Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis, has died aged 53.Davis paid tribute to Samantha in a statement, revealing his wife of 32 years had died on March 24.The couple, who first met on the set of Ron Howard’s 1988 fantasy film Willow, co-founded the dwarfism charity Little People UK.Davis told the BBC that Samantha’s death “has left a huge hole in our lives as a family”, adding: “I miss her hugs.”The Life’s Too Short actor, who also hosted ITV game shows Celebrity Squares and Tenable, described Samantha as his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.He added: “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.Davis said that with his wife by his side, he felt as if he could achieve anything, adding: “It was like having a super-power.”“Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.”The actor explained that it was his wife who persuaded Ricky Gervais to send him with Karl Pilkington for the third series of the hit travel show.The couple’s children, Harrison and Annabelle, joined their father in paying tribute, saying “her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives.
It's one of Manchester's most iconic places. The man who runs it is 'sick of it'
07.04.2024 - 07:51 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
From working 70 hour weeks due to staff cuts, to turning off lights and the heating on quiet days or shutting altogether, the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills are forcing pub landlords to take drastic measures in a bid to stay afloat.
A recent poll of British Beer and Pub Association members found 32% had reduced their hours due to high costs. Sobering research by the association shows 509 pubs shut down in 2023, and this year an estimated 750 could close by June.
Figures from Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) show in Greater Manchester alone, during the course of 2023, there were 24 permanent closures and 60 long-term closures.
Despite the mounting challenges publicans across Greater Manchester are standing fast, driven by a dogged passion to keep the pub industry alive for the sake of their communities.
It’s within their establishments’ walls that families hold and make memories, from celebrating marriages to comforting one another at a wake. To some customers going for a pint and a chat at their local pub is a lifeline.
For pub chef Tom McNeeney, of the Oxford Pub in Rochdale, running a pub is in his blood, his parents have run boozers their whole lives and his grandparents before them, but it’s beginning to feel ‘almost impossible’.
The Oxford Pub, which has been run by Tom’s family for 11 years, initially cut its opening hours post-Covid and has been forced to reduce them again amid spiralling energy costs after ‘tough conversations’ with regulars.
The 35-year-old said: “We were staying open for the traditional drinker who comes in later and tends to be an older fella but we were finding our least profitable hours were the latest ones.
“Now on a Friday and Saturday we’re closing last orders at 10pm. We
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