City News in 250 words: Friday 8 July

MANCHESTER City has renamed the City of Manchester Stadium in a deal with Etihad Airways. The lucrative deal is currently being finalised and the club’s bosses are said to announce the multi-million pound agreement which will transform the ground to 'The Etihad Stadium'. The club moved from its Maine Road site in 2003 after signing a 250-year agreement. The new ground, currently called the City of Manchester Stadium was built in 2002 for the Commonwealth Games.

THE RECENTLY opened South Manchester Metrolink line which runs to Chorlton was temporarily suspended this morning as thieves stole high-voltage cables. The service was suspended from around 8.40am as engineers carried out essential repair work and safety checks. Philip Purdy, Transport for Greater Manchester’s Metrolink Director, said the incident was “extremely disappointing and frustrating”. The line is now back up and running.

A STALYBRIDGE bar has been closed down as £100,000 worth of cocaine was found in the cellar. The drug was found in the basement by police in Havana's on Market Street, Stalybridge. Three men aged 25, 39 and 42 have been arrested aon suspicion of possession with intent to supply a class A drug.

THE FORMER Post Office block in Spring Gardens, Manchester has sold for £25m. The 66,000 sq ft of office floorspace, built in 1968 was refurbished in 2007, however it still remained empty four years after it re-opened. The office block was sold to Henderson Global Investors, whose UK Retail Warehouse Fund also owns the Manchester Fort shopping centre.

Fact of the day: This week in1769 St John’s Church Manchester was consecrated. The Gothic building occupied what is now St John’s Gardens.

For more Manchester history check out @revealmcr.