The latest data showing coronavirus (COVID-19) infection rates has been released and it’s revealed a rise in cases across nearly every Greater Manchester borough.
Figures from the last week, which were released by the government on Thursday afternoon, show that the infection rate in Oldham has risen the most sharply in the region, but rates are seen to be going up week-on-week in seven of the ten Greater Manchester boroughs.
The city of Manchester, Tameside, Salford, Trafford, Bolton and Stockport have also seen significant increases.
Oldham’s infection rate has now reached 67.9 per 100,000 people, after there were 161 positive cases in the week up until this Monday 3rd August, and which is said to be the biggest weekly total since 8th May. There has been more than 100 positive cases for COVID-19 in Oldham in the few days since the new measures were imposed across Greater Manchester and this figure is due to rise once late test results are added in the coming days.
In the city of Manchester, 183 cases were recorded in the week up to 3rd August, and whilst this is 28 cases more than the previous week, the rate has still fallen slightly since local lockdown measures came into effect.
Infection rates in Tameside (26.5 – 67 new cases) and Salford (27.4 – 71 new cases) have also risen sharply over the last week and both now have a higher rate than Trafford (26.5), where the number of cases has fallen by 36 in the last week since the previous, with a recorded total of 63 new cases.
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Stockport (25.6 – 75 new cases) and Bolton (24.4 – 70 new cases) have also seen infection rates increase in the last week.
Dr Helen Lowey, Director of Public Health at Bolton Council, stated that she was “disappointed” to see figures rising in the borough, but that this increase was expected. She said: “We have increased the amount of testing that is taking place, so we would expect the number of cases to rise, [but] we continue to monitor the situation and to work with our residents and businesses.”
“Coronavirus has not gone away and we are still in the middle of a global pandemic [so] we must continue to stick to the new rules introduced for Bolton and other parts of the north of England.”
“We continue to monitor the local picture closely along with our partners in health and social care and Public Health England.”
In Bury, infection rates are growing, but remain low overall, whilst in Wigan, there has been no noticeable rise over the last week making it the borough with the lowest rates of any area in Greater Manchester.
The latest figures show Oldham remains at alert level ‘red’, Manchester, Rochdale, Tameside, Salford, Trafford and Stockport are rated ‘amber’, and Bolton, Bury and Wigan are rated ‘green’.
⚠️ Local restrictions in Manchester ⚠️
Cases of coronavirus are going up in Manchester. You MUST follow Government issued guidance to protect yourself and others.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 31, 2020
This latest data comes the week after Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement on the evening of Thursday 30th July that people in certain areas of Northern England – crucially including all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester – would no long be permitted to congregate privately with others outside their household or support bubble due to a rise in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases across these regions.
Legislation to legally enforce these new restrictions was published by the government five days after the announcement and came into force on Wednesday 5th August.
You can check the latest infection rates across Greater Manchester in full here.
To check the latest COVID-related death toll figures and information for your area, you can input your postcode via the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website here.
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For further information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do refer to official sources via gov.uk/coronavirus.
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News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
7th August 2020 
