So we turned The Millstone into Downing Street.
A newsjack built in days, from an iconic pub on Thomas Street.
The numbers behind the impact
Pieces of coverage
Combined reach
Plus BBC News on Instagram
When Andy Burnham pledged a “No 10 of the North” in June 2026, everyone in Manchester had an opinion on where it should go. JW Lees had a strong candidate. The Millstone is an iconic pub on Thomas Street, and it's as much a part of the city as anything in Westminster.
We gave The Millstone a No 10 Downing Street makeover and leaked the pictures on the JW Lees Instagram. It went live over three days in July, while the story was still hot.
It landed in The Independent and on BBC News's Instagram, with Manchester Confidential, About Manchester, Secret Manchester, The Manc, Manchester's Finest and EatMCR picking it up across press and social. Ten pieces of coverage reached a combined 62.3 million, and a pub on Thomas Street became part of a national political story, which is how newsjacking should work.
“Bringing more power and influence to the North is a pivotal part of Burnham's plan and where better to mastermind that from a place that truly understands the challenges and benefits of the sector - The Millstone. It has sat proudly on Thomas Street for 170 years... The Millstone is a proper British boozer, which should be protected at all costs, and it's arguably as iconic in our city as No 10 is in London - well it is now, if it wasn't before.”
William Lees-Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees
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