Secret bunkers, dodos and swarms of customers: why the toughest job on Market Street is security

‘Anybody sees an opportunity to take, they will’

Dear members — for today’s edition, we sent Jack to Market Street to scope out the area’s sprawling network of security guards. He came back with stories of underground bunkers, why shoplifters travel in packs, and one shop worker who is roundly dissatisfied with the quality of Manchester’s security guard offering: “dodos, utter dodos.” That’s below. But first…

Friends, Romans, Corrie fans: in one week today, we will be turning three years old. Frankly we’d be devastated if you weren’t there to celebrate with us, since our success is just as much about our paying members’ support as it is our journalism. Tickets are selling fast for our birthday party, which will be an evening of talks, literary salon-style conversations and drinks in the lovely Mirage Bar in Islington Mill. Actor and Northern royalty Julie Hesmondhalgh is hosting the night and interviewing our founder and editor Joshi Herrmann about why he started The Mill and where it’s going next, and then we’ll discuss a big story …