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Manchester park announces major change for visitors next month

‘We’re a city of firsts, so I know that together Mancunians can and will deliver this ambition’

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Peter McDermott / Geograph & lil artsy / Pexels

A Manchester park  has announced it will be making a major change for its visitors from next month.

Manchester’s newest park, Mayfield, will ‘ban’ smoking cigarettes, cigars and vaping from a date next month.

The move — announced on World No Tobacco Day (May 31st) — is an effort to protect residents from the harmful effects on health caused by smoking.

From June 26th, Mayfield — which opened last September — will become a smoke-free zone, making the six-and-a-half acre park the most notable open garden in the city centre to ban people from lighting-up.

Peter McDermott / Geograph

The new rules will also help protect the burgeoning wildlife that have begun to call the area home after it was transformed into a green oasis from former industrial wasteland, sandwiched between Mancunian Way and a railway line.

Park users who smoke will be asked to extinguish their cigarettes or cigars, and if they refuse to do so, will be asked to leave. 

However, no fines will be issued for people who don’t abide by the new rules, as the change is not a law that can be enforced by public officials.

This is partly because Mayfield is not a council park, but instead a space the public can use, which has been built by joint public-sector and private business partnership. 

@MayfieldMCR / Twitter

As reported in The Manchester Evening News, staff who work on site will have a ‘friendly chat’ with smokers to ask them to ‘put it out’.

The decision has been brought in for the benefit of everyone using the park, and to protect the wildlife in the area, according to Laura Percy, Development Director, for LandsecU+I, which is leading the regeneration of Mayfield on behalf of the Mayfield Partnership.

“The park offers a beautiful space in the heart of the city for people to enjoy with many benefits to their health and wellbeing,” she said.

Becoming a smoke-free park is a natural step that will only create a more enjoyable experience for many of our visitors and staff, as well as protect the park’s wildlife, waterways, and biodiversity.

lil artsy / Pexels

We will be working closely with Manchester City Council and NHS Greater Manchester to encourage and support people to refrain from smoking within the park when we go smoke-free next month.”

NHS chiefs have commended the decision, describing tobacco as one of the major drivers of Manchester’s dire health inequality problem. 

Sarah Price, from NHS Greater Manchester, added: “As one of the greatest drivers of health inequalities, Greater Manchester has made enormous progress over the past few years to tackle tobacco harm and the impact of smoking across our most disadvantaged communities.

“As part of our commitment to achieving a smoke-free Greater Manchester by 2030, we continue to advocate for healthier, smoke-free environments, and welcome Mayfield Park as the most recent example of a cleaner, greener, healthier city region.”

TBEC Review / Wikimedia

Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Health and Social Care, believes the move will also improve the health of other creatures nearby. “We hope that this is the first of many smoke-free public spaces for people to enjoy in the city,” he said.

“We’re a city of firsts, so I know that together Mancunians can and will deliver this ambition – because we know it’s the right thing to do. 

“Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable disease in Manchester and cigarette litter causes significant damage to the environment, so it is brilliant news that visitors will be able to enjoy this wonderful, outdoor green space in a smoke-free setting.”

The park is just one element of a wave of development set to come to the area, with plans announced last November for a £400 million project to build two office buildings with 320,000 sq ft and a 581-space multi-storey car park, and further works expected.

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Brand new Stockport interchange with rooftop garden now open

It opened this morning to welcome its first passengers

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The brand new Stockport transport interchange is now open for passengers.

Passengers can now use the interchange to catch buses to and from Stockport, and make use of the Bee Network.

The stops at Heaton Lane bus station are now closed, and passengers who previously caught a bus from here can now use the new interchange.

Bee Network / Facebook

The interchange is part of an exciting £1 billion investment into the town to make it an even better place in which to live, work, play and connect.

Key design aspects of the new development include a fully accessible under cover passenger concourse with a seating area, cycle storage facilities, travel information on screens and a travel shop.

Other facilities include fully accessible toilets with baby changing and Changing Places facilities.

Bee Network / Facebook

The modern interchange holds 18 bus stands, with capacity to accommodate 164 bus departures per hour to allow for future growth in bus services.

It also holds a unique and lush green space on the roof, which is a welcomed addition for everyone to enjoy .

The rooftop park has been delivered, in collaboration with the Environmental Agency and features a ‘blue-roof’ drainage system that will capture and store rainwater to allow control run-off into drainage outfall and watercourses mitigating any flood risk.

Bee Network / Facebook

Visitors can use the eye-catching spiral cycle and walking ramp, which connects to the new park as it spans across the Mersey Frontage, Trans Pennine Trail and the River Mersey.

Stair and lift links between the new park, interchange and Trans Pennine Trail to make it accessible for all.

And on top of all that, 196 new, high-quality residential new, high-quality residential apartments off Daw Ban (126 two-bedroom, 70 one-bedroom) tower above this stunning rooftop park and Stockport’s contemporary transport hub – with views spanning across the town.

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Body found near swing bridge in search for missing man from Eccles

Sad news

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Greater Manchester Police & warhead / Flickr

A body has sadly been found near Barton Swing Bridge in the search for a man who went missing from Eccles last week, police say.

Andrew Heys, from Eccles, was last captured on Ring Cam walking along Barton Lane in the direction of Barton Road at 3.43am on Tuesday, March 12th.

Andrew had been described as ‘vulnerable’ and requiring regular medication.

Greater Manchester Police

The body was recovered from the Barton Bridge area of Salford, following a search of the surrounding areas on Saturday, March 16th.

Although a formal identification is yet to take place, Andrew’s family have been informed of the update and are currently being supported by specialist officers through this distressing time.

The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is currently being prepared for the coroner.

Greater Manchester Police

Detective Inspector Mike Sharples, from GMP Salford, said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences remain with Andrew’s family and friends at this time.

“Officers and specialist resources have been working around the clock and through the night to find Andrew since he was first reported missing to us, and I would like to thank members of the public who shared our appeals and assisted with our investigation.

“Our priority now is to make sure we can do everything possible to support the family and get the necessary answers for his loved ones, but I would ask that the family are given privacy during this time.”

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New shipping container street food village to open in Wigan

Great news for Wigan!

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Container street food village brand STACK has confirmed its expansion with a brand new opening coming to Wigan.

The group will take over the former Debenhams unit in the town centre’s Grand Arcade.

The proposed development will see the site capable of holding up to 2,000 people and offering a wide range of music and entertainment as well as bars and street food vendors.

STACK

Plans will see a new frontage created on Concert Square, with STACK making a welcome addition to the leisure venues at the Grands Arcade – also home to games and activity centre Gamer X – and boosting Wigan’s night time economy.

Announcing the expansion, Neill Winch, STACK Managing Director, said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing STACK to Wigan.

“The Grand Arcade is a stunning location with a rich history, and we believe that STACK will be a perfect fit for its vibrant atmosphere and growing community.

@stacknewcastle / Instagram

“We are committed to creating a space that not only entertains but also fosters a sense of belonging and community, and we can’t wait to welcome Wigan residents and visitors through our doors.”

STACK first opened in Newcastle in August 2018 and was a huge success attracting over 3 million visitors in its first four years. It currently also operates sites in Seaburn, Sunderland.

STACK is also set to open sites in Manchester, Lincoln, Northampton, Durham, Carlisle, and Bishop Auckland, with two more planned in Newcastle.

The opening date for STACK Wigan will be confirmed once planning permission is secured.

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