Week Ending: Brummies woo Pride punters; Manchester Confidential saga continues

ON the eve of Manchester Pride, the annual August bank holiday celebration of gay and lesbian life, Week Ending spotted several cheeky adverts in and around the city’s Gay Village from Birmingham’s Southside zone.

Southside for those not in the know, is the Brummie equivalent to Canal Street, and is clearly bidding to build its status as the go-to party location for the gay community.

The economic impact of Manchester Pride is no small thing, boosting the coffers of the city’s hotels, clubs and bars by around £20m a year, so small wonder that others want a share of the city’s pink pound. 

Well, I guess Birmingham has to do something to fight back… Manchester has arguably snatched its crown as England’s true second city.

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ANOTHER year, another Manchester Confidential business bites the dust.

This time the ‘what’s on’ website’s parent company Atruva, incorporated in 2012, has gone into voluntary liquidation owing the tax man around £300,000.

It is the fifth such vehicle to fall over in the last five years following 2M Media, Planet Confidential, Cpub, and How-Do.

Atruva’s sole director is Georgina Hague, daughter of the website’s ebullient founder Mark Garner. He was prevented from holding such a position by a 12-year director ban in November for running a company while an undischarged bankrupt in 2009.

The website continues of course, but this time it’s different. Mr Garner, or Gordo as he is widely known, is running the business as a sole trader, trading as Confidential Direct. This means he will not have the protection of a limited liability company if the debts mount up and will have to take the losses on the chin… or go bankrupt again.