Every Lidl Helps: High street supermarket accepts Liam Gallagher's offer to play in their Manchester store

Manchester's new 'state-of-the-art' concert venue Co-Op Live has been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently following the cancellation and/or postponement of shows by comedian Peter Kay, The Black Keys, rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and pop star Olivia Rodrigo due to "an on-going venue-related technical issue" at the arena.

Given the uncertainty about when exactly the venue will be fit for purpose, local heroes Take That have taken the decision to move five hometown shows from Co-Op Live to the AO Arena. A new statement from the venue declares that they are taking taking a "short pause", and expect to welcome music fans to the arena from the middle of the month, which hasn't exactly eased consumer fears about upcoming gigs.

Another local hero scheduled to play the £365 million venue near his beloved Manchester City's Etihad Stadium is former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, whose Definitely Maybe 30th anniversary tour is booked in for June 15, 16, 27 and 29. When a fan on X (formerly Twitter) raised the possibility of Gallagher's gigs being cancelled too, the singer insisted that things would be just fine for the "BIBLICAL SON OF MANCHESTER", adding, "it’ll be all good, have faith in the folks." When another fan asked Gallagher what his contingency plans might be of the venue is not ready, the singer responded, tongue-in-cheek, "Gig in LIDL". And now Lidl have accepted his proposal, stating that they will apply for late night licence if the gig is booked in.

In a press statement, the German-owned supermarket chain also suggested a slightly tweaked set-list which could be performed, to include Some Might Save, Champagne Superoffer, and Lidl By Lidl.

Definitely Maybe, released on August 29, 1994, has sold more than 2.4 million copies in the UK alone, and features four classic Oasis singles, Supersonic, Shakermaker, Live Forever and Cigarettes & Alcohol. Liam Gallagher has called it, "The most important album of the ‘90s, bar none.