SleuthSleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. We give £25 for every story/rumour and piece of absurdity you find for us to publish. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious. We ask for the money back if any legal action follows. Follow Sleuth on twitter @mcrsleuth
Sleuth And The Cinderella Inspector
GMP’s Inspector Ian Hanson is Cinderella. He has to be home by midnight. He caused a big row this week by saying in the Daily Telegraph: “I still socialise in Manchester city centre but I would not be there past midnight now. I do not believe it is safe there. The situation is at crisis point - we cannot guarantee anyone’s safety after midnight.”
Sleuth knows this to be ridiculous, he’s always out past midnight and things are fine. There are idiots but it’s not as Cinders paints. Sleuth wonders if Inspector Ian Cinderella-Hanson has little glass slippers instead of a proper Bobby’s size 11s and whether he should be admitting to such a dereliction of GMP's duty to protect its citizens.
Inspector Cinderella has a pre-midnight glass size 11 bootie fitted
Sleuth And The Ignored Email
The editor sent Inspector Cinders the following email to his Police Federation address. There’s been no response.
‘I read with alarm your comments in the Daily Telegraph.I would like to seek some clarification on these words.
'1) Why were you motivated to comment in the way you did, was it because of a particular incident?
'2) Do you think Manchester city centre is worse than other city centres - Leeds, Liverpool - in terms of late night behaviour?
'3) Were the comments really about a disguised appeal for more resources and implied criticism of the Coalition government's spending cuts?
'4) Do you think your comments damage the reputation of the city?'
Since the Inspector Hansonrella was speaking on behalf of the Police Federation (effectively the police union) Sleuth assumes the answer to question three is ‘yes’. He also assumes that the answer to question four is, 'Frankly I don’t care if I potentially damage investment in the city centre as long as I can score cheap points against central government'.
Confidential Midnight Undertaking
Sleuth and other Confidential staff are going to restrain from drink next Saturday at midnight and walk from The Printworks, through Piccadilly, The Village, Oxford Road and Spinningfields armed with cameras. Confidential would like Inspector Ian Hanson to come with them. Let’s see if we all make it.
Bootle Street Model Shop
Sleuth is a child at heart and a little part of his heart died when the model shop closed on Deansgate last year with all its trains and Spitfires and remote controlled cars and planes and friendly enthusiastic geeky staff. City centres need to cater for all ages and all interest groups so Sleuth is delighted that the model shop - cunningly now called Phoenix Models - is to re-open round the corner from the old site on Bootle Street opposite 42nd Street night club.
Opening model shop - although the actual opening will be a couple of weeks delayed
Cane And Grain Opens
The ‘rum, ribs, bourbon and beer’ venue has finally opened in the old Thomas Restaurant site on Thomas Street. It’ll be an off-shoot of Liar’s Club off Bridge Street, one of the Black Dog stable. Indeed the second floor will feature the Liar’s Lounge. The ground floor will focus on food and refers in its interior design to the former skate shop on the site. Here’s a picture of chef Barry Gamble’s ribs. Sleuth reckons it’s a good job there are no other rib restaurants in Manchester city centre and Cane and Grain has a unique and distinctive food offer that…er…what? Oh.
Barry's ribs and so forth
Plasticland’s New Burger Operation
Gourmet Burger Kitchen is to relaunch in the Trafford Centre just weeks after Five Guys burger bar opened in the shopping centre. Sleuth reckons it’s a good job there are no other burger restaurants in the Manchester area and Gourmet Burger Kitchen has a unique and distinctive food offer that…er…what? Oh.
Back In The City Centre Patty Takes Over
Sleuth hears that the London pioneer of the bearded-burger-aren’t-we-clever restaurants, Meat Liquor, is to announce an opening in a central Manchester location very soon. Sleuth reckons it’s a good job there are no other burger filled restaurants in Manchester city centre and that Meat Liquor has a unique and distinctive food offer…er…what? Oh.
King Street Restaurant For The Old Monsoon
Sleuth learns that within four weeks there will be an announcement about the first permanent food and drink operator to open in the lower end of King Street since the ill-fated Lotus Bar and Dim Sum some years ago. The venue will be in the lovely black and white former Monsoon building which dates from 1902. Sleuth hears the operator might be Gordo's fave London group, Hawksmoor. This team of restaurants provides British magnificence with piles of oysters, Brixham lobster, Porterhouse steaks and classic British pudds. Sleuth’s hopes the rumour is true. Sleuth loves oysters. Sleuth likes to bury himself in the indecently gorgeous, almost pornographically raw molluscs and moan gently. If not Hawksmoor then let’s have Lunya, says Sleuth, the wonderful Liverpool based Catalonian restaurant and deli.
Something exciting for King Street?
Sleuth's Lies To Tell Tourists
This comes from the Police Federation and Inspector Cinderella-Hanson: "The city centre is a dangerous place and you should always try to go out for a drink in Mobberley or any other small Cheshire village - although given how cash-strapped the Coalition have left us well-paid police officers then we suggest you don't go out at all but stay home wrapped in cotton-wool and shaking with FEAR."
