This weekend, people will get to experience what it’s like to be in a real-life Black Mirror episode when their phones all collectively sound off with a warning.
The Government will conduct a nationwide test of its new emergency alert service on Sunday afternoon that will see a siren-like alert go off for around 10 seconds on all 4G or 5G equipped phones - even if your phone is set to silent.
The system has good intentions behind it and is being tested as a potential way of informing the public in the future when there is a danger to life nearby, such as floods or wildfires, but there is something slightly dystopian about us all receiving the same siren noise at the very same time, isn’t there?
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At 3pm on Sunday, mums on the 197 bus on their way home from shopping in Stockport, restaurant workers covering a mid-afternoon rush in the city centre, and students cramming in last minute exam prep in Fallowfield will all get the very same ping. Drivers are already being warned that they could get fined for responding to the message too.
The Government has tried to spread the message about the alert as far in advance as possible, but there’s still a big chunk of people out there who will be caught off guard.
So, I will consider this my good deed of the week as I inform you of the situation. I would encourage you to also make others, especially to those who may not be well-versed in the internet, aware of it. It’s only a ten second ping, which will be made clear it’s only a test, but I’m sure it might still be pretty ‘alarming’ (pardon the pun) when not expected even if that is ultimately the point of it.
Perhaps, once the novelty has worn off, these alerts will be just like whenever we all receive the same breaking news alert from the M.E.N app (available on iOS and Android devices, by the way) and we’ll not panic too much when we're tells us to seek shelter.
In other news, we’ve made it to the weekend. To not cause too much concern about sirens and test warnings, here’s three stories to kickstart the day featuring a ‘member’s only’ takeaway spot, a cosy cottage, and a dad who says he is doing the right thing by teaching his son how to egg houses…
‘One of the loveliest villages’
A ‘picture-postcard’ village just over an hour’s drive from Greater Manchester is home to a cosy cottage that has just been named one of the best Airbnbs in the UK and for good reason.
Located in Castleton, nestled in the heart of the Peak District, the 200-year-old cottage features relaxing leather sofas, a wood-burning stove and a tiny courtyard to enjoy when the nights stay a little warmer than usual.
Liv Clark reports that not only can the cottage sleep up to four, but it is also dog-friendly meaning it’s a perfect spot to unwind after a walk up the Mam Tor. Perhaps my favourite aspect of the cottage, however, is the fact that the host leaves “locally made pork pies” in the kitchen. If that’s not a sell in itself then I don’t know what is.
Conde Nast Traveller describes the area of Castleton as “one of the loveliest villages in all of the Peaks - filled with little pubs and sweet cafes,” so there is plenty to explore outside the cottage too.
Read more about the luxurious cottage before it gets all booked up here.
A burger revelation
“It’s a love story with just the slightest sheen of burger grease,” Ben Arnold deliciously teases of how Swinton burger restaurant That Burger Place came to be.
The venue, located in a windowless kitchen on a Piccadilly trading estate, is by all accounts unassuming. That’s until you try the food. The rapidly-growing take-out is part of a ‘dark kitchen’ revolution in Manchester, alongside Reddish-born I Knead Pizza, Salford burger sensation Burgerism and sushi specialists Asuke.
Businesses pay a 'membership fee' for an all-inclusive service at the facilities, which are open 24/7 - a central base from which to process orders flocking in from across the city which are then delivered to their homes by food apps, like Uber Eats.
Ryan, who co-owns That Burger Place with fiance Megan, says the business model means they don’t have the stress of owning their own take-out spot but still gets to make burgers for people all over the centre of town.
“This business is so personal to us,” Ryan says. “And because we’re here and we’re together, it’s intense. But we wanted it to be that way. it’s been a bit of a whirlwind really.”
You can read about how the venture began right here.
Cracking up…
Back in my day, egging people’s houses was a big no-no. In fact, I’m pretty sure it still is.
Jason Knight recently found viral fame on TikTok by posting videos of his six-year-old son Jack pelting eggs at homes around the Limetree area of Oldham. But he’s not relishing in his son’s disruption: he said he’s turned the usually frowned-upon act into a teaching lesson.
The 29-year-old insists the pranks are just harmless fun and the pair always return to the properties the following day to clean up the mess they made. And they only egg the homes of people who have signed themselves up for it.
“In my eyes, I see it as a little thing for my son where he cleans up afterwards and it teaches him a lesson,” the dad-of-four told Paige Oldfield.
“There was someone running around with a machete where I live a few weeks ago saying he was going to slice everyone up.
“My son is egging houses, not running around with a machete. In my eyes, I’m doing the right thing.”
And the pair always clean up after themselves the next day. “We’re not doing it maliciously,” Jason insists.
You can read more about how the viral eggings came to be here. 26732997
Have a great weekend!
For more of today's top stories click here.
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