Fire breaks out in kitchen of popular city centre restaurant

Courteeners frontman Liam Fray is set to launch a new restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.According to Manchester Evening News, the singer plans to open The Smithfield Social at some point next month.

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direct to your inboxThis is the moment hundreds of people joined a protest in Manchester city centre over the government's controversial new crime laws.The 'Kill the Bill' demonstration began with dozens of people marching down Market Street and Deansgate before gathering in St Peter's Square at around 5pm tonight.The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill has been passed by MPs in the House of Commons tonight despite fierce criticism.It includes measures which will increase sentences for

direct to your inboxThese are the first images inside the city centre's new £250million 'garden neighbourhood'.Kampus - the regeneration of Manchester Metropolitan University's old campus between Piccadilly station and the Gay Village - is nearing completion almost five years after plans were first approved.Joint developers Capital & Centric and HBD are marketing it as a 'garden neighbourhood' which offers tenants the chance to live among 'secret streets, independent food and drink, and a green

direct to your inboxA moment of reflection and a moment of solidarity.That was the mood as up to two dozen people gathered around the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter's Square this evening.Some laid flowers, others lit candles, but the majority stood watching in quiet reflection.But one thought was in mind, that of Sarah Everard, the 33-year-old who was sadly found dead after being reported missing earlier this week.Organisers of the gathering were forced to cancel the official events

direct to your inboxBack in June 2019, Manchester council revealed a £9million plan to overhaul of one of the city centre's busiest roads.Great Ancoats Street has become an increasingly important stretch of the inner ring road, connecting the Northern Quarter with the burgeoning neighbourhoods of Ancoats, New Islington and Piccadilly.The aim of the revamp, the council said, was to 'radically improve the look, feel and safety of the busy route'.The works were to include the planting of 70 trees,

sites it wants to open in Greater Manchester, released in 2019.

direct to your inboxAn NHS worker who organised a protest over the government's 1 per cent pay offer in Manchester city centre has been fined £10,000. Karen Reissmann, a mental health worker and Unison rep, was among those who turned up for the demonstration in St Peter's Square at midday on Sunday.

direct to your inboxPolice officers stopped a nurses' protest held in St Peter's Square today.Health workers organised the demonstration in response to the Government's proposed 1 per cent pay rise for NHS workers.Yet the small, peaceful rally was halted by over a dozen officers from Greater Manchester Police shortly after midday.It is not clear why protestors were moved on but organisers at the demonstration claimed they had been told they would be fined for breaching coronavirus laws if they

direct to your inboxA pedestrian has been hit by a tram in Manchester city centre.The collision happened in Market Street at around 1.15pm today (March 2).An ambulance attended but no serious injuries have been reported, police said.No arrests have been made.Metrolink trams on the Bury line to Piccadilly Station were unable to operate for around 40 minutes while emergency workers dealt with the incident.At around 1.20pm Manchester Metrolink tweeted: “Due to an incident at Market Street, we are

direct to your inboxPolice found a quantity of suspected drugs after shots were fired from one car at another racing through the city centre last night.St Peter's Square has been reopened following extensive searches by Greater Manchester Police today.Officers responded to reports of suspected gunshots and a car crashed into a lamppost at around 8.30pm on Saturday evening.They found a silver Vauxhall Astra abandoned at the scene.Following a short footchase, three teenagers were arrested on

direct to your inboxTwo cars chased each other through Manchester city centre before multiple gunshots were fired last night, eyewitnesses have said.A large police cordon remained in place in St Peter's Square on Sunday morning after the shocking incident unfolded at around 8.30pm on Saturday evening.A silver Vauxhall continues to be examined by forensics officers at the spot where it was abandoned between the Metrolink stop and Wagamama restaurant.Crime scene markers were laid out across the

direct to your inboxA large cordon was in place in Manchester city centre on Saturday night after police were called to reports of shots fired.Officers were called to St Peter's Square just before 8.30pm following reports of a suspected firearms discharge and a road traffic collision.Emergency services quickly attended and found an abandoned vehicle on the tram tracks in the square.No one is believed to have been injured in the incident.Two 16-year-old boys and a 19-year-old man have been

direct to your inbox Firefighters tackled a blaze at a high-rise building in Manchester city centre this morning.

which has provoked strong local opposition.Councillors had been asked to consider the £130m plans for the tower housing 853 student flats - described by critics as a ‘tombstone’ or ‘caramel wafer’ - in January.If approved, the 165m building on the corner of Hulme Street and Great Marlborough Street would be one of the tallest in Manchester.It would also dwarf the neighbouring 37-storey Liberty Heights and 32-storey UNITE student apartment complexes.The committee delayed making a decision in