The Manc

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andy — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 20:10:00 +0000

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emily — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:38:54 +0000

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emily — Fri, 21 May 2021 13:00:45 +0000

Coffee-Lovers-Class-with-late-art-pouring-at-Food-Sorcery-Didsbury-Manchester

emily — Tue, 25 May 2021 15:25:15 +0000

Coffee-Lovers-Class-at-Food-Sorcery-Barista-Training-Worker-Bee-coffee-Manchester

emily — Tue, 25 May 2021 15:25:19 +0000

manchester-pxfuel-spring-relaxing-sunbathing-reading

emily — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 13:54:54 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 10:14:44 +0000

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emily — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:28:17 +0000

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emily — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:45:04 +0000

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emily — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:52:51 +0000

1. Hero table

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 13:02:25 +0000

12. Restaurant image

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 13:03:30 +0000

Screenshot 2022-03-11 at 15.04.50

emily — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 15:08:24 +0000

GMR_260921-3233 (1)

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:24:56 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:30:18 +0000

unnamed (4)

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:31:03 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 11:08:54 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 11:10:34 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:00:51 +0000

Visitors in Amazônia at the Science Museum © Science Museum Group (2)

emily — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:20:27 +0000

Screenshot 2022-04-08 at 08.29.48

emily — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:30:33 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 12:35:14 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 12:38:30 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 11:26:41 +0000

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emily — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 07:40:57 +0000

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georginapellant — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 14:06:29 +0000

lazy tonys alvarium

georginapellant — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 08:17:42 +0000

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emily — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:23:47 +0000

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emily — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:24:11 +0000

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emily — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:26:57 +0000

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emily — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:29:38 +0000

beatnikz

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 01 May 2022 08:58:18 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Sun, 01 May 2022 08:58:24 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Sun, 01 May 2022 08:58:30 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Sun, 01 May 2022 08:58:36 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Sun, 01 May 2022 09:01:01 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 08:21:23 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 08:23:53 +0000

all inclusive

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:08:18 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:08:25 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:08:51 +0000

mac bites

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:11:29 +0000

snickers dessert

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:11:54 +0000

the alan guardian

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:15:27 +0000

asos changes

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:54:44 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-02 at 11.46.42

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:55:42 +0000

ezgif.com-gif-maker (18)

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:55:52 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-03 at 08.45.19

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 07:46:03 +0000

littlexp

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 07:52:09 +0000

peak boulder

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:26:55 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:27:07 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:27:48 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:27:57 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:31:23 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:38:25 +0000

christie1

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:02:48 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:30:16 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:30:19 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:30:37 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:30:39 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:58:25 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 10:32:21 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 10:55:22 +0000

rashford jpg

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 11:26:54 +0000

JM12V1

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:12:46 +0000

Great Manchester Run

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:14:45 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:14:49 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:16:21 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:17:14 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:17:53 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:17:57 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:32:52 +0000

4thefans

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:35:43 +0000

minirun

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:52:42 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:04:59 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:05:54 +0000

4thefans2

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:08:12 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:09:11 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:09:44 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:09:50 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:11:43 +0000

steak and sushi jpg

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:16:22 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:16:49 +0000

steak sushi 2

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:22:59 +0000

sakku

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:24:22 +0000

PAY CUTS

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:35:32 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:37:01 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:39:47 +0000

brits payrise jpg

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:41:34 +0000

New_office

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:43:45 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:58:22 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:58:38 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:01:18 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:03:06 +0000

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emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:15:02 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:24:23 +0000

blossoms stockport site

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 20:46:46 +0000

blossoms stockport

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 20:46:52 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-03 at 21.57.53

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 20:58:36 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 20:58:58 +0000

celine dion

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 21:02:54 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:04:05 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:04:44 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:04:56 +0000

snakesrspca

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:17:03 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:43:01 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:47:59 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:48:07 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:48:29 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:48:59 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:49:25 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:35:31 +0000

vetcarehome

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:43:31 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:44:16 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:44:25 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:45:12 +0000

schofields 2

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:46:05 +0000

schofields

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:46:10 +0000

kate wills

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:56:53 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:56:59 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:57:08 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:57:16 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:57:21 +0000

kate william site

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:59:33 +0000

kate william glade of light

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:59:38 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:59:43 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:08:11 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:16:34 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:26:32 +0000

yuzu

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:29:30 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:30:07 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:35:51 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:36:37 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:39:10 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:39:25 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:41:49 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:46:09 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:48:59 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:49:23 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:49:31 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:51:17 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:51:49 +0000

deliveroo flights

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:57:10 +0000

deliveroo flights

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 11:02:52 +0000

peakyspeaky

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 11:12:23 +0000

IMG_6977

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 12:57:32 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:08:18 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:09:39 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:10:28 +0000

bottybrunch

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:20:29 +0000

JAZZY-FRIES-

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:25:54 +0000

VALAFEL-PAV

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:26:27 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:33:08 +0000

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georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:38:28 +0000

bundo maray

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:40:41 +0000

deliveroo final

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deliveroo final cropped

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:14:30 +0000

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emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:14:41 +0000

DELIVEROO_FLIGHTS_07e

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:15:55 +0000

Egp-GmpXcAAkpDn

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:27:45 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-04 at 15.23.25

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:27:54 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 15:26:56 +0000

the collins family

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 15:30:51 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 16:20:35 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 16:30:38 +0000

englefield flackstock

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Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 16:33:05 +0000

©Arnaud CAILLOU - L'Oeil Témoin - bonjour@loeil-temoin.com

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 06:46:44 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-05 at 07.46.06

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 06:47:31 +0000

©Arnaud CAILLOU - L'Oeil Témoin - bonjour@loeil-temoin.com

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 06:49:42 +0000

©Arnaud CAILLOU - L'Oeil Témoin - bonjour@loeil-temoin.com

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 06:52:47 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 06:56:47 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:02:27 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:03:43 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:51:54 +0000

hotweather

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:57:28 +0000

story_2

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georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:57:21 +0000

escape food kantina

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:57:38 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:09:09 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:13:28 +0000

threelions

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:20:19 +0000

WhatsApp Image 2022-05-05 at 8.30.30 AM (2)

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:25:13 +0000

tram pigeon

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:31:26 +0000

pigeon metrolink

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:31:35 +0000

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georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:32:11 +0000

Little window alty

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:32:36 +0000

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georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:42:01 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:03:33 +0000

IMG_3276

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:07:34 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:10:52 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:11:52 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:13:00 +0000

Rick Astley Haydock Park 5

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:19:36 +0000

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georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:27:23 +0000

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georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:27:58 +0000

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emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:45:21 +0000

food 4 thought

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:48:45 +0000

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georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:52:40 +0000

brigad1

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:54:55 +0000

IMG_2413-800x500

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:14:02 +0000

177FC4B7-0CF8-45D7-8158-7CA39765A616_1_105_c

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:17:40 +0000

IMG_2414

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:17:52 +0000

mag-return-to-travel-manchester-airport-21-1

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 13:56:28 +0000

security-bag-search

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 13:56:32 +0000

martha-on-the-beach-2400x3200-1

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:12:43 +0000

IMG_2415

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:13:24 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-05 at 15.14.59

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:17:46 +0000

279609531_2774989399311651_1553713305847362166_n

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:18:28 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:18:37 +0000

3088170_95767f49

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:23:37 +0000

Bridlington_North_Beach_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_1348651

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:24:21 +0000

staffmcr

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:26:03 +0000

opening hours pubs 2 -Recovered

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:28:18 +0000

pets at home

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:31:50 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-05 at 15.29.09

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:31:59 +0000

JL_nfm_-1

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:46:22 +0000

m4ARskTR_400x400

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:22:07 +0000

4yGBVfd7_400x400

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:22:11 +0000

jockeyclub

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:22:52 +0000

152741109_271292421025588_5114132954585365811_n

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:26:28 +0000

FR77so6XEAESSCf

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:27:13 +0000

david johnson

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:29:33 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-05 at 16.48.10

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:49:27 +0000

freight skate

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 21:53:31 +0000

jana-bemol-ywfW6pXo09c-unsplash

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 21:53:37 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 21:54:15 +0000

GLS_takeyou

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 21:54:24 +0000

FSDM56EVUAAaKqn

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 06:19:38 +0000

FSDM55jUUAAeDjV

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 06:20:00 +0000

FSDM5EHXwAA7huk

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 06:20:25 +0000

metrolink disruption 6.5.22

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 06:21:42 +0000

tim piers site

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:18:33 +0000

tim piers

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:18:39 +0000

19855674725_cdfce6fb95_b

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:18:45 +0000

Tim Burgess

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:18:50 +0000

FR2HBQVWYAAqsuw

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:18:55 +0000

FR_VfHhWQAAxsnY

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:19:04 +0000

mccolls

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:31:42 +0000

mccolls1

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:33:14 +0000

high_res-mccolls-plastic-bag

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:34:17 +0000

230118mccolls_0202

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:59:35 +0000

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emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 08:45:01 +0000

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emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 08:51:05 +0000

hairybikers

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 08:57:17 +0000

p0c53n03

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:45:51 +0000

outdoor seating_

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:54:40 +0000

outdoor seating_cropped

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:55:18 +0000

alvariummcr_279288231_400070915270370_8815362815356575294_n

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:08:43 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:09:02 +0000

alvariummcr_279060848_417682726864683_1144210979164795658_n-1

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:09:20 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:10:27 +0000

alvariummcr_279288231_400070915270370_8815362815356575294_n-1

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:11:41 +0000

bayhorsetavern_277898678_547517203608277_5966430775603914811_n-1

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:12:45 +0000

bedtimerose

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:23:44 +0000

IMG_7499-2-2400x3200-1

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 11:51:00 +0000

whatson1

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 12:29:32 +0000

whatson2

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 12:30:05 +0000

BWH Auditorium Kat Kynes

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:10:54 +0000

Russell Watson head shot

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:11:07 +0000

Russell Watson on stage

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:11:13 +0000

BWH External

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:11:20 +0000

russell bridgewater site

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:13:01 +0000

russell bridgewater

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:13:08 +0000

fac51thehaciendaofficial_248611137_1821422961399052_1694079870878651341_n

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:51:25 +0000

2955570874_8b2254447d_b

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:52:50 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:55:01 +0000

hacienda_

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:58:38 +0000

kimptonrave

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:00:30 +0000

kimpy2

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:01:47 +0000

Jubilee Square

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:03:05 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-06 at 14.56.12

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:07:50 +0000

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emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:10:30 +0000

51231185608_adb3121222_k

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:50:46 +0000

flower show

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:50:55 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:01 +0000

download (19)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:28 +0000

download (18)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:32 +0000

download (17)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:35 +0000

download (16)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:39 +0000

download (15)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:42 +0000

download (14)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:46 +0000

download (13)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:49 +0000

download (12)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:54 +0000

download (11)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:51:57 +0000

download (10)

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:52:01 +0000

210602_themanchesterflowershow_096-scaled

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:54:28 +0000

51231185608_adb3121222_k

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:58:57 +0000

51232030329_d282382da1_k

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:08:03 +0000

JimmysXCornerSlice

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:13:25 +0000

cornerslicemcr_180044346_298353171911511_2691445552635980473_n

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:13:30 +0000

JimmysXCornerSlice Announcement

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:13:51 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-06 at 16.16.17

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:16:43 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-06 at 16.20.32

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:20:46 +0000

jimmys1

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:48:23 +0000

jimmys1

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:50:34 +0000

ezgif.com-gif-maker-19

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:04:42 +0000

ronaldo

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:11:56 +0000

spiking report_@1x_1 cropped

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:34:52 +0000

impossible_mcr_248511220_1487532221619348_2106017966569764869_n

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:44:11 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:46:40 +0000

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georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:48:07 +0000

girlsnightinmanc_248974582_569305807666334_1184888061387870391_n-1

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:48:23 +0000

spiking report_

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 19:31:50 +0000

beavertown hatch

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:15:17 +0000

hatch beavertown 4

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:15:24 +0000

hatch beavertown 1

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:15:49 +0000

hatch beavertown 2

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:16:15 +0000

hatch beavertown 3

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:16:39 +0000

279968711_5044402822261652_7652460222920579763_n

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:20:08 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 08.20.29

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:21:37 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 08.20.56

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:21:59 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 08.24.16

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:25:03 +0000

moss side stabbing

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:27:53 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 08.24.48

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:28:00 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 09.12.00

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:15:26 +0000

little-mix-proposal

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:15:36 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 09.10.52

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:15:37 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 09.10.43

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:15:47 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 09.10.26

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:15:57 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 09.09.57

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:16:09 +0000

279895564_541146317371608_1123980300027452838_n

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:33:03 +0000

britons-protection-

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:39:54 +0000

paul heaton 2_@1x_1

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:41:54 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 09.41.48

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:47:06 +0000

thelowry

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:49:20 +0000

goasts_cheese_mousse_betroot_roast_fig_winter_truffle

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:53:29 +0000

lobster_and_heritage_tomato_salad,_served_with_sweet_corn_cream,_linseed_and_sorrel.

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:53:35 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 10.26.15

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 09:27:13 +0000

IMG_3702

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 09:29:37 +0000

IMG_3739

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 09:30:06 +0000

thelowry2

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 09:31:33 +0000

IMG_3672

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 09:47:57 +0000

IMG_3671

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 09:58:21 +0000

primo bgales_

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 10:01:13 +0000

IMG_3737

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 10:02:09 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 12.35.52

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:36:13 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 12.39.24

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:39:57 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-09 at 12.38.35

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:40:09 +0000

pianotrail

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:47:25 +0000

Cheshire Oaks Bepo-11

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:13:19 +0000

Cheshire-Oaks-Bepo-14

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:14:12 +0000

bepocheshire

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:23:04 +0000

IMG_8188 2

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:19:38 +0000

IMG_8169 2

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:20:07 +0000

IMG_8188-2-1

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:24:56 +0000

IMG_8147-2

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:25:22 +0000

jack-cohen-Tq0i4cjVru8-unsplash

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:25:27 +0000

IMG_8163-2

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:27:36 +0000

IMG_8168-2

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:28:33 +0000

bundo x maray_

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:29:25 +0000

jack-cohen-Tq0i4cjVru8-unsplash

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:30:17 +0000

Art_Deco_parade_of_shops_Hanley_Stoke-on-Trent

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:41:58 +0000

4487450972_872ca31efa_b

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:45:54 +0000

rentshops

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:53:00 +0000

sir mo farah

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:26:30 +0000

220874_BRY200423_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:43:22 +0000

220874_BRY200423_IMG_17_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:43:34 +0000

220874_BRY200423_IMG_05_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:43:38 +0000

12532_STY210421_IMG_02_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:45:46 +0000

12532_STY210421_IMG_07_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:47:36 +0000

12532_STY210421_IMG_14_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:47:40 +0000

56965_MOS180149_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:50:03 +0000

56965_MOS180149_IMG_06_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:51:54 +0000

56965_MOS180149_IMG_05_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:51:58 +0000

43113_EM-144432_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:56:53 +0000

43113_EM-144432_IMG_17_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:58:49 +0000

43113_EM-144432_IMG_03_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:58:53 +0000

Screen-Shot-2022-05-09-at-17.01.04

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:01:22 +0000

13084_11459142_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:01:43 +0000

13084_11459142_IMG_01_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:02:40 +0000

13084_11459142_IMG_02_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:02:44 +0000

keir beergate

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:07:17 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-09 at 17.05.27

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:07:23 +0000

81832_HMR170399_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:17:11 +0000

81832_HMR170399_IMG_01_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:18:03 +0000

81832_HMR170399_IMG_02_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:18:08 +0000

2987_11488056_IMG_01_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:20:31 +0000

2987_11488056_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:22:39 +0000

2987_11488056_IMG_02_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:22:43 +0000

74064_HSS204292_IMG_24_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:26:11 +0000

74064_HSS204292_IMG_03_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:31:31 +0000

74064_HSS204292_IMG_05_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:31:35 +0000

3685_18c76661-db26-4631-85a6-0a4071a90de8_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:44:54 +0000

3685_18c76661-db26-4631-85a6-0a4071a90de8_IMG_02_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:48:46 +0000

3685_18c76661-db26-4631-85a6-0a4071a90de8_IMG_03_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:48:50 +0000

15554_836788_IMG_00_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:51:25 +0000

15554_836788_IMG_05_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:51:34 +0000

15554_836788_IMG_08_0000

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:51:39 +0000

hotpropmay

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 17:00:29 +0000

hotproper2

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 17:01:56 +0000

PROMO-VIDEO-V2

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 06:51:32 +0000

IMG_3476

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:01:21 +0000

IMG_3496

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:03:34 +0000

9

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:05:24 +0000

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:45:57 +0000

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:48:19 +0000

bigmoney

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:54:32 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:09:23 +0000

ezgif.com-gif-maker-20

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:11:00 +0000

deborah james

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:12:13 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:12:20 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:12:26 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:13:54 +0000

backstreeetboys

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:20:32 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:20:37 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-10 at 10.19.04

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:20:44 +0000

party series abc_

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:01:17 +0000

party series abc_ cropped

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:02:17 +0000

Screenshot-2022-05-10-at-10.58.23

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:03:16 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:04:10 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:06:51 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-10 at 10.55.05

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:11:48 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-10 at 10.31.38

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:12:11 +0000

backstreeetboys

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:12:33 +0000

levenshulme

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:14:52 +0000

food-sorting-2103-683x416

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:51:24 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:55:36 +0000

food poverty_

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:58:57 +0000

IMG_3702-1

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:06:20 +0000

IMG_3692

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:06:22 +0000

IMG_3677

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:06:27 +0000

IMG_3702-1-1

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:06:32 +0000

Screen Shot 2022-05-10 at 12.26.25

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:26:47 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:27:05 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:27:09 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:27:13 +0000

abi phillips

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:30:33 +0000

flower show

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:57:02 +0000

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:13:26 +0000

7gm1ubuzi3p71

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:13:38 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-10 at 13.19.19

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:19:40 +0000

Screenshot 2022-05-10 at 13.18.53

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:19:58 +0000

friday-the-13th_full_width

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:24:47 +0000

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:35:01 +0000

friday13

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:36:14 +0000

atlas brunch_

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 13:23:30 +0000

atlas brunch_

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 13:24:45 +0000

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georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 13:25:20 +0000

marmite truffle

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:28:33 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:28:38 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:28:42 +0000

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:34:27 +0000

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emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:13:35 +0000

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There's a new drive-in cinema taking over the abandoned Camelot Theme Park this summer

emily

A new drive-in cinema screening some cult-classic films is set to take over the abandoned Camelot Theme Park this summer.

If you're unfamiliar with the Chorley-based theme park, it made a name for itself entertaining the North West masses for nearly 30 years before it closed to the public for good back in 2012, and had sadly remained out-of-use and largely derelict ever since.

That was, until events company Park N Party - the team also behind sell-out seasonal drive-in events SecretCity, ScareCity, and ChristmasCity - brought the attraction's abandoned rides and empty footpaths back to life earlier this year for the hugely-popular Camelot Rises, which saw visitors get to experience all the “sensations” that put them right in the middle of an apocalyptic event, with live actors, scene-setting lights and sounds, and so much more.

But now, Northern kids of the 80s, 90s, and 00s will truly be able to revisit their youth, as the abandoned park goes back to its days of Arthurian legend for the new Summer Knights drive-in cinema and entertainment attraction.

Event organisers are saying to expect a "sun-soaked bonanza of fun".

Summer Knights arrives at Camelot Theme Park this month / Credit: Park N Party

Arriving within the walls of the iconic castle of Camelot from the end of this month, visitors will get to watch a wide selection of great films at what Park N Party is calling its "brightest drive-in cinema yet".

There'll be themed nights dedicated to cult movies, chilling horror, joyful singalongs, romance, and family-friendly fun, so there’s definitely something for everyone.

Kicking off on Friday 20 May with the absolute 70s classic that is Grease, some of the other film highlights in the genre-diverse lineup include Insidious, Superbad, The Greatest Showman, Anchorman, Dirty Dancing, and Disney's newest smash-hit, Encanto, just to name a few.

Pitch Perfect, Mamma Mia, Fight Club, and more will also be screened over the summer.

Summer Knights is set to be a "sun-soaked bonanza of fun" / Credit: Park N Party

Just like all other Park N Party's previous events, there will be a fully-licensed bar and a number of street food vendors on site to choose from to make it a truly magical night.

Summer Knights will officially take over Camelot Theme Park from Friday 25 May, and is set to run right through to Saturday 25 June, with tickets currently on sale and setting you back just £25 per vehicle.

Grab tickets here.

Featured Image - Park N Party

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:03:27 +0000

A free three-day outdoor festival is returning to Deansgate Mews this month

emily

A three-day outdoor festival full of food, drink, and live music is set to return to a hidden street in Manchester city centre in just a couple of weeks time.

Back by popular demand after what was a successful run in 2021, city centre dining and leisure destination, The Great Northern Warehouse, has announced that it's hosting its three-day outdoor festival, Deansgate Mews Festival, once again in 2022 - with live music, market traders, Al Fresco dining, and so much more on the lineup.

Just as the name suggests, the street festival will take over Deansgate Mews - a hidden street nestled just above the city's main thoroughfare, Deansgate from Friday 20 - Sunday 22 May, with the final day of the festival coinciding with the Great Manchester Run.

The festival is completely free to attend, and will celebrate all the eclectic independent food and drink businesses on the street.

Over 40 different music acts are also on the lineup this year, and it features local acts such as South By Zero, The France, and Uno Mas, who will all be taking centre stage to entertain guests over the three-day "sunshine celebrations".

As well as the returning Lion's Den outdoor stage, also new to the festival this year will be a second stage located within live streaming and music recording specialists, Low Four, which has an entertainment lineup that features a disco DJ set from Marple band, Dutch Uncles, from 10:30am-5pm on Sunday 22 May.

When it comes to what's on the summer-inspired food and drink menu, festival-goers can expect to tuck into treats from Deansgate Mews' newest restaurant, Another Hand - which is known for its locally-sourced produce and seasonal cocktails.

The Mews Bar will also be serving up some of the finest of wines paired with meat and cheese sharing boards across the festival.

You can also use the festival as a chance to try out the venue’s brand-new bottomless offer, which features a pot of cheese fondue, tasty bits for dipping, and unlimited wine and House Pilsner for 90 minutes, all for just £33 per person.

And if the selection of food, drink, and live entertainment wasn't brilliant enough as it is, there will also be pop-up Gift Emporium selling a range of unique and quirky gifts across the three-day festival, with local Manchester brands including floristry specialist Bahflorals, Dolly Florence selling artwork and paintings, and independent clothing brand Elize Clothing.

"Following on from last year’s success, we are delighted to bring you the return of Deansgate Mews Festival, and we anticipate it will be bigger and better than ever," said Mark Schofield - Centre Director at The Great Northern Warehouse.

"Our ambition with the festival is to invite local people along to enjoy a free weekend of music, accompanied by fantastic outdoor dining, drinks and shopping."

You can find out more about the Deansgate Mews Festival 2022 here.

Featured Image -

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emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:35:35 +0000

Manchester bar with over 500 gins launches new bottomless brunch

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 13:50:14 +0000

A city centre Manchester bar lauded for its huge gin collection has launched a new bottomless brunch deal, and it sounds too good to pass up.

Atlas Bar at the Castlefield end of Deansgate is well known for its humungous gin collection, which spans over 570 bottles at its most recent count.

Growing every week, the bar even has to keep an up-to-date version of its gin menu online as the printing costs would be astronomical. That's how big the choice is here.

A Manchester mainstay for over twenty years, the bar is something of a mecca for gin lovers and was once, famously, a favourite haunt of Tony Wilson.

Image: Atlas Bar

But now, Mancs have another reason to pay them a visit. Especially those who love themselves a boozy brunch.

The new bottomless offer is available from X to X, and includes X hours of free-flowing drinks.

Gin, of course, is a given, with unlimited gin and tonics available as part of the offer. Drinkers can enjoy non-stop

Atlas gin and tonics are made from the bar's own premium London Dry gin, created in partnership with Oldham-based distillery Defiance Spirits, then served with a slice of grapefruit and Fever Tree's Mediterranean tonic.

There's also a gin-based bramble cocktail available, made with lemon juice, gin and blackberry liqueur and served over crushed ice.

Elsewhere, further drinks choices include popular cocktails like Aperol spritz, bloody marys, mimosas and bellinis. glasses of red and white wine, prosecco, vodka and tonic, and pints of Amstel, Heineken 0.0%, and Inch's cider.

Simply put, there are a lot of drinks to choose from - and that's before you even get started on the food.

As well as X hours of endless drinks, diners are also treated to a dish of their choice from the Atlas breakfast or lunch menu.

Options span the likes of

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:51:41 +0000

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Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:54:11 +0000

Massive football fan park to return to Manchester for the 2022 World Cup

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:08:40 +0000

The UK's biggest football fan park is back by popular demand and returning to Manchester for the 2022 World Cup later this year.

Following what was a hugely successful and sold-out run during Euro 2020 - where 25,000 fans come together at different fan park locations across the UK to cheer on England’s historic Euro campaign - sporting events company, 4TheFans, has launched the first edition of its World Cup 2022 fan parks.

And Manchester's Soccer Dome at Trafford Park is the location picked for this year's event.

As it has now become known for, 4TheFans will be bringing back the big game atmosphere and immersive fan experience, but this time, without any necessary COVID-19 restrictions.

This means that football fans can expect huge anti-glare screens, world-class sound systems, a series of exclusive bars and food traders, DJs, competitions, and prize giveaways, all brought to you by a dedicated host for the event.

4TheFans has launched the first edition of its World Cup 2022 fan parks / Credit: 4TheFans

4TheFans is bringing back the big game atmosphere and immersive fan experience to Manchester / Credit: 4TheFans

Not only that, but each match screening is also set to welcome a genuine football legend to the party - with big names such as former Manchester City and Manchester United players, Joleon Lescott and Wes Brown, lined-up for the England games.

Other stars are set to make appearances during the tournament's Knockout games too, and their names are soon-to-be-announced, so keep your eyes peeled.

The 4TheFans Fan Parks are all about "putting football fans at the heart of the action".

The 2022 World Cup officially kicks off on 21 November and runs right through to 18 December in Qatar, and while it's certainly not an easy one to get to, 4TheFans is probably the next best thing to having a match ticket if you're looking to make the most of one of the world's most iconic sporting competitions.

The 4TheFans Fan Parks are all about "putting football fans at the heart of the action" / Credit: 4TheFans

Tickets will set you back £12 per person or £8 as part of a group booking of six, with a range of VIP table options also available.

As mentioned, previous 4TheFans events have all sold out, and for some of the games in the past, the waiting list was over 10,000 people, so if you want to make sure you're part of the action this year, then don't put off buying your tickets.

You can grab tickets here.

Featured Image - 4TheFans

Body found in search for missing mother Katie Kenyon

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 01 May 2022 08:31:53 +0000

A body has been found in the search for Katie Kenyon, who went missing earlier this month.

The 33-year-old was reported missing on 22 April after she was last seen getting into a van in Lancashire.

Lancashire Police have now confirmed that they have sadly found the body of a woman after receiving new information about a location where Katie could be.

Officers have not yet formally confirmed the identity of the woman, but believe it to be that of Katie.

The mother-of-two's family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Katie Kenyon was reported missing after getting into a silver van on 22 April. Credit: Lancashire Police

Det Supt Gary Brooks, head of Lancashire’s Force Major Investigation Unit, said: “Following extensive police enquiries and after a number of days of searching I can now sadly confirm that we have found a body and at this time we believe it to be that of Katie Kenyon.

"Katie’s family have been told and my heart goes out to them at this time. We have specially trained officers supporting them at this difficult time.

“I would like to thank the public and the media for all the help they have given us during what has been a protracted, complex and very emotive search and I would also like to thank both the partner agencies and all of the police officers and staff who have been involved in the search for Katie.

"While this is not the conclusion to those searches any of us would have wished for I know the family appreciate those efforts.

“Once again, my thoughts today are with Katie’s family and all of her loved ones.”

A Home Office post-mortem examination will now be carried out to try to establish the cause of death.

A man appeared in crown court on Friday 29 April charged with Katie’s murder.

Andrew Burfield, 50, of Todmorden Road, Burnley will face trial in November.

Featured image: Lancashire Police

One of Manchester's best-loved breweries announces 'incredibly sad' closure

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 06:55:00 +0000

Beatnikz Republic, one of Manchester's most popular independent breweries, has announced it has made the 'painful decision' to cease trading.

The craft brewery is based in one of the railway arches in the Green Quarter, and over the years has gone on to open its own taproom and a bar in the Northern Quarter.

But the brewery's founder Paul Greetham has now announced that the impact of Covid-19, combined with the rising cost of living, has 'proven too much' for the business.

He said in a statement that the 'financial implications have been disastrous' and that Beatnikz Republic Brewing Co. has ceased trading.

The Beatnikz Republic bar in the Northern Quarter. Credit: Beatnikz NQ

The bar on Dale Street will continue to trade as normal, and while Paul has resigned as director, he said: "I encourage everyone to visit as often as possible as the beers are great and the staff are incredibly skilled and welcoming."

Paul's statement said: "It’s with great sadness that we announce that Beatnikz Republic Brewing Co. has ceased trading.

"It has been a painful decision, but the right one. It’s an incredibly sad time and closing is something we never wished we had to do.

"There are a number of reasons why we’ve had to make this difficult decision.

Beatnikz Republic - which ran this taproom in the Green Quarter - has ceased trading. Credit: Facebook, Beatnikz Republic Brewing Co.

"We tried our best to make it through COVID, but the negative impact over the last two years has proven too much.

"From the initial shock, to constantly starting/stopping production due to the various lockdowns, to lower sales this year, the financial implications have been disastrous.

"Our ability to export in volume had also reduced due to increased transport costs; and now with increased utility, ingredient and packaging costs, it’s simply not possible to continue."

The statement continued: "From the start, Beatnikz Republic has been a project of passion and one that I have worked on for 10 years; from home brewing, to a side hustle alongside the day job, to a nationally/internationally recognised brewery.

"I’m proud of the beers we’ve produced and the growth we’ve experienced over the years. We can only attribute these excellent beers and growth to our amazing team members; this has been made possible due to their tireless dedication, effort and craftsmanship – so a very big THANK YOU to them all.

"We also need to thank our suppliers, many of whom have been exceptional in their responses to the impact during COVID. The craft beer industry is very unique and one I’ll be sad to be leaving."

He concluded: "And lastly, I need to thank two more groups of people. Firstly, my family for putting up with me being way too stressed for too long; their support has been instrumental. And finally: YOU! It’s only because of your support that the brewery has been able to become what it has – so THANK YOU!!!"

Featured image: Facebook, Beatnikz Republic Brewing Co.

Brits abroad face strict new rules on all-inclusive alcohol in Spain

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:11:26 +0000

British holiday-makers are facing strict new rules on drinking alcohol in all-inclusive resorts this summer.

Brits travelling to parts of Spain will find themselves limited on how many drinks they can have each day.

Tourists will also face rules on where and when they can drink alcohol.

The new rules from the Government of Balearic Islands affects some of the most popular holiday destinations, including Ibiza and Magaluf.

Thomas Cook has warned its package holiday customers of the new restrictions, the Daily Star reports.

The new all-inclusive rules will mean alcohol can only be served at meal times. Credit: Unsplash

Brits abroad will now be limited to six alcoholic drinks each day - and these can only be served during lunch and dinner.

So any dreams of drinking beers or cocktails all day around the pool have been dashed for many holiday-makers.

The regions affected by the changes are Magaluf, El Arenal and Playa de Palma in Majorca, and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.

The email states: "Please be advised that a decree has been issued by the Balearic Government on a new restriction for All Inclusive meal option.

"There is a maximum of six alcoholic drinks per person per day that can be served and these drinks will be provided only during lunch and dinner ( 3 each).

"Please be aware that Magalluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza, there is new restriction on All Inclusive."

In these areas, there will also be a crackdown on pub crawls, with the sale of alcohol in shops banned from to 9.30pm to 8am each night.

Featured image: Unsplash

Police confirm Katie Kenyon died of head injuries after body found in forest

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 08:25:26 +0000

Police have now confirmed that the body found in the Forest of Bowland last Friday is that of missing mum Katie Kenyon.

A post-mortem has also been conducted and concluded that the cause of death was head injuries.

The 33-year-old had been reported missing on the morning of 22 April, after she was last seen getting into a van in Burnley, travelling north.

The mother-of-two's disappearance sparked 'extensive searches' by police, who sadly discovered a body in the Lancashire beauty spot last week.

Katie’s body was discovered in the Forest of Bowland last week. Credit: Unsplash

A statement from Lancashire Police says: "We can now sadly confirm that the body found in the Forest of Bowland is that of Katie Kenyon.

"Police found Katie on Friday following extensive searches and she has now been formally identified as the missing Padiham mum, 33.

"Our thoughts remain with Katie’s family and loved ones at this difficult time. The family continues to be supported by specially trained officers.

"We would like to thank, once again, all those who helped during the search for Katie."

Andrew Burfield, 50, of Todmorden Road in Burnley has appeared in court charged with Katie’s murder and will face trial in November.

Featured image: Lancashire Police

Manchester hotel The Alan receives glowing review from national critic

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:16:32 +0000

Manchester's new hotel The Alan has received a glowing review from Guardian critic Jay Rayner just months after opening.

The boutique hotel in the city centre opened in February, transforming the old Princess Street Hotel into a smart, design-led accommodation.

The ground floor of the six-storey hotel is a taken up by a large restaurant and bar space, headed up by chef Iain Thomas, formerly of the Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats.

On his visit to this new restaurant space, Rayner found a 'truly delightful' menu of small plates that he also said were 'a bargain'.

The Alan in Manchester has received a rave review. Credit: Supplied

The critic commented that The Alan was strangely quiet on his Tuesday evening visit, writing: "The Alan isn’t just quiet. It feels abandoned.

"A single employee is on duty in the main foyer this evening, eyeing the entrance. He greets us cheerfully as we push through the doors. Perhaps he’s grateful for the company."

Truffled mac and cheese
The Snickers dessert

Credit: The Manc Group

But lack of punters aside, The Guardian review was full of praise for this Manchester newcomer.

Rayner was impressed by dishes including the salt-baked celeriac ('buttery softness'), the pork chop ('perfectly cooked') and the halibut ceviche ('tasting both of citrus and surf').

The nostalgic dessert menu, which includes both an Arctic roll and a rhubarb and custard-inspired pudding, was also a winner.

He wrote: "These are proper desserts that have required care, consideration and a childlike glee."

The Alan's review concluded: "The Alan is a hotel restaurant with which you can be on first-name terms. Right now though, it needs a few more pals. Not least because what is going on here is thoroughly alluring."

Featured image: Supplied

ASOS announces new rules for its Premier Delivery service - and shoppers aren't happy

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:57:19 +0000

ASOS is making some changes to its popular Premier Delivery service, leaving some shoppers unhappy.

The online retailer currently offers its customers unlimited next-day delivery for a year, for an annual subscription fee of £9.95.

Previously, there weren't a lot of rules enforced, so shoppers could place as many orders as they liked and have their items delivered the next day.

But now ASOS is making some changes to its Premier Delivery memberships.

In an email sent to existing customers, it announced that there will soon be a minimum spend requirement.

Credit: ASOS

Customers will now only be able to take advantage of next-day delivery if they spend £10 on the website - otherwise, orders will be downgraded to free standard delivery.

The changes come into place from 31 May.

ASOS said: "We just want to say thanks for being a Premier customer. As one of our faves, we want to give you a heads up about an upcoming change to your membership.

"Starting on 31 May 2022, Premier Delivery will be changing a bit. From then on, you'll need to spend a minimum of £10 to get free Next-Day Delivery. But don't worry, if you spend below £10, you’ll still get our free Standard Delivery."

Some shoppers are disgruntled by the new terms and conditions for Premier Delivery.

One person wrote: "What is the point of me paying for asos’ premier delivery if i’ve now got to spend £10 to get free next day delivery ???"

Another said: "ASOS making premier next day delivery a minimum of £10 is actually some sort of sick joke. Sometimes I just want a pair of pants and nothing else is that too much to ask????"

Someone else commented: "Are asos pulling my leg with the new premier delivery rules or what??? what’s the point in paying for next day delivery for the year if you’re not gonna get it unless you spend over £10? ridiculous"

Featured image: ASOS

Peak District climber has lucky escape after stranger deliberately throws boulder off cliff

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:42:46 +0000

A climber in the Peak District was injured over the bank holiday weekend by a boulder that was 'deliberately thrown' from the top of the crag.

Rescuers attended reports of a climber with a leg injury at Bamford Edge, a stunning rocky landscape above Ladybower Reservoir.

The nature of the incident on Saturday afternoon has caused 'concern' to rescue teams.

A statement from Edale Mountain Rescue, shared alongside a photo of a boulder split in two, said it had been 'deliberately thrown off the top of the crag towards the climbers by a group of males'.

The boulder that was thrown in the Peak District. Credit: Edale Mountain Rescue

It continued: "Whether they knew there was anyone underneath is not known as they ran off before they could be apprehended.

"Fortunately the climber was wearing a helmet which took a glancing blow before hitting his leg.

"Without the helmet or if he had been hit more fully on the head, things could have been a whole lot different and serious.

"The climbers leg injury was dealt with and he was evacuated down to an ambulance on New Road.

"This type of behaviour is totally irresponsible and could have had potentially fatal consequences. It has been reported to the police. Do not throw rocks over the edge of crags and cliffs."

Locals have praised the rescue service, with one writing: "Jeeez, there’s a sentence you can’t believe you actually have to write - “don’t throw rocks off cliffs”. Thank you, as always."

Another person said: "Crazy unbelievable behaviour. Thanks for being there for us. Not had to use you but nice to know you are there."

Featured image: Edale Mountain Rescue

Police appeal for information after 'small explosion' in Bolton

alexsmith — Tue, 03 May 2022 07:52:33 +0000

Greater Manchester Police is appealing for information after a "small explosion" occurred in Bolton earlier this week.

Officers are currently investigating after they were called to reports of a "small explosion" - which detectives say involved what was a "viable device" - on the residential street Long Causeway, in the Farnworth area of Bolton, at about 10:10pm on Sunday 1 May.

The Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) attended the scene and made the device "safe", and GMP says that no arrests have been made and no one was injured during the incident.

Enquiries are currently ongoing, GMP confirms.

Now, officers in Bolton have issued an appeal and are asking members of the public to come forward with any information that may aid investigations.

https://twitter.com/GMPBoltonSouth/status/1521063230004727809?s=20&t=Wk1BbivcAI6cxKtID9QPJw

Speaking on the incident, Detective Inspector Sarah Bell, of GMP's Bolton CID, said: "The EOD attended and made the device safe, but confirmed it was a viable device [so] we are appealing for information.

"In particular can we ask that members of the public check CCTV and dashcam footage on Longcauseway and Moorhead Close."

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 5830 quoting incident 3194 of 01/05/2022.

Additionally, any information can also be reported online or by using the LiveChat function at www.gmp.police.uk, and if you can't report online, you can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image - Google Maps

Cancer patient welcomes 'miracle' baby after lifesaving treatment in Manchester

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 10:07:20 +0000

A young mum who received lifesaving cancer treatment in Manchester has welcomed a "miracle" baby after fearing she may be infertile.

26-year-old Sammy Gray nearly died from cancer three years ago not long after welcoming her first child, but after receiving pioneering CAR-T therapy to save her life at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, she has welcomed her second child and is believed to be one of the first patients in the UK to give birth following the innovative treatment that "cleared her body of cancer".

Sammy said that if it wasn't for the treatment and expert care she received at The Christie, "neither of us would be here now."

Back in January 2018, shortly after Sammy had her first daughter Harper, she began to experience chest pains and night sweats that doctors initially thought could have been due to a blood clot related to the birth, but they later discovered a mass on her chest, which lead to a devastating diagnosis of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma - a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system.

Sammy, then just 21, sadly "missed out on motherhood" as she underwent a range of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, which were initially shrinking the tumour.

But the cancer unfortunately became more aggressive and progressed.

By June 2019, when faced with a very poor prognosis, Sammy's only remaining option was CAR-T therapy - a new treatment only approved by the NHS in 2018 that involves reprogramming the patient's own immune cells, called T cells, which are then used to recognise and destroy their cancer.

Sammy Gray received pioneering CAR-T therapy at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust / Credit: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Sammy underwent the gruelling therapy back in September 2019 - which involved her having to spend weeks in hospital while her body’s own immune system attacked the cancer, and unfortunately made her very ill in the process.

"I wasn’t petrified of dying, but I was petrified of leaving Harper behind," Sammy explained.

"It has been an incredibly tough few years and I missed out on so much of my first taste of motherhood when Harper was a baby as the chemotherapy made me very ill, so I couldn’t look after my baby daughter, and Daley, my fiancé, had to be a full-time dad."

Thankfully though, the treatment was successful, and her scans at three, six, and 12 months were all clear and showed no signs of cancer.

Although, Sammy then faced a different challenge.

Doctors warned that the chemotherapy could have resulted in early menopause, meaning she may not be able to have more children, and after not having periods for a year, she did fear she’d become infertile - but as Sammy and her partner desperately wanted a second child to complete their family, she was approved by the NHS for IVF fertility treatment.

The couple had just started the process when they conceived naturally, and two and half years after she endured the CAR-T treatment, the couple welcomed their baby son, Walter, back in February.

Sammy and her partner Daley welcomed their "miracle" baby son, Walter, back in February / Credit: Kelly Couttie Photography

"I’m determined to make the most of every minute with Walter," Sammy continued.

"The sleepless nights don’t bother me at all, and I appreciate all the little things. I’m enjoying the time with him that cancer stole with Harper. Walter is our little miracle.

"If it wasn’t for the CAR-T treatment at The Christie, neither of us would be here now."

Speaking on Sammy's incredible recovery, Professor Adrian Bloor - Consultant Haematologist at The Christie - added: "Sammy’s cancer was very difficult to treat and there were very few treatment options.

"CAR-T therapy is a relatively new treatment for some aggressive blood cancers, where the patient’s immune cells are ‘trained’ to fight the cancer, [and] Sammy was one of our first CAR-T patients, and at that time the youngest.

"The treatment saved her life and it’s fantastic that she remains in remission and has had a baby.

"We all wish her and her family all the best for the future."

Featured Image - Kelly Couttie Photography

New Marcus Rashford mural in Manchester highlights social media abuse

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 11:32:15 +0000

A new mural of Marcus Rashford has appeared in Manchester city centre over the weekend, highlighting the huge amount of abuse the footballer receives online.

Split into two - with one side full of unkind messages and the other spilling over with praise for the footballer, who campaigns tirelessly to improve the lives of Britain's poorest families - it tells a stark tale of what is deemed acceptable behaviour online today.

The new artwork has been created by Reuben Dangoor, a British artist whose work is heavily influenced by current affairs and his own surroundings, in collaboration with Beats by Dre headphones.

The company, Dangoor said: "wanted to do something to show support for Marcus, who is subject to a huge amount of abuse on social media. At the same time highlighting the positive work he has been doing off the pitch and the impact that it’s had."

The new mural can be found in Manchester's Northern Quarter / Shudehill area. / Image: The Manc Group

A message reading 'Form is temporary, class is permanent' stretches across the bottom of the artwork, with Marcus depicted in the centre with his eyes shut and his ears plugged with wireless headphones.

Behind him swarm hundreds of yellow, orange and red emoji-style reactions, a mixture of smiling and angry faces, thumbs up and hearts, alongside positive and negative messages stylised as Twitter replies.

It isn't clear if these are real replies the footballer has received, or if they are merely inspired by them.

Negative messages like "You don't deserve to wear the shirt", "you play like a child" and "stick to football" dominate one side of the mural (and serve as a stark reminder of the unsolicited abuse Rashford and many other public figures face online every day).

On the other side of the mural, there are overwhelming messages of positivity. One says simply "Replying to @MarcusRashford Let's go Rashy", whilst another says: "Replying to @MarcusRashford Proud to have you represent the shirt."

https://twitter.com/marcusrashford/status/1329049202169700353?lang=en

Another, acknowledging the footballer's book club and the work he's done to encourage young people to read, says: "Replying to @MarcusRashford Thank you. Cos of you my son has started reading."

Marcus Rashfod has previously reported the racist abuse he has received on social media to the police.

He regularly receives tides of racist and abusive messaging online, and this seems to get even worse when Manchester United loses a match, reporting at least 70 different abusive messages after his team's 2021 Europa League loss - including one from a teacher.

Sharing his concept sketches on Instagram today alongside the finished piece, mural artist Reuben gave followers a peek behind the scenes at what his process was when designing the new Marcus Rashford mural for Manchester.

Image: Reuben Dangoor

He wrote: "First one was the final last one is my best work to date."

Image: Reuben Dangoor

Reuben Dangoor has previously painted portraits of Stormzy, Skepta and Dizzee Rascal, and debuted these at the Tate Britain Museum for his debut exhibition 'Legends of the Scene'.

It's also not his first rendezvous drawing footballers, having had his line drawings of the England football squad picked up in both TV and print in 2018. His viral drawing of Gareth Southgate was later acquired by the Southgate family.

He has had his work featured in Design Museum's Sneaker Exhibition, was the first artist to collaborate on the new Adidas Predators, is collaborating with Arlo Parks on her world tour campaign and merchandise, and has worked alongside David Beckham to design an exclusive in-game "David Beckham" kit for FIFA 22, released last month.

Find the mural over on the border of Shudehill and the Northern Quarter by the old fish market.

Feature image - The Manc Group

Little Mancs encouraged to take part in mini Great Manchester Run this month

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:25:12 +0000

Youngsters are being encouraged to take part in the Junior & Mini Great Manchester Run in just a couple of weeks time.

The iconic Great Manchester Run will take place on Sunday 22 May, and is set to see tens of thousands of runners from across the region and beyond take to the city’s streets for either a 10k race or a half marathon - but it's not just the grown-ups that are being encouraged to challenge themselves either, as budding athletes can also get in on the action too.

Returning to The Etihad on Saturday 21 May, the Junior & Mini Great Manchester Run is giving little Mancs the chance to lace up their running shoes and join in.

The Mini run is for dinky dashers aged three-eight over a 1.5k course, while the 2.5k Junior event is for those aged nine-15.

"By popular demand, the Junior and Mini event has moved back to Saturday as a standalone event, meaning that families can make a day of it at the Etihad and care givers still have the chance to take part in the 10K or Half Marathon events on Sunday, explains" Event Manager Sharon Angel.

"It’s never too early to give your kids a taste of that big-event buzz and inspire a lifelong love of being active."

Youngsters are being encouraged to take part in the 2022 Junior & Mini Great Manchester Run / Credit: Great Manchester Run

She also added there will be "lots to see and do for the whole family."

With athletics superstars Sir Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan performing official starters duties for the around 1,500 runners expected to take part in the event in just a few weeks time, young people are also being encouraged to "embrace" the city's worker bee emblem by taking a massive bee themed fancy dress competition on the day.

Read more: Sir Mo Farah will join Mancs in the Great Manchester Run again this year

Some of the youngsters already signed-up to take part in this year's event will be running for a number of really worthy causes.

Five-year-old Lola Monks from Tottington in Bury will be running for the neonatal unit at Royal Bolton Hospital, as she spent 244 days there after being born 11 weeks premature, and she is now ready to try and give back to those who "helped her survive".

Lola's mum Gemma said it’s "a small token of appreciation" and thanks for a debt that can never be truly repaid, and they know the nurses and doctors who cared for Lola would be thrilled and amazed to see her do something like this.

The Junior & Mini Great Manchester Run is returning to The Etihad on Saturday 21 May 2022 / Credit: Great Manchester Run

It's not just the grown-ups who have the chance to challenge themselves / Credit: Great Manchester Run

Similarly, eight-year-old Alexander Grey from Sale will be running to raise awareness of children just like him who are born with Prader-Willi Syndrome - a complex rare genetic disorder caused by a chromosomal abnormality that results in problems including constant urges to eat, restricted growth, learning difficulties, and decreased muscle tone - and he is hoping to raise money for the Prader-Willi Association UK.

Read more: Water pistols, DJs and an apres-run zone added to Great Manchester Run for 2022

"Alexander has many challenges in his life which he has to overcome on every day basis," Mum Pavlina explains.

"One of the biggest challenges is the food obsession, as his brain constantly tells him that he feels hungry, and his muscle tone is very poor which makes it very hard for him to exercise and keep up."

Around 1,500 young people are expected to take part in the event in just a few weeks time / Credit: Great Manchester Run

Fancy it then? There's still plenty of time to be a part of what is set to be a fun day out for all the family at the Junior & Mini Great Manchester Run.

You can find more information, and stick your little one's name down here.

Featured Image - Great Manchester Run

Brits back pay cuts for bosses as huge salary gaps emerge in new survey

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:25:10 +0000

A new survey showing huge pay gaps between UK bosses and their staff has found that the country's top 350 company execs are being paid on average 53 times more than their mid-level counterparts.

A poll for the High Pay Centre shared exclusively with The Guardian found that huge salary gaps have become commonplace in large UK businesses and that the majority of Brits did not approve.

It comes as many up and down the country are facing the choice between heating and eating, as energy bills skyrocket and the value of UK pension and out-of-work benefits see the biggest fall in 50 years.

According to the new survey, 63% of workers believe that CEOs shouldn't be earning more than 10 times that of their staff, and only 3% of people deem it acceptable for them to be paid over 50 times the company's average wage.

Image: Mutual Interest Media

In reality, research published by the same think tank in 2020 shows many top-level bosses are already being paid 50 times more - with some earning as much as 100 times their company's median salary.

High Pay Research conducted two years ago found a total of 43 bosses of FTSE 350 companies received more than 100 times as much as the average employee, whilst on average bosses are paid at least 53 times more.

It also found that on average an FTSE 100 chief executive makes more money in four days than an average UK worker will over the course of a year.

Many respondents felt that policy measures aimed at distributing wealth more evenly could help to raise living standards for people across the UK.

Luke Hildyard, the director of the High Pay Centre, told The Guardian that the research revealed: “the extent to which the lives of those at the top and those of everybody else have become so far removed from each other”.

He added: “That’s probably not a healthy development.

Image: PixaHive

“Britain’s biggest employers dedicate a significant amount of their budget to the pay of a small number of top earners.

"Redirecting some of this money to low- and middle-income workers would be a good way to raise living standards and address the cost of living crisis but it will require policymakers and business leaders to be a bit more open-minded about whether those at the top really need to be paid so much.”

Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the TUC, added: “The whole workforce deserves to share in the success of a firm, not just those in the boardroom. But over the years executive pay has raced ahead of other workers – and now it’s at stratospheric levels.

“It’s time to set a maximum ratio between the top earner in each firm and other workers. There should be workers on remuneration committees, to ground decisions in the interests of the whole workforce.

"And incentive schemes should be open to all workers on the same terms, instead of just giving big bonuses to executives.”

Feature image - Wikimedia Commons

All-you-can-eat steak and sushi restaurant to take over former Artisan unit

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:20:50 +0000

A new Brazilian and Japanese fusion restaurant will be opening inside the old Artisan unit in Spinningfields, it has been revealed.

Moving into Manchester's glitzy Spinningfields' district later this year, Sakku Samba will fuse together Brazilian and Japanese cuisine in an all-you-can-eat setting that borrows from two existing concepts.

The brainchild of restaurateur Zack Isaak, it will combine the concepts of Estabulo Rodizio, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse with a number of popular sites in Yorkshire, and Leeds' all-you-can-eat sushi and Japanese grill venue, Sakku.

Image: Estabulo

Image: Sakku

Split across two floors, the new fusion restaurant Sakku Samba will feature a ground-floor cocktail bar and a first-floor restaurant with room to seat up to 300 diners at once.

The creation of a new VIP room and two extra private dining rooms, meanwhile, will push the venue's overall capacity above 400.

“I wanted to bring something different to Manchester,” he told Place North West.

“I love the space and where it is. It has phenomenal character,” he added.

Artisan first opened its doors in Spinningfields in 2013 and shut down in 2018. Since then, the space has merely sat gathering dust - so it's great to see a new north west concept moving in to take it over.

Image: Estabulo Rodizio

Sakku Samba's arrival in the business district comes at a time of change for the area, which has been dominated by current and past Living Ventures businesses like Australasia, Manchester House, The Alchemist, and The Living Room almost since its inception.

Read more: Popular late-night Mayfair bar and restaurant Mnky Hse to open in Manchester

This year will see more out-of-town concepts move into the area with the planned arrival of brands like Sexy Fish in the former Armani unit, Giggling Squid in the former Carluccio's site, Soho House at nearby Granada Studios and Mnky Hse at nearby Lloyd Street.

Feature image - Google Maps

10 hot properties for sale in Greater Manchester | May 2022

emily — Fri, 13 May 2022 02:00:00 +0000

Every month, we show you some of the hottest properties currently on the market in Greater Manchester.

And you all seem to love them.

It's safe to say that Mancunians love a good nosey around other peoples’ houses, and after all, Greater Manchester is a brilliant place to live.

When it comes to property types in the region too, you really couldn’t get more diverse, as the traditional terraced streets make up the fabric of many inner city and borough town areas, while the wide range of leafy suburbs is where you’ll find some of the more sought-after and pricier family homes.

But what can your money currently get you in the area?

In our monthly Hottest Property series, we scour the internet to find 10 more of the most diverse, jaw-dropping, accessible, and beautifully-presented homes currently on the market in Greater Manchester for you to take a look at.

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Croft End Place

Ramsbottom, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL0

Miller Metcalfe

Croft End Place / Credit: Miller Metcalfe

Semi-Detached | x4 Bedrooms | x3 Bathrooms

Occupying a large corner plot in a cul-de-sac on newly-built estate in a much sought-after Bury residential area close to Ramsbottom and Edenfield villages, with a wide range of amenities, schooling options and transport links right on the doorstep, this four-bedroom detached family home is beautifully-presented throughout.

Not only does the property benefit from spacious, open-plan and flexible accommodations, but it also has benefits from an internal gym inside a converted garage, gardens to both the front and the rear, and a rear patio area with fitted composite decking.

Having been finished and presented to a very high standard by the current owners, this property has to be viewed to be fully appreciated.

Croft End Place / Credit: Miller Metcalfe

The property is currently on the market with the Bury-based branch of local estate agency chain Miller Metcalfe for £550,000.

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Smithfield Buildings

Tib Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4

Thornley Groves

Smithfield Buildings / Credit: Thornley Groves

Apartment | x2 Bedrooms | x1 Bathroom

This two-bedroom apartment situated on the top floor of the ever-popular Smithfield Building - that was famously redeveloped and transformed in 1996 - in the heart of Manchester's bustling Northern Quarter, has been finished to a high standard by the current owners and boasts bags of charm and character.

This property not only benefits from recently-refurbished accommodations throughout, but given the top floor position, there's also double height ceilings, exposed brickwork, timber beams throughout, and has tonnes of natural light from large windows with further Velux windows.

Another property where viewing really showcases the lifestyle on offer.

Smithfield Buildings / Credit: Thornley Groves

The property is currently on the market with the Manchester city centre-based estate agents Thornley Groves for £289,950.

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Manchester Road

Mossley, Tameside, Greater Manchester, OL5

Ryder & Dutton

Manchester Road / Credit: Ryder & Dutton

Stone Terrace | x2 Bedrooms | x1 Bathroom

Situated in the upper Tame Valley at the foothills of the Pennines, and described as being "a real tardis", this two-bedroom stone cottage in the popular Tameside town of Mossley is set over four floors and is finished to an exceptionally-high standard throughout after having been lovingly-renovated by the current owners.

The property boasts large reception rooms, a charming log-burner, an open-plan kitchen living area, spacious bedrooms, and even a converted attic area.

Externally, the property benefits from a large garden split into two sections, with a grassed area and also an allotment area.

Manchester Road / Credit: Ryder & Dutton

The property is currently on the market with local independent estate agent Ryder & Dutton for £240,000 (Offers Over).

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Ashton Road East

Failsworth, Oldham, Greater Manchester, M35

Edward Mellor

Ashton Road East / Credit: Edward Mellor

Semi-Detached | x4 Bedrooms | x1 Bathrooms

Sitting on a popular road in a sought-after location close to Daisy Nook Country Park and Woodhouse village in Failsworth, with a wealth of amenities, schooling options, and easy access into Manchester city centre, this semi-detached property has four spacious bedrooms and well-presented accommodations, which makes it ideal for a growing family to move straight into.

Internally, some of the accommodation features include a large living room with a feature fire and surround, a solid oak staircase, a large conservatory, a spacious attic conversion, and so much more.

The property also benefits from a garden to the rear, and a large garage and driveway to the front providing off-road parking for several vehicles.

Ashton Road East / Credit: Edward Mellor

The property is currently on the market with the Droylsden-based branch of estate agents Edward Mellor for £299,995 (Offers Over).

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Delph Brook Way

Egerton, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL7

Cardwells

Delph Brook Way / Credit: Cardwells

Detached Bungalow | x2 Bedrooms | x2 Bathrooms

Situated in the heart of the highly-regarded Egerton village in Bolton - which is loved for its semi-rural location, as well as being close to local amenities, excellent schooling options, and convenient transport links across Greater Manchester - this two-bedroom detached bungalow is beautifully-presented throughout and set in a plot of around 0.13 of an acre.

Having been significantly-extended to the rear to create accommodations flooded with natural light, the property benefits living spaces with plenty of attention-to-detail and a stylish finish that really must be seen to be appreciated.

It's ideal for a growing family, or anyone looking to downsize for a quiet life.

Delph Brook Way / Credit: Cardwells

The property is currently on the market with Bolton-based estate agents Cardwells for £450,000 (Offers In Excess Of).

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Ash Mount Court

Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK4

Julian Wadden

Ash Mount Road / Credit: Julian Wadden

Town House | x3 Bedrooms | x1 Bathroom

Properties like this don't come to the market very often.

Sitting on a quiet cul-de-sac in a small and private electric gated development in the heart of the highly-regarded Heaton Mersey, just a short distance from all the amenities, schooling options, and transport links that Stockport is known and loved for, this three-bedroom modern mews property provides stunning accommodation set over three floors.

As well as being fully-modernised and beautifully-presented throughout, the property also externally benefits from off-road parking for two vehicles and the front, and immaculate lawned gardens to the rear.

Ash Mount Road / Credit: Julian Wadden

The property is currently on the market with the Heaton Moor branch of local estate agents Julian Wadden for a £435,000 (Guide Price).

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Trencherfield Mill

Heritage Way, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN3

Regan & Hallworth

Trencherfield Mill / Credit: Regan & Hallworth

Apartment | x2 Bedrooms | x2 Bathrooms

Located within the Grade II-listed Trencherfield Mill - an award-winning apartment complex situated along the Leeds-Liverpool canal within easy walking distance to Wigan town centre - this two-bedroom property situated on the second floor would make an ideal home for a First Time Buyer or a great investment opportunity.

The apartment is deceptively-spacious, and boasts a contemporary living space packed full of original features - including exposed brickwork and large windows with superb sunny westerly aspects over the canal.

The property also benefits from a private parking space, 24-hour concierge, and a lift.

Trencherfield Mill / Credit: Regan & Hallworth

The property is currently on the market with the Wigan branch of local estate agents Regan & Hallworth for £130,000.

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Rakewood Road

Littleborough, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, OL15

Strike

Rakewood Road / Credit: Strike

Semi-Detached | x3 Bedrooms | x2 Bathrooms

Looking for a unique gem? This three-bedroom mid stone cottage at the rear of Hollingworth Lake in the prestigious location of Littleborough has undergone an immaculate renovation throughout to reveal exposed beams, stonework, mullion windows, and a feature log burner, making it an ideal home for First Time Buyers, families, and professional couples alike.

The property boasts spacious and characterful accommodations throughout, and externally, there is a flagged garden area to the rear along with a convenient storage shed, as well as off-road parking for multiple vehicles at the front.

Properties this beautiful rural location don't come to the market very often, so this one really should not be missed.

Rakewood Road / Credit: Strike

The property is currently on the market with the online based estate agents Strike for £369,950.

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Longley Drive

Worsley, Salford, Greater Manchester, M28

Briscombe

Longley Drive / Credit: Briscombe

Semi-Detached | x4 Bedrooms | x2 Bathrooms

Situated in the ever-popular Broadoak Park area of Worsley, within a short walk to a range of local amenities and highly-regarded schooling options, this stunning four-bedroom semi-detached period property has beautifully-presented accommodation set over four floors including cellars, and offers a modern interior, while still retaining many original features.

Some of the impressive internal features include an open-plan kitchen diner and family room, flexible living spaces with traditional bay windows, and newly-fitted kitchens and bathroom suites.

Externally, the property boasts a home office / workshop to the rear, complete with beautifully-landscaped gardens to the front and rear, and a long driveway providing secure gated off-road parking for several vehicles.

Longley Drive / Credit: Briscombe

The property is currently on the market with the Worsley-based independent estate agents Briscombe for £995,000.

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Chapel Lane

Hale Barns, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA15

Gascoigne Halman

Chapel Lane / Credit: Gascoigne Halman

Semi-Detached | x4 Bedrooms | x2 Bathrooms

How impressive does this property look?

Described as being one of the finest houses currently on the market, this splendid detached mansion occupying a superb private position within a highly-desirable location in Hale Barns has been individually-designed and has immaculately-presented living spaces arranged over three floors with four main reception rooms, five double bedrooms, and five bath/shower rooms.

There's even a lower ground floor leisure complex with a cinema room, play room, gymnasium, utility room and guest bedroom with en-suite and direct garden access.

Externally, the property benefits from a secure gated entrance, a large driveway with ample off-road parking, an attached double garage, and stunning South-facing manicured gardens in excess of half an acre.

Chapel Lane / Credit: Gascoigne Halman

The property is currently on the market with the Hale-based branch of local estate agents Gascoigne Halman for £4,250,000.

You can find more on Rightmove here.

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Featured Image - Gascoigne Halman | Briscombe

Manchester's tiny cocktail bar in a cupboard is going on the road

georginapellant

Man who baked for NHS to fundraise in lockdown opens Salford cafe

georginapellant — Fri, 13 May 2022 03:36:00 +0000

A Manchester man who first started baking during lockdown to help raise funds for the NHS has opened his first cafe.

Called Loaf, in a nod to the sweet and biscuit-loaded NHS loaf cakes for which founder Aiden Ryan first became known, the new cafe opens its doors at Affinity Place in Salford this weekend.

As the name suggests, it will be serving up Aiden's famous loaf cakes, alongside loafnuts, pastries and freshly brewed cups of coffee.

Those heading down can find Loaf favourites topped with Jammie Dodgers, Biscoff, Bourbon Biscuits and Custard Creams, alongside a special Pink Panther cake that is - you guessed it - very, very pink.

The Pink Panther loaf cake, topped with pink wafer biscuits, handmade macarons from @_bisousbisous, white chocolate and raspberry flakes. / Image: Loaf Manchester

Alongside this classic collection of nostalgic cakes, you’ll also find the Loaf Au Choc, croissant loaves and brioche loave fresh on the counter every day, all served by the slice.

Elsewhere, there'll be artisanal sandwiches and bagels provided by Sndwch Mcr, salads and smoothies from Bondi Bowls, and naturally made soft drinks from Steep Soda Co.

It's been quite a journey for owner Aiden Ryan, who first started baking in 2020 to raise money for the NHS to tackle PPE shortages and a lack of staff food on-site after being furloughed from his fashion retail job.

Image: Loaf Manchester

Within a month, he’d raised £1,000 selling just 120 sweetie and chocolate-loaded loaf cakes and carried on baking until restrictions were lifted – at which point he was ready to hang up his apron strings and return to his day job as a manager at Belstaff.

Life, however, had other plans – with Ezra and Gil getting in touch to ask if he might consider baking cakes for their cafes after seeing them on Instagram.

In the past year and then some, he’s not just supplied Ezra but also Feel Good Club, Hampton and Vouis, Propeller Coffee, Makers Quarter and many more – with his loaded loaf cakes going down a storm.

Image: Loaf Manchester

The brioche loaf, topped with berry and Granola with crème fraiche, strawberry and honey drizzle. / Image: Loaf Manchester

In less than two years, Loaf Mcr has supplied Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Pretty Little Thing, and has now opened their first site in Affinity Living Riverview, Salford.

Now, Aiden's opened his own cafe for fans to get stuck into the cakes, which come covered in all manner of sweet treats including Lotus Biscoff, Jammy Dodgers, Kinder Buenos, figs, creme eggs and Bourbon biscuits.

He is also working towards opening a store on Oxford Road this summer.

Speaking on the new opening, owner Aiden Ryan said: “Loaf Manchester began in May 2020 through community and the support we’ve had from both customers and local business has been absolutely incredible!

"We are so proud of where the brand is now and the connections we’ve made. This weekend is not just the launch of our first site, it’s the celebration of our partnership with Affinity Living, a community-driven place to live, as well as the creatives and small businesses that have helped elevate Loaf to where it is now.”

Feature image - Loaf Manchester

The Lion King will finally return to Manchester's Palace Theatre this year

Daisy Jackson

Smash hit musical The Lion King will finally make a return to Manchester later this year.

The award-winning theatre show had to postpone its run at the Palace Theatre in the autumn of 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions.

After a few date changes, the stage adaptation of the 1994 Disney film will be back in the city for a three-month run.

Credit: Deen van Meer
Credit: Deen van Meer
Credit: Joan Marcus

The spellbinding show marries puppetry (there are 232 puppets in every show) and costumes with a huge cast of actors to bring Simba's tale to life.

The Lion King's theatre adaptation features all the familiar hits, including The Circle of Life and Can You Feel The Long Tonight, with a soundtrack written by the likes of Elton John, Tim Rice and South African composer Lebo M.

The musical follows young lion Simba's journey to becoming King of the Pridelands, joined by other characters such as Timon and Pumba, Nala, Scar, and Zazu.

It was won six Tony awards since launching on Broadway in the late 1990s.

Already seen by more than 110 million people worldwide, The Lion King will be at the Palace Theatre between 27 October and 24 December.

You can book your tickets at atgtickets.com/shows/disneys-the-lion-king/palace-theatre-manchester.

Featured image: Brinkhoff-Mogenburg

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 16 - 22 May 2022

emily

It looks like we're set for another busy week in Greater Manchester.

Not only is there a whole host of exciting activities lined up in the events calendar this month, but there's plenty to be getting up to across the region this week, and we've cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our 'what’s on' guide for the city and beyond.

As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.

Here's our top picks.

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mjf Piano Trail

Manchester City Centre

Monday 16 - Sunday 29 May

mjf Piano Trail / Credit: The Manc Group

13 street pianos have been dotted around popular Manchester locations, and they’re free for the public to play all month.

The annual Manchester Jazz Festival (mjf) is arriving in our city on Friday 20 - Sunday 29 May, and to properly celebrate the 2022 edition in style, festival organisers have teamed up with the beloved Forsyth Music Shop to place over a dozen pianos at well-known sites in the hunt for Manchester’s most entertaining street pianist.

You don’t even need any technical talent or formal training either, as the competition is open to everyone, and there's some brilliant prizes to be won.

You can find out more information here.

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Fleur Shore (All Night Long)

Joshua Brooks

Saturday 21 May

Fleur Shore / Credit: Joshua Brooks

City centre bar, restaurant, nightlife destination, and live music venue Joshua Brooks is welcoming acclaimed house and techno DJ / producer Fleur Shore for an all-night set this Saturday 21 May.

Tickets are now available to buy online, setting you back just £10 each, and you must be 18 or over to gain entry.

Find more information and grab tickets here.

Monsal Trail - the Peak District beauty spot where you can cycle through old railway tunnels

Daisy Jackson

Celine Dion forced to postpone Manchester AO Arena gigs AGAIN due to health issues

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 21:04:24 +0000

Celine Dion has had to reschedule her concerts in Manchester once again, this time due to health issues.

The pop icon has posted an emotional video on social media, explaining that she is 'experiencing spasms' and not recovering as quickly as she'd hoped.

The My Heart Will Go On singer had already had to push her Courage world tour back due to the pandemic.

Her planned shows at the AO Arena Manchester, which were supposed to be on 5 and 6 June, have now been rescheduled again to next spring.

Celine Dion has rescheduled her tour dates again, informing fans with an emotional video statement. Credit: Celine Dion

A visibly emotional Celine said: "Well here we are again, and I'm so sorry that we have to change our tour plans for Europe one more time.

"First we had to move the shows because of the pandemic - now this my health issues that is causing us to postpone some shows.

"The good news is that I'm doing a little bit better, but it's going very slow, and it's very frustrating for me.

"You know I'm getting treatment from my doctors, taking medication, but I'm still experiencing some spasm and it's taking a lot longer for me to recover than I had hoped.

"I need to be in top shape when I'm on stage. I honestly can't wait, but I'm just not there yet.

"Just telling you how I feel and I wanted you to know that I'm sorry for this news.

"I know you've all waited so long for the concerts and I appreciate your loyalty. By now I am convinced that you should be so fed up of all of this, you know, waiting for so long.

"But all I can say is that I'm doing my very best to get back to the level that I need to be, so that I can give 100% at my shows, because that's what you deserve. Yeah.

"And thank you so much for the messages of love and support that you always send to my social media. It means a lot to me. Hope to see you soon. Until then, you take care, okay? I love you so much. Bye."

Celine Dion's gigs at the AO Arena Manchester will now take place on 5 and 6 April, 2023.

Featured image: Sony Music Canada

A pop-up cafe with hundreds of sausage dogs is back in Manchester next month

emily — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:16:47 +0000

Are you a big dachshund fan? Do you love seeing lots of little sausage dogs in the same place? Are you looking for your little pup to make some sausage friends?

Well, you're in luck - the Dachshund Pup Up Cafe is back.

After what can only be described as a smash-hit success when it first visited our city back in 2018, the dachshund pop up cafe - or we should say ‘pup up cafe’ - is returning to a popular Manchester city centre bar and restaurant venue next month, and it'll be filled with hundreds of sausage dogs.

Last year, over 250 sausage dogs visited the cafe to join in on the fun.

And this time round, 2022 will be bringing new toys, goodies to buy, and tons of new photo opportunities and props.

The Dachshund Pup Up Cafe is back in Manchester next month / Credit: The Pup Up Cafe

Hundreds of sausage dogs and their owners are set to descend on Revolution Parsonage Gardens.

The Dachshund Pup Up Cafe has managed to secure the the whole second floor of the spacious venue for all the dogs to roam free and enjoy some wholesome fun.

Sausage dog owners and dachshund fans can mingle with many furry little friends - up to 75 a session - take part in a range of competitions, and stock up on dachshund-related goodies, all while the pups themselves enjoy unlimited dog treats, unlimited free puppuccinos, and play to their heart’s content with ball pits, tunnels, toys, and many other fun props.

It already sounds like it’s going to be a pretty jam-packed day, and there’s even more fun to be announced in the coming weeks too.

Hundreds of sausage dogs and their owners are set to descend on Revolution Parsonage Gardens / Credit: The Pup Up Cafe

If you fancy joining The Pup Up Cafe for "a sausage mad day", then tickets will set you back £9 if you’re a sausage dog owner, and £12 if you’re just a dachshund fan who’s keen to go along for the fun anyway.

The Dachshund Pup Up Cafe will arrive in Manchester on Sunday 5 June from 10am-5pm, with multiple sessions throughout the day.

You can grab your tickets here.

Featured Image - The Pup Up Cafe

Schofield brothers to open underground bar beneath Stock Exchange hotel

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:27:52 +0000

A new subterranean basement cocktail and wine bar will be opening inside the Stock Exchange hotel in Manchester city centre later this year

Called Sterling, it has been dreamt up by the Bury brothers alongside leading wine expert James Brandwood.

Expected to open this summer, it will take over the lower ground space of the hotel formerly known as 'The Vault'.

This will be the third site in the city for the brothers, who have also opened Schofield's Bar and Atomeca off Deansgate in the past few years since returning home to Manchester after making their names on the global cocktail scene.

Image: Schofield's

It also gives hope that Manchester's hotel bar scene may be finally on its way to meeting the standards set by others in cities like London, New York and Paris, with a new drinks list to reflect the history and glamour of the stunning building.

For both the Schofield brothers, the hotel has a long-standing family connection as their mother once worked there and their grandmother learnt to swim in the old basement pool.

They will be joined by Paola Mariotti as general manager, who has spent years working at some of the world’s most renowned five-star hotels including The American Bar at the Savoy and The Blue Bar at The Berkeley in London.

Image: The Stock Exchange Hotel

With room for just 100 drinkers on any given night, the underground bar will boast a classics-inspired cocktail menu full of the sort of innovations for which the brothers have become so well known.

Elsewhere, an exciting new wine list will be curated by James Brandwood, and there will be a bar snacks menu curated by Tom Kerridge - the only man to win two Michelin stars at a pub in the UK to date.

Image: Schofield's

Speaking on the new opening, Joe Schofield said: “We have been planning this new concept for a long time and now it’s nearing completion. Stock Exchange Hotel is a particularly meaningful venue for us as our mother used to work at the Stock Exchange.

"Our grandmother also learnt to swim in the old pool at the basement in our original Schofield’s Bar location.

"As we continue to evolve our operations in Manchester, it’s warming to have a connection to the past, as that very much reflects our approach to our offering.”

To keep up with further updates, follow Sterling Bar here.

Feature image - Schofields / The Stock Exchange

National oil shortage forces Manchester restaurant to axe over HALF of its menu

georginapellant — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:30:50 +0000

A restaurant in Manchester has been forced to take over half the dishes off its menu next week thanks to an oil shortage that is currently plaguing the country.

In the latest trial to hit the city's beleaguered hospitality sector, many restaurants are now finding it a struggle to get their hands on one of the industry's most commonplace cooking products: sunflower oil.

Yuzu, generally considered one of Manchester's finest Japanese eateries, revealed that it was struggling to get its hands on any of the oil and as such would be cutting over half of the most popular dishes from its menu next week as it was left unable to cook them.

Customer favourites including its deep-fried tempura, katsu, and kara-age will all be unavailable next week, it said, until the restaurant finds a workaround to the cooking oil issue.

Japanese tapas restaurant Yuzu can no longer make a large number of its dishes, including its famous tempura. / Image: Yuzu Manchester

The Yuzu katsu is a hugely popular order at the restaurant, but with sunflower oil in short supply it has been taken off the menu. / Image: Yuzu Manchester

Writing on Twitter yesterday, the restaurant said: "ANNOUNCEMENT. Due to the national shortage of sunflower oil, we are unable to serve all the Tempura dishes (including the Tendon), all the kastu dishes, kara-age and Agedashi Tofu from this week.

"We will be offering alternative dishes and to test and try those new dishes, we will be closed this lunch time. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused, but will bring new and exciting dishes to you over the coming weeks. There may be hiccups, so please bear with us."

https://twitter.com/YuzuManchester/status/1521391462599958528

All of these dishes need to be deep-fried in sunflower oil, and cannot be substituted for other products, such as olive oil, as its flavour impacts too intensely on the delicate balance of the cuisine.

Given that Yuzu markets itself as a Japanese tapas restaurant and these are nearly all of its most popular dishes, the sudden shortage is alarming for both customers and staff.

Other items, like the Yuzu sashimi, yakitori, gyzoa, yakiudon and teriyaki salmon don bowls are not affected.

A new dish with sliced pork loin cooked in a ginger sauce, added to Yuzu's menu to help the restaurant trade without its essential sunflower oil. / Image: Yuzu manchester

To help keep customers happy, Yuzu is trying to add new dishes to its menu that can be cooked without sunflower oil.

Sunflower oil is a major export of both Ukraine and Russia and the shortage is being blamed in part on the war that is currently being waged between the two countries.

According to Jakarta trade association the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries, 73 per cent of the global sunflower oil market comes from Ukraine and Russia.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “A significant proportion of sunflower oil supply comes from Ukraine and we are working on measures, including the substitution of sunflower oils with other vegetable oils, to help address the immediate supply chain challenges.

“We do not expect any significant direct impact on UK food supply. However, we will continue to speak with the industry to understand any potential pressures.”

Feature image - Yuzu Manchester

Blossoms fans evacuated from Stockport Plaza just before band's homecoming gig

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 03 May 2022 20:49:41 +0000

The audience for Blossoms' homecoming gig had to be evacuated moments before the band took to the stage.

A fire alarm was sounded inside Stockport Plaza, forcing crowds to immediately leave the building.

Blossoms have since apologised for the disruption, assuring fans that it was a 'false alarm'.

https://twitter.com/ourhousetvuk/status/1521573728047542274?t=JgQCySQhPBJ-dI9B-kjMrA&s=19

The indie rockers are performing at the legendary venue to celebrate the launch of their new album, Ribbon Around The Bomb.

The Manchester Evening News has reported that a member of staff inside Stockport Plaza asked people to leave 'due to circumstances beyond our control' adding: "Unfortunately I'm not joking."

Blossoms posted on Twitter: "Sorry about the fire alarm that went off at @StockportPlaza1. All sorted now. False alarm. The venue’s letting everyone back in now so we’ll see you on stage very shortly x"

One person said: "The most British fire evacuation ever as everyone piles from Stockport Plaza and straight into the pub opposite."

Someone else Tweeted: "Couldnt make it up! Cant wait to see you!"

The hotly-anticipated homecoming gig for the Stockport five-piece comes just days after their intimate concert at Band on The Wall.

Featured image: Publicity picture / Flickr

RSPCA finds seven snakes abandoned at house in Rochdale

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:19:09 +0000

The RSPCA has issued a warning over keeping exotic pets after finding seven snakes abandoned at a home in Greater Manchester.

The animal welfare charity was notified of the reptiles when owner contacted them alongside his landlord to say that he would be leaving them behind as he was moving home, and the seven snakes were then later discovered in a front room and an upstairs bedroom of the property.

The seven snakes - which were identified as a royal python and six corn snakes - were found in the town of Heywood in Rochdale.

The RSPCA inspectors that attended the property, Catherine Byrnes and Ryan King, found that, despite being kept in makeshift plastic tubs and containers, all seven snakes were healthy and in good condition, and were subsequently taken into the care of a specialist reptile rescue near Knutsford on 25 April.

Giving a little more insight on the situation as they found it, Inspector Catherine Byrnes said: "While the needs of the snakes weren't being met when we found them in this property they were in a good condition and the owner had clearly been feeding them, to look after snakes you do need to provide a living environment for them with adequate heating, lighting and humidity.

The seven snakes were identified as a royal python and six corn snakes / Credit: RSPCA

"We did find some heat mats in a bedroom, but obviously the owner hadn't got around to using them or housing his snakes properly."

Now, the RSPCA has issued a warning to those looking to keep exotic pets.

The charity fundamentally says it wants anyone wishing to own reptiles to research the needs of the particular species, before deciding if they can meet those responsibilities, as many people are unaware of the commitment needed to keep a snake as a pet.

"Potential owners need to think carefully before they adopt snakes and other exotics because they are specialist animals," Ms Byrnes added.

"You need to have the correct set-up to look after them and you need to understand you are responsible for finding them a suitable home if you are unable to continue caring for them.

"We can help out, but it is not that simple as animals like this can be difficult to rehome."

Featured Image - RSPCA

Care home for local military veterans welcomes first residents after £12.5m redevelopment

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:44:57 +0000

A care home for Greater Manchester's military veterans has welcomed its residents back after a £12.5 million redevelopment.

Broughton House in Salford has cared for more than 8,000 veterans since it opened to the ex-service community over 100 years ago back in 1916, but the original home was demolished in 2020 to make way for the site to be transformed into the UK's first-ever veteran care village.

And that impressive £12.5 million project has now officially been completed.

Following the demolition of the original home, the Broughton House site has now been transformed into a modern complex that features a 64-bed care home and six retirement apartments, with photos of the impressive revamp shared online.

Not only that, but the Stoller Wing of the newly-built care home - which has been named in honour of north west businessman and philanthropist Sir Norman Stoller, who donated £4 million to the project - also has a wide array of new facilities, including a gym, a hairdressing and barber’s salon, and a restaurant and bar for the residents.

The new wing is said to pay homage to Broughton House's rich history.

Broughton House has cared for more than 8,000 veterans since opening back in 1916 / Credit: Broughton House

The Stoller Wing also has a museum that's filled with memorabilia / Credit: Broughton House (via Lee Boswell Photography)

Within the new Stoller Wing, there is also a dedicated museum that's filled with fascinating stories of former residents, rare war medals, and historic memorabilia, which is all designed to "keep the memories of the fallen well and truly alive".

Refurbishments have also happened in the Jellicoe Wing - which is named after WWI hero Viscount Sir John Jellicoe, who opened the original Broughton House building - and it now has two 16-bedroom households.

The wing also houses our Armed Forces Support Hub, and the six retirement apartments.

Broughton House says the Armed Forces Support Hub focuses on providing welfare support and counselling for ex-service people of all ages living in the local community, as many veterans see their mental health deteriorate during their transition back to civilian life.

The care village has now welcomed its residents back after the £12.5 million redevelopment / Credit: Broughton House

The site has now been transformed into the UK's first-ever veteran care village / Credit: Broughton House (via Lee Boswell Photography)

Derrick Corfield - a WWII veteran and Broughton House resident - said: "The new care village is ideal for people like myself who have been living alone, as it puts us back into that bigger family again [and] it’s a place that celebrates our history, and understands the things we have done in our lives and been a part of.

"I’m really enjoying the activities, especially the history club, so it will be nice to welcome more veterans to the new care village."

Broughton House says the new complex has been designed with the purpose of "offering trailblazing provision" for the north west’s ageing armed forces community.

Chief executive Karen Miller said the new amenities provide residents with greater opportunities to be more active and sociable than what many other traditional care homes offer, and helps them to "reignite the camaraderie" they became accustomed to during their time in the armed forces.

"It is immensely pleasing to reach the milestone of seeing our new Veteran Care Village completed," Karen concluded.

Featured Image - Broughton House

Prince William and Kate Middleton will visit Manchester next week to unveil Glade of Light memorial

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:02:39 +0000

Prince William and Kate Middleton will be in Manchester next week, as the Glade of Light memorial to the victims of the Manchester Arena attack is officially opened.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will also meet with the families of those killed in the 2017 terror attack.

Their Royal Highnesses will be taken on a walk around the Glade of Light site, and Kate will lay flowers, along with council leader Bev Craig.

Prince William will give a short speech at the ceremony, before the Royal couple head into the nearby Manchester Cathedral to meet with the arena attack victims' families, as well as others who were affected and civic dignitaries.

The Glade of Light memorial. Credit: Manchester City Council

William and Kate will be in Manchester on Tuesday 10 May - just days before the fifth anniversary of the tragic incident.

The Duke of Cambridge previously attended the national service of commemoration at Manchester Cathedral in May 2018, marking the first anniversary.

The Glade of Light memorial has been build beside the Cathedral, and is a peaceful garden for reflection and remembrance.

Kate and William will also meet with families of the Manchester Arena attack victims. Credit: Kensington Royal

A white marble halo at the heart of the garden bear the names of the 22 people who lost their lives. Their families have placed personalised memory capsules inside the halo.

The living memorial features native plants to the UK, which will provide year-round colour, and a hawthorn tree at its centre will bloom with white flowers around the time of the anniversary each year.

Joanne Roney OBE, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, said: “We are honoured to be joined by their Royal Highnesses for the official opening of the Glade of Light.

"As we approach the fifth anniversary of the 22 May 2017 attack, the Glade of Light is a potent symbol of how Manchester will continue to hold those who lost their lives, and everyone who was affected by those terrible events, in our hearts. We will never forget them.”

Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “The Glade of Light memorial is a permanent fixture in the heart of our city. While we remember those affected every single day, as we approach the fifth anniversary it will be particularly poignant as we come together to mark its official opening.”

Featured image: Kensington Royal / The Manc Group

Peaky Blinders Manchester transforms into 'speakeasy' for new monthly cabaret show

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:56:45 +0000

One of Manchester's most popular nightlife venues is transforming itself every month for a new cabaret show.

Stepping inside Peaky Blinders Manchester may always feel like taking a trip back in time , but for one-night only every month throughout 2022, the Peter Street venue is inviting you to "peak your curiosity" as it transforms into its very-own speakeasy for a cabaret event featuring some of the best performers in the UK & Europe.

Peaky's Speakeasy brings together a diverse lineup of performance artists from the world of Burlesque, Circus, Drag, and many more.

Each event features a lineup curated by Miss Lei-Lei.

According to the event description on the Peaky Blinders Manchester website, jazz quintet The Bourbon Street Band will provide the soundtrack to the new monthly show to take you into the night and "dance the blues away".

Don Vinaste - who is described as being the "purveyor of finery and quality goods" - will be at the helm, and will be on hand to proudly welcome you to "sample the delights on offer".

Peaky's Speakeasy brings together a diverse lineup of burlesque, circus, and drag performance artists / Credit: Peaky Blinders Manchester

There's a range of ticket packages and options available to make it a night to remember / Credit: Peaky Blinders Manchester

General admission to Peaky's Speakeasy is free, and gives you full access to the ground floor of the venue.

If you want to make sure it's a night to remember though, there are a number of ticket packages.

For £45 each, you can grab 'Gala Tickets', which gets you a table on the premium balcony floor with a full view of the band, but restricted view of cabaret show, and includes a three-course meal, a glass of prosecco on arrival, and the benefit from table and quick bar service, while £55 gets you a 'Premium Table' with the same three-course meal, glass of prosecco on arrival, and service, but with a table on the balcony that has a clear view of the stage and show.

If you're keen to really get the full Peaky's Speakeasy experience, then you can splash out on a 'Premium Drinks Table', which gets you a table on the ground floor of the venue with a full view of the stage and all the performances, and will set you back £450.

Included in this ticket is the 'The Tommy Shelby Package' of drinks, which has a range of spirits, shot paddles, prosecco, and popular beers.

Peaky's Speakeasy will take over the Manchester venue on selected dates throughout the year, with "no secret codes to get in" and the lineup of performances set to begin at 9:30pm and run until late in the night.

The next event is happening this Friday 6 May, and while tickets are selling fast, there's still time to get your hands on them.

You can grab tickets for all Peaky's Speakeasy events here.

Featured Image - Peaky Blinders Manchester

Deliveroo is giving out free holidays in Manchester takeaway orders next week

georginapellant — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:21:23 +0000

If you order a takeaway with Deliveroo next week you could just be lucky enough to end up with a free holiday this summer too.

The delivery service is celebrating its seventh birthday in the city next week with a week-long 'Deliv-air-roo giveaway', which will see 21 different flight tickets, each worth £500, snuck into people's takeaways at random.

Each day between 9 and 15 May, the delivery platform will celebrate one of Manchester’s most ordered global cuisines - and any customer who orders from participating restaurants in the offer will be in with a chance to win a free trip to the home country of the dish.

Image: Deliveroo

Throughout the week, Deliveroo will celebrate the cuisines of Italy, America, Greece, Thailand, Mexico, Germany, and Portugal, teaming up with some of Manchester’s favourite restaurants including Burgerism, Rudy’s and Just Natas.

There will be 21 different prizes up for grabs from 21 different Manchester restaurants, with three different holidays randomly given away in orders each day.

These will come in the form of 21 Deliveroo branded flight tickets, which will be snuck into delivery bags by members of the Deliveroo team at random to ensure that the competition is fair.

New Deliveroo customers in Manchester that sign up to Deliveroo from today will also get £10 off their first delivery when they spend a minimum of £15, using the code ROO10OFF.

image: The Manc Eats

Which Manchester restaurants are participating?

Monday 9 May will see Italian cuisine celebrated with a strong focus on pizza, with prizes up for grabs for those ordering from Nell's, Rudy's and Corner Slice.

Tuesday 10 May will focus on American dishes, with Deliveroo partnering with Yard and Coop, Burgerism and Fat Hippo on the second day of its big birthday giveaway.

Wednesday 11 May will look towards Greece, with Laros, The Athenian and The Real Greek all confirmed as taking part.

Image: Just Natas

Image: The Real Greek

Thursday 12 May’s prizes will be geared around the world of Thai food, with flight tickets hidden in orders from Rosa's Thai Cafe, Tampopo, and My Thai.

On Friday 13 May, it'll all be about Mexican food with Dons Tacos, Tortilla and Chilango all taking part in the big giveaway.

Saturday 14 May will see Deliveroo celebrate German food in Manchester, working alongside Donershack, Gyroland at Cargo and German Doner Kebab.

And to round off a big week of prizes, Sunday 15 May will be all about Portuguese dishes with tickets randomly hidden in orders from Just Natas, Pepe's Piri Piri and Franguitos.

Image: Rosa's Thai Cafe

How can winners claim their prize?

The symbolic Deliveroo flight tickets will all have instructions on the back to tell the customer how to claim their prize.

Winners will be asked to send in a selfie of themselves with the flight ticket and tell Deliveroo their unique ticket number so that the company can then verify them as a winner.

Once they have been verified, Deliveroo will send every winner a flight voucher for £500.

Feature image - Deliveroo / Pixnio.com

Escape to Freight Island's huge Kantina food and drink festival returns next month

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:03:11 +0000

A huge food and drink festival is returning to Escape to Freight Island next month, as the massive food hall brings back its Katina celebrations for 2022.

Bringing together esteemed guest chefs from across the country, special supper clubs, and an exclusive Soho House cocktail bar, Katina will give foodies from Manchester a chance to immerse themselves in the country's wider scene.

Taking place across the second weekend in June, Kantina will bring guest chefs, restaurants, and bars together from London, Sheffield, Manchester, and Birmingham to pair up with Escape to Freight Island’s existing traders for a host of special collaborations.

Image: Escape to Freight Island

Luke French, head chef and owner at the acclaimed 3 AA Rosettes and Michelin Guide 2021 recommended JÖRO in Sheffield, will host a very special and limited supper club over the weekend - combining local produce with Asian influences and pushing culinary boundaries.

Representing Manchester, Pippa Middlehurst (aka Pippy Eats of South East Asian noodle and dumpling fame) will return for a second collaboration with family-run Vietnamese restaurant Mi & Pho, whilst Mary-Ellen McTague (Eatwell MCR, The Creameries in Chorlton) teams up with Sheffield's Bench founders, Ronnie Aronica and Jack Wakelin.

Over at Birmingham chef Brad Carter's One Star Döner Bar, the Michelin-starred chef will partner with the equally talented Cornerstone founder Tom Brown and renowned indie food consultant, Lap-fai Lee.

Image: Escape to Freight Island

Budgie Montoya of Sarap in London will bring his Filipino flair as he partners up with Lucky Foot, ETFI's brand-new deep-fried and charcoal-grilled chicken trader, whilst elsewhere an event called 'Sous Do Ray’s’ will see sous chefs from some of the most celebrated restaurants in the country deliver their own take on Voodoo Ray’s pizzas.

Madre's upscaled tacos will partner with AngloThai's co founder and head chef John Chantarasak, whilst Carnival, the new grill concept to overtake Baratxuri, will be headed up by award-winning chef, butcher, restauranteur and food critic Richard Turner (ex-Hawksmoor).

And for sweet tooths, a selection from Happy Endings, famous for their ice cream sandwiches, will be available alongside offerings from Gooey and Batard.

Elsewhere, there'll be free-flowing beer from the Pomona Island taproom and fermented delights from a special natural wine bar hosted by Bench director Jack Wakelin.

In true Escape to Freight Island style, the venue will also host a vibrant roster of accompanying entertainment, from live performances to DJs and more throughout the weekend.

Image: Kantina

How to get tickets

Taking place from 10 to 12 June, the Kantina 2022 entry ticket is priced at £10 which include a limited-edition Kantina tote bag, and free for children under 14.

Pre-sale will be available to Kantina pioneers (previous ticketholders and those who sign up) on Thursday 5^th May from 10AM to reserve prime slots. General sale will be available on Friday 6^th May from 10AM.

Kantina will be hosted at Escape to Freight Island on Friday 10 June (from 4pm until 1am), Saturday 11 June (from 12pm until 1am) and Sunday 12 June (from 12pm until 9pm).

Further information and tickets is available on the Katina website here:

Feature image - Escape To Freight Island

You can get paid £150 a day to test bottomless brunches with your best mate

emily — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:21:57 +0000

Reckon you've got what it takes to test and narrow down the top bottomless brunch spots the UK has to offer?

It's a pretty tricky task, but someone's got to do it.

Getting stuck into some free-flowing drinks with your friends around a table of food is a match made in heaven if you ask us, and it seems like global discount voucher website WeThrift is on the same page as it's looking to recruit five lucky people to sample and review the best bottomless brunch spots in the country.

If that offer wasn't tempting enough as it is, all successful candidates will be able to bring their best mate along for the ride and will be paid £150 per day while doing it.

So, how does it all work?

Well, to narrow down the list of the best bottomless brunch locations in the UK, WeThrift looked at Tripadvisor’s top 50 rated eateries offering a bottomless brunch menu, and will ask the five dedicated 'Bottomless Brunch Testers' to travel to ten venues within one month.

Five lucky people are needed to sample and review the best bottomless brunch spots in the country / Credit: The Manc Group | Davey Gravy (via Unsplash)

The main aim of the Bottomless Brunch Testers will be to attend, review, and rate each brunch out of 10, based on set criteria - which includes the variety of food and drinks on the menu, quantity of drinks served, number of courses, time allocated, and overall value for money.

Hours will be flexible, research can be carried out around other commitments, and the £150 is designed to cover the cost of bottomless brunch for two and travel expenses.

Why is WeThrift looking for Bottomless Brunch Testers exactly? This tempting recruitment drives follows a recent survey of over 2,000 Brits ,which revealed that over half (61%) of 18-30 year olds would choose a bottomless brunch over a lunch or dinner date with friends.

'Bottomless Brunch Testers' will review and rate each brunch out of 10 / Credit: Piqsels

Feedback from the ‘Bottomless Brunch Testers’ will be used to determine a final ranking of the UK’s top 10 bottomless brunches.

Fancy it then?

Hopeful candidates must be aged 18 or over, have access to a smartphone or computer, be available to attend 10 bottomless brunches between the 13 June and 17 July, and get their application in before 31 May, with successful candidates being selected by 6 June.

You can apply for the coveted role of Bottomless Brunch Tester here.

Featured Image - The Manc Group

Paddy McGuinness among headliners at new festival in memory of Caroline Flack

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 16:33:28 +0000

A new festival has been arranged in memory of the late Caroline Flack, to celebrate her life and raise awareness for mental health issues.

Flackstock has been put together by a committee of Caroline's loved ones, including her mother Christine and sister Jody, to raise money for four different charities.

The festival will be headlined with performances from Natalie Imbruglia, who recently won The Masked Singer, Louise Redknapp, and Fleur East.

Bolton's finest actor and comedian Paddy McGuinness will be among the celebrities making appearances.

Other famous faces appearing include Professor Green, Dermot O'Leary, Keith Lemon and Joel Dommett.

Paddy McGuinness will make an appearance at Flackstock.

Flackstock is set to take over the grounds of stately home Englefield House this July as part of summer concert series Heritage Live.

Natalie Pinkman, Dawn O’Porter, Anna Blue, Sarah Tyekiff, Leigh and Jill Francis have also been involved in dreaming up the intimate event.

Sponsored by McDonald's, Flackstock will raise vital funds for Choose Love, Mind, Samaritans and Charlie Waller Trust.

Caroline’s mother Christine says of Flackstock: “My Caroline was never more herself or happier than at a music festival with her sister and her friends.

Flackstock will take place this summer.

“Flackstock is the wonderful idea of those who knew her best and the perfect way to remember her singing, dancing and most of all laughing.

“Not only is Flackstock the most positive way to honour Carrie, but charities that she loved will benefit from the proceeds.

“A big thank you to everyone involved for all their hard work – to Natalie for the mad idea, Giles Cooper Entertainment and Englefield House who saved the day, Live Nation and to all the brilliant sponsors.

“My family are so proud that so many people who knew Carrie loved her so very much.”

Ian O’Reilly, head of community and events fundraising at Mind, said: "Every donation that Mind receives through Flackstock will allow us to be there for even more people when they need us.

"This includes through services like the Mind Infoline, legal line and our online peer support community for adults, Side by Side. The money will also enable us to continue to campaign to improve services and provide information and support.

“We are honoured to be involved and we can’t wait for the festival to get started.”

For more information, visit heritagelive.net/whats-on/flackstock.

Featured image:

Brigad - the app changing the future of freelance work in Manchester's hospitality industry

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:56:21 +0000

An innovative app has recently launched here in Manchester, and it's already shaping the future of freelance working in the city's bustling hospitality sector.

Manchester is a city known for its resilience and community spirit, and that has never been more evident than in this post-COVID world as we bounce-back and recover from one of the most significant challenges we've had to face, but it's true that the hospitality industry has had to overcome a lot more than other sectors.

Which is why Brigad could not have come at a more perfect time.

With the staffing crisis within the hospitality industry said to be reaching points of over 3,000 ongoing open vacancies, Brigad is all about end-to-end collaboration between hospitality businesses and qualified self-employed professionals.

Having launched back in 2016, and having already made a name for itself both here in the UK and with our overseas neighbours in France, Brigad allows businesses to be put in touch with verified self-employed professionals in just a few clicks, which ultimately saves precious time as the entire administrative process is automated, and then on the other end, for freelance workers, it allows them to choose work freely every day from a large number of well-paid assignments that work ideally for their needs and time constraints.

Brigad prides itself on being a company with a mission, and its goal is simple - "to make work attractive and accessible to all".

But what was it that made Brigad make the move to launch in Manchester? How is it looking to make positive change to an industry that provides so much to our proud city? And how can it benefit businesses?

Brigad is about collaboration between hospitality businesses and qualified self-employed professionals / Credit: Brigad

Why Manchester?

With Brigad having already connected around 4,000 freelance workers with work opportunities across London, the company is adamant that there is no time to waste in applying these resources to the great city of Manchester.

Brigad says its decision to provide services to Manchester is vital to "ensure efficient post-pandemic recovery" of the city’s hospitality industry, as it's a company that works within the framework of social responsibility and is all about empowering hospitality workers by connecting them to temporary freelance shifts with a decent and fair minimum hourly payment.

"The city itself has provided some of the most innovative people-based solutions to encourage the individual to be better valued when the greater industry does not provide this," Brigad says.

"This is why we are launching Manchester."

Manchester is said to be the first in "the long line of cities" the company wants to begin operating in, as it believes "the city's values reflect our values perfectly."

Brigad allows businesses to be put in touch with verified self-employed professionals in just a few clicks / Credit: Arnaud Caillou

How does Brigad work? And how can it help businesses?

To sum Brigad up simply and how it helps businesses fill staffing vacancies, businesses offer their vacant shifts on their rotas to the app, and the workers will then accept those that best suit their timetable, lifestyle, career path, and income.

Brigad knows that as a restaurant owner or manager, sometimes you need qualified staff to fill in, which is why it aims to stop them from wasting time by looking for suitable casual staff as the profiles on the platform are the best freelancers in hospitality, and their skills and experience are rigorously checked and approved by the Brigad team.

The innovative app works in three simple steps:

Post a request - Create your request in a few seconds from your account page, and personalise it with specific requirements (dress code, equipment needed, etc).
Offer accepted by Brigad - Minutes later, you will receive the details of the freelancer who has accepted your mission, and they will call to introduce themselves and ask any questions to fully understand the task at hand.
Contracts and payments are automatically managed - Contracting, invoicing, and payment is taken care of at the end of each mission, and businesses don't have to do anything.

How is Brigad "pioneering the new future" of Manchester hospitality?

Brigad says it holds "a hearty commitment and respect" towards those who work in the hospitality industry, and with such a vast network of innovative, progressive, and pioneering businesses and workers, Manchester makes "complete sense" for its next step.

The company says it supports the future of hospitality in Manchester as a tech solution for those looking for security, freedom, independence and financial prosperity.

"A city with an independent spirit deserves hospitality staff of the same mindset," Brigad says.

What are the founders saying?

"Brigad is on a mission to make work attractive and accessible to all," explains Florent Malbranche, CEO and co-founder of Brigad.

"We are excited to be expanding into the vibrant city of Manchester and confident we will enable thousands of hospitality workers change their professional life for the better."

Brigad says its decision to provide services to Manchester is vital to "ensure efficient post-pandemic recovery" / Credit: Arnaud Caillou | Brooke Cagle (via Unsplash)

The company's goal is simple - "to make work attractive and accessible to all" / Credit: Arnaud Caillou

Keen to find out more?

To help meet and connect with more local businesses, and to show just how much of a benefit the app can be to the city's hospitality industry, Brigad is hosting a two-day open day event here in Manchester city centre next Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 May, which is free to attend, and you can find out more information and sign up here.

There will also be an evening event with Team Brigad and businesses which use the app, and you can pose any questions you may have to them over some drinks and great food.

To find out more information and see how Brigad can help your business, head over to the company's website here.

You can also follow Brigad on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Featured Image - Arnaud Caillou (via Brigad)

Police appeal for information as family is reported missing - including heavily pregnant mum and two children

Daisy Jackson — Wed, 04 May 2022 15:40:03 +0000

An urgent appeal has been launched after a family of four, the Collins family, was reported missing in Greater Manchester.

A heavily pregnant mum, her husband and their two young children were last seen around the Rochdale Road area of Manchester.

Charlene Collins is 26 years old, Martin Collins is 29, and their children Martin and Kathleen are age three and two.

The family haven't been seen since Friday 22 April. GMP have said that there are 'concerns for their welfare'.

GMP are appealing for information as to the whereabouts of the Collins family

The Collins family, originally from Ireland, had only recently come to Manchester, but police say they may have left the area.

They all speak with strong Irish accents and have connections to Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Suffolk, and the north west.

Police are appealing for information - anyone who has seen or come into contact with the Collins family is asked to notify the police.

GMP Manchester North posted: "Missing Appeal for the Collins Family.

"Charlene Collins 26 years and Martin Collins 29 years and their children – Martin aged 3 and Kathleen aged 2 years have been reported Missing. They were last seen around the Rochdale Road area of Manchester, M9 on Friday 22nd April 2022.

"Charlene is heavily pregnant and there are concerns for their welfare.

"Police are asking if you have seen or come into contact with this family that you notify the Police. They speak with strong Irish accents, and possibly could have left the Manchester area. They are originally from Ireland and have recently come to Manchester but may have left the area and could have travelled down south. They have connections to Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Suffolk and now the North West.

"If you have any information please call PC Helen McNeill on 07584 224 903 or PC Dave Frame on 07393781595. Alternatively call the SGTS desk on 0161 856 4024. Log 2103 -25042022 refers."

Featured image: GMP Manchester North

'Very warm' mini heatwave could hit the UK this month with highs of 23°C

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:58:58 +0000

Weather forecasters are predicting that a mini heatwave could arrive in the UK this month, and it's set to bring highs of 23°C.

Following what the Met Office said was an April where average maximum temperatures were generally above normal, and the UK had around a third less rain than usual for a month known for showers and downpours, Greater Manchester and much of the country could soon be set to bask in some "very warm" weather.

Temperatures could start peaking in the mid-20s later this month, according to the Met Office's senior operational meteorologist, Marco Petagna.

"Temperatures are several degrees above where they should be at this time of year," he said.

He added that there was a "small chance" that temperatures could rise into the mid-twenties as early as over the next couple of days, which would mean a “brief” heatwave, but many parts of the UK can expect it to heat up from next week.

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1521459659391094784?s=20&t=N7Dj0ArgSCRhyPSEpEYRpw

The Met Office defines a heatwave as an "extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year".

This may be accompanied by "high humidity".

A UK heatwave threshold is met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold - which varies by county.

"High pressure has been the prime influence of UK weather in April 2022, bringing with it a good period of calm and settled weather," added Dr Mark McCarthy, of the National Climate Information Centre.

Greater Manchester could soon be set to bask in some "very warm" weather / Credit: Pxfuel

The UK's hottest day so far this year was Good Friday, when 23.4°C (74F) was recorded in St James's Park in central London.

Across Greater Manchester today, following a couple of heavy downpours yesterday, it is forecast to be a much more settled and dry day, with temperatures looking to reach around 17°C, and cloudy and sunny intervals throughout the day.

The rain will unfortunately return on Friday afternoon, with temperatures sitting at 17°C again.

Featured Image -

Mystery man spotted riding the tram in Manchester with a PIGEON on his shoulder

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:50:00 +0000

We're all used to seeing pigeons scattered all over Manchester.

Piccadilly Gardens is a haven for the feathered beasts, you can barely walk down Market Street without getting hit in the face with a bird, and they love picking through your McDonald's leftovers at St Ann's Square.

But commuters this morning were surprised to find themselves quite literally face-to-face with a pigeon.

A mystery man boarded a Metrolink tram heading between Chorlton and Manchester city centre with his feathered friend in tow.

The passenger was photographed with an actual pigeon perched on his shoulder, like a greyscale chubby parrot.

The man was spotted riding the Metrolink with his pet pigeon in tow. Credit: Submitted

One eye-witness who got in touch with The Manc said that people 'barely batted an eyelid' at the strange sight.

They added: "I saw a video of him the other day when he goes in a shop he puts the pigeon down and it waits for him like a f***ing dog."

The man, and his pet pigeon, are often spotted out an about around Manchester, but seeing the bird quite that close on your morning commute is a bit of a surprise.

Someone who saw presumably the same pairing (unless there's two of them, which we doubt) earlier this week tweeted: "It’s too early for a man to get on the tram with a pigeon on his shoulder."

A spokesperson for TfGM said: "We are planning a pilot to allow dogs on trams but sadly there no plans to expand this to pigeons."

Metrolink recently revealed plans to test dogs being allowed on the tram network for the first time since 1992.

Currently, all animals are banned from the service, apart for service animals.

Featured image: Submitted

Three Lions could be replaced as England's 2022 World Cup anthem as it's too 'arrogant'

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:23:02 +0000

New reports are suggesting that iconic football song Three Lions could be replaced as England's anthem for the 2022 World Cup.

It's fair to say that the song - which was released by band The Lightning Seeds in collaboration with comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel over 25 years ago for Euro 96, has been a staple at every major national football tournament ever since - with fans belting out the words "It's Coming Home" at every opportunity.

But now, a new report in The Sun is claiming that the FA will look to replace the anthem for the upcoming Qatar World Cup because it risks offending other nations.

The Sun explained how all 32 nations taking part in the World Cup later this year have to nominate a song to be played in the build-up to kick-off, but while Three Lions would seem to many to be the obvious choice, bosses at the FA are said to be considering choosing an alternative song instead over fears the tune is seen as "arrogant" by other countries.

There is apparently speculation that Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline is the forerunner to replace it, after the song played a huge part in England's run the final of Euro 2020.

Three Lions could be replaced as England's anthem for the 2022 World Cup / Credit: YouTube

England and Newcastle legend Paul Gascoigne told The Sun: "That song is in our DNA. It helped us in 1996 and it’ll help the boys in Qatar.

"The FA have totally lost the plot."

He added: "You can’t take that song off us. Sweet Caroline doesn’t come close. It would be like saying we can’t wave St George’s flags anymore.

"This woke nonsense has no place in football - it’s just a great song."

The nature of the song and the way other countries perceive its meaning is something that critics have already discussed in previous years, and last year in particular, Three Lions co-creator David Baddiel spoke on the matter, explaining: "I think it's the notion - misinterpreted by many people - that football's coming home means that England owns football and we are the homeland of football.

"Which historically is the case. We were the first one to ratify the rules of the game. But somehow that's offensive to other FAs."

An alternative song could be chosen over fears it's seen as "arrogant" by other countries / Credit: YouTube

Outspoken TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan has also had his say on the matter, calling the proposal to remove Three Lions a "ridiculous idea", and adding: "This is a ridiculous idea. The song is all about wallowing in 30 years of hurt and pain at not winning anything, how can anyone say it is arrogant.

"We should absolutely stick with Three Lions."

England's official song choice is expected to be announced after the summer.

Featured Image - YouTube

Altrincham market favourite Little Window Alty is closing for good

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:48:20 +0000

Born out of chance and circumstance, over the past seven years Little Window Alty has become a staple for regulars at Altrincham's Market House. That is, until Wednesday night when it announced it will be closing up shop for good.

Leaving fans of its inventive, ingredient-led salads, soups, large plates and snacks bereft, the team shared an emotive post to the Little Window Alty Instagram page saying that now felt like the right time to hang up their aprons.

Describing their time running Little Window as 'an incredible journey in food', they thanked their audience for the support and spoke about their pride in the food they have created whilst reflecting nostalgically at how, a little over seven years ago, Little Window was born.

Image: Little Window Alty

They wrote: "A little over 7 years ago the honestcrustsourdoughpizza team, still very much in its infancy, started using the vacant unit in the corner of @altymarket to mix and roll dough. Then came a little chalk menu with a couple salads and snacks. And so Little Window was born.

"That became the start of an incredible journey in food for us. We took on some great suppliers, some excellent people and bought some lovely cookbooks. Over the years we’ve built an audience that we’re really proud of.

Read more: ‘Crispy pig tails take nose-to-tail dining to the next level’: The Moorcock Inn, reviewed

Sharing images of different chefs who've worked for them over the years, the team sang the praises of those who've passed through the kitchen - tagging prestigious Manchester eateries and bars with whom they now work.

The Creameries, The Moor Cock Inn, Sugo, Flawd, Pollen, The Pack Horse at Hayfield, Cinderwood Market Garden and Isca Wines all got an honourable mention.

The post continued: "@hammancheese will open her own space in Marple later this year. Lucky Marple.

"If you’ve eaten with us in the past few years and enjoyed what you’ve had it’s almost certainly down to Beth. She is the single most talented, intuitive and naturally gifted cook I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside.

"I expect if you’ve read this far and not skipped to the end you’ll know what’s coming. This Friday will be the final day of Little Window.

"I’d like to thank everyone who’s joined us for food in that 7 years. A massive thank you to Jen and Nick @altymarket who’s encouragement, feedback and support have been so instrumental in our progress. Thanks to our amazing suppliers. And thanks and love to all our team, wherever they are now.

"The time was right to hang up our aprons."

Feature image - Little Window Alty

The Manchester club night where you pay in with tins of beans

georginapellant — Thu, 05 May 2022 11:54:59 +0000

A club night in Manchester is looking to help those in need by amassing food bank donations in a somewhat unusual way.

Instead of asking punters to pay in with cash, promoters are asking revellers to bring tins of beans and other non-perishable items down with them on the night to gain entry to the party.

A minimum of eight is required to get through the door, and once you're in, you'll be treated to a festival-worthy line-up, full of acclaimed artists who've all waived their fees for the cause.

Image: Hit and Run UK

The club night, called Food 4 Thought, has been running since 2016 and every year raises a huge amount in both food and financial donations for the Trussel Trust, which both supplies and works to end the need for food banks in the United Kingdom.

For obvious reasons, the night has had a forced hiatus for the past two years - but now it's back, revived with impeccable timing in light of the growing cost of living crisis.

Speaking on the event and its importance in helping the community, organiser, DJ and promoter Rich Reason said: "Sadly, food bank usage continues to be on an exponential rise, with demand currently double what it was last year - which was the worst on record until that point.

Image: Hit and Run UK

"The cost of living crisis is biting Greater Manchester's most vulnerable hard, and anything to help our local foodbanks is needed more than ever. This year all the food and essentials will be collected by Salford Foodbank, which is part of The Trussell Trust.

He continued, highlighting the plight of Yemenis and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in their home country, adding that once costs are covered any profit from the event will go towards the Yemen Emergency Appeal.

He said: "Yemen continues to be one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, suffering a long-standing bombardment by Saudi Arabia, as well as Famine.

"Once our low costs are covered, all profit will go to the Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Yemen Emergency Appeal.

Image: Hit and Run UK

"One of the best, if not THE Best NGOs, you can trust them to get the aid to the people who need it most.

"This is a line-up worthy of any festival, and it speaks to the incredible charitable spirit of this city's artists, plus a few more with close links to our scene.

"Some of the biggest names in Bass Music will be there to entertain you.... for just 8 tins of beans!"

Taking place at Six Trees Kitchen in Trafford on Saturday 14 May, the event will spread across two stages with a line-up of some of Manchester's finest bass music DJs, producers and MCs.

Image: Hit and Run UK

Look out for the likes of DRS, Dub Phizix, Chimpo, Skittles, Werkha, Konny Kon (Children of Zeus DJ set) Eva Bee and Biome, alongside many more on the packed line-up where tickets should, in another world, cost well over £10 a head.

Sound will be managed by Dropjaw Audio in the Courtyard, and by Neuron Audio Visual Ltd at the extra Live Stage being built on the decking for the event - so you know it's going to be bassy, it's going to be loud, and it also should be absolutely crystal clear.

For those who want to support the cause but aren't able to attend, they can make a financial donation by purchasing a ticket for the event here.

Alternatively, they can contribute to organiser Rich Reason's sponsored swim, which is taking place this month and also raising funds for The Trussel Trust.

Feature image - Hit and Run UK

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 9 - 15 May 2022

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 12:31:27 +0000

May is now in full swing here in Greater Manchester.

As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.

Here's our top picks.

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Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Palace Theatre Manchester

Monday 9 May - onwards

Disney's Beauty and the Beast / Credit: ATG Tickets | Johan Persson (c) Disney

There's still a few weeks left to catch Disney's Beauty and the Beast before it departs from Manchester's iconic Palace Theatre.

Based on the hit 1991 film, this new musical production features some iconic songs from the smash-hit animation, including Be Our Guest, Belle and Beauty and the Beast whilst also uniting some members of its original Broadway team. Spectacular new designs and state-of-the-art technology fuse with the classic story, as the timeless romantic tale is brought to life on stage like never before, with all the charm and elegance audiences expect from Belle and her Beast.

You can find out more and grab tickets here.

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Football Hall of Fame

National Football Museum

Monday 9 May - onwards

Football Hall of Fame / Credit: National Football Museum (via Jason Lock Photography)

Manchester's National Football Museum is celebrating the legends of the game in it's first-ever dedicated Hall of Fame exhibition.

Situated in the Score Gallery, the museum's latest exhibition focuses on those players and managers who have contributed significantly to the game of our lives - breaking records, winning trophies, and paving the way for future generations, on and off the field.

The National Football Museum Hall of Fame exhibition honours the memory of our game's greatest figures, share untold stories and showcase some of the key objects from their respective careers.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

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'I Am' by SICK! Festival 2022

St Peter's Square

Monday 9 May - onwards

A new free photography exhibition, titled 'I Am', featuring candid portraits of domestic abuse survivors is currently on show in Manchester as part of the SICK! Festival 2022.

As part of the public festival where health and creativity meet, the photos - which have been taken by local photographer Allie Crewe - can be seen on several electronic screens at St Peter's Square in the heart of the city centre, as well as at 150 Metrolink tram stops across Greater Manchester throughout May.

With a mix of free outdoor, indoor and online events, SICK! Festival 2022 has a programme of activities suitable for families, young people, adults and everyone interested in using art and creativity to explore mental, physical, and social challenges.

You can find out more here.

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Snorkel with Sharks

SEA LIFE Manchester

Tuesday 10 & Thursday 12 May

Credit: SEA LIFE Manchester

Fancy trying something new in 2022? Time to conquer your fears?

SEA LIFE Manchester has launched a new snorkel cage experience that's letting people get closer than ever have before to more than 1,000 creatures of the deep at the Trafford Centre-based marine life aquarium.

Snorkel with Sharks is a one-hour surface snorkelling adventure.

Suitable for swimmers age 10+, the session includes a full briefing, introduction to the incredible creatures you can expect to see, and 20 minutes snorkelling in the purpose-built shark cage.

You can find more information and book your tickets here.

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Looking for some new restaurants and bars to try out that have just opened in Manchester city centre this month?

With a whole host of bank holidays stretching ahead of us this month, May gives us plenty of free time on the horizon and even more new restaurants and bars to visit in Manchester city centre and beyond.

Lazy Tony's and Burgerism / Credit: The Manc Group

Think Italian subs, the return of sit-down Lazy Tony’s lasagne, a new Spring Gardens cocktail bar from Gordon Ramsay’s former bars boss, sushi, sashimi and (maybe) even a new dumpling place.

You can read our round-up to find out where to put on your list this month here.

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Big Jubilee Street Party

AO Arena

Thursday 12 May

Big Jubilee Street Party / Credit: AO Arena

The floor of the AO Arena will this week be transformed into a giant street party for a star-studded show in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Taking place on Thursday 12 May, The National Lottery’s Big Jubilee Street Party will be hosted by Jason Manford and Fleur East, and will bring together some massive names from the worlds of music and comedy for the one-off free party, with organisers say the show will combine performances, archive footage, and music.

The likes of the Kaiser Chiefs, Becky Hill, Steps, Tom Grennan, House Gospel Choir, Calum Scott, Nathan Dawe and Ella Henderson, are all lined-up to perform.

You can find out more and grab tickets here.

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Cloudwater X Levanter - Ireland

KAMPUS

Thursday 12 - Sunday 15 May

Cloudwater x Levanter / Credit: KAMPUS | Cloudwater Brewery

Manchester’s neighbourhood KAMPUS will play host a solid ten weeks of back-to-back block parties from its canalside garden, with each weekend seeing guest DJs take to the decks to spin tunes from different corners of the world - and this weekend's event is celebrating Ireland and its much-loved culture.

Free-flowing beer will come courtesy of Manchester brewery Cloudwater, and food will be provided by Ramsbottom favourites Levanter serving up tapas, giant paella, and charcuterie boards aplenty.

This weekend, you can expect fresh imported beer from our neighbours, folk music, spoken word artists, and stalls.

You can find out more here.

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Amazônia

Science and Industry Museum

Friday 13 May - onwards

Amazônia / Credit: Science and Industry Museum

Critically-acclaimed photography exhibition officially opens in Manchester as part of its international this week.

In what is the first UK exhibition of this scale outside of London for over 20 years from the world-renowned Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, from 13 May, the Science and Industry Museum will welcome Amazônia - a major photography exhibition that celebrates the indigenous peoples and breathtaking landscapes of the Brazilian rainforest.

Salgado worked in the Amazon for seven years with 12 different indigenous communities, and the result is an incredible collection of powerful photographs that present his vision of a forest that is approaching a crucial tipping point in the fight against climate change, the Museum says.

You can find out more here.

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Manchester Cheese Crawl

Manchester City Centre

Friday 13 May - onwards

Credit: Flickr

In what is undeniably the stuff of dreams for cheese lovers, you can now take part in a cheese and wine crawl around Manchester city centre.

Manchester is city that’s packed with culture.

But if you don’t fancy seeing the sights through one of the more typical tours, The Manchester Cheese Crawl will take you around some of the cheesiest spots the city has to offer for two hours of non-stop cheese-related fun - including everything from blue cheese tasting, to cheese quizzes, competitions, and more.

Tickets cost just £25 each, and include cheese samples, optional bread and crackers, and some red wine to complement.

You can find out more and grab tickets here.

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Food 4 Thought by Hit & Run

Trafford

Saturday 14 May

Food 4 Thought / Credit: Hit & Run

A one-off club night is happening in Manchester this weekend, and it's looking to help those in need by amassing food bank donations in a somewhat unusual way.

Instead of asking punters to pay in with cash, at Food 4 Thought presented by the legendary Hit & Run, promoters are asking revellers to bring tins of beans and other non-perishable items down with them on the night to gain entry to the party.

Once you’re in, you’ll be treated to a festival-worthy line-up, full of acclaimed artists who’ve all waived their fees for the cause - The Trussell Trust.

You can find more information here.

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Coronation Street: The Tour

MediaCityUK

Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 May

Credit: Coronation Street

Coronation Street: The Tour has returned after a two-year hiatus to give you the chance to see the hidden world of the nation’s most-famous cobbles that lies behind the camera at the external sets at MediaCityUK in Salford.

Following in the footsteps of all your favourite characters, during each 90-minute tour, fans of the show will get to walk around all the famous sets of the Rovers Return, Roys Rolls, Underworld, and The Kabin, and so much more, and tour guides will share all the secrets of the show while they take you around locations of iconic moments from the soap.

There’ll also be plenty of chances to get that all-important Corrie selfie too.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Eurovision Viewing Party

GRUB

Saturday 14 May

Eurovision Viewing Party / Credit: GRUB MCR

It's the grand finale of Eurovision 2022 this Saturday, and Manchester’s largest street food fair GRUB - which is currently based at the Red Bank Project just outside of the city centre in Cheetham Hill - is hosting a themed viewing party in its Basement Bar on a 100-inch screen, and there's a range of tickets available.

With "party vibes and good times" said to be guaranteed, and fancy dress encouraged, GRUB says it'll be a night to remember, even if the UK does end up getting “nil points”.

There'll also be amazing street food options, and a locally-sourced and fully vegan bar.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

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Coffee Lovers Class

Food Sorcery

Sunday 15 May

Coffee Lovers Class / Credit: Food Sorcery

Didsbury’s very-own cookery school, Food Sorcery, is hosting a special class where you can learn some fun facts and even a little bit of science about coffee.

During this three-hour session that's suitable for all abilities, you'll learn the differences in techniques used to make the perfect coffee, find out what'll work best for you at home and how to use all the kit that you bought and have tucked away in the back of the cupboard.

There'll be plenty of opportunities to practise your skills and even try a little latte art to impress your friends, too.

You can find more information, and book your place here.

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Featured Image - Science and Industry Museum | The Manc Group

Pets at Home mocked for poster showing groomer 'cupping dog's genitals'

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:34:03 +0000

People have been poking fun at Pets at Home for a poster that appears to show a groomer 'cupping' a dog's privates.

Photos of the advert, which is for the brand's Groom Room grooming services, have been circulating online.

The advert shows a smiling groomer handling a neatly-trimmed poodle - and the groomer's hand placement has raised a lot of questions.

The original spotter shared photos on the Pets at Home Facebook page, writing: "Good afternoon. Just wondering if you had realised that the staff member/model is cupping the dogs genitals in the promotional poster outside your Eastbourne branch?

"And if you had realised- what’s the reason? Hopefully the “poodles and oodles” additional service isn’t a euphemism."

The hand placement in question. Credit: Facebook, Pets at Home

Upon closer inspection, it appears that the groomer is actually hovering a hand beneath the dog's belly to stop it sitting down, and the phallic-looking shape may well be a thumb.

Pets At Home has now confirmed that the hand placement is 'is a safe and standard dog handling procedure'.

Someone suggested: "I don't think the person is cupping anything and is instead, placing their hand next to the dog's hind legs in order to get the dog to stand still. I'm sure I've seen that whenever I've watched Crufts."

It prompted the response: "Aye, that thumb sure does look like a b*llock though."

Pets at Home. Credit: Google Maps

Cupping or not, it hasn't stopped people having a laugh at the Pets at Home ad.

One person commented about the adorable pooch: "No wonder he’s got that smile on his face."

Someone else said: "To be fair the Poodle doesn't look unhappy with the situation."

Another user compared it to the scene in Friends where Chandler visits a tailor who did 'definite cupping' while measuring him up for some trousers.

They wrote, quoting Joey in the scene: "That’s how they do it!! Right, ross?"

One person pointed out: "Somewhere a young, inexperienced graphic designer is getting a stern but well intentioned lecture on the importance of checking stock photos for exactly this reason."

Pets at Home responded to the poster with: "Thank you for your feedback, this has been passed over to the grooming marketing team."

A spokesperson for Pets At Home said: "Pet welfare is our number one priority, and we work hard to ensure all our customers enjoy their experience at The Groom Room, and ultimately leave feeling and looking their best.

"Sometimes we need to gently encourage our four-legged friends to stand up throughout their groom, but this is a safe and standard dog handling procedure and not something that could be considered an ‘added extra’!"

Featured image: Facebook

Paloma Faith, Madness, Rudimental, and more to play Haydock Park this summer

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:23:14 +0000

Some huge names are set to play headline shows as part of a live concert series at Haydock Park Racecourse this summer.

The Jockey Club Live is renowned for bringing live music to thousands of fans in the relaxed open-air setting of some of the UK's biggest racecourses, and after 2021 saw music-lovers return for a series of spectacular shows by Tom Jones, McFly, and more, 2022 at Haydock Park is set to be absolutely no different.

A lineup of mega stars have already been confirmed for this summer.

Paloma Faith, Madness, and Rudimental have all been announced to bring the tunes to the Newton-le-Willows based racecourse over the next couple of months.

Double platinum and BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith will be heading out on her second UK tour within a year with this summer, and will be stoping off at Haydock Park on Friday 1 July to perform and have fans singing along to hits from her extensive and much-loved repertoire, as well as new songs from her fifth studio album Infinite Things.

"I've been touring my recent album and it's been so invigorating seeing everyone out on the road around the UK," Paloma said ahead of her Haydock Park show.

"I love nothing more than singing for you all and hearing you sing back to me."

Paloma Faith and Rudimental have been confirmed to play at Haydock Park Racecourse this summer / Credit: The Jockey Club Live

Another chart-topping act set to hit Haydock Park this summer is the genre-defying, BRIT award-winning drum and bass band Rudimental, who will be playing a headline DJ set on Friday 5 August.

After bursting out of London’s underground music scene with its thrilling world of pirate radio and crude DJ set ups, Rudimental cracked into the mainstream on the release of their double-platinum selling debut album Home in 2013 - which has since sold over one million units worldwide - and are known for collaborative hits with superstars Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, John Newman, James Arthur, Jess Glynne, and more.

"We’re so excited live music is back," Rudimental said of their first time at Haydock Park.

"Especially as it gives us the opportunity to visit new venues that we haven’t played before. Our fans in the North West are some of our favourite crowds to perform to, so we know it’s going to be an incredible night."

Legendary British band Madness will also be playing at Haydock Park this summer / Credit: Iñaki Espejo-Saavedra (via Flickr)

By far one of the stand-outs of the 2022 Jockey Club Live series at Haydock Park season has to be the legendary British band, Madness - who previously headlined the racecourse back in 2015 and will make a return on Saturday 16 July.

Combining the genres of ska, reggae, motown, rock’n’roll and classic pop, Madness have become one of the music industry’s best-loved live acts, and have had so many hits to their name over the last couple of decades, including ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘It Must Be Love’, ‘Driving In My Car’, ‘Our House’, and the iconic 1982 number one single ‘House of Fun’.

Speaking ahead of the 2022 series, Dickon White - Jockey Club Racecourses’ North West Regional Director - said: "We are so excited about our fantastic line-up of music nights in 2022 [and] with the addition of Madness to the season, we have something for everyone.

"[It's] set to be a wonderful summer of music and racing at Haydock Park."

The Jockey Club is renowned for bringing live music to thousands of fans in relaxed open-air racecourse settings across the UK / Credit: The Jockey Club Live

Tickets for the full 2022 series of The Jockey Club Live events at Haydock Park this summer are now on sale, with prices starting at £35 for adults and £15 for children, while children aged four and under go free of charge.

There is also a range of hospitality packages available to suit all budgets too.

You can find out more information and grab yours here.

Featured Image - The Jockey Club Live

North West and Yorkshire beaches where dogs are banned this summer

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 05:25:00 +0000

From May to September, many beaches in England introduce dog bans as the warmer weather brings crowds of sunbathers and families down to the shore for a sunny day out.

There are bans in place on beaches across the North West and Yorkshire, so if you don't want to be caught out, it's best to wise up on where you can and can't go with your pooch well ahead of time - or you could end up being fined as much as £1,000.

Image: The Manc Group

To make sure you don't fall foul of environmental officers handing out fines, we've put together a list of all the beaches to avoid between 1 May and 30 September.

Unfortunately, not every beach is open to man’s best friend this summer - at least not between 1 May and 30 September.

North West

Beaches to avoid in the North West during this period include Ainsdale, Blackpool, Cleveleys, Fleetwood and Southport.

Image: Geograph

Ainsdale - The beach at Ainsdale must be kept free of dogs for 200m on either side of the main beach entrance and down to the tide itself.

Blackpool - The beach at Blackpool needs to be kept clear of dogs between North Pier and the Mirror Ball, opposite the Solaris Centre, throughout the summer. Up on the pier, dogs must be kept on leads throughout the season.

Cleveleys - Dogs are not allowed on the beach at Cleveleys from Cage Clove to Wyre Borough Boundary throughout the summer.

Fleetwood - Dogs are banned from the east side of the Fleetwood beach slipway eastward to the west side of the former pier.

Southport - From the Pier south towards Pleasureland (for 555m) up to the tide line, dogs must be kept clear of the beach at Southport.

Yorkshire

Beaches to avoid in Yorkshire during this period include Bridlington North and South, Filey, Hornsea, Sansend, Scarborough South and North Bays, Whitby and Withernsea, reports The Hoot.

Bridlington north beach. / Image: Commons Wikimedia

Bridlington – At Bridlington, dog walkers are not to cross the areas between the northern end of North Marine Promenade and the north-eastern face of the North Pier, or between the southern face of the South Pier and the eastern face of Princess Mary Promenade Sea Wall.

Filey – Placed tenth in 2020 on a list of the UK’s favourite beaches, Filey also bans dogs over the summer. Walkers need to look out for the northernmost side of the beach slipway, which separates the Coble Landing from the Promenade. Everywhere from here to the southernmost point of the sea wall at Royal Parade is out of bounds.

Hornsea – Another popular Yorkshire beach included in the 2014 Good Beach Guide, Hornsea excludes dogs between the concrete ramp at Headland View and the steps south of Sands Lane.

Image: PxHere

Sansend – Everything at Sansend is out of bounds for pups, from the steps below the public conveniences below Sandhills to the slipway at the southern end of Bank Bottom car park. Similarly in Scarborough, both the North and South Bays are entirely off-limits to dogs.

Whitby – At Whitby, dogs are allowed at Tate Hill if they are kept on a lead – but must avoid the West Beach, from the West Pier to the promenade from the east side of the beach steps adjacent to the western end of the beach chalets.

Feature image - The Manc Group

Manchester Airport tells travellers to 'take time' - but says hundreds of new staff are on the way

emily — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:26:32 +0000

Manchester Airport has issued fresh travel advice to passengers, but promises that hundreds of new staff are on the way.

After what had been weeks of travel bedlam at the UK’s third largest airport, with many hit by cancellations and long waits of up to 90 minutes or more due to staff shortages, and after Manchester Airport bosses had previously spoken out to warn that the chaos could continue "over the next few months", it's now been confirmed that dozens of new staff have already been hired and hundreds more are currently going through the security training and vetting process.

In the lead-up to the peak summer holiday season, Manchester Airport has provided a progress update on its recruitment drive, and is also reminding passengers of its travel advice.

Bosses at the airport say it is "continuing to recover at pace" post-pandemic following the removal of international travel restrictions, and that passenger volumes have now grown back to 79% of pre-pandemic levels - but this means the airport is now serving around three times more passengers each week than it was in January.

While this "strong recovery" has been identified as a contributor to the long queues and delays, the shortage of staff numbers was something the airport was keen to rectify.

The UK's third largest airport has issued an update in its recruitment drive ahead of summer / Credit: Manchester Airport

With demand returning rapidly, the airport says it has been working hard to recruit hundreds of new security officers, and improve the efficiency of how it deploys the people already working in the operation, as well as bring in new measures to "improve the airport experience" for customers and staff.

To date, more than 8,000 applications have been received for roles including security officers, car park marshals, and hospitality staff, and in the last month alone, more than 1,600 people have applied for jobs and more than 500 people are currently going through background checks and security training.

Around 200 new starters are expected to join the operation at Manchester this month, which airport bosses say enables them to open additional security lanes during peak periods and improve customer service.

https://twitter.com/manairport/status/1513885984290656267?s=20&t=gugMlQSHsc3b8Xzi--KNDQ

This recruitment drive and a range of other measures have improved the customer experience in recent weeks, with 90% of passengers in the last two weeks getting through security in less than 30 minutes, up significantly from 78% in the first two weeks of April.

While the airport is still admittedly experiencing longer queues at times - which the airport says is working with partner organisations, including UK Border Force, airlines and ground handlers, to address - these are said to be happening less frequently and they are also being cleared relatively quickly.

"We want to make sure that customers get away on their travels, so everyone at Manchester Airport is focused on bringing in the extra resources we need to continue operating our full flight schedule," said Ian Costigan, Interim Managing Director of Manchester Airport.

"It is encouraging to see new staff joining us as a result of our ongoing recruitment drive, and we have seen security waiting times reduce in recent weeks".

Bosses at Manchester Airport say the airport say it is "continuing to recover at pace" / Credit: Iwan Shimko (via Unsplash)

He added that ensuring passengers move through the airport quickly and easily is the airport's "ultimate goal."

Reiterating its travel advice, the airport is urging passengers to arrive three hours before their flights, but is asking people not to come any earlier than this because they will not be able to check-in with their airlines, which could cause "unnecessary waits in the terminals". Leaving a three-hour window will enable people to pass through security and make their flights.

Passengers who have not flown for a long time are also being urged to refamiliarise themselves with the security rules.

Featured Image - Manchester Airport

The Northern women fighting to keep you safe on a night out

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 19:00:53 +0000

When it comes to helping women feel safer on a night out, there's no one better to ask than the women themselves - which is exactly what northerners Elysia O'Neill and Della Claydon are doing.

Following reports of a rise in drink and needle spikings last year, the Leeds-based duo and The Egalitarian co-founders moved quickly to set up the Spike Report - a community-led database for women to detail not just when and where they were spiked, but the response of venues and the police too.

Within nine days, it had already gathered over 160 reports. Seven months down the line, that figure is now in the thousands with reports spanning the length and breadth of the country.

The site is regularly visited by women, with the goal being to keep them and their mates safe on a night out.

Explaining the reasoning behind the idea, Elysia told The Manc that only 1 in 10 people currently report being spiked to the police and that "there's definitely a lack of empowerment and self-belief in terms of whether someone's been spiked, whether anyone is going to believe them."

"We set up the Spike Report to basically tackle the issue of how invisible spiking is as a problem [...] and to essentially raise awareness of the fact that it is an issue, something that's prevalent in society, 'cause it's disputed by many large actors in the night time economy and the police themselves."

Image: Impossible MCR

Based on the numbers self-reporting to their database, it certainly appears that survivors feel much more confident reporting to their peers instead of the police.

It's a sad fact certainly not helped by the high-profile murder of Sarah Everard by a policeman last year, nor by the Met's brutal treatment of the women who gathered to hold a peaceful vigil in her memory after the fact.

By recognising this erosion of trust in traditional reporting methods, The Egalitarian team has now amassed a unique and detailed data set into what, where, when, and how spiking incidents are occurring across the country.

They've also been running a questionnaire since October 2021, asking their community what they would like to see in terms of changes regarding the news, police, legal systems, what kind of policies and procedures they can implement.

Now, through their new Safe Place initiative, they're planning to use this data to educate venues, authorities and night time economy workers on how to better safeguard people on a night out.

Explaining the desperate need for an attitude shift in the industry as a whole, Elysia said: "We've got a very detailed insight into how people in the night time economy and other authorities are handling spiking.

"We're wanting to create partnerships with the night time economy venues particularly because that's what us as an organisation and the community themselves think, that really the onus does lie with venues, rather than necessarily the police.

"We want staff to be educated on safeguarding, vulnerability, looking out for people that are vulnerable, but knowing how to look after someone who has been spiked or even voluntary intoxication.

"Whether it's voluntary or involuntary, it doesn't make them any safer when you kick them out of the club.

"We need everyone to be looking after the customers, and essentially what we're looking for is for venues to show that they do acknowledge that they have a duty of care for customers inside their venues."

Here in Manchester, data from the Spike Report shows that 60% of survivors rated the venue's response poor to very poor, 20% said it was neither good nor bad and 20% said it was good to very good.

Of the 40% that also contacted the police, 25% said they found the response poor to very poor. 25% neither good nor bad, and 50% good to very good.

Image: Girls Night In Manchester

Read more: GirlsNightIn Manchester: women protest across the UK as needle spiking incidents increase

The conversation around better safeguarding on nights out first began to change following last October's Girls Night In protests, which saw huge numbers stay at home to boycott nightclubs and many others take to the streets.

Meanwhile, across the city a number of venues moved to introduce drink covers, posters, and spiking tests, at a cost to themselves, to reassure customers and help them feel safer.

The mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, joined the Manchester protest on the night, and later he and the Night Time Economy Advisor, Sacha Lord, met with students involved to discuss what more could be done to improve safety.

Girls Night In Manchester wrote on its Instagram following the meeting: “Andy and Sacha have committed to setting up an Anti-Spiking Partnership for the city region, where GMCA will partner with major venues to roll out anti-spiking tests which can detect seven different types of drugs and be used as evidence in court.

“In the meeting we also discussed other measures such as expanding Save Haven and volunteer schemes funded by GMCA such as the Village Angels that operate on Canal Street, and improving reporting in venues.

Image: Girls Night In Manchester

“We are hopeful that some tangible changes will come as a result of these meetings, but still remain to be convinced until they are in place."

Seven months later, an anti-spiking partnership has been announced but for now no commitment has been made on rolling out anti-spiking tests at venues.

Revealing the partnership as part of the region's new Night Time Economy Strategy, Andy Burnham acknowledged that there was 'more to do' regarding women and girls’ safety out and about at night time and that that Greater Manchester was now 'pioneering a different conversation'.

He told hospitality leaders: “Sacha and I took a suggestion from students at the University of Manchester to bring through an anti-spiking partnership and you’ll see reference to that in the strategy being launched today.

Read more: Andy Burnham announces new anti-spiking partnership inspired by Manchester students

“We’d like to work with more of you to build out the idea of that, whether we can provide more testing on sites, so that we can protect people who fear they may have been a victim in that way.

“That’s an important thing that we can do and we look forward to working with more of you on that.”

The Egalitarian team, meanwhile, is also positive they can bring much-needed change to the sector - expressing a strong desire to work closely with local authorities, including Greater Manchester.

Elysia said: "I think once the word's out and people like Andy Burnham are aware of the fact that we're doing this, I think it becomes a lot easier for government funded services, which are struggling always and so underfunded, to know that this exists.

"It saves their time and their funding, it could be really helpful to the wider community in such a mutually beneficial way."

You can follow The Egalitarian and its Safe Place project here.

Feature image - The Egalitarian

Tributes paid to influential 'star-maker' David Johnson, who launched careers of Corrie stars

Daisy Jackson — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:31:18 +0000

Coronation Street stars have been among those paying tribute to theatre legend David Johnson.

David founded the Oldham Theatre Workshop, which has launched the careers of some of the best-known stars of TV and film.

His fellow tutor Jakki confirmed the news with a Tweet that read: "Sorry for the delay in posting but it's all very overwhelming.

"Yesterday we lost our founder, figurehead but most of all our friend David. We're heartbroken. I will endeavour to reply to everyone's kind messages as soon as I can."

Stars including Antony Cotton and Kelvin Fletcher have all rushed to pay touching tributes to the influential figure, describing him as a 'hero' and 'the best'.

Antony Cotton said: "Just heard the saddest news. David Johnson who was the director of the phenomena that was Oldham Theatre Workshop, has died.

"He put so many of us on the map, and kick started so many careers, both on stage and off. So many of us owe him so much. I’m absolutely gutted.

"He formed my childhood so profoundly, and in turn - my adult life too. Those years were the best years of my life. Rest in Power David. You were the best."

Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher wrote: "Singlehandedly the biggest influence on my career and arguably, the reason behind my career. I know I speak for so many. Thank you David Johnson. What a legacy."

Lisa Riley added: "For all of us whom were taught by David Johnson….today is a very sad day, I know I speak for many of my fellow actors in the industry, we wouldn’t be where we are today without this LEGEND of a man. I owe so much to you David…..you know how much I loved you...

"Heaven is lit today as it welcomes a creative master, who will be missed by us ALL!!! Oldham Theatre Workshop the north's PROUDEST school."

Emmerdale's Lisa Riley has also paid tribute to David Johnson.

Alison King, who plays Carla Connor in the soap, said: "R.I.P my absolute hero! My maker of all things that I am, and where I am today, my teacher, of who I was 27 years ago, years that taught me things about myself I never knew, but have carried with me to this date.

"You were strict and yet the kindest man to me I have ever known. You were intuitive, and insightful, and gave me and so many others I've loved and adored working with over the years, the opportunity to shine. You gave me my best friend Emma.

"If it wasn't for you I would never have had my beautiful daughter Daisy who is filled with love for the arts, a response of your teachings. And so many of us.

"David Johnson. From the day you started a term, with a good haircut and new shiny leather shoes, until the end of term, when they'd be curled up And your hair in a beautiful bouffant!!! Bigger than we all could cope with on a Monday morning.

"You were the sharpest, most aware human being of others creatively, and how to teach them to show it, I have ever known. Thank you so much."

Joseph Houston, of Hope Mill Theatre, said: "So sad to hear about the passing of David Johnson. Many of us know the incredible work he did for young people across the region. His support for myself & @WilliamWhelton & @hopemilltheatr1 from the start was amazing & we love having @DJohnsonDrama part of our story. RIP david!"

Julie Hesmonhalgh said: "Sending love and condolences to all the Oldham Theatre Workshop gang who owe so much to the inimitable David Johnson. That talent for teaching: a rare and beautiful thing. He must have been so proud of you all xxx"

Featured image: Twitter

New roller skating rink 'in the sky' to open in Manchester this summer

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:27:00 +0000

It appears roller skating rinks are like buses - you wait years for one, then two come along at once.

Details of a new roller skating rink at Depot Mayfield have been released, spanning a whopping 8,000 sq ft alongside Escape to Freight Island.

Good Life Skates will be inspired by skating scenes around the globe, from underground Berlin to the sidewalks of Brooklyn and LA.

The new concept will open this June as part of the massive Depot Mayfield development, just beside Manchester Piccadilly.

Credit: Escape to Freight Island

It will take over the mezzanine level, giving skaters a bird's-eye view of the huge street food and entertainment venue - and they'll be able to order food directly from the traders below.

The drinks menu will centre around alcohol-free cocktails suitable for all ages , though any drink can be topped up with your chosen spirit for a 'playful concept perfect for drinkers and non-drinkers alike'.

The Good Life Skates experience will be geared towards skaters of all abilities, from accomplished athletes to wobbly beginners.

Good Life Skates will open this summer. Credit: Supplied

It will also be available for exclusive hire, including a self-contained room next to the roller-skating rink for kids' parties and group days out.

Passionate skaters will be able to take home their own Good Life Skates clothing, from hoodies to t-shirts to bucket hats.

It joins another roller skating rink set to open just days before - Paradise Skate World will be an 'intergalactic' experience at the Great Northern Warehouse, from some of the team behind Junkyard Golf.

The Good Life Skates pre-sale will go on sale at 10am on Tuesday 10 May to those who sign up at goodlifeskates.com. A general sale will be available on Wednesday 11 May from 10am.

Tickets are priced from £8.50 for off-peak hours and £10 for peak hours, which include a 50-minute session per ticket per person, with reduced price for double sessions booked together.

Good Life Skates opening hours, from Wednesday 1 June, are Wednesday and Thursday (from 4pm to 11pm), Friday (from 4pm to 1am), Saturday (from 10am to 1am) and Sunday (from 10am to 8pm).

Featured image: Unsplash

The man who changed the face of football | Cristiano Ronaldo - Manc of the Month April 2022

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:15:42 +0000

It's difficult to imagine the horror that Cristiano Ronaldo, along with his girlfriend Georgina Rodríguez, have experienced in the last month.

The couple's newborn baby boy tragically died in April, with the Manchester United star saying they were experiencing 'the greatest pain that any parents can feel'.

The incident saw football fans and players alike set aside their club rivalries to pay their respects to Ronaldo's family.

Moving scenes at Anfield saw fans give the footballer a standing ovation at the seventh minute and a chanted rendition of Liverpool's adopted anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Ronaldo receiving the FIFA Special The Best Award

But then Ronaldo has always been one of those players to command respect on the field.

Regardless of football allegiances - be it red, blue, or somewhere in between - most can agree that Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time.

He's won the prestigious Ballon D'or five times (a feat beaten only by Lionel Messi, who's won it seven), has scored a whopping 812 career goals, and holds dozens of records.

He's also built up a whopping list of charitable work and high-profile charity donations over the course of his career.

Credit: Manchester United

Back in 2008, Ronaldo received undisclosed damages from a libel case against The Sun - then took the cash and donated the lot to a charity in his native Madeira.

The star is often first in line to donate gifts and toys to hospitals in Greater Manchester alongside his United team mates.

He's donated huge sums to hospitals and other health care services, including paying for a new cancer centre at the hospital that saved his mother's life.

Ronaldo once sold his golden boot award for £1.2m, and donated all the money to Palestinian children.

Then there's all the charities he's an ambassador for - Save the Children, Unicef and World Vision are the three major ones, who all received a split of his £450,000 bonus for winning the Champions League.

In 2015, Ronaldo was named as the most charitable sports star in the world by dosomething.org, after donating £5m to the relief effort after the devastating earthquake in Nepal.

While he may not be a Mancunian by birth, after so many years as a pillar of our football scene - arguably the lifeblood of Manchester - we think Cristiano can call himself an honorary Manc.

And with all his philanthropic work to further the lives of others, he's a very worthy winner of our Manc of the Month for April 2022.

About Manc of the Month

We all know that Manchester is home to some special people, some born here and others drawn here, and after a bumpy two years that effectively amounted to one big lockdown, it’s these special people that have inspired and led us through the tough times – so we decided to start a series that shines a light on those who should be celebrated.

Following on from our ‘The Mancs of the Year’ feature towards the end of 2020, Manc of the Month officially kicked off in July 2021, with Marcus Rashford MBE, Manchester’s mural king Akse P-19, the local chef feeding the region’s vulnerable families Mary-Ellen McTague, and Manchester’s groundbreaking new Council leader Bev Craig among previous honourees.

Major disruption on Metrolink as trams suspended and diverted

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 06:27:59 +0000

Commuters are facing disruption this morning as Metrolink trams are suspended along the Bury line.

An overhead line fault is also causing tram services between Monsall and Victoria on the Rochdale via Oldham line to be halted.

Several other services are being rerouted in the city centre.

Metrolink has apologised for the inconvenience caused by the disruption.

Engineers are working to fix the damage causing disruption. Credit: Twitter, MCRMetrolink

It's due to overhead line damage in the Irk Valley area, with engineers photographed carrying out repairs early this morning.

Customers along the Bury line and are able to use their tickets on the 41, 59, 97, 98, 135 and 524 bus services.

Those on the part-suspended Rochdale line can take the 59, 81, 83, 181 and 184 bus services.

East Didsbury services will terminate at Exchange Square, while Airport Line trams will divert and terminate at Exchange Square, rather than calling at Market Street, Shudehill and Victoria.

Live updates are being posted on Twitter by @MCRMetrolink.

Metrolink has said on Twitter that they 'don't have a timeframe' for how long the repair work will take.

Featured image: Twitter, MCRMetrolink

Savage Twitter spat erupts between Piers Morgan and Tim Burgess - with perfect petty detail

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 07:24:42 +0000

Not for the first time in his career, Piers Morgan has become embroiled in a spat on Twitter - this time with Manchester's very own Tim Burgess.

The Charlatans frontman and famously outspoken presenter have been bickering on the platform in recent days.

The whole thing started in a gloriously petty way, with Tim seemingly waiting nine years to clap back at Piers.

The music legend dug out a Tweet from all the way back in 2013, where Piers had posted: "Wow @Tim_Burgess 56k tweets for 68k followers.. no wonder you can't sell a bus ticket these days! Night, buddy."

Viewing figures for Piers Morgan's new show have plummeted since it launched. Credit: Twitter, @piersmorgan

Tim shared that nearly-decades old Tweet again this week, asking: "How’re those viewing figures doing @piersmorgan?" with a winking emoji.

He then reminded his followers that viewers of Piers Morgan's flagship show - Piers Morgan Uncensored - on new channel talkTV have plummeted from 317,000 to 74,000 in just over a week on air.

Of course Piers wasn't going to let the jibe slide past without a response, so he replied: "A lot better than your last three album sales."

Tim Burgess on stage with the Charlatans. Credit: Flickr

Celebrated comedian Shappi Khorsandi then waded in to the feud to point out: "But Tim is an artist, fame is a by-product of what he does. But you, you don't 'make' anything. No-one plays you at their wedding. No one turns to your work to soothe their soul. Twitter followers etc just don't mean to artists what they mean to you."

Piers labelled her take 'a load of old cobblers'.

Tim scathingly replied: "Man, just take a seat for a damn minute. You trade on division and picking on others, you use follower numbers to attempt to belittle people, you shout about ‘snowflakes’ when you have a fragile ego. Let’s not forget that some awful things have happened on your watch. Pipe down.

"Anyone wishing to use my name to get Twitter likes. Go right ahead. Fill your boots. Whatever makes you happy."

And in true Piers style, he said: "And you’re a pompous fading cliché-ridden old rocker desperately trying - and failing - to stay vaguely relevant by using my name to get Twitter likes, so we make a right pair. Pipe down yourself."

The argument has drawn a fair amount of attention from Twitter users in the last 24 hours, including one person who helpfully suggested: "Calm down Piers! Have a vegan sausage roll!"

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons / Twitter

Around 16,000 jobs at risk as convenience store chain McColl's nears collapse

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 08:06:30 +0000

One of Britain's largest convenience store chains is nearing the brink of collapse, with thousands of jobs said to be at risk.

McColl's - which employs more than 16,000 people, and has several stores throughout Greater Manchester and the North West - said it was "increasingly likely" that it would fall into administration unless talks around a rescue deal were successful, Sky News reports.

The 1,400-store McColl's Group - which has an extensive wholesale partnership with Morrisons, as well as Martin's newsagents - has always had strategy centred around an image of a "neighbourhood retailer", but after suffering unprecedented difficulties throughout and post the COVID-19 pandemic, has issued a statement saying administrators could be called in today.

The company said in its statement that without any fresh funding in the short-term, the group would likely "be placed into administration with the objective of achieving a sale of the group to a third-party purchaser and securing the interests of creditors and employees".

The chain added that it wanted to create a "stable platform for the business going forward", but also stressed that discussions were still ongoing.

McColl's said it was "increasingly likely" that would fall into administration / Credit: McColl's

McColl's said in a statement to Sky News: "As previously disclosed on 25 April 2022, the Group remains in discussions regarding potential financing solutions for the business to resolve short term funding issues and create a stable platform for the business going forward.

"However, whilst no decision has yet been made, McColl's confirms that unless an alternative solution can be agreed in the short term, it is increasingly likely that the Group would be placed into administration with the objective of achieving a sale of the Group to a third-party purchaser and securing the interests of creditors and employees.

"Even if a successful outcome is achieved, it is likely to result in little or no value being attributed to the Group's ordinary shares."

According to Sky News, the company's imminent collapse is expected to spark renewed interest in a partial takeover from both Morrison's and EG Group - the petrol retailing giant owned by TDR Capital and the billionaire Blackburn-based brothers, Mohsin and Zuber Issa.

McColl's employs more than 16,000 people at 1,400 stores across the UK / Credit: McColl's

News that the McColl's is teetering on the brink of collapse this week comes after it was revealed that the group's shares have collapsed this year, and the entire company is now worth less than £3.5 million, with the company said to be carrying debts of almost £170 million.

Jonathan Miller, McColl's recently-departed chief executive, said in December 2021 that the financial year had "undoubtedly been a tough year for the business".

Mr Miller is understood to have personally invested £3 million last year in a bid to convince other shareholders to support the company.

If McColl's is forced into administration this week, it would be the largest insolvency in the UK retail sector by size of workforce since the collapse of Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group in 2020, Sky News said.

It would become the latest in a long line of casualties of changing retail shopping habits and the pandemic.

Featured Image - McColl's

Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers 'comes clean' and reveals he's battling cancer

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 08:58:02 +0000

Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers has sadly revealed that he has cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

The Barrow-born 64-year-old chef and TV star - who is best known for appearing alongside Si King on the much-loved BBC show, The Hairy Bikers - spoke about his diagnosis on the pair's podcast, The Hairy Bikers - Agony Uncles, this week, and said he was "coming clean" about the illness he has been battling for some time.

Myers admitted on the podcast that he expects this year will be a “write off” as he continues chemotherapy for the undisclosed type of cancer.

Speaking candidly about his diagnosis, Myers said: "Anyway Kingy, I've got to come clean now - I haven't been too well recently and basically, I've got to have some chemo.

"You know all this anyway, so this year is going to be a bit quiet for me, I'm not going to be filming, some of the festivals I'm not going to be able to go to, some may be okay but this year's a bit of a write off for us."

He said he didn't "want to hide under a rock" about his illness.

Dave is best known for appearing alongside Si King on The Hairy Bikers / Credit: Hairy Bikers (via Facebook)

He explained: "I have had to speak up about this because I don’t want to hide under a rock, but I would love it if people respected my privacy and just let me get on with it and give Si and our team all the support they need, that would be great."

He did however assure that "the prognosis is okay", and that he's "going to be fine".

Myers has previously spoken about having to overhaul his lifestyle after doctors warned him he was "morbidly obese" and could be "heading for an early grave", and has insisted that he is going to "look after himself" following his cancer diagnois.

He continued: "I've just got to tuck in, look after myself, eat sensibly and get over this mess, flog books, and be a happy person so within that, that's where I am.

"I may be a baldy biker for a while, so it's just a warning - I don't want to make a fuss about it.

"I look alright bald actually."

Featured Image - Hairy Bikers (via Facebook)

Manchester hospitality boss launches petition to bring back outdoor seating

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:20:08 +0000

Many hospitality businesses are fearing for their futures after three years of interrupted trade, forced closures, a staff exodus and rising costs.

One thing they all seem to agree on is that additional outdoor seating was hugely beneficial for bringing in trade during the pandemic, and they'd like it back A.S.A.P.

Unfortunately, the temporary Covid rules that allowed for easy street closures and licenses have now expired - leaving some (but not all) struggling businesses at the mercy of the long-winded and expensive Highways application system.

So now, as summer approaches and some Northern Quarter venues are retaining their pavement seating by other means, Manchester businesses are making a concerted push to create change around the rules to level the playing field.

Alvarium's outdoor seating capacity in 2020 and 2021. / Image: Alvarium

Alvarium's outdoor seating capacity in 2022. / Image: Alvarium

In a bid to support his own business and those of friends and neighbours nearby, Andy Young, the owner of the Northern Quarter dessert bar Black Milk Cereal, has launched a petition to bring back rules introduced during Covid that allow extra outdoor seating for hospitality - and hopes to have it in place by this summer.

Calling for these rules to be made permanent, he told The Manc that many of his neighbours are still struggling to recover, but that such a change would bring a huge boost in revenue and help people pay off Government loans.

At a count, he pointed out a number of streets that have been left behind this summer - including Ancoats' Blossom Street, Houldsworth Street, Peter Street and Tarriff Street - as well as making reference to how the street closures benefitted those in Manchester's Gay Village.

The petition, which went live on Thursday night, explains that hospitality businesses are still 'hugely affected' by the lasting impact of COVID.

Black Milk still has a handful of chairs on the pavement, but is unable to use a large cul de sac next door for additional seating this year without a Traffic Regulation Order. / Image: Black Milk Cereal

It continues: "This is a revenue-neutral way to help them recover fiscally and pay off Government loans like Bounce Back, CIBLS, and Recover Loans.

"It also has a significant impact on local communities, with friends, families and loved ones able to enjoy food and drink outside in the sun."

Currently, businesses need to apply - at a cost - for a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) or Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO), in order to trade on the street/road.

This process (unlike the temporary scheme legislation now revoked by Parliament) also requires a full consultation and planning consent, which can take a significant amount of time. Time that many feel they don't have.

Black Milk is not the only business to have been making noise about the need for the extension of Covid outdoor seating rules this summer.

Alvarium's owners warned ‘the consequences could be detrimental’ if they are not granted a road closure this summer. / Image: Alvarium

Nearby bar Alvarium's owners made headlines just last week after sharing a heartfelt plea, in which they warned ‘the consequences could be detrimental’ if they are not granted a road closure this summer.

Speaking to The Manc about the need for more outdoor seating, Alvarium owner Braddan Quayle said: "For me, it's an absolute no-brainer.

"It saved a lot of businesses and more importantly a lot of jobs over the pandemic and as we discussed we're still suffering from a hangover which has been said by people like Sacha Lord could take up to five years so why are we not being given the tools to prosper?

"We would have to pay for tables and chairs licenses so the local council would recoup some of the money back that they've had to spend, so like I say it's a no brainer and it's frustrating that nothing is being done about it and shunting the blame onto Westminster is not an answer and no, unfortunately, shouldn't be an answer either."

The petition reads in full: "Due to Covid the Government relaxed rules for restaurants, cafes and bars to get licences for outdoor seating, and also rules for local authorities to make Traffic Orders, including closing roads to enable outdoor hospitality. We want these changes made permanent, to support hospitality businesses.

Outdoor seating is still permitted on Thomas Street, Edge Street and Stevenson Square thanks to cycle routes, whilst other businesses are suffering. / Image: The Bay Horse Tavern

"Provisions relating to outdoor table & chairs licences expire later this year, and relaxed rules for making Traffic Orders to put seating on roads have already fallen. We want both made permanent in time for this summer.

"Hospitality businesses are still hugely affected by the lasting impact of COVID.

"This is a revenue neutral way to help them recover fiscally and pay off Government loans like Bounce Back, CIBLS, and Recover Loans.

"It also has a significant impact on local communities, with friends, families and loved ones able to enjoy food and drink outside in the sun.

"Summer is coming; please act urgently to save it for small businesses. Sign this petition."

If you want to sign the petition, you can do so here. If it reaches 10,000 signatures it will be responded to by Parliament and if it reaches 100,000 it will be considered for debate.

Feature image - Black Milk / Alvarium

Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis to sign a CBeebies bedtime story

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 10:24:18 +0000

Actress and current Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis is to become the first celebrity to sign a CBeebies bedtime story.

The BBC has revealed this week that as part of Deaf Awareness Week 2022 - which is currently taking place from 2-8 May - Rose will be making her debut in CBeebies’ story corner this Sunday, and will tell the story of a young bear and his dad on their journey into the discovery and management of deafness.

Rose will sign the story, Can Bears Ski?, in British Sign Language (BSL).

Written by Raymond Antrobus and illustrated by Polly Dunbar, the heartwarming children's story is said to draw on the author’s own experience.

The story aims to show how isolating it can be for a deaf child in a hearing world.

https://twitter.com/CBeebiesHQ/status/1522488359838523395?s=20&t=AbvQ7R7rNxFUFk3_twXEPg

Speaking ahead of the groundbreaking show this Sunday, Rose said: "I am super excited to read my first CBeebies Bedtime Story in British Sign Language and it’s even more wonderful to share a story written by a deaf writer.

"I hope deaf children enjoy the story and it inspires hearing children to want to learn BSL more."

https://twitter.com/BBCNewsround/status/1522489832987144192?s=20&t=AbvQ7R7rNxFUFk3_twXEPg

This is the first ever BSL-signed CBeebies story, with Rose - who has been deaf since birth - only speaking to introduce the story and afterwards to say goodnight.

The story will, however, also be subtitled throughout.

As mentioned, Rose's CBeebies Bedtime Story will air on Sunday 8 May at 6.50pm, and later on BBC iPlayer, to mark the end of Deaf Awareness Week 2022, and this is the first of two stories she has recorded for CBeebies.

Featured Image - CBeebies

The Hacienda is throwing a 40th-anniversary rave in a car park

georginapellant — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:09:32 +0000

Legendary Manchester club The Hacienda is turning 40 this month, and to celebrate there will be a huge party in the car park beneath the apartments where the original club once stood.

Whitworth Street West might now be home to a series of neat magnolia two beds, but - if its walls could talk - they would still speak of hazy all-nighters, sweatbox dancefloors, and the thumping basslines of the early acid house scene where it all began.

Planned to mark 40 years to the day the club first opened its doors, the 40th anniversary party is set to take place on 21 May.

The Hacienda, once a ship building warehouse, then a nightclub, is now flats for Manchester's city dwellers. / Image: Flickr

The event sees a host of the Hacienda’s finest residents return to the building with Graeme Park, DJ Paulette, Jon Dasilva, Tom Wainwright, Hewan Clarke, Aaron Mellor. K Klass live and surprise guests all coming along for the anniversary party.

The entire eight hour event is to be broadcast live by StreamGM and supports The Christie charity and Legacy Of War Foundation – Ukraine, Factory Founder Alan Erasmus’s appointed charity for his recent humanitarian mission to Ukraine.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to charity, as was the case when a similar event was held at the same location in 2012 to mark the 30th anniversary.

According to reports in the Manchester Evening News, letters signed by organisers including Peter Hook and James Masters have already been sent out to residents of the Hacienda apartments to let them know of the 40th-anniversary plans - and invite them to join in.

The letter reads: "The Hacienda is revered as part of both Manchester's and the UK's musical history, returning to the original site of the club for the 40th anniversary will be very special for everyone, undoubtedly enhancing the reputation of the building.

Image: The Hacienda / @dsargent.photo @ga_pstudio

"As you might be aware, FAC251 The Hacienda celebrates the 40th anniversary in May 2022, having opened its doors in May 1982 to create the legacy which has given the apartments their unique heritage and history.

"Some might remember or may even have attended the event which we did for the 30th anniversary in 2012 which was much praised and this event will be generally similar to our previous event in the car park. All proceeds from the event are to be donated directly to charities."

The letter continues to say they hope residents will be "enthusiastic about the event" and apply for tickets to attend, adding: "It will generate worldwide attention and media on the building and be a great event for all concerned."

Tickets go on pre-sale Thursday 12 May 10am with a general sale Friday 13 May 10am, both at at www.fac51-thehacienda.com.

Feature image - The Hacienda

There's a Jubilee street party 'rave' happening at this Manchester hotel next month

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:15:07 +0000

One of Manchester's grandest hotels is celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee with a rather unique event next month.

While people across the UK dust off the deck chairs and prep the cucumber sandwiches for a good old-fashioned street party to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne next month from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is switching things up, and is throwing its own street party celebration with a bit of a difference.

A whole host of Manchester’s best DJs and bands will descend onto The Refuge’s terrace on Friday 3 June to celebrate in royal style.

Curated by The Refuge team, the Jubilee Street Party will showcase a diverse range of up-and-coming talent, alongside established names from around the city and beyond playing music with a tongue-in-cheek nod to the royal family from 1-10pm.

It's not all about the live entertainment though, as partygoers can also expect to tuck into an array of different street party nibbles - including coronation chicken or jackfruit tacos, pork and kimchi sausage rolls, and mushroom and truffle vol-au-vents, as well as The Refuge's takes on classic British cakes such as a Union Flag-themed red, white, and blue Battenberg.

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is throwing its own street party celebration with a difference / Credit: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

There's even set to be a themed cocktail menu fit for the queen too, which includes ‘The Crown Jewel’ made with Earl Grey tea, Beefeater gin, lavender and lemon, topped with fizz.

Speaking ahead of next month's Jubilee Street Party, Johan Scheepers - General Manager of Kimpton Clocktower Hotel - said: "The Jubilee weekend is a time to come together and celebrate as only we know how - with great food, fabulous drinks, non-stop music, and of course, some riotous fun.

"Our outdoor venue space ‘The Terrace’ was originally the Waterhouse Way Street, so we couldn’t resist the opportunity to host our own take on a Jubilee Street Party.

"Forget Pimm’s and paper plates, this will be a street party to remember."

The Jubilee Street Party will showcase a diverse range of up-and-coming talent / Credit: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel (via Instagram)

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel’s Jubilee Street Party will be hosted on Friday 3 June from 1-10pm. The event is restricted to ticket holders only from 1-5pm, with street party nibbles served from 1:30-3pm.

Tickets are priced at £25, and you can grab yours here.

Featured Image - Kimpton Clocktower Hotel (via Facebook)

Russell Watson to perform exclusive Greatest Hits charity concert in Manchester

Daisy Jackson — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:24:00 +0000

Singing superstar Russell Watson is set to perform an exclusive Greatest Hits gig for charity in Manchester.

The 'People's Tenor' will take to the stage at the beautiful Bridgewater Hall, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.

The fundraising event will see the Salford-born classical singer give a rare performance of his hits, including Land of Hope and Glory, O Sole Mio and Bring Him Home.

Sponsored by Morson Group, all money raised at the exclusive concert will go to help the Teenage Cancer Trust continue its incredible mission.

The charity helps to fund specialist hospital units, nurses and youth workers across the UK that provide age-appropriate care and emotional support.

Every day, seven people in the UK aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer - and the Teenage Cancer Trust exists to support those young people through their cancer journey.

The Russell Watson concert has been organised by the charity's North West corporate advisory board and aims to build a deeper network of connections with businesses and leaders in the region.

Tom Samson commented: "We’re delighted that this event, originally scheduled for 7 December
2021 as a festive soiree, is now taking place on 15 June as a summer celebration of togetherness.

"With all original tickets valid, we still have a few to sell so please buy tickets and join us to enjoy Russell’s greatest hits whilst raising vital funds for such a worthy cause."

Russell Watson will perform at the Bridgewater Hall on Wednesday 15 June, with the concert beginning at 7.30pm.

You can buy your tickets for Russell Watson's Greatest Hits at bridgewater-hall.co.uk/whats-on/russell-watson.

Featured image: Supplied

Popular pizza 'peddlers' Corner Slice to take over Jimmy's kitchen in Manchester

emily — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:55:41 +0000

One of Manchester's most popular pizza shops and live music bars are teaming up for a kitchen takeover next month.

Legendary independent gig venue and bar Jimmy's - which has locations in Manchester, Liverpool, and York - has revealed that beloved Detroit-style pizza company, Corner Slice, will be taking over the kitchen at both its North West sites from the start of next month and staying throughout the summer.

The brainchild of owners Frank Brashaw and Danny Broadbent, Corner Slice has made a well-deserved name for itself in Manchester thanks to serving up deep pan pizza with traditional Italian toppings and a curly cheese crust.

The popular Failsworth-originated pizzeria was the first to bring its Motor city-inspired rectangular pizza pies to Manchester after what it said was a "light bulb" moment during lockdown.

It opened a second site in the heart of the city this past February.

And now, this new Jimmy's kitchen takeover means Corner Slice is set to serve from a third Manchester site, as well as its first venture into the neighbouring Liverpool.

Corner Slice will take over Jimmy's kitchen next month / Credit: Jimmy's x Corner Slice (via Instagram)

Announcing the new collaboration, and revealing that they can't wait to see "beautiful faces stuffed with pizza and pints", Jimmy's said in an Instagram post today: "We are extremely excited to announce that Corner Slice will be taking over the kitchens in both of our Manchester and Liverpool locations from this summer.

Read more: Beloved Detroit pizza spot Corner Slice is opening a second site in Manchester city centre

"Launching in Manchester on Friday 3rd June, with Liverpool not too far behind, Detroit-style pizza peddlers Frank & Danny will be slinging their incredible full pies ans slices from 12-10pm Wednesdays - Sundays to make the good times at Jimmy’s even better."

"We very much look forward to this exciting new chapter," they added.

Some of Corner Slice's best-loved dishes include square pies loaded with the likes of Korean Cauli, Portocini (a mix of portobello and porcini), a simple ‘Red Top’ with just cheese and red sauce, and a number of regularly-changing specials and vegan specials.

Corner Slice has made a well-deserved name for itself peddling Detroit-style pizza / Credit: Corner Slice MCR (via Instagram)

The Failsworth-originated pizzeria was the first to bring its Motor city-inspired rectangular pizza pies to Manchester / Credit: Corner Slice MCR (via Instagram)

Jimmy’s moved into to a “beautiful red-brick building” on the corner of Cutting Room Square in the historic heart of Ancoats in August 2021 after it was forced to move out of its old Northern Quarter site back in December 2019 to make way for an office development.

Corner Slice will take over Jimmy's kitchen in Manchester from Friday 3 June, and you can tuck into fresh Detroit-style deep dish pizza from 12-10pm on Wednesdays - Sundays.

Dates for Liverpool are yet to be announced, so keep your eyes peeled.

Featured Image - Jimmy's | Corner Slice

New bar at Hatch opens that's decorated exactly like a can of beer

Daisy Jackson — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:33:29 +0000

A new bar has opened its doors at street food village Hatch, transforming one of the shipping container units.

The Beavertown bar, a collaboration with the popular brewery, is plastered in so much Beavertown artwork it's like you're drinking cans inside a can.

The brand's recognisable illustrations of skulls, rockets and other intergalactic objects now cover the walls, in shades of orange, blue and yellow.

Beavertown’s new bar at Hatch. Credit: Supplied
Beavertown’s new bar at Hatch. Credit: Supplied

Fans of Beavertown's beers like Neck Oil, Gamma Ray and Bones will feel right at home.

The themed bar will have all of the aforementioned beers on draft, as well as cans of Nano Bot, Bones and Heavy Gravity, plus other limited edition special beers and new releases.

The new venue has a small terrace outside and will soon open up a much larger rooftop terrace space.

Beavertown’s new bar at Hatch. Credit: Supplied

Customers can order food from any of the traders in Hatch to the Beavertown bar.

Nick Dwyer, creative director from Beavertown Brewery, said: "Our initial ethos of everything looking as good as it tastes, and vice versa, has evolved over time to cover everything from experiences, to venues, to brick walls and shipping containers.

"Our biggest illustration invasion to date, Hatch is a perfect opportunity to get Beavertown across via every sense imaginable, with our amazing beers on the bars, our distinctive visually adorning every wall and hopefully people having the time of their lives."

Pete Brizio, operations manager from Hatch, added: “Our new Beavertown Bar is set to be the hit of the summer in Manchester.

"Together with Beavertown we’ve created the perfect spot to enjoy the brand’s legendary range of IPAs and lager overlooking Hatch and sheltered by the Mancunian Way. It’s ‘summer in the city’ beer heaven!"

Featured image: Supplied

Bundobust launches limited edition specials menu with Liverpool favourite Maray

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 13:45:00 +0000

Indian street food favourite Bundobust has announced it will be launching a Middle Eastern-Indian fusion menu at its Manchester restaurants over the coming weeks to welcome Liverpool's Maray to the city.

Teaming up with Maray, the popular Liverpool Bold Street restaurant tipped to open on Lincoln Square later this year, the chefs have put their heads together to introduce something a little bit different this fortnight.

Available for the next wo weeks only, a series of new collab dishes combine some famous Bundo customer favourites, like the bhel puri, okra fries and vada pav, with Maray's most iconic dishes - not least, the infamous disco cauliflower.

The 'valafel pav' is only available for a fortnight before it's gone. / Image: The Manc Eats

It combines the deep-fried potato ball we know and love with Maray's falafel. / Image: The Manc Eats

Bundo's okra fries become 'jazzy fries' - topped with tahini, tamarind, spring onion and chilli, and served with a Maray sauce trio of harrisa, zhug and tahini.

Elsewhere, the Bundobust vada pave becomes the valafel pav - taking the ever-popular deep-fried potato burger and adding Maray's signature falafel into the mix.

As for Maray's disco cauliflower, this inimitable dish weaves its way into Bundo's bhel puri. Sharing the disco love, this classic Mumbai broken samosa dish is dressed with added caramelised cauli, flaked almonds and pomegranate seeds.

A selection of special Maray variations on Bundobust favourites, available for two weeks only. / Image:The Manc Eats

There is also halloumi tikka served with sour cherry jam, dukkah and sumac, available as part of the collaboration between the two restaurants.

The special menu is available for two weeks, starting from Monday 9 May at both Bundobust sites on Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly,

Kicking off on Monday 9 May, Bundobust Brewery on Oxford Road along with their Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Bold Street restaurants bring Middle Eastern-Indian fusion to the specials menu with a series of collab dishes.

Image: The Manc Eats

The special menu will be available as single dishes or as the ‘Bundobust x Maray Combo
for 2'.

£2 from every combo and £1 from every Valafel Pav sold will be donated to Eat Well MCR, the social enterprise providing nutritious, restaurant-quality meals to local people in need.

The menu will is available from now until Sunday 22 May at both of Bundobust's Manchester restaurants.

Feature image - The Manc Eats

Incredible flower displays will take over Manchester on a Jubilee Trail next month

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:05:05 +0000

Manchester will bloom into life next month as the Manchester Flower Show makes its return - and this year it will have a very special Jubilee Trail as part of the celebrations.

This year's event will land on the same weekend as the Queen's Jubilee, with a new celebratory trail commissioned by Manchester BID.

Visitors will be able to walk around 10 flower displays inspired by the Queen, marking her 70 years of service.

There'll be everything from a giant floral bee to a classic red phone box bursting with blooms.

Beyond the official trail, shop windows, squares and statues will also be given botanical makeovers to mark another Manchester Flower Show.

There will also be al fresco food and drink, and plenty of activities and entertainment, at the urban take on a traditional flower show.

The event comes from CityCo and Manchester BID and usually springs up in late spring or early summer.

This year's event, including the Jubilee Trail, will take place over the four-day bank holiday weekend, between 2 and 5 June.

The 10 Jubilee Trail displays to look out for at the Manchester Flower Show

The Crown

This huge planter will be filled with a mix of tropical palms and jewel-like English flowers.

You'll find the crown-shaped structure in the Arndale outside Next, designed by Decordia.

Changing of the Guard

This new display will transport you to London without leaving St Ann's Square.

FROG Flowers will install a display near Watches of Switzerland that will feature a Buckingham Palace guard’s hut, Trafalgar Square lions, and a very British show of red, white and blue flowers.

Queen Bee

One of the bee sculptures from the Wild in Art Bee in the City art trail has been upcycled and covered in artificial flowers for the Manchester Flower Show.

A real flower crown on the bee's head has been designed by local florist Frog Flowers. You'll find it upstairs in the Arndale, near Wilko.

The Crown Jewels

A throne surrounded by fresh and dried flowers - including delphiniums, roses, peonies, hydrangeas, alliums and agapanthus - will appear at the Royal Exchange.

If you snap a photo with it, tagging @verdurefloraldesign and @royalexchangemanchester (make sure you’re following both accounts), you could win a £100 voucher to spend with Verdure Floral Design.

Queen of Pop

Heading outside the Arndale now to New Cathedral Street, which will be taken back to the 1960s for a real taste of flower power.

Step through the Pop Art arch to find planters and wheelbarrows overflowing with blooms, inspired by Andy Warhol's portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.

Horse Play

The Queen's passion for horses will be celebrated with another display, this time a horse made of twisted willow leaping over a gate.

Artist Sarah Hayes will also create flower-filled drinking troughs at its base - you can see it at the Cross Street End of King Street.

The Ju-bee-lee Garden

Purple is the colour of the Jubilee, but it's also the colour that attracts bees.

So the Ju-bee-lee Garden will be filled with purple lupins, delphiniums, lavender, salvias and verbena to draw in our buzzing pals to the site on Upper King Street.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Urban Garden

St Ann's Square will host a centrepiece of the Manchester Flower Show - an urban garden that’s both very now, and also very old.

With seven aged oak posts (one for each decade the Queen has been on the throne), cottage garden flowers, and three native trees, this garden invites you to explore its dappled shade and pretty colours.

The Jubilee Kiosk

Making a return this year will be the Manchester Flower Show's red telephone box, which explodes with beautiful blooms.

It's a perfect photo opportunity down on King Street, near Deansgate.

The Commonwealth Tuk-Tuk

As a nod to the Commonwealth, a tuk-tuk nicknamed Queenie will be adorned with blue and purple flowers, grown just across the border in Cheshire.

It will appear on New Cathedral Street, near the entrance to M&S and Selfridges.

Featured image: Manchester BID

Local business pop-up opens at Cheshire Oaks for Mental Health Awareness Week

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:40:03 +0000

A new pop-up shop that "promotes positivity" has arrived a Cheshire Oaks as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Mental Health Awareness Week - which is this year being marked from Monday 9 - Sunday 15 May - was started by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago now, and it has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally, with the charity continuing to set the theme, organise, and host the week each year.

This year, the chosen theme is loneliness.

The Mental Health Foundation says that one in four adults feel lonely some or all of the time, which is why it's looking to raise awareness of the impact of loneliness on our mental health, and look at the practical steps we can take to address it.

To help shine a worthy light on Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 and to mark its importance, visitors to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet this week will be able to spot the return of local business pop-up, Be+Positive (BEPO), at the centre for a limited time only.

It's the second time Cheshire Oaks has invited BEPO to trade within the centre, and following the success of last year’s pop-up, the designer outlet says it is "thrilled" to lend platform to the growing local business once again and offer visitors the opportunity to shop sustainable and low carbon footprint clothing, as well as find out more about the mental health awareness mission behind the brand.

If you're unfamiliar with BEPO, it was launched by a collective of artists across the North West region and strives to publicly fight the stigma surrounding mental health.

It does this all while promoting a positive attitude to those interacting with its creations.

The BEPO pop-up shop has opened at Cheshire Oaks for Mental Health Awareness Week / Credit: Cheshire Oaks

BEPO will be open to visitors at Cheshire Oaks on Monday 9 - Friday 13 May from 9am-8pm, Saturday 14 May from 9am-9pm, and Sunday 15 May from 10am-6pm.

"Last year’s pop-up was an incredible opportunity for us to meet guests to the centre face to face and show them what our brand is all about," explained Ben Taylor, an NHS Maintenance Support worker who founded BEPO.

"It's given us the opportunity to grow our business, and we are so happy to be able to come to the centre once again and welcome guests into our new pop-up location."

BEPO strives to publicly fight the stigma surrounding mental health / Credit: Cheshire Oaks

BEPO is not the only partnership Cheshire Oaks will be working with to mark Mental Health Awareness Week this year either, as Flynn’s Port in the Storm - the designer outlet's resident charity partner for 2022 - will also be present at the pop-up store until Tuesday 10 May to meet the public and raise awareness about its mental health support services, specifically highlighting its specialised referral and counselling sessions and working alongside BEPO to help combat negative attitudes towards asking for help when it comes to your mental and emotional wellbeing.

The BEPO pop-up shop is also working together other efforts made by Cheshire Oaks to promote good mental health, including the newly-installed 'friendship bench', which the centre hopes will offer those needing someone to talk to the opportunity to connect with others in their community, and also a number of 'positivity posters' across the leisure village.

These posters feature some inspiring and empowering quotes, which Cheshire Oaks says encourages people to adopt "a more optimistic mindset" while walking around the centre.

The newly-installed 'friendship bench' hopes to offer those needing someone to talk to the opportunity to connect / Credit: Cheshire Oaks

Speaking on the centre's efforts to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2022, Kenny Murray - General Manager at Cheshire Oaks - said: "Making sure our centre is a safe space that encourages our guests to look after their mental wellbeing is a top priority for us, which is why we felt compelled to partner with BEPO and our 2022 charity partners, Flynn’s Port in the Storm, to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week.

"By hosting this pop-up store in our centre, we are hoping more guests are going to feel empowered to open up about their wellbeing, and seek those resources that could help with their situation."

You can find out more about the BEPO pop-up and Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 on the Cheshire Oaks website here.

Featured Image - Cheshire Oaks

Police investigation launched after teenager stabbed in Moss Side

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:29:02 +0000

Police have launched an investigation after a young man was stabbed in Moss Side over the weekend.

An 18-year-old was rushed to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A cordon was placed around the scene of the stabbing on Rosedale Road in Moss Side.

The cordon, which remained in place into the night yesterday, extended to include an alleyway leading onto Lloyd Street South.

Police are appealing for any information that could assist their investigation.

The incident took place at around 5pm on Sunday 8 May.

A spokesperson for GMP said: "At around 5pm this afternoon (8 May 2022), police were called to a report of a stabbing on Rosedale Road, Moss Side.

"Officers attended and an 18-year-old male was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

"A cordon will be in place for the remainder of the day and there will be an increased officer presence in the area.

"A full investigation has been launched. No arrests have been made."

Featured image: Google Maps

Little Mix's Perrie Edwards bursts into tears on stage in Manchester after spotting a proposal in the crowd

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:22:06 +0000

There were emotional scenes at Little Mix's Manchester gig this weekend when a couple in the audience got engaged.

The beautiful moment has been captured on film, and shows the group struggling to sing their hit Secret Love Song Pt II.

In clips circulating on social media from the AO Arena, a visibly choked-up Perrie Edwards has to stop singing several times to squeal and offer her congratulations.

Later in the song, Jade Thirlwall was also unable to sing the ballad as she fought back tears, and resorted to pointing her microphone at the loud Manchester crowd to help.

https://twitter.com/officialcharts/status/1523034661466869761

Perrie and Jade, along with bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock, encouraged the audience to sing the love song at the newly-enagaged couple.

The trio performed three gigs over two days at the AO Arena Manchester as part of their Confetti tour.

Jade Thirlwall spots a proposal in the audience at Little Mix's Manchester gig. Credit: Twitter, @officialcharts
Perrie Edwards unable to sing after a proposal at Little Mix's Manchester gig. Credit: Twitter, @officialcharts

During their Saturday night performance a mystery couple got engaged, forcing Perrie to stop singing to say: "I'm gonna cry! So cute!"

She later stopped again and said: "Oh I can't, I'm a sucker for love. I can't. I've gone!"

At the end of the song, she beams: "Congratulations again. I wish you a world of love."

Little Mix congratulate the couple following the proposal. Credit: @officialcharts

Other audience members were also moved by the romantic moment.

One person shared a video of themselves wiping away actual tears, writing: "@LittleMix have you recovered from the couple getting engaged last night?? Here’s my reaction."

https://twitter.com/doomdaysled/status/1523239710696493056

One person tweeted: "Can’t believe a couple got engaged at Little Mix last night during Secret Love Song! I was nearly sobbing."

Someone else wrote: "People just got engaged live at Little Mix and I'm bawling. Love is beautiful."

Another said: "As IF a couple just got engaged right in front of us during secret love song."

And someone else quipped: "The only public proposal i will ever accept is one at a little mix concert."

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Featured image: Twitter, @officialcharts

There's a series of wine and champagne dinners happening at The Lowry Hotel

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:33:42 +0000

One of Greater Manchester's most prestigious hotels is gearing up to host a series of "intimate" wine dinners throughout 2022.

The Lowry Hotel's Wine Dinner Series is set to give guests the chance to dine within the five-star surroundings of the hotel's award-winning River Restaurant’s private dining room and enjoy some canapés and a five-course meal that has been expertly-prepared and paired with a range of world-class wines and champagnes.

Kicking off on 28 May, with tickets now available and setting you back £104 per person, this unmissable dining series is being hosted in collaboration with Pommery Champagne for the first event, and will continue with Château La Gordonne in June, followed by a gin dinner with the North West-based distillery, Four Sis4ers, in October.

Fancy grabbing tickets to the first event of the series?

You'll be treated to five courses, accompanied by five unique drink pairings.

The Lowry Hotel's Wine Dinner Series will give guests the chance to dine within the five-star surroundings / Credit: The Lowry Hotel

To start with, guests will be greeted with a glass of Pommery Brut Royal - a beautifully-balanced champagne, with hints of brioche and honey - paired delicately with canapes, including beef fillet tartare with wasabi and cured egg yolk on a toasted brioche, and chucked bay oysters with compressed apple and cucumber granita.

Next up is teriyaki-cured salmon with horseradish crispbread and white rice, and a potato and mussel espuma mousse, that's paired with Pommery Blanc de Blancs - a champagne crafted from a selection of chardonnay grapes.

On the menu for the main course is lamb fillet wellington, which will be paired with Rare Vineyard Pinot Noir - which is described as "an inviting wine" that's made from Pinot Noir grapes.

Then, for the desert course, a rhubarb tart with goat’s milk sorbet, which will be paired with Pommery Brut Rose - a blend of rosé and Pinot Noir, with a pale pink finesse overlaid with a hint of red berries - and finally, to finish, guests will be able to taste a Late Bottled Vintage Port, which will be served with Lancashire bomb cheddar, alongside an iconic traditional Greater Manchester sweet treat, Eccles cake.

There'll be a five-course meal expertly-prepared and paired with a range of world-class wines and champagnes / Credit: The Lowry Hotel

The first event in the The Lowry Hotel Wine Dinner Series on Saturday 28 May will start at 7pm in the hotel’s library for arrival drinks and canapés, followed by dinner at 8pm in the River Restaurant’s private dining room.

Details of future events are to be announced throughout the year, so keep your eyes peeled.

You can find out more and grab tickets here.

Featured Image - Daniel Cunliffe Photography

Paul Heaton is putting cash behind the bar at 60 UK pubs today

georginapellant — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:42:51 +0000

In honour of his 60th birthday, Beautiful South musician Paul Heaton has revealed he'll be putting cash behind the bar at 60 pubs today.

The multi-talented artist had previously planned to celebrate his birthday with a bicycle tour, taking him to 60 different UK and Irish pubs - but thanks to Covid and recording delays, he's been forced to rethink.

So now, instead, he's decided to put cash behind the bar of 60 handpicked local boozers today instead so that fans can at least enjoy a drink on him, if not actually with him, reports The Hoot.

The money will be behind tills today, Monday 9 May, at a number of different pubs in Greater Manchester - including The Britons Protection in Manchester city centre, The Railway Inn in West Didsbury and Bowling Green in Chorlton.

Image: The Manc Group

According to a list of pubs shared on Paul Heaton's Facebook page, fans can also find cash at The Flying Horse in Rochdale, The Orion in Withington, Albert Wilsons in Withington the Dog & Partridge in Warrington and Bird i'th Hand in St Helens.

Paul Heaton made the announcement in a Facebook post, shared over the weekend.

He wrote: "Both regulars and yourselves can enjoy a birthday drink on me (until the money runs out, or the bar runs dry!).

"The hope is to bring people together on the day, whilst recognising that many folk who bought my records or showed me support over the years, could do with a wee party, as we come out of Covid and hit potential financial struggles.

"I’ll announce the full list of pubs and locations tomorrow, so if there’s one near you please head over on Monday, show your support and raise a toast to me on my birthday!"

The full list of pubs where Paul Heaton has put cash behind the bar for his 60th:

Robinsons Bar – Great Victoria St, Belfast

Eddie Murphys – Thomastown, Kilkenny

Peadar O’Donnells - Waterloo St, Derry

The Punters Rest - Tipperary

The Sky on the Ground – Whitewell, Wexford

Courtney’s Bar – Killarney, Co. Kerry

Keohoes – Dublin

Tig Coili – The Latin Quarter, Galway

Bonners Corner Bar – Ballybofey, Co. Donegal

The Old Toll Bar – Paisley Rd W, Glasgow

Nice n Sleazy – Sauchiehall St, Glasgow

The Sheep Heid Inn – The Causeway, Edinburgh

Kay’s Bar – Jamaica St, Edinburgh

Tanners Arms – Byker Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne

The Freetrade Inn – Lawrence Road, Newcastle upon Tyne

The Half Moon – Northgate, Darlington

The Black Bull – Main St, Darvel

The Sportsmans Inn – Heads Ln, Carlisle

The Original Oak – Headingley, Leeds

The Flying Horse – Packer St, Rochdale

Britons Protection – Bridgewater St, Manchester

Bowling Green – Chorlton-cum-Hardy

The Orion – Burton Road, Withington

The Railway Inn – Lapwing Ln, West Didsbury

Albert Wilsons – Wilmslow Rd, Withington

The Dog & Partridge – Manchester Rd, Warrington

Bird I’th Hand – Prescot Rd, St Helens

The Saddle Inn – Dale St, Liverpool

The Casa Bar – Hope St, Liverpool

The Globe – Cases St, Liverpool

The Coachmakers Arms – Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

The Bay Horse – Market Pl, Market Weighton

Lord Nelson – Arundel Street, Sheffield

Riverside Kelham – Mowbray St, Sheffield

The Morning Star – Greetwell Gate, Lincoln

Ye Olde Blue Bell – Market Place, Hull

The Whalebone – Wincolmlee, Hull

The Grafton – Grafton St, Hull

The White Horse – Hutton Cranswick

Hatfield Main Pit Club – Stainforth, Doncaster

The Old Horse – London Road, Leicester

The Black Horse – Aylestone, Leicester

The Bulls Head – Cambridge St, Saint Neots

Hardies – Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

Golden Fleece Inn – Market Square, Porthmadog

Rummer Tavern – Duke St, Cardiff

Hare & Hounds – King’s Heath, Birmingham

Patrick Kavanagh – Trafalgar Road, Birmingham

The Red Hart – Bodham, Norfolk

The Eagle – Norfolk St, King’s Lynn

The Duke of York – Woodbridge Rd, Ipswich

The Stags Head – New Cavendish St, London

The Coffee House Pub – Beak St, London

The Glue Pot – Emlyn Square, Swindon

The Thunderbolt – Bath Rd, Bristol

The Cricketers Inn – South St, Dorking

Grasshopper on the Green – Westerham, Kent

Minerva Inn – Looe St, Plymouth

Duke of Wellington – Brighton Road, Shoreham-by-Sea

Polgooth Inn – St Austell, Cornwall

Feature image - Facebook

The tiny bagel shop in a brewery taproom on Piccadilly trading estate

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:08:05 +0000

While an industrial estate is not usually the first place you'd go when hunting for a new place to eat, trust us when we say that if you venture down to Piccadilly, you're in for a very pleasant surprise indeed.

Bucking the trend for most trading estates, the archways and pre-fabs behind Manchester's main railway station are surprisingly full of brewery taprooms.

Over the years, this part of town has become something of a favourite haunt for the city beer lovers, who regularly head down to get their hands on some of the freshest pints in the city.

But as well as hiding away all that beer, it's also home to another well-kept Mancunian secret: Primo Bagels.

Faye Brown, one-third of the Primo Bagel team, holding her 'babies'. / Image: The Manc Eats

Housed inside Cloudwater's taproom, up the stairs of what looks, at first disconcertingly, like an office building, you'll find this brilliant bagel and cookie pop-up run by three friends is getting pretty much everything right.

Faye Brown, Niall Harley and Scott Shannon all used to work at Pollen bakery together, but during the lockdown they decided to branch out and launch their own delivery project together.

Primo has been going for a while but for the past three months, the team has expanded to the taproom every Friday and Saturday.

Here, you'll find them serving up a host of generously-stuffed bagels alongside sweet bakes, hummus and chips, fermented cabbage, and bialy - a Polish treat made using leftover bagel dough, baked with half a red onion inside.

The main draw is, arguably, a selection of eight different bagels, baked to perfection in flavours like salt, marbled malt, sesame, everything, pumpernickel, plain and poppy.

The main draw is a choice of eight different bagels, baked to perfection in flavours like salt, marbled malt, sesame, everything, pumpernickel, plain and poppy. / Image: The Manc Eats

Bagel baker Scott leans on tricks learnt during his time in the Pollen kitchen to make these chewy, traditionally Jewish delights, marbling malt through some and simply baking others with crystals of rock salt.

The way it works is you pick your bagel, then your filling, and can opt to have hummus, chips and pink sauerkraut alongside for an extra £4.

Filling choices range from simple (think homemade hummus or house whipped cream cheese) to indulgent, with a salt beef, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing option bursting from its bready confines.

Image: The Manc Eats

Elsewhere, you'll find a spicy, pickled jalapeno schmear with bacon from Littlewood's butchers; smoked salmon and 'everything' cream cheese with lemon, dill, seeds, onion and garlic; and a whipped Marmite cream cheese bagel with spring onions.

As for sweets, think brown butter and sea salt cookies with Primo proudly emblazoned across the front. It's a wholesome affair.

Find Primo Bagel at Cloudwater's Unit 9 taproom on Piccadilly Trading estate every Friday and Saturday from 12 - 6pm.

Feature image - The Manc Eats

13 pianos have been placed across Manchester for the public to play - and win prizes

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:48:41 +0000

13 street pianos have been dotted around popular Manchester locations, and they're free for the public to play all month.

You don't even need any technical talent or formal training either, as the competition is open to everyone from concert pianists, to the occasional ivory tickler.

If you haven't spotted any of the pianos yet, then make sure to keep your eyes peeled across the city centre as they're located at Manchester Arndale, The Corn Exchange, Forsyth Music Shop, Great Northern, Harvey Nichols, Royal Exchange Arcade, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Central Library, Manchester Piccadilly Station, and Manchester Victoria Station.

A little further afield, pianos have also been placed at Spinningfields, Quayside in MediaCityUK, and even at the Trafford Centre.

Manchester Arndale and the Corn Exchange are just two of the locations where pianos have been installed / Credit: The Manc Group

All 13 of the pianos are now available for passers-by to play, but for those who think they can give Elton John or Billy Joel a good run for their money, then there's a whole raft of prizes up for grabs too.

Some of the prizes you can get your hands on in the limited-time-only competition include a Yamaha P-45B piano, a return ticket for two anywhere on the Northern Rail Network, a gift package and vouchers worth over £100 from MediaCityUK, an afternoon tea for two at 20 Stories, £30 Wagamama vouchers for each prize winner, and so much more.

Speaking on the mjf Piano Trial, Emma Loat - Manager of Forsyth’s Music - said: "For many years, we’ve had a street piano at the front of the Forsyth’s shop on Deansgate, so we know that Manchester and the surrounding areas is full of talented musicians and those willing to have a go [and] we’re really excited to supply 13 pianos for the mjf piano trail.

"We’d urge all those budding performers to come forward, have a go, and be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes."

https://twitter.com/ManJazzFest/status/1521936390916820994?s=20&t=ChNTdkPK1FpEEGeAYDiUOw

To be in with a chance to be named one of Manchester’s best street pianists, all you'll need to do is find one of the pianos in the trail, take a short video of your performance, and post the video to your Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account tagging in @manchesterjazzfestival / @manjazzfest and using the hashtag #mjfpianotrail.

At the end of the piano trail, mjf and Forsyth’s will pick nine lucky winners based on who showed the most "creativity, ingenuity, and gave the best performances".

You can find out more here.

Featured Image - Manchester Arndale (via Twitter)

Landlords could soon be forced to rent out empty shops on Greater Manchester high streets

emily — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:55:10 +0000

The government is said to be looking at forcing commercial landlords to rent out empty retail units across the UK.

In a bid to rejuvenate towns and cities across Greater Manchester and up and down the country after the British Retail Consortium (BRC) recently found that one in seven shopfronts across Britain is empty, the move - which is set to be formally unveiled in tomorrow's Queen's Speech - will see buildings that have been left vacant for a year or more be made to enter into a "rental auction".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is looking to rid high streets of “derelict shopfronts” and restore neighbourhood pride.

The move would also give local Councils extra powers to force landlords to rent out empty shops for the benefit of communities, as part of the Levelling up and Regeneration Bill.

Other measures - which are due to be announced tomorrow, as the Prime Minister looks to reset his government following damaging local election results - will include the ability to make the pavement cafés and outdoor hospitality that popped during the COVID-19 pandemic a permanent fixture.

New legislation will expand capacity for businesses in the hope of boosting local economies.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is looking to rid high streets of “derelict shopfronts” / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Local authorities will also be given greater powers to use compulsory purchase orders to deliver housing, regeneration schemes, and infrastructure.

Speaking on the plans ahead of tomorrow's announcement, Mr Johnson said: "High streets up and down the country have long been blighted by derelict shopfronts, because they've been neglected, stripping opportunity from local areas.

"We are putting that right by placing power back in the hands of local leaders and the community so our towns can be rejuvenated, levelling up opportunity and restoring neighbourhood pride."

Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove added: "By empowering local communities to rent out shops which have been sat empty for a year or longer, we will end the scourge of boarded up shops that have blighted some of our great towns across the country for far too long."

Featured Image - Jack Cohen (via Unsplash)

Sir Mo Farah pulls out of Great Manchester Run after 'below par' performance

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:28:31 +0000

Sir Mo Farah has withdrawn from this month's Great Manchester Run, saying his fitness level isn't 'where he wants it to be'.

The decorated Olympian was due to race alongside other elite runners when the huge running event returns to the city on Sunday 22 May.

But Sir Mo has now said he needs another month of training before he can run at a competitive level.

He previously won the Great Manchester Run 10km race in 2018.

The Great Manchester Run. Credit: Supplied

Last week, he was beaten in the Vitality London 10k by club runner Ellis Cross, eventually finishing in second place.

Sir Mo said: "I had a below par run at the London 10k last weekend and feel that I need another month of training to get back to a competitive level.

“I don’t like to cancel races but my fitness is not yet back to where I want it to be.”

The Great Manchester Run. Credit: Supplied

Chief executive of the Great Run Company, Paul Foster said: "Of course it’s disappointing not to have Sir Mo on the start line and we’re sure he will be missed by those turning out to support and those watching from home, but we understand his decision.

“We’re expecting a really exciting women’s race, with an on-form Eilish McColgan taking on Kenyan powerhouses Hellen Obiri and Ruth Chepngetich.

“We’re still looking forward to a competitive event in the men’s elite race, three-time Oceanic record holder and four-time Diamond League winner, Australian Stewart McSweyn, will be lining up against his countryman, Jack Rayner, the Australian National 10,000m record holder.

“Jake & Zane Robertson, brothers from New Zealand and holders of the countries two fastest 10,000m times will also compete.”

The Great Manchester Run will take place on Sunday 22 May and will be televised live on the BBC.

The event is open to runners of all ages and abilities, with entertainment zones throughout including the new The Run Thru Madchester Zone, which features a ‘wall of sound’, power up boards and super soaker water pistols.

For more information, or to enter visit; greatrun.org/Manchester.

Featured image: Supplied

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner say they will resign if issued with fines over 'Beergate'

Daisy Jackson — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:08:57 +0000

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he will step down from his role if he is issued with a fine for breaking COVID rules.

The politician has been under fire in recent days after photos emerged that showed him having a beer and a curry in an MPs office while the rest of the nation was still under lockdown restrictions.

Sir Keir has today told reporters that 'the idea that I would casually break the rules is wrong', and insisted that he 'simply had something to eat whilst working late in the evening'.

But he has said that if police issue him with a fixed penalty notice - something that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has received in recent weeks - he would 'do the right thing and step down'.

https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1523684391448465412

He said: "This matters. It matters because the British public deserve politicians who think the rules apply to them.

"They deserve politicians who hold themselves to the highest standards, and they deserve politicians who put the country first rather than themselves. They will always get that from me."

Angela Rayner, who was also at the 'Beergate' event in Durham, has also said that she would step down if she received a fine.

Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner were both present at the 'Beergate' event but insist no rules were broken. Credit: ITV

She said in a statement: "I’ve always been clear that I was at the event in Durham working in my capacity as deputy leader and that no rules were broken. Eating during a long day’s work was not against the rules.

"We have a prime minister who has been found to have broken the rules, lied about it and then been fined. If I were issued with a fine, I would do the decent thing and step down."

Do you think Sir Keir Starmer deserves to receive a fixed penalty notice over Beergate? Have your say in the comments on our Facebook page.

Sir Keir's statement also said: "We all found following those rules frustrating at times, I’m no exception to that. I had to isolate six times during Covid, pulling me away from my work and the things I love. But I did it, because we followed the rules.

"The idea that I would then casually break those rules is wrong, and frankly I don’t believe those accusing me believe it themselves. They are just trying to feed cynicism, so the public to believe all politicians are the same.

"But I am here to say they are not. I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the laws must follow them.

"And I believe that politicians who undermine that principle undermine trust in politics, undermine our democracy and undermine Britain."

Ever since the first Covid lockdown I have always followed the rules.

Featured image: BBC

BBC's Deborah James shares devastating health update - and says 'goodbye' with enormous fundraiser

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:20:31 +0000

Deborah James - better known to some as Bowel Babe - has shared a devastating health update in her ongoing treatment for cancer.

The 40-year-old podcast host has said that her 'body just can't continue anymore' and told her followers that she has now been moved to hospice at home care.

She added in the 'message that she never wanted to write' that her medical team have left 'no stone unturned' but that the focus now is on keeping her days with her family pain-free.

The heartbreaking final post from Deborah, who co-hosts the BBC's You, Me and the Big C podcast (previously a role she shared with the late journalist Rachel Bland), announced details of one last charity fundraiser.

Deborah James celebrating her 40th birthday - a milestone she was told she likely wouldn't reach. Credit: Instagram, @bowelbabe

And the response overnight has been stunning. The Bowel Babe Fund has already smashed its £250,000 goal and raised more than £840,000 at the time of writing.

50,000 people have so far donated to the fund, which will all go to Cancer Research UK to aid clinical trials, research, and to raise awareness.

The mother-of-two is urging people to 'buy me a drink to see me out of this world' by donating the cost to the fund.

Deborah was diagnosed with bowel cancer at just 35 years old and has most recently been struggling with sepsis.

Her full post is below.

"The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball. My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I’m not in pain and spending time with them.

"Nobody knows how long I’ve got left but I’m not able to walk, I’m sleeping most of the days, and most things I took for granted are pipe dreams. I know we have left no stone unturned. But even with all the innovative cancer drugs in the world or some magic new breakthrough, my body just can’t continue anymore.

Credit: Instagram @bowelbabe

"In over 5 years of writing about how I thought it would be my final Christmas, how I wouldn’t see my 40th birthday nor see my kids go to secondary school - I never envisaged writing the one where I would actually say goodbye. I think it’s been the rebellious hope in me.

"But I don’t think anyone can say the last 6 months has exactly been kind! It’s all heartbreaking to be going through but I’m surrounded by so much love that if anything can help me through I hope that will.

"I always knew there was one thing I always wanted to do before I died. I have always over the years raised as much awareness and money for the charities that are closest to me. @cr_uk @royalmarsden @bowelcanceruk

"As a result, the @bowelbabefund is being established and I’d love nothing more than for you to help it flourish. Please visit bowelbabe.org for all the info and to donate (link in Bio).

"All I ask if you ever read a column, followed my Instagram, listened to the podcast or saw me dressed as a poo for no reason. Please buy me a drink to see me out this world, by donating the cost to @bowelbabefund which will enable us to raise funds for further life saving research into cancer. To give more Deborah’s more time!

"Right now for me it’s all about taking it a day at a time, step by step and being grateful for another sunrise. My whole family are around me and we will dance through this together, sunbathing and laughing (I’ll cry!!) at every possible moment!

"You are all incredible, thank you for playing your part in my journey. No regrets. Enjoy life x

"Deborah."

Featured image: Instagram, @bowelbabe

Police have seized nearly £14m from Manchester criminals over the last year

alexsmith — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:56:09 +0000

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has revealed that almost £14 million has been seized and recovered from criminals over the last year.

Detailing more about the significant sum, the police force confirmed in a statement that from March 2021 to April 2022, its Economic Crime Unit (ECU) was able to successfully recover a total of £13.7 million from criminals across Greater Manchester, which is an increase of 26% on the previous year.

According to GMP, a total of £3.7 million came from Confiscation Orders following the criminal conviction of offenders, £6.6 million in cash seizures, and £155,000 of seized listed assets - which includes items such as watches, precious metals, and more.

£3.2 million was also recovered by the new Account Freezing Order Team from accounts frozen due to their suspected use in crime.

In total, £5.7 million of the recovered funds will be returned to GMP as part of what the force has called the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS), which will see the money used for a number of worthy community programmes and charities across the region.

It will also go towards funding policing programmes and operations to "further fight crime".

"This has been a record year for asset recovery for GMP and we are one of the leading forces in the UK and that has resulted from a more proactive approach," explained Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Harrop.

"We will continue to use more innovative and proactive ways to find and recover these assets [and] we are committed to tackling organised crime in all its guises and stripping assets from criminals.

"We have three new, highly skilled teams committed to asset recovery - the Confiscation and Restraint Unit, the Asset Detention and Recovery Unit and the Account Freezing Order Team - and these teams will hunt for and recover assets however they are hidden. We also have a new Money Laundering Team that will identify, investigate and prosecute all those involved in trying to launder criminal proceeds."

GMP's Economic Crime Unit (ECU) was able to successfully recover a total of £13.7 million / Credit: Greater Manchester Police

He then added: "Half of the money forfeited goes automatically to the Greater Manchester Police ARIS fund used for charities and community initiatives."

Following the seizure of funds, GMP is now appealing for information from the public about anyone they suspect to be living a criminally-funded lifestyle and may have hidden assets, so that they can "deprive them of their cash and use it for a better purpose."

Featured Image - Greater Manchester Police

Backstreet Boys are back - with a massive gig in Manchester this year

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:23:37 +0000

Backstreet Boys have added a massive gig in Manchester to their world tour this year.

The legendary 90s boyband will be performing at the AO Arena on their DNA World Tour.

An extra UK show in Manchester, as well as more dates in Paris and Antwerp, have been added after their London gig sold out.

The five-piece said they 'can't wait to see even more of you' when they arrive in Europe in October.

Backstreet Boys were behind iconic songs such as Everybody (Backstreet's Back), I Want It That Way, and Quit Playing Games.

Credit: Backstreet Boys

The band is made up of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson, all of whom will be heading back to the live stage.

They've sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling boyband of all time.

The group also undertook a two-year residency in Las Vegas between 2017 and 2019.

They'll be performing at the AO Arena Manchester on 8 November.

Backstreet Boys said: "The Boys are excited to announce the addition of 3 EU/UK dates to their DNA World Tour!

"Tickets for the following shows will go on sale to the public starting this Friday, May 13th, but Backstreet Army fans will have exclusive access to pre-sale concert tickets TOMORROW!"

Backstreet Army pre-sale tickets go on sale at 10am on 11 May, with general sale starting at 10am on 13 May.

Featured image: Publicity photo

New terrace party series launches under the archways at ABC Taproom

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:10:17 +0000

A new terrace party series is coming to the arches of ABC Taproom this summer, bringing together a selection of global DJ collectives.

Hosted by the Manchester-based Partial, the new series will see a host of parties take over the courtyard behind Piccadilly station, with free-flowing beer and even fresher beats.

Whilst the brewery is no stranger to food festivals, live gigs and other events, this terrace series is the first party of its kind to take place at the venue.

Berlin-based Giammarco Orsini will headline the first event. / Image: giammarco.orsini

The series will bring three different shows to the terrace, with the first event kicking off on Saturday 14 May.

This opening show will bring Berlin-based Giammarco Orsini down to headline, a DJ with a wealth of experience and a decades-depp archive.

No stranger to heating up booths across Europe from Club der Visionaere to VBX, Orsini boasts a catalogue of top-qualityy, experimental releases on labels like Heko Records and Partisan.

Collectives Manchester-based OneForty and Liverpool’s Zuku will act as support on the night, alongside Partial's own Harry James.

Image: Google Maps

This will be followed by two more shows on Saturday 16 July and Saturday 17 September, with headline sets from S.A.M, Huerta and Junki Inoue respectively.

Partial was founded on the basis of simplicity, stripping things back and focusing on the music and the atmosphere for music lovers and party goers. Speaking on the upcoming terrace series, Harry James from Partial said:

“We’re really excited to be hosting the events at ABC Taproom, it’s a cool venue right by Mayfield Depot. Together we’re really pleased to be celebrating all things Manchester - whilst hosting global music talent to mix things up.

Image: ABC Taproom

"We’ve been hosting parties in Manchester for a good few years now and we like them to be inclusive, so we’re offering low ticket prices so that all are welcome. Expect good tunes, good people and hopefully a bit of sunshine.”

Partial will be the first to host a party on the terrace at ABC Taproom, a quirky venue providing an eclectic mix of craft ales and beers on the day, to accompany the summer sun and top tier tunes.

Limited tickets are still available for the first installment here. Follow Partial on Instagram for further information on upcoming events.

Feature image - Partial (via @razvancolceriu) / Google Maps

Police confirm a person has been found dead near Levenshulme train station

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:16:20 +0000

Police officers have confirmed that a person has sadly died near Levenshulme train station.

Rail services between Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly were disrupted for much of this morning due to an ongoing incident.

British Transport Police has now confirmed that officers were called to reports of a casualty on the tracks early today.

Credit: Google Maps

Paramedics attended and pronounced a person dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to the line near Levenshulme railway station at 5.52am this morning (10 May) following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

"Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene.

"This incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."

National Rail had advised passengers this morning to use alternative transport to usual train services, with rail replacement buses running between stops along the Stockport line.

The latest update stated: "Trains are now able to run as normal following the emergency services attending to an incident between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport."

Featured image: Google Maps

Over 2 million UK adults cannot afford to eat every day, study shows

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:59:39 +0000

A new study conducted by the Food Foundation think tank has shown shocking levels of poverty and hunger amongst adults and children in the UK.

According to research conducted by the think tank, 7.3 million UK adults now unable to afford to eat properly every day.

That's a jump of 57% from figures seen in January, at which point 4.7 million adults were living in food poverty.

And it is not just adults going hungry. Children are suffering too, with 2.6 million reporting having smaller meals than usual, skipping meals, or not being able to eat when they feel hungry at all, reports The Hoot.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Food Foundation said it was so shocked by its findings that it reran the survey on a larger scale, only to get the same results again.

It appears that food insecurity levels are now returning to that seen at the start of the first national Covid lockdown in May 2020.

However, whilst early food insecurity at the start of Covid was down to a food scarcity issue caused by ‘just in time’ delivery models combined with panic buying, now people are instead struggling with poverty and rising food costs instead.

What’s more, food banks are now reporting that people are requesting food that doesn’t need cooking as they are scared to use the energy to make a hot meal.

Image: Get Archive

Anna Taylor, the foundation’s executive director, said: “The extremely rapid rise in food insecurity since January points to a catastrophic situation for families. Food insecurity puts families under extreme mental stress and forces people to survive on the cheapest calories, which lead to health problems.”

Prof Sir Michael Marmot, a public health expert at University College London, said: “If one household in seven is food insecure, society is failing in a fundamental way. These figures on food insecurity are all the more chilling because the problem is soluble, but far from being solved it is getting worse.”

The shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, has described the findings as ‘devastating’. He told The Guardian: “Boris Johnson is responsible for this crisis and has no solutions to fix it”.

It is hoped that there will be some new measures announced in the Queen’s speech today to help the growing number of people now being forced to choose between heating and eating.

A Friday the 13th film marathon is happening in Manchester - and it's on Friday 13th

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:38:16 +0000

In case you hadn't realised, this upcoming Friday falls on 13 May, and a little cinema in Manchester city centre is marking it in probably the most appropriate way possible.

We all know by now that as part of Western superstition going all the way back to the early 19th century, Friday 13th is considered to be the unluckiest days - with the unfortunate event happening at least once, but can unfortunately sometimes occur up to three times within the same calendar year.

The superstition of the day is so engrained in our culture, in fact, that it gave way to the classic Friday the 13th film franchise, which so far includes 12 horrifying flicks, as well as several TV series, novels, comic books, and video games.

Unfamiliar with Friday the 13th? The franchise mainly focuses on the fictional character Jason Voorhees, who was thought to have drowned as a boy at Camp Crystal Lake due to the negligence of the camp staff, and then decades later, the lake is rumoured to be "cursed" and is the setting for a series of mass murders.

Jason is featured in all of the films, as either the killer or the motivation for the killings.

Friday the 13th film franchise is the highest-grossing horror / Credit: Paramount Pictures

The original Friday the 13th film completely shocked audiences to their core when it was first released back in 1980, before the series went on to be one of the highest-grossing horror franchises of all time and make over $468 million at the box-office worldwide - and it sounds it's set to scare audiences all over again this week.

For those brave enough to head on down to Ducie Street Warehouse's much-loved 'Mini Cini' in the heart of Manchester city centre, you can catch a Friday the 13th double billing this Friday 13 May.

Hosted by Manchester's dedicated horror film festival, GRIMMFEST, the Friday the 13th Double Bill will kick off with Friday the 13th Part II at around 6:30pm, before Friday 13th May Part 3 is screened in 3D at 8.30pm.

Special 3D glasses handed out to everyone before the showing starts.

A Friday the 13th double billing is happening this Friday 13 May / Credit: Paramount Pictures

The 'Mini Cini' is a retro cinema screen tucked away inside the popular Ducie Street Warehouse / Credit: Ducie Street Warehouse

Ducie Street Warehouse's 'Mini Cini' is a retro cinema screen tucked away inside the popular city centre entertainment and social hub, with only a very limited number of seats.

The little exclusive cinema benefits from having an eclectic food offering of small plates, light bites, pizzas, salads, and more, as well as a bar directly outside the screen that serves up a wide selection of beers, cocktails, spirits.

Each seat in the cinema even has a QR code for moviegoers to scan to order food and drinks directly to your seat before and during the films.

Fancy it then? You can find out more and grab tickets here.

Featured Image - Paramount Pictures

Hollyoaks star Abi Phillips reveals cancer diagnosis at 28 years old

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:39:15 +0000

Former Hollyoaks actress and singer Abi Phillips has been diagnosed with cancer at just 28 years old.

The star, who played Liberty Savage on the Channel 4 soap, shared the health update on her Instagram page alongside a series of photos taken in hospital.

Abi told her followers that she was initially 'sent away' by her GP who believed the lumps in her neck were caused by a cold.

But she persisted and went to see a specialist, who referred her for a biopsy and scans - and led to a thyroid cancer diagnosis.

Abi Phillips shared her cancer diagnosis on Instagram. Credit: Instagram @abiphillipsuk

She wrote that she only knew to push for further testing after following Love Island star Demi Jones, who was recently given the all-clear for thyroid cancer.

Abi said that she 'never thought I would be told that I have cancer at the age of 28' and urged people to push for tests if they notice anything unusual about their bodies.

She added that she's due to have surgery next week and will soon be 'on the road to recovery'.

Her full post stated: "So, I took these pictures before my scans and after my biopsy having a good old laugh about how ridiculously dressed up I looked in the hospital before a gig, not expecting for one moment to get the news that I did two weeks later…

Abi on The Voice. Credit: ITV

"I’d previously been sent away from the doctors after having found two lumps in my neck, they’d passed it off and said I was ‘young’ and it wouldn’t be anything and I was ‘probably getting over a cold’ or my body was ‘fighting something off’.

"As much as that’s what I wanted to hear I wanted to get everything checked for my own peace of mind. I booked in with a specialist and immediately she told me she was very concerned due to where my lumps were located and referred me for an urgent biopsy and scans.

"Fast forward two weeks and just before Easter weekend I had an appointment to see a consultant at the QE hospital who sat me down and told me that I had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and that I would need surgery and radiotherapy treatment.

"I never thought I would be told that I have cancer at the age of 28, you never think it’s going to happen to you. I wouldn’t have taken things further with seeing a specialist if I hadn’t seen @demijones1 post as her lumps were in the exact same place as mine.

"If ever you find a lump or something unusual on your body, never just think it’s nothing, don’t be told that you’re fine by the GP and you’re ‘young’, always get things checked out by a specialist if you can and insist on tests even if it turns out to be nothing, as catching things early is crucial for a good prognosis.

"This time next week I’ll be on the road to recovery after my operation."

Featured image: Instagram, @abiphillipsuk

Tinder is hosting a dating pop-up for dogs at a Manchester pub this weekend

emily — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:41:54 +0000

Puppy love is in the air as Tinder is set to bring a pop-up dating event especially for dogs at a popular pub in Manchester.

Laura Wilkinson-Rea, the UK’s Senior Director of Communications at Tinder, said: “It’s clear that dogs are loved by Tinder members with 10% of our members including ‘dog lover’ as one of their Interests on their Tinder profile. That’s why we’re so excited to be bringing together dog lovers and their dates IRL by launching our first pop up pub experience, The Bark & Spark.

This restaurant names its dishes so you can expense them at work

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:28:10 +0000

Across the pond, there's a restaurant that names its dishes so that you can expense them at work - and we're absolutely obsessed.

With names like the 'mini dry erase whiteboard' and 'wire earphones with mic', anyone checking your recipes would be none the wiser that you've treated yourself to a dinner on company time, which is exactly the point.

Marmite launches posh new spread that's dividing people more than ever

Daisy Jackson — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Marmite has unveiled an ultra-posh new take on its already divisive spread, and it's proving to be a controversial choice.

The condiment brand has launched a new truffle-flavoured version of its yeast extract savoury spread.

And despite containing one of the world's most luxury ingredients - and being presented in a smart black and gold jar - the new Truffle Marmite is a surprisingly affordable price.

Marmite said: "Truffle. The brand-new, utterly spiffing, jolly good, absolutely mahrvelus Marmite spread.

https://twitter.com/marmite/status/1521762645644296193

"It’s your forever way to introduce a finer taste into your daily routine. Now it’s not just toast – it’s toast, eaten with your pinkie in the air. Love it. Hate it. Have it."

It's on sale now in Sainsbury's for £4 a jar - but many shoppers aren't sure they'd want to give it a go.

One person said: "What fresh Hell is this? Stop. Putting. Truffle. On. Everything."

The new posh Marmite Truffle has been revealed. Credit: Marmite

Someone who managed to snap up a jar wrote: "Soooo, opened the jar to have a sniff and…made me wanna vomit straight away. Gave it a taste on toast and…no change, wanted to vomit! I love @marmite but you did a wrongen here guys, a wrongen!!!"

On Facebook, someone told Marmite: "Truffles are disgusting. Just leave Marmite as it is."

Another purist said: "I love just good old fashioned Marmite....please don't try to gild a lily....."

One fan of the spread commented: "Dear @marmite I have just tried your truffle flavour marmite and I can honestly say its absolutely lovely. Well done guys another great product made by @marmite."

Another commented: "I must congratulate @marmite for the new truffle flavored Marmite, it's quite magnificent."

Featured image: Marmite

Summer Beer Thing heads to Kampus for three-day festival

georginapellant — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:43:40 +0000

A three-day festival dedicated to all things beer will take over the city centre Kampus neighbourhood this summer.

Summer Beer Thing, organised by the teams behind prolific beer bars Port Street Beer House, Common and The Beagle, will bring brewers from across the country down to the waterside location to showcase their latest brews.

The sister festival to the highly-regarded Indy Man Beer Con festival, now in its tenth year, beer lovers can expect to find a range of different beer styles on offer from various brewers.

Image: Summer Beer Thing

This year, it will head to Kampus with a brand new line up of breweries and food traders, including Nell’s Pizza, Levanter and soon to be Kampus resident operators Madre, Pollen and Great North Pie Co.

A celebration of all that is seasonal, regional, and interesting in the world of beer and beyond,
Summer Beer Thing first began in 2017 at Sadler’s Yard, with over 3,000 people visiting across the weekend each year.

A showcase of different beer styles, the festival has bars dedicated to hoppy, session, fruit and sour beers and the feel of a party with beer as the focal point with plenty for both experts and beginners in the world of craft ale.

Image: Summer Beer Thing

This year's event at Kampus also features a wine bar, cocktails in collaboration with Campari , and a range of interesting and creative non-alcoholic options.

This year, the festival will run from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 June. Tickets are priced between £6 and !10 and will go on sale this Thursday 12 May.

Tickets can be purchased via the Summer Beer Thing website, and include a branded glass and can purchase tokens to spend at a range of festival bars featuring craft beers, fruits and sours, hoppy, hoppier and session beers as well as a range of non-beer drinks.

Feature image - Summer Beer Thing

Manchester City confirms club has 'reached agreement' to sign striker Erling Haaland

alexsmith — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:42:26 +0000

Manchester City has this afternoon confirmed the club has "reached an agreement" to sign striker Erling Haaland.

The 21-year-old Norwegian striker currently plays for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, but the blue side of city has revealed the news that fans have been waiting a very long time for this afternoon and confirmed that Erling Haaland is soon to be on his way to Manchester.

Manchester City revealed the transfer of Haaland to the club will be on 1 July 2022.

The club said in a statement on its website: "Manchester City can confirm we have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland to the Club on 1st July 2022.

"The transfer remains subject to the Club finalising terms with the player."

https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/1524034164835639297?s=20&t=_I8cmHOyFAJ9SDNNud80RQ

The news comes after Pep Guardiola told reporters earlier today that he was 'not allowed to say anything' until the deal had completed.

The Manchester City manager said: "Everybody knows the situation, I shouldn't talk because I don't like to talk about the future or next season. Dortmund and Man City told me I'm not allowed to say anything until it's completely done.

"We'll have time to talk."

According to widespread reports, Manchester City have confirmed an agreement to sign the striker for £51.1 million, with the club required to pay the player's release clause and then expect to pay £85.5 million in total when agent fees, signing bonus, and other costs are taken in to account.

Erling Haaland is the son of former professional footballer Alf-Inge Haaland, who played for a number of English clubs during his career - including Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.

Alf-Inge most-notably played for Manchester City himself between 2000-2003.

Featured Image - Manchester City