Scranchester

“Scran” is a northern word meaning food as in “Am starvin man! Let wi gan and get some scran”.

So “Scranchester” is a Manchester food tour with a twist. We were led by our guide, Rob, to some of the best independent restaurants in Manchester. He revealed some food and drink stories along the way giving us an edible insight into the past!

We met at Manchester Craft Centre in the Northern Quarter, and first explored what used to be the fish and meat markets area. Our first stop was Mackie Mayor’s award-winning food hall, the former Smithfield market. Opened in 1858, it was originally used as a fresh produce market, but had lain empty since the early 1990’s.

There we had a delicious tempura battered fish taco with a tasty topping.

We then moved on to Nells Pizza on Thomas Street, and sampled a couple of slices of “cheese and onion pie” pizza.

From there, we moved to Tib Street. The street had its origins in the 1780s and was previously the central trading district of Victorian Manchester. We remembered it as the home of “parrots and porn” as it was once the pet shop district. Much of the animal trade and pet shops shut down on Tib Street in the seventies, but the concealed structure of the street rendered it ideal for explicit stores to pitch up for patrons; away from city residents’ prying eyes.

We then headed to Tariff and Dale restaurant, where we sampled spiced pork and lamb meat rolls. There was also a vegetarian option.

We finished the tour at Affleck’s Palace, now home to many trendy, individual stalls, but once the home of Affleck and Brown’s department store. There, members of the group sampled a variety of delicious ice creams at Ginger’s Ice Cream Emporium, an award winning business.

The tour revealed unique food and drink stories and we learnt more about the city we love.

More photos can be seen here.

Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy

Christopher Isherwood (26 August 1904 – 4 January 1986) wrote Goodbye to Berlin (which became the musical Cabaret), A Single Man, Mr Norris Changes Trains and many more novels.

He met and fell in love with artist Don Bachardy in the early 50s. They actually met on Valentine’s Day 1953 when Don was 18 and Christopher was 48. They stayed together until Isherwood passed away in 1986. The image above is Don painting one of his many portraits of Chris.

Their relationship was extraordinary. The lived as an out couple during a time when being out was far more difficult than it is today. The 50s and 60s, even in California where they lived, were not the easiest of times to be gay. Donald Jess Bachardy (born 18 May 1934) still resides in Santa Monica, California.

First Ugandan charged with ‘aggravated homosexuality’ punishable by death

A 20-year-old man has become the first Ugandan to be charged with “aggravated homosexuality”, an offence punishable by death under the country’s recently enacted anti-gay law, prosecutors and his lawyer said.

Defying pressure from Western governments and rights organisations, Uganda in May enacted one of the world’s harshest laws targeting the LGBT community.

It prescribes life in prison for same-sex intercourse. The death penalty can apply in cases deemed “aggravated”, which include repeat offences, gay sex that transmits terminal illness, or same-sex intercourse with a minor, an elderly person or a person with disabilities.

According to a charge sheet, the defendant was charged on 18 August 2023 with aggravated homosexuality after he “performed unlawful sexual intercourse” with a 41-year-old man. It did not specify why the act was considered aggravated.

“Since it is a capital offence triable by the High Court, the charge was read out and explained to him in the Magistrate’s Court on (the) 18th and he was remanded,” said Jacqueline Okui, spokesperson for the office of the director of public prosecutions.

Okui did not provide additional details about the case. She said she was not aware of anyone else having been previously charged with aggravated homosexuality.

Justine Balya, an attorney for the defendant, said she believed the entire law was unconstitutional. The law has been challenged in court, but the judges have not yet taken up the case.

Balya said four other people have been charged under the law since its enactment and that her client was the first to be prosecuted for aggravated homosexuality. She declined to comment on the specifics of his case.

Uganda has not executed anyone in around two decades, but capital punishment has not been abolished and President Yoweri Museveni threatened in 2018 to resume executions to stop a wave of crime.

The law’s enactment three months ago drew widespread condemnation and threats of sanctions. Earlier this month, the World Bank suspended new public financing to Uganda in response to the law.

The United States has also imposed visa restrictions on some Ugandan officials, and President Joe Biden ordered a review of US aid to Uganda.

Pope Francis laments “reactionary,” politicised, US Catholic Church

Pope Francis has lamented what he called a “reactionary” Catholic Church in the United States, where he said political ideology has replaced faith in some cases.

In the 10 years since his election, Francis has been criticised by conservative sectors of the US Church who are opposed to reforms such as giving women and lay Catholics more roles and making the Church more welcoming and less judgmental towards some, including LGBT people.

Francis made his comments on 5 August in a private meeting in Lisbon with members of the Jesuit order, of which he is a member, during his trip for World Youth Day. They were published by the Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica.

In a question-and-answer session, a Portuguese Jesuit said that during a sabbatical in the United States, he was saddened that many Catholics, including some bishops, were hostile to the pope’s leadership.

“You have seen that in the United States the situation is not easy: there is a very strong reactionary attitude. It is organised and shapes the way people belong, even emotionally,” the pope responded.

Religious conservatives in the United States often have aligned with politically conservative media outlets to criticise the pope over a host of issues such as climate change, immigration, social justice, his calls for gun control and his opposition to the death penalty.

“You have been to the United States and you say you have felt a climate of closure. Yes, this climate can be experienced in some situations,” Francis said. “And there, one can lose the true tradition and turn to ideologies for support. In other words, ideology replaces faith, membership in a sector of the Church replaces membership in the Church,” he said.

Don’t forget … Saturday, 2 September – Didsbury Pride, 6 Barlow Moor Road, Manchester M20 6TR

12 noon – 9.00pm – FREE

Rainbow Walk thru the Village from midday … assemble outside The Didsbury Pub from 11.30am.