City news in 250 words: Tuesday 16 November

PANACEA bar manager Joe Akka was hit with a glass inside the venue in the early hours of Sunday morning. Aston Villa footballer Ashley Young, who had been playing in Villa Park earlier that day, is to be questioned as a witness. He was in the bar with team-mates Emile Heskey and Stephen Ireland. A 36-year-old man was arrested and bailed. Akka was treated in hospital.

THE GLAZER family will pay off the £220m debt it raised to buy Manchester Utd through payment-in-kind notes. Co-chairman Joel Glazer has sent a notice to lenders that issued the loan saying it will be paid in full by the family. No details have been released as to where the money will come from however, leading some fans to speculate the Glazers may have sold off part of the club.

A STRETFORD woman has been convicted of benefit fraud of more than £17,000. Helen Sharp failed to declare that her partner had moved in with her. She was given 250 hours of unpaid work and will have to repay the money. Kimberley Jayne Lunt, also from Stretford, was convicted of the same offence, for obtaining £3,579.31. She was given a six month supervision order.

POLICE are investigating a possible arson following a fire at the former Athenaeum bar on York Street this morning. A fire started in the basement of the four storey Victorian building. The bar is currently being renovated by new owners Brown’s, which intends to open a brasserie there.

Out of the window weather forecast: It looks freezing. Possibly because I'm looking at the Spinningfields ice rink.