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
All Star Bowling Opening Date Confirmed
At last, after multiple delays, All Star Bowling Lanes has confirmed a 1 March launch date. It will be opening a few days earlier to the public. The location is in the Great Northern Warehouse, it's 19,500 sq ft, creates 65 jobs, has 8 lanes, 2 private lanes, an 80 cover restaurant and stocks 120 whiskies. Sleuth can't wait, this will be splendid for the amenity of the city centre.
Tilted burgers at the Lanes
Live Fish, It's Lovely
Sleuth was walking in Chinatown the other day. On Faulkner Street he looked into a basement and saw movement. He saw crabs. The basement was part of D&K Fresh Seafood. Sleuth went in and found live crabs, lobsters, prawns and even eels in there. Yum yum. Sleuth's back in the shop on Saturday to talk to one of the family who own the business. The family member is called Kaka. Sleuth is pretty certain that the Kaka in question is not the Brazilian who plays for Real Madrid. But you never know.
Lobsters £18.50
Sleuth And The Confidential Beat
Sleuth was doing a prototype for the Confidential Beat in Chinatown in the story above. This starts in a couple of weeks. Confidential's going to be picking an area of the city, then on a Monday walking the streets in that area talking to people, getting to know what's going on in that neck of the Manchester woods. The Beat will be looking at issues, openings and funny stuff. We'll be letting people know where we'll be in advance, so keep an eye out for us, and have a chat.
The Confidential Beat is coming
Sleuth Gets Lost In Dark Manchester
Brendan KeelySleuth's been flailing around in the dark in the city centre, especially now the Christmas Markets have gone. Indeed Confidential is in the process of putting together an article about the lack of illumination of Manchester's main public buildings. Confidential's already had a chat with Brendan Keely, a lighting specialist at architectural practice BDP, about the issue.
Standing in Albert Square at 5.30pm, Keely, pointed down Cross Street: "Look down there and what do you see? You see Subway. The street is so dark it loses any identifiers that tell people they are in Manchester and you only see a chain sandwich store. Other cities such as Liverpool have worked really hard to provide lighting on key structures. They know it makes the city a more pleasant place to be in at night and that's good for tourists and locals alike. Shows the city is proud of itself, helps bring in investment."
The dark Town Hall. Could someone please turn on the lights in Manchester?
St George's Hall in Liverpool
National Rail Enquiries Confusion
Sleuth wanted to get to Penrith from Manchester Oxford Road. He went on the National Rail Enquiries website and found the price was £43.10. Steep - but that's UK rail travel. He decided to buy the ticket at the station.
"No, you don't buy a return to Penrith from Manchester," said the man at the ticket office, "you buy a return to Preston and then a return from Preston to Penrith and the fare is less than £31."
Very nice of the ticket man to tell Sleuth that, but it was ridiculous to sit on one direct train and have to show two tickets. Still a saving of more than £12, or more than 25% off the internet price, was huge and worthwhile.
Sleuth got in touch with National Rail Enquiries. "Isn't it confusing for Brits and visitors this chaos of fares and pricing especially since you advertise 'the cheapest fares'?" he said.
"Do you think this is a question of ticket complexity or individual discrepancy?" asked an uncertain spokesman. Oh good, thought Sleuth, you get a choice of puzzle.
The only solution was to get an interview with the boss. That takes place next week. Sleuth is looking forward to having the labyrinth of rail pricing revealed.
Sleuth might also ask the train person another question. Given the recent ticket price rises, is the main purpose of railways to generate profits through public subsidies for private individuals or is the main purpose of subsidised rail travel about transporting UK citizens on public transport efficiently and at a reasonable price?
But that would just be silly thinks Sleuth, because we all know the answer.
Oxford Road Station
Sleuth's Rant Of The Week
This doesn't come from Manchester Confidential but from the Guardian. Tony Naylor wrote a piece (click here) saying the city doesn't necessarily need Michelin star restaurants when there's a good, and diverse, indie food scene. Unfortunately he did what so many Manchester journos of a certain age do, and made an analogy with Factory Records: the progressive, exciting, but commercially slack music company that went bust years ago.
Sleuth loved this comment on the rants below the article from 'Nepthsolem'.
'I would like to propose a Manchester based review system that harks back to the thrill of Factory Records, and which would be based on the Durutti Column's drummer. It would be called the Is Bruce Mitchell In? Award. If he turns up alone, one star. If he turns up with Vini Reilly, two stars. Simple.'
He makes a good point.
Collectively as Mancunians Sleuth reckons, we need to put Madchester firmly in the museum and then lock it in, tight.
Sleuth's Name Of The Week
This goes to the new head of the NCP Customer Contact Centre in Manchester: Mr Adrian Cobbledick. Memorable sir, very memorable.
Sleuth And The Silver Screen
Every seven days or so Sleuth is stopped in the street by policemen, firemen, concierges, live lobsters, NCP attendents, the complete cast of The Hobbit and asked "Where can we see people filming in Manchester this week?"
Why,” says Sleuth, “that would be at the Old Grapes pub, off Quay Street, in the city centre, for the latest series of Scott and Bailey."
Sleuth will be in the Old Grapes later this afternoon. Sleuth will have a Scotch, and buy the first reader who comes in, a Baileys.
Scott and Baileys please and a packet of crisps
