News
Piccadilly Gardens’ concrete pavilion set for makeover
Love it or hate it, it’s here to stay
The concrete pavilion featured in Piccadilly Gardens will stay, but it is getting a glow-up.
The huge grey slab, dubbed as the ‘Berlin Wall’ by some, has been a feature in the city since it was built in 2002.
Created for the Commonwealth Games, it was designed by respected Japanese architect Tadao Ando and is located opposite the bus depot and tram stop – you can’t miss it.
Its location means it is owned privately by Legal and General’s Investment Management firm (LGIM) and therefore the council does not possess the power to make changes to it and can’t demolish it.
The firm doesn’t want to knock the wall down as they say it has become ‘part of the city’s history’.
“Despite what people think about the concrete ‘wall’, it is already part of the history and heritage of Manchester,” it said.
“Why not make it into something we are proud of? Like we are proud of our music, our culture, our history,” LGIM added.
The firm also said the wall served another purpose. It said: “The primary function of the existing Pavilion was to form a barrier both visually and acoustically from the bus and tram interchanges.”
However the area – which has looked a little ‘sad’ since its lush green garden days and has become known as a hotspot for drug use and crime – is set to be given a new lease of life.
As part of a huge £25 million overhaul, Piccadilly Gardens will get a more modern and softer look, as the council work towards a re-design of the area.
The wall will remain but LGIM have agreed to remove the roof, which will allow natural light to pour in over the grounds around it.
There will also be a new light installation added to the wall to add extra light, a softer glow and brighten the place up especially on grey and murky days. Materials including metal and glass will also give it a more sophisticated appearance.
Greater Manchester Police also support the planned move who said observations made by officers ‘state that the area is used as a gathering point, sheltered from the elements and natural surveillance’.
The new light and airy look will help with the safety and security of people visiting the city centre.
As reported in the Manchester Evening News, GMP said: “LGIM’s proposal to remove the roof of the Pavilion, to allow natural light and create a more open thoroughfare, will reduce the opportunity and means to commit crime and anti-social behaviour.
“GMP fully support LGIM’s proposal to remove the roof and invest further in making Piccadilly Gardens high quality place for all… [as] the pavilion in Piccadilly Gardens has been identified as a specific hotspot with the wider Piccadilly Gardens area.”
The force continued: “It is an ideal place for substance misuse and anti-social behaviour which is demonstrated through incident data at a micro-beat level and observations from officers who state that the area is used as a gathering point, sheltered from the elements and natural surveillance.”
Images show illuminated weaves of lights along the wall with additional lights hanging beneath. These weaved lights will be created making use of the existing tie holes in the concrete wall. These will be switched on during the daytime, according to the planning application.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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