Greater Manchester

Manchester ‘perfect fit’ for new Escapism Bars venues

29-Aug-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Escapism Bars are gearing up for their first foray into Manchester, with two new sites launching under the Mean Eyed Cat and Tiki Hideaway brands.

Sacha Lord calls for general election after bar closure

09-Aug-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester has called for a general election after a popular bar and pizza spot called last orders, citing soaring costs.

Alphabet Brewing Co enters administration

20-Apr-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Alphabet Brewing Company (ABC) has gone into administration due to financial difficulties after more than 10 years of operation.

Rising costs to plunge night-time economy into ‘new period of darkness’

14-Mar-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The UK’s night-time economy faces a “new period of darkness” amid the cost of living crisis, according to the Great Manchester night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord, ahead of the Chancellor’s spring statement next Wednesday (23 March).

Sacha Lord investigates fair salary policy for Greater Manchester

24-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, is investigating the introduction of a fair salary policy for hospitality operators in the city-region.

Cities’ night czars call for more support

25-Jun-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Night-time economy advisers in Bristol, London and Greater Manchester have written to the Chancellor urging for more support in an “unprecedented period of restrictions.”

Wages driven up by staff shortages

22-Jun-2021 By MCA

The average wages of pub and restaurant workers have risen by as much as 14%, driven by a shortage of staff in the hospitality sector.

Greater Manchester 'used to uncertainty of shutdown rumours'

18-May-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs will be 'picked on straight away' should local lockdown restrictions be imposed on areas hit by coronavirus variants, one Greater Manchester operator has said.

Manchester operators call for 'clear and simple' reopening plans

19-Feb-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pub operators in Greater Manchester have appealed to the Government to allow a reopening with sensible parameters, ahead of the Prime Minister’s plan for unlocking the nation.

Legal challenge on wet pub closures moves forward

10-Feb-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord is to press ahead with a legal challenge over restrictions on wet pubs.

Tier three is 'ticking time bomb' for Greater Manchester

10-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

The Government has been asked to provide more data before imposing the same restrictions on Greater Manchester that it faced before lockdown.

Jobs round-up

Hawkes founder steps down, Burnham beer staff fundraiser, Red Mist to ‘give back’ apprentice grants

29-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

The latest on-trade job news includes the departure of Hawkes founder Simon Wright, the launch of a fundraising scheme revolving around an Andy Burnham inspired beer, a cash windfall for Red Mist apprentices and a new hire for George Clooney's tequila...

MA's Review of the week

Government’s ‘nanny knows best’ attitude based on no evidence

23-Oct-2020 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington spoke to JW Lees MD, William Lees-Jones, to discuss the big issues from the news this week.

Pub closures across the country as tier three restrictions come into force

23-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs in large swathes of the country will face fresh restrictions this weekend, with some businesses forced to close.

Judicial review launched into Greater Manchester restrictions

22-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Greater Manchester’s night czar has initiated a judicial review into the legality of restrictions imposed on the city region's pubs and bars.

16,436 pubs under tier two and three restrictions

21-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 43.69% of all pubs in England are currently under ‘high’ or ‘very high’ restrictions including closures.

Greater Manchester tier three restrictions a ‘bitter disappointment’

21-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Placing the Greater Manchester region into the strictest ‘very high’ tier is another “huge blow” to the trade, industry bodies have said.

Greater Manchester pubs to close under tier three restrictions

20-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Pubs in the Greater Manchester region are the most recently hit by the Government’s tier three ‘very high’ measures with restrictions coming into play later this week.

Map: where are pubs under the strictest measures in England?

15-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

A tiered system of coronavirus measures came into effect on Wednesday 14 October, splicing the country into different sets of restrictions.

Pubs in second tier 'better off closed'

14-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs in the second tier of coronavirus measures have said they would be “better off” closed as they brace for slumped trading with a household mixing ban.

PM orders Liverpool pubs to close this week

12-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced pubs in Liverpool must close from Wednesday (14 October) amid rising coronavirus cases in the area.

Legal bid against local lockdown launched

12-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord has initiated legal proceedings to challenge a reported Government lockdown of hospitality venues in the north.

'Arrogant ignorance towards hospitality must end,' says Manchester night czar

06-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

The night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester has said that the Government must issue a sector-specific support package to prevent mass job losses this winter.

MPs urged to oppose 'reckless' curfew

06-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

MPs are being urged to oppose the nationwide curfew on hospitality in a retrospective vote.

Bolton businesses should not be 'worse off'

11-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Publicans and Bolton Council have called for an extension of the existing furlough scheme after a localised shutdown of hospitality was ordered in the town.

Industry calls for Bolton pub support package

09-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

A number of pub sector trade bodies have called on the Government to issue financial support for venues in Bolton following the forced closure of its hospitality businesses.

Several Bolton pubs shuttered as infection rate spikes

07-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

A handful of pubs in Bolton have temporarily closed their doors to protect public health amid a rapidly increasing infection rate.

3 in 5 night-time operators face closure without further Government backing

03-Sep-2020 By Stuart Stone

Greater Manchester’s night-time economy adviser, Sacha Lord, has called on the Prime Minister to stop celebrating the return to work while almost 60% of night-time operators face closure without further backing.

Opinion

‘I fear rule breaking will increase without more financial aid’

27-Aug-2020 By Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser to Greater Manchester

Here we are on the cliff edge of September already.

Pubs urge public to 'accept their role too' in tackling Covid-19 spread

14-Aug-2020 By Stuart Stone

Greater Manchester’s mayor, night-time economy advisor, brewers and pub operators have collectively called on the public to step up and take their share of responsibility for controlling the spread of Covid-19.

Group of teenagers smash pub windows and beat up customer

28-Nov-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A group of youths carrying weapons caused a large scale disturbance at a pub in Greater Manchester after smashing windows and beating up a customer.

Drinkers' safety 'put in jeopardy' after shots fired in busy Greater Manchester pub

20-Nov-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Men in balaclavas showed "no regard for innocent people" enjoying a Saturday night in a busy Salford pub after firing a shotgun into the ceiling.

40-man brawl breaks out at Star pub

21-Sep-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Staff at a Star Pubs & Bars site in Greater Manchester were forced to call the police when a fight broke out between 40 people who “refused to leave the pub”.

MA500: hitting the Mersey

09-Jun-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The latest MA500 business club saw the sights and sites of Liverpool and heard from operators inside and outside of the trade before pounding the streets for a study tour.

MA Property

Regional focus on... Manchester

02-Nov-2016 By Liam Coleman

Our regional focus on the pub property market in Manchester takes a look at the best licensed premises available both in the city centre and wider Greater Manchester.

Manchester

Holidaymakers' cars dumped at pub car parks by meet and greet "cowboys"

27-Jul-2016 By Oli Gross

Vehicles are being dumped at Manchester pub car parks by a company offering holidaymakers secure meet and greet parking.

Licensees criticise Greater Manchester alcohol strategy

04-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Operators in Greater Manchester have slammed a new alcohol strategy as a “short-term” solution that does not adequately address the needs of licensees.

Greater Manchester to review licensing powers under new alcohol strategy

29-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Councils, health services, and police in Greater Manchester have officially teamed up to tackle alcohol abuse under a new strategy that includes the review of licensing powers.

Manchester proposes licensing powers review to reduce £1.2bn alcohol bill

22-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs in Greater Manchester could face a crackdown on licensing from police and councils, following a new report that reveals excessive drinking costs the region £1.2bn each year.

Tameside begins late-night levy consultation

20-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs, bars and clubs in Tameside may be subject to a late-night levy as the local council is consulting on whether to introduce the fee.

Pesto eyes 10 more sites after funding boost

18-Jan-2013 By M&C Report

Lord Peter Daresbury, the former head of pubs group Greenalls and ex-La Tasca finance director Martin Evans, have taken minor equity stakes in and joined the board of Pesto, the north west-based pub and restaurant chain owned by La Tasca founder Neil...

Pesto seeks funds to expand pub format

20-Jun-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Pesto, the north-west-based pub and restaurant chain owned by La Tasca founder Neil Gatt, is in talks about raising new funds as it looks to open four more sites under its Pesto in a Pub format before the end of the year.

Thwaites to refurbish 14 pubs

23-Jun-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Lancashire-based brewery Daniel Thwaites is set to begin a four-month project to refurbish 14 of its pubs. It has appointed north-west architect...

Millstone is top JW Lees tenanted pub

15-Jun-2011 By Adam Pescod

A Manchester licensee has credited "good standards" after he was named Tenant of the Year at JW Lees' Pub of the Year awards on 7 June. Gerard Ford,...

Man dies after Tiger Tiger balcony fall

06-Apr-2011 By Lesley Foottit

A man fell 50 feet to his death from a fourth floor balcony at Tiger Tiger in Manchester at the weekend.

Minimum price bylaw details revealed

22-Nov-2010

A bid to bring in minimum pricing on alcohol across Greater Manchester, using a bylaw, has moved a step closer as detailed plans have been published....

Minimum price bylaw plan due by October

05-Aug-2010

A report on controversial plans to introduce a minimum price across Greater Manchester is expected to be released by October. As previously reported...

Thwaites pub goes to Swiss chef

27-May-2010 By The PMA Team

Swiss chef Michael Riemenschneider has taken over a Thwaites-owned pub in Cheshire and relaunched it as a restaurant under the same name.

TV chef signed up for Great Northern Cook Off

23-Apr-2010 By Lesley Foottit

TV chef Simon Rimmer has teamed up with Stockport brewer Robinson's to take on the region's best chefs in the Great Northern Cook Off. The brewer is...

Alcohol promos crackdown cuts crime in Oldham

12-Mar-2010 By Lesley Foottit

Oldham Council's tough crackdown on cheap alcohol sales has cut violent night time crime in the town centre by 27%, the authority says. The festive...