News
Government release statement on why Greater Manchester is going to Tier 3
Thoughts?
It was confirmed earlier today that Greater Manchester will be heading into Tier 3 when lockdown ends next week.
From next Wednesday, December 2nd, the whole region will be placed in the strictest tier, despite our infection rate reducing faster than any other part of the country.
So why is Greater Manchester being placed into Tier 3?
David Dixon / Geograph
This morning, as part of the announcement on which area will be placed in which tier, the government published a written ministerial statement.
These outline the rationale for why each region in England has been placed in the tier they’re in, including why the whole of Greater Manchester is in Tier 3.
The government said: “While there has been continued improvement in Greater Manchester, weekly case rates remain very high, especially amongst those aged over 60, at around 260 per 100,000 people.
“The pressure on the local NHS is decreasing in some areas but remains a concern; Manchester University hospital and Pennine Acute Trust remain under significant pressure.”
Earlier today Andy Burnham responded to the news that Greater Manchester is heading to Tier 3, saying that cities in the North will be ‘levelled down’ by the new tier system and that it is ‘the opposite of what the government has promised to do’.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester also said that he will be asking for the region to be moved into Tier 2 in a few weeks time if rates continue to fall like they have been.
According to Matt Hancock, there are five indicators for making a decision on which tier a region is in:
- case rates in all age groups
- cases in over 60s
- rate at which cases are rising or falling
- positivity rate
- local pressures on NHS
The tiers are set to be reviewed on Wednesday December 16th, so there is still a chance Greater Manchester could be in Tier 2 in the run up to Christmas.
The new rules across all tiers include:
- Uniform set of rules, there will be no negotiations by different regions
- Everyone should work from home if they can
- Shops and personal care services can open
- Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities remain open
- Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children and childcare bubbles allowed
- Indoor leisure – gyms and swimming – can open
- Elite sport, under-18 sport and disabled sport can continue
- Police will get new powers to close down premises breaking the rules
What Greater Manchester can expect in Tier 3:
- No mixing of households indoors or most outdoor places – rule of six in outdoor spaces such as parks and sports courts
- Hospitality venues closed, except for takeaway, drive-through or delivery
- Indoor entertainment venues closed
- Avoid travelling outside the area other than where necessary
- No overnight stays outside local area, unless necessary for work, education or similar reasons
- Accommodation closed (with limited exceptions such as work purposes)
- Places of worship open but people cannot interact with anyone outside their household or support bubble
- Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests – but no wedding receptions allowed
- Funerals can have 30 guests
- Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but avoid higher-risk contact activity
- Group exercise and sports indoors should not take place, unless with household/bubble
- Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events banned but drive-in events permitted.
Tier 1 Rules:
- Households can mix inside and outside, but the rule of six applies
- Bars, pubs and restaurants must be table service only, last orders at 10pm, closing by 11pm
- Entertainment can reopen
- Avoid travel into Tier 3 areas
- Overnight stays permitted with your household/bubble, or up to six people from different households
- All accommodation can reopen
- Places of worship can reopen but more than six people from different households cannot interact
- Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests
- Funerals can have 30 guests
- Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but rule of six indoors
- Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events can take place with 50% capacity, or 4,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower) – social distancing applies
Tier 2 Rules:
- No mixing of households indoors apart from support bubbles – rule of six outdoors
- Pubs and bars must close unless operating as restaurants, and hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
- Last orders at 10pm, close by 11pm
- Reduce the numbers of journeys made and avoid travel into Tier 3 areas
- Overnight stays permitted with your household or support bubble
- Accommodation open
- Places of worship open but people cannot interact with anyone outside their household or support bubble
- Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests
- Funerals can have 30 guests
- Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but not indoors if there is any interaction between different households
- Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events can take place with 50% capacity, or 2,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower) – social distancing applies
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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