Dear readers — media outlets local and national are ablaze with news of the Dovestone moor fire. We’re sure that, as with us, many Millers saw and smelt the smoke before they’d seen the fire on the news. We’ll have more on that in just a minute.
In more positive over-the-weekend news that we’re sure you’re already aware of, England set up their semi-final against Argentina on Saturday night, beating Norway in extra time. Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for our guide on where to watch Wednesday’s match based on how much lager you want to end up in your hair. Jack W and Ophira watched the Norway match in a pub in Todmorden, and would love to provide our readers with some detailed punditry, however they were distracted throughout as the man sat next to them got in a fight and was knocked unconscious within the first half hour.
And last but not least for this intro, we of course have our very own Sunday read. Ophira’s article on the figure behind the ‘Salford University Rape Cover Up’ posters that have appeared all across Greater Manchester received a predictably emotional response, given the difficult subject matter. We were pleased to see Millers who were somehow involved in the story – either through working at the university, or those that sent the posters to us, asking us to report on them – engaging with the article in the comments. Less pleased were we about the subsequent arguments that ensued, but such is life. Read the piece here! Or, if you’ve already read it, then read this briefing…
What now for Old Trafford (and Jack)?
Are the spectacular plans for Manchester United’s new ground - a 100,000-seater, just 350 metres from the current one - a vanity project? No, says the project’s chief executive Collette Roche, it’s a “sanity project”. The aim is nothing less than to transform the entire Trafford area over two decades, not dissimilar to the huge investment on the other side of Manchester near City’s Etihad Campus.
Critics of the project have pointed to the fact United are already in £1.3 billion debt, but Roche says numerous funding options remain available: debt, equity, shares, new investors. She added that the club will “potentially” sell the naming rights to the new stadium. As for the initial designs for the stadium, which also drew criticism (mostly for looking like a circus tent) these are apparently not “set in stone”.
Parking the naysayers for a moment, among the most pleased will be Jack W, who paying members may recall is trapped in his shared ownership flat a few hundred metres from where the new ground will stand (after the flat unfortunately dropped £20,000 in value). If all it takes to get him out is a £2 billion investment, a strategic masterplan stretching 24 years into the future, the assistance of the Burnham government and for Old Trafford to be renamed the KFC Arena then he says it’s a smashing idea.
Sian doubles dian
Sian Astley, Reform’s candidate to be our new mayor, has doubled down on her view that areas that vote for other parties should have to house rapists and criminals. Reform spokesperson Zia Yusuf announced in May that under a government formed by his party no migrant detention centres would be set up in Reform-voting areas. Astley called the policy “very democratic” in a Facebook post, prompting a response from Labour party chair Anna Turley, who said the idea was “grotesque”. But Astley is seemingly unbothered. She told the MEN last week that she sees the policy as fair, and that those who advocate “open borders” were leaving the country open to “exactly that — criminals, economic chancers, rapists”.
🚨 If you want to hear more of Astley’s views, and those of her opponents, then the obvious thing to do is to get yourself a ticket to The Mill’s mayoral hustings. There are currently only 20 tickets left, so if you want one, be very quick.
The University of Greater Manchester saga continues
Another big development over the weekend at UGM: we recieved an email indicating that three governors had resigned from the university’s board of trustees.
At 7am on Saturday, we revealed that vice chancellor George Holmes was among the three people arrested on suspicion of committing fraud and money laundering and taken for questioning at Bolton police station. Two hours later, we received an email from a governor named Uday Nayak, a private jet entrepreneur who indicated that he was stepping down. “I have today joined two fellow governors and resigned as a Governor at the University of Greater Manchester,” he wrote. While Nayak offered to answer any further queries, he would not reply to confirm the names of the other two governors who stepped down, and our emails and LinkedIn messages to all the governors listed the university’s website have gone unanswered. A spokesperson for the university declined to comment, saying it “does not comment on matters relating to individual members of the Board of Governors.” As ever, if you know more, get in touch with Mollie.
Three days and counting
Fire crews are still tackling a blaze above Dovestone Reservoir that has now been burning for three days. No official cause for the fire has been stated yet by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, but videos have been circulating widely on Instagram of a group of teenagers setting off a firework above the reservoir.
The incident follows the death of an eighteen year old, Karl Holland, who lost his life trying to swim in the reservoir on Friday night. It’s understood that a group of his friends gathered on the moor the following day in tribute to him, and in a video one woman is seen launching a firework towards the moors. A subsequent video shows the beginnings of a blaze.
This week’s weather
Guerrilla weatherman Martin Miles says: “Unfortunately, it’ll still be breezy this week which won’t help with the fires. Lots of good weather aside from that.”
Tuesday ☀️ Breezy, dry, and mostly sunny. Max 27°c.
Wednesday ☀️ Warm, dry, and sunny, although still quite breezy. Max 28°c
Thursday 🌤️ Feeling very warm with largely sunny skies and light winds. Slight chance of showers breaking out later in the afternoon. Max 29°c.
Friday 🌦️ Warm with sunny spells and light winds, but there will be a risk of showers later in the day. Max 27°c.
Weekend 🌤️ Remaining mostly dry despite cooler air temperatures due to northerly winds. Plenty of sunny spells.
Home of the week
Fancy moving to Ladybarn? Already live in Ladybarn and just fancy a new house? This house in Ladybarn could be the house for you. £270,000.
Our weekly to-dos
This week’s World Cup-themed to-dos list lets you know where to watch England see off Argentina on Wednesday, based on how much lager you want in your hair…
Loads of hair-lager: If you want several full pints of lager all up in your locks, with maybe a few halves on your t-shirt and a schooner down your trouser leg, then obviously you’ll need to go to Castlefield Bowl, where 9,000 fans will be waiting to administer the ceremonial dousing. Equivalent options include Co-op Live, DieCast and the Mayfield Depot, but this is the biggest of them all. Tickets are £16.50.
Medium hair-lager: This is for those of you who want a tasteful quantity of lager in your hair (perhaps even a tasteful lager, not a Carling or Fosters, but a Bavarian Helles), enough to style the hair, like pomade, but not enough to look like you’ve accidentally fallen into a vat at the Moss Side Heineken Brewery. The Albert Hall is the place for you — tickets a fiver.
Virtually no hair-lager: Have you just had your hair done? Or do you simply want to drink the lager, as opposed to pouring it all over your fellow fans? Courts Club is the one. You can watch from the safety of a deckchair, or beneath an umbrella.
No hair lager: This is for those among you who, like The Mill’s Jack Dulhanty, want absolutely no lager in your hair, who frankly hate football, and who would rather do anything else. Why not (like Jack!) go to see Kate Partington’s Inhale Me, Exhale You, an exhibition which can be viewed in HOME Arches Windows on Whitworth Street West. You certainly won’t end up with hair-lager here.
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