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The Manc - 7th May 2020

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A brand-new beer bar has opened in Manchester’s legendary ‘Beermuda Triangle’

Lydia Mastrolonardo

Yes, you heard us right, there’s a brand new edition under the arches on Sheffield Street, in Manchester’s Piccadilly East neighborhood.

This new venue is fully equipped for summer with an outdoor terrace, a screen for the footy, pizza from Nell’s – AND they’re giving away 1,000 free pints.

Now I’ve got your attention, let me introduce you to Pigeon Beer Wanderer, a specialist beer parlour and bottle shop boasting ‘Europe’s finest beers,’ which has opened this week.

This welcome addition to Manchester’s beer scene is situated within the ever-growing ‘Beermuda Triangle,’ a corner of the city where craft beer is king, amongst some of our favourite independents including Track, Cloudwater, Balance and Sureshot.

Founder and Northern beer specialist, Joshua Lightfoot, has one clear aim – ‘to celebrate beer with the same care, craft, provenance and ceremony traditionally associated with wine.’

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Pigeon aims to provide a nest/welcome space for beer enthusiasts and newbies alike, to land and come together in a venue that facilitates the discovery of the world-class brewing culture on offer here in Manchester.

He says: “Every beer has its own provenance, its own character and its own ideal way of being served. Pigeon is about celebrating that in a way that feels exciting, welcoming and social.

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“We want people to discover styles, breweries and serving traditions they may never have experienced before.”

Pigeon beer bar in Manchester

It's joined the many taprooms in the 'Beermuda Triangle' — Pigeon beer bar in Manchester

The team at Pigeon pride themselves on their carefully curated and constantly rotating selection of craft beers, that push boundaries and reward exploration, from some very well-known breweries including Weihenstephan, Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, Fürstenberg and Kasteel.

Pigeon is home to a variety of rare fermentations and small-batch independent releases, from heritage pilsners, weisse beers and saisons to aged wild ales and lambics – so there’s always something new to try. Not to mention they also supply a great range of natural wines from Vibeyard, if that’s more your thing.

What’s more is that guests can click and collect some top-notch, New York inspired, pizza from the well-known and loved Nell’s Pizza, located only a few doors down.

The menu will supply all of our favourites including ‘Double Down Pepperoni,’ Do You ‘Roni Honey?’ and ‘Little Caesar,’ available by the slice or as a whole, accompanied by their sauces all made in house and all carefully selected to pair perfectly with the world-class pints available at Pigeon.

We can’t think of a better combination, can you?

This venue is kicking off its opening with a summer long festival atmosphere, screening FIFA World Cup games on their big screen, creating the perfect destination for footy fans on the hunt for a great atmosphere, without having to compromise on the quality of food and drink.

There really is no time like the present – Pigeon are set to give out 250 free pints a day, between Thursday 4 June until Sunday 7 June.

Simply give @pigeon_beer_wanderer a follow on Instagram and head on down to celebrate the launch this week, to get your hands on your complimentary crisp pints. Don’t hesitate – visit the venue while stocks last or you could miss out.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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40-year-old Chinatown restaurant warns ‘we won’t last another decade’ in defiant statement

40-year-old Chinatown restaurant warns 'we won't last another decade' in defiant statement

There are some businesses that feel so much a part of the fabric of Manchester, it’s hard to imagine the city without them.

But a defiant statement from Happy Seasons, a decades-old family-run restaurant in Chinatown, has said that it’s ‘not sure how businesses like ours will survive in this new world’.

They wrote that is ‘feels like everything is stacked against small businesses’ and said ‘we won’t last another 5-10 years’.

Happy Seasons has been a cornerstone of Chinatown for more than 40 years, famed for its roast meats (proudly hung in the windows) and traditional Cantonese dishes.

Everyone who works in the restaurant has been in the trade for more than 20 years, they wrote, adding ‘it’s all they’ve ever known’.

Happy Seasons has said that their type of business – where everything is made fresh, from scratch, daily – is ‘slowly fading’.

They wrote: “Younger generations are slowly stepping away from hospitality. The government continues to increase costs on our industry, while bills, rent, and even basic stock keep rising. Sometimes it feels like everything is stacked against small businesses.”

Roast meats in the windows of Happy Seasons

Happy Seasons has been in Chinatown for more than 40 years — Roast meats in the windows of Happy Seasons

The restaurant added: “We don’t think places like ours will last another decade if things continue the way they are.”

But in their defiant video shared to customers, the Chinese restaurant said: “We’re not going to let that stop us.

“We’re still going to put the hours in. We’re still going to make everything fresh. We’re still not going to cut corners.

“From our sauces and roasted meats to our soy sauce and sweet and sour sauce, so much of what we serve is made from scratch. The time, effort, and cost that go into these everyday dishes are much higher than they used to be.

“Even though it’s costing us more and more to operate, we’re going to do our best to stick around for as long as we can. Because there may come a day when traditional Chinese food, made the old fashioned way, becomes much harder to find here in the UK.

“So let’s make this one hell of a decade. Thank you for all the support over the years. It truly means the world to us.”

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A post shared by HappySeasons (@happyseasons_mcr)

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Featured image: The Manc Group