at age 25 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
On Sunday 5 June 2022, the Big Lunch will “bring the Jubilee celebrations into the heart of every community”, where Brits can hold street parties, picnics or garden barbecues to take part.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will feature “over 5,000 people from across the UK and the Commonwealth”.
The entire extended Bank Holiday weekend is set to “combine street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival and costume” to celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign, as well as “national moments of reflection”.
Featured Image – Flickr
UK News
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges
Daisy Jackson
City centre parking is at a premium, especially in a city like Manchester – but we’ve surely all made honest mistakes when paying and been slapped with eye-watering fines as a result.
Well now, Andy Burnham has announced a new Private Parking Code of Practice, which will clamp down on ‘rip-off’ private parking charges.
It will also make it easier for drivers to challenge unfair charges, capping charges for ‘smaller slip-ups’ at £20, and scrapping charges altogether on appeal for ‘honest mistakes’.
The new Code will get drivers a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends.
Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice laid in Parliament today, you’ll be able to appeal to have all charges scrapped for honest mistakes like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine.
Then charges will be capped at £20 for other mistakes such as forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle’s registration or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking.
The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment.
Data shows just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year alone.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.
“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges. Credit: Unsplash, Samuel Isaacs
“We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: “Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle. These changes mean drivers get a fairer deal, protected time to park and leave without fear of being unfairly charged, and confidence that private parking providers are held to a higher standard.
“It’s yet another step forward in this government’s plan to take the stress out of everyday life and ease the pressure on people’s pockets.”
Minister for Consumer Action, Kate Dearden, said: “Nobody works hard for their money just to be deceived by a dodgy trader, and this is exactly the kind of everyday rip-off this government is going after.
“By making it easier to take action against car clocking, we are protecting consumers’ hard-earned money and supporting businesses that play by the rules.”
A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
The Manc -
2nd June 2021 
