Business
The fall and future of Manchester Pride
Jasmine Sandhar,BBC Newsbeat and
Pete Allison,BBC Newsbeat
Getty ImagesWhen Saki Yew stepped off stage at this year’s Manchester Pride, she felt “joyous”.
The former Drag Race UK queen had spent weeks rehearsing and creating costumes for the performance at the city’s Sackville Gardens in August.
It was effort she was happy to make for one of the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ events, and the reaction from the crowd made it worth it.
But when she asked Pride’s organisers for her payment, she says there was silence.
The charity behind Manchester Pride went bust this week, leaving dozens of performers, vendors and backstage workers unpaid.
In a statement confirming it had gone into liquidation, bosses blamed a “combination of rising costs, declining ticket sales and an ambitious refresh of the format aimed to challenge these issues”.
But some believe repeated warning signs about the sustainability of the event weren’t heeded.
Warning signs
Manchester Pride started in 1985 as a two-week fundraising event.
Since then, it’s grown in size and influence, becoming the first UK organisation to add black and brown stripes to the rainbow flag to represent LGBTQ+ people of colour.
By 2025 Manchester was one of the biggest Pride events in the UK, alongside London and Brighton’s annual celebrations.
With its increasing size came bigger names, including Ariana Grande, Sophie Ellis-Bexter, Anastacia and Zara Larsson.
This year’s star-studded line-up featured Nelly Furtado, Olly Alexander, and former Little Mix star Leigh-Anne.
But behind the scenes there were signs all was not well, according to people who worked on this year’s event.
Abbie AshallEvent manager Abbie Ashall had worked for Manchester Pride since 2023, and was a project manager for this year’s parade.
She tells BBC Newsbeat many charities were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, and there was evidence Manchester Pride had also been affected.
Abbie says she was given strict budgets to stick to, and noticed that former colleagues who left were not replaced.
Yet, at the same time, Abbie says, Pride’s organisers launched Mardi Gras this year – a two-day, ticketed event at Manchester’s high-capacity Mayfield Depot.
Attendees reported that crowds were small, and Abbie says the event was not considered successful.
Contractor Chris O’Connor worked at Manchester Pride for five years as a runner, a role he describes as a mixture of organisation and “troubleshooter-slash-firefighter”.
He says working in the run-up to previous Pride weekends had been “a joy”, but that 2025 had presented “red flags” and “major issues” for him to resolve from the start.
He believes Manchester Pride, which reported a loss of about £468,000 in 2023, should have had better control of the finances.
‘I rely on that money to live’
Both Chris and Abbie say they are still owed money for their work on 2025’s event.
In Chris’s case, he says not being paid prevented him visiting his son, who has just started university in Ireland.
Saki Yew tells Newsbeat she has “a life outside of drag” and “bills and groceries to pay for”.
Like Chris, Saki believes Pride’s organisers could have been more transparent about their financial troubles while people waited for payment.
“It’s highly disrespectful,” says Saki.
“You’ve kept us in the dark, you’ve just disrespected every single person on what they do and what they provide for you.”
Getty ImagesSome suspect the lack of communication from Manchester Pride’s organisers over payment is linked to its failed bid to host 2028’s Europride.
The international event usually attracts huge crowds, and Abbie believes Pride bosses were banking on “the funding that would have come with that from Manchester City Council and beyond”.
When it was announced that Limerick and Clare, in Ireland, had won the bid earlier this month, hopes for potential Europride investment disappeared.
“I think they took a massive swing and it was a miss,” says Abbie.
The exact details of the circumstances leading up to Manchester Pride going into liquidation aren’t yet known.
However, the Charity Commission, which works to ensure organisations in England and Wales comply with the law, is “assessing concerns” after Pride’s bosses submitted a “serious incident report relating to its finances”.
There are also questions about future events in Manchester, and what shape they will take.
Getty ImagesOn the streets of the city, it’s not hard to find people who attended this year’s Pride and want to see the celebration return.
Kieran, 24, from Oldham, believes “it’s something that everyone in Manchester looks forward to”.
“It brings all types of culture and people together,” he says.
Lexi agrees Pride is “a big part of not only the culture of this city, but so important for the community itself”.
“If we don’t have Pride, what else do we have?”
Lexi says attending Pride events after she’d just come out was “a really important time” and “it would be horrible for people to lose that opportunity”.
‘A new chapter’?
Manchester City Council has said it will “support a new chapter for Manchester Pride weekend, which will take place next August”.
Lexi is optimistic.
“I would be happy to put my money into something, especially if it’s going to go back to the community,” she says.
There had been complaints about staging events outside Manchester’s gay village and focusing on spectacle over supporting LGBTQ+ causes.
“Maybe there’s a way around it in creating a cheaper, more sustainable Pride,” Lexi hopes.
But for the workers that may depend on, trust has been lost as well as money.
“This charity is there to platform and support queer artists and practitioners,” says Abbie.
“For all of those people to be at a loose end when this is the charity that is meant to raise them up more than anybody – that’s where it’s deeply frustrating and really upsetting.”
The BBC approached Manchester Pride for comment but it did not respond.
In a statement shared on social media, Manchester Pride’s Board of Trustees expressed “regret” for delays in communication, but said it was “keen not to jeopardise financial opportunities while our discussions were ongoing”.
It said it had hoped to find a way to continue to support those who had contributed, and was “sincerely sorry for those who will now lose out financially from the current situation”.
“We have put our hearts and souls into the celebration and community activities over two decades,” it added.
“We hope and believe that this leaves a positive and lasting legacy for the Pride movement in Greater Manchester.”
Additional reporting by Georgia Levy-Collins.
Business
8th Pay Commission: Railways to trim costs to accommodate higher wages; maintenance, procurement, energy sectors in focus – The Times of India
Railways is implementing focused cost-cutting initiatives across maintenance, procurement and energy sectors to fortify its financial position before dealing with increased wage expenses anticipated from the Eighth Pay Commission recommendations.Established in January 2024, the Eighth Pay Commission must submit its recommendations within an 18-month timeframe.The previous Seventh Pay Commission led to wage increases of 14-26% for railway staff. Its implementation began in 2016, with tenure concluding in January 2026. The national transporter is currently emphasising expense reduction to enhance operational efficiency over the next two years to prevent financial strain from the forthcoming recommendations.The Seventh Pay Commission increased the wage expenditure by Rs 22,000 crore, including salaries and pensions, whilst the current projection suggests a potential rise of Rs 30,000 crore. “We have planned for the additional fund requirement,” a senior official told Economic Times, stating that internal accruals, combined with projected savings and increased freight revenue, would cover the expenses.Indian Railways recorded an operating ratio (OR) of 98.90% in fiscal 2024-25, resulting in net revenue of Rs 1,341.31 crore. For fiscal 2025-26, the target OR is 98.43% with anticipated net revenue of Rs 3041.31 crore.Officials anticipate annual energy savings of Rs 5,000 crore following network electrification completion.Additionally, yearly payments to Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) are expected to decrease in fiscal 2027-28, as recent capital expenditure has been funded through gross budgetary support (GBS).Officials confirm no plans for new short-term borrowing. “Annual freight earnings will also rise by Rs 15,000 crore when higher wages need to be paid in 2027-28,” the official stated.The Seventh Pay Commission implemented a 2.57 fitment factor, raising minimum basic pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 17,990. Central trade unions advocate for a 2.86 fitment factor for the Eighth Pay Commission, potentially increasing the national transporter’s wage bill by over 22%.“Railways will ensure its finances are in a good condition to absorb the hit. Funds would not be an issue,” the official confirmed.The Railways has allocated Rs 1.28 lakh crore for staff costs in 2025-26, increased from Rs 1.17 lakh crore in 2024-25. Additionally, Rs 68,602.69 crore is earmarked for the pension fund in FY26, up from Rs 66,358.69 crore in FY25.
New Delhi: Gold and silver prices witnessed a sharp surge in the domestic market this week, tracking strong gains in global bullion markets. Gold prices rose by around Rs 4,000 per 10 grams, while silver prices jumped by nearly Rs 17,000 per kilogram. According to data from the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), the price of 24-karat gold increased by Rs 4,188 to Rs 1,32,710 per 10 grams, compared to Rs 1,28,592 a week ago.
The price of 22-karat gold climbed to Rs 1,21,562 per 10 grams from Rs 1,17,777, while 18-karat gold rose to Rs 99,533 per 10 grams from Rs 96,444. Silver prices outperformed gold, registering a sharper weekly rise. The price of silver surged by Rs 16,970 to Rs 1,95,180 per kilogram, up from Rs 1,78,210 per kilogram a week earlier.
Earlier on Friday, Silver touched the Rs 2 lakh mark to hit an all-time high of Rs 2,013,88 per kilogram on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) during the intraday trade. The price of the future contract expiring on March 5, 2026, rose over Rs 2,400 during the day before settling at Rs 2,00462, up Rs 1,520 against the previous session’s closing of Rs 1,98,942.
“Gold and silver ETFs have been quiet heroes of the year, delivering standout returns even as equity markets saw bouts of volatility. Silver, especially, stole the spotlight — a rare combination of booming industrial demand from solar, EVs and electronics, alongside tightening global supply, pushed prices sharply higher,” said Nikunj Saraf, CEO, Choice Wealth.
Gold too held its ground and climbed steadily, supported by persistent central-bank buying and investors seeking safety amid geopolitical and inflation worries, he added. The gold future contract expiring on February 5 surged 1.87 per cent to close at Rs 1,34,948 per 10 grams on MCX on Friday. In the retail market, the 24-carat gold price settled at Rs 132,710 per 10 grams, up over Rs 4,600 from the previous day’s closing of Rs 1,28,596 per 10 grams, according to the IBJA.
The rally in domestic bullion prices is largely driven by continued strength in international markets, with both precious metals hovering close to their all-time highs. On the COMEX, gold was trading at $4,328 per ounce, while silver stood at $62 per ounce.
New Delhi: Nifty 50 and Nifty Midcap 150 emerged as best-performing indices in November, with a growth of 1.87 per cent and 1.59 per cent, respectively, a report said on Saturday. Meanwhile, Nifty 50 outperformed with a return of 7.27 per cent, 5.87 per cent, and 8.59 per cent over the last 3 months, 6 months, and 1-year period, respectively.
At the same time, the Nifty Midcap 150 continued to show steady traction with gains of 7.93 per cent, 6.01 per cent, and 7.12 per cent across the same 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year periods, Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund said in its report.
The broader market also delivered healthy gains, with the Nifty 500 gaining 0.94 per cent in the previous month, with large and midcap stocks up about 1-2 per cent and smallcaps corrected by around 1-3 per cent. Over the last 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year, the index has consecutively given positive returns of 6.55 per cent, 4.96 per cent and 5.94 per cent, the report noted.
The Nifty Smallcap 250 Index showed mixed momentum, declining 3.36 per cent during the month, while recording a moderate 1.37 per cent gain over the past 3 months. However, returns remained subdued over longer periods, with the index slipping 0.60 per cent over 6 months and 5.55 per cent over the 1-year horizon.
The Nifty Microcap 250 Index also reflected volatility, registering a 2.83 per cent decline in November. According to the report, the Nifty Next 50 Index ended the month with a marginal decline of 0.98 per cent but maintained positive momentum over the medium term with gains of 5.16 over 3 months and 3.56 per cent over 6 months, while delivering −2.25 per cent over the 1 year.
Sector performance remained mixed with IT delivering an increase of 4.74 per cent, Auto 3.60 per cent, Banks 3.42 per cent and Healthcare 2.30 per cent in November. The Defence sector delivered the strongest annual performance with an impressive 19.43 per cent return, emerging as the best-performing segment over the year.
The Auto sector followed closely at 18.85 per cent, the Banking sector also posted a healthy 14.79 per cent gain, and Metals also recorded a strong 13.94 per cent. Healthcare generated 6.40 per cent, indicating steady but moderate expansion.
Realty, on the other hand, slipped further by 4.69 per cent in November and 11.47 per cent in the past year. The broader trend shows a 1–4 per cent decline across these segments during November, reflecting sector-specific pressures and profit-taking after earlier rallies, the report highlighted.
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