Bimini, one of the headliners of this year’s Manchester Pride Festival, has pulled out of performing due to the event’s main headline sponsor.
The drag artist, who placed as runner-up on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, said in a statement this week that they ‘cannot in good conscience perform at this year’s event’.
Bimini wrote that the ‘tough decision’ had been taken because of Manchester Pride Festival’s headline sponsor Booking.com, which is alleged to have profited from the occupation of Palestine (it’s been reported that the platform had listings in the Occupied Palestinian Territory between March 2021 and May 2023).
They said in their statement that ‘as an artist and activist, I stand for justice and accountability’.
Bimini is a familiar and popular face at Manchester Pride, having also nabbed a triumphant headline spot last year.
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The line-up for Manchester Pride 2024 also includes Sugababes, Jessie J, Eurovision star Loreen, Rita Ora, Katy B and Keala Settle, alongside a staggering list of LGBTQ+ performers and talent.
Bimini is the fourth artist to pull out of this year’s huge celebration, with BollyWitch, Felix Mufti and Dan Chan also refusing to perform for similar reasons relating to the event’s headline sponsor.
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Booking.com has said it’s ‘incredibly disappointed’ to head that Bimini has pulled out of Manchester Pride Festival.
Manchester Pride, the charity behind the huge August bank holiday festival, added that it ‘respects and understands’ Bimini’s decision and added that it continues to ‘engage in meaningful dialogue’ with Booking.com.
Bimini said in their statement: “After careful consideration, l’ve made the tough decision to withdraw from headlining the Friday night at Manchester Pride this year. This choice is not taken lightly; I deeply value the Manchester community and the celebration of love and diversity that Pride represents.
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“However, after learning of allegations against one of the event’s sponsors, Booking.com, I have decided I cannot in good conscience perform at this year’s event.
“Booking.com list vacation homes in disputed territories and has been blacklisted by the United Nations Human Rights Council as a company that has human rights violations concerns.
“As an artist and activist, I stand for justice and accountability. Bimini”
BIMINI. Credit: Publicity picture
A spokesperson from Booking.com said: “We are of course incredibly disappointed, but we continue to engage with Manchester Pride on this topic to help understand the context behind our position.
“We firmly believe that it is up to travellers to decide where they want and need to go. Our role is to ensure that people can make an informed decision that’s right for them, and that includes accurately labelling listings in areas that are disputed or affected by conflict.
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“We also remain steadfast in our commitment to making travel easier for everyone, regardless of who you love or how you identify, and to our many partnerships with organisations like Manchester Pride that share in that inclusive vision.”
In a statement shared with the Manchester Evening News, David McGovern, the Chair of Trustees at Manchester Pride, said: “We respect and understand Bimini’s decision to withdraw from the Manchester Pride Festival. Manchester Pride has always valued the principles of freedom and liberation, and we honour each individual’s right to protest in their own way.
“The team at Manchester Pride stands in solidarity with all those suffering from the devastating war in Gaza and all the innocent people subjected to violence in Palestine and Israel. At our core, we value liberation and believe nobody’s free until everybody’s free.
Bimini’s statement in full as artist pulls out of Manchester Pride. Credit: Instagram, @biminibabes
“After extensive discussions with Booking.com to understand their stance and actions regarding accommodation listings in occupied territory, we are continuing to engage in meaningful dialogue with them and our other sponsors.”
David also explained that, as a charity, Manchester Pride must utilise commercial revenue streams to fund their vital events, community work, and other charity objectives.
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He continued: “Manchester Pride and the LGBTQ+ community have a long, proud history of protest. We fully recognise, respect and support any artist’s decision to perform or not perform at the Manchester Pride Festival and we continue to stand by, facilitate and champion our communities’ right to protest.
“We are a listening charity, we continuously engage with our communities to ensure our programme of activities and grant-making meets the needs and priorities of intersectional LGBTQ+ people living in Greater Manchester. We continue to consult with our artists and communities to be able to provide authentic, meaningful support in the run-up to our vital celebration of LGBTQ+ life.”
Stockport County’s Christmas dinner in a cup returns for 2025 as part of new festive food range
Danny Jones
We can’t believe it’s rolled around again already, but with the festive period well underway and the big day just a few weeks away, Stockport County have brought back their viral ‘Xmas dinner in a cup’for 2025.
Better still, the County Courtyard has seen some new Christmas specials added to its food menu, too.
The local football club are absolutely flying in League One at the moment, having spent plenty of time at the top of the table already and still well and truly contesting those promotion/play-off spots.
If you’re a Stopfordian, that’s plenty of cause for celebration right there, but with the Christmas dinner in a cup also up for grabs once more, the holiday season literally couldn’t taste any better right now.
For those who’ve never seen it before, it’s exactly what it says on the tin – well, cup: a little Sunday dinner in a County-branded takeaway coffee cup, complete with a healthy pour of gravy and pretty much all the trimmings you could hope for.
Yes, including sprouts, because all of you who still don’t touch them need to grow up already.
Currently priced at just £4.50, not only does it contain virtually all the major food groups (barring the customary matchday pints, of course), it might just be one of the healthiest and best value-for-money bits of footy scran around – certainly in Greater Manchester, anyway.
But, as mentioned, that’s not all this year; Stockport are also serving up the new festive hot dog and even a ‘leftover Christmas curry’ in a bowl, which might even be more warming on a cold night at Edgeley Park than the Xmas dinner in a cup or clinging onto a flask of Bovril.
Anyone else craving that curry with a cheeky bit of bubble and squeak now?
It’s also worth noting that you’ll only be able to get one of those on Boxing Day, by the way, when the Hatters host Lincoln City in the league.
As for the rest of it, County fans can get their hands on this seasonal scran for the first time this year at the weekend when Dave Challinor’s side take on Barnsley at 12:30pm, and two of the three specials will then be served at home every game over the holiday period.
Speaking of random Christmas food creations, there’s another limited-time-only and potentially divisive example that we’ll also be sampling this December…
Wolf Alice at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
London-formed rock band Wolf Alice are now on the road for their UK tour, and they’re visiting AO Arena in Manchester to put a ‘Smile’ on our faces.
We’re trying our best to be ‘Formidable Cool’, but when Wolf Alice come to town, we think everyone is allowed to lose it a little bit.
Known for bangers like ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’, ‘Silk’ and ‘Lipstick On The Glass’, just to name a few, this band have built a cult following thanks to their always-impressive discography.
15 years since forming and just over 10 years since their debut album My Love Is Cool hit airwaves, with their lead singles ‘Fluffy’ and ‘Bros’, just three months later, they’ve been on a roll since. Now, Wolf Alice are playing their biggest Manc gigs to date at none other than our iconic 21,000-seater venue, AO Arena.
Gig guide | Wolf Alice at AO Arena Manchester
Wolf Alice’s upcoming gig is taking place at AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 28 November / Credit: Press Shots (via Supplied)
Wolf Alice UK tour dates
Fri 28 November – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Sat 29 November – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 1 December – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
Tue 2 December – London, UK – The O2
Wed 3 December – London, UK – The O2
Fri 5 December – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Sun 7 December – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Mon 8 December – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Wolf Alice tickets for AO Arena gig
This band might be bigger than any ‘Giant Peach’ you could possibly think, but you might just be able to get your hand on a ticket or two for the last Wolf Alice gig in Manchester on their final night this Friday, 28 November.
Stop ‘Leaning Against the Wall’ and get onto your favourite ticket site as there are still a handful of tickets for Wolf Alice’s upcoming Manchester show available right HERE.
What are the stage times for Wolf Alice in Manchester?
AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm, meaning you can get home in time for some ‘Bread Butter Tea Sugar’ before the early hours.
There’s not one but two incredible acts set to support Wolf Alice, and it’s none other than former-FRIGS lead singer, Bria Salmena, as well as American rock trio, Sunflower Bean.
Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and Wolf Alice are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for closing time.
Thank u Europe and thank u @Florence_Road Touring in Europe is magic. We don’t take it for granted, so grateful for you all turning up. 🥹 Lots of love xxx
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Daisy Jackson -
2nd August 2024 
