Another Burton Road favourite is back in action this week – the wildly popular seventies-style food and drink hub Mary & Archie.
Having remained closed since the start of the the pandemic, the independent cafe bar has now relaunched in its original spot with a takeout and click & collect service – much to the joy of regulars.
For eight years, Mary & Archie has been attracting an eclectic crowd throughout the week for breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails and local beers.
They’re part of the Burton Road furniture – and Didsbury hasn’t been quite the same without them.
Mary & Archie
“We just want to say a massive thank you to all our customers,” General Manager ‘Fletch’ explains.
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“We set up a fundraiser at the start of the pandemic when things were looking particularly bad, and the support from the community was amazing.
“It’s thanks to them that we’re still going and we’re really glad to be back.”
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Adorned in funky seventies art and decor, Mary & Archie has found its groove over the past decade as the go-to spot for almost every kind of occasion – be it a morning fry-up, afternoon coffee or an evening cocktail.
“We’ve got a calm and cosy vibe that people really like,” says Fletch.
“People visit at all times of the day. We’ve got loads of regulars – many of them have already been down to check out the new paint job we’ve added – and there’s quite a mix of customers on the whole.
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“I think we’ve been popular because we’re a great place for people who want something a little bit different.
“We get all the dates coming here. Tinder has been massive for us!”
The cafe bar caters for a diverse range of palates, too – with burgers, wraps, tacos, brunches, salads and wings all on the menu.
“We’re proud of our food – it really is good,” says Fletch.
“The jerk chicken goes down really well, but the veggie and vegan options are also really popular.”
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Dining options will be temporarily reduced whilst Mary & Archie gets up and running again, and staff are taking extra steps to keep customers safe during the reopening phase.
“Right now, everything is outside with 2m distancing in place, but we’re getting a bit of an action plan together for when we’re allowed to reopen fully again, whenever that may be,” Fletch tells us.
“We’re quite a small place so we’ll have to make some changes, maybe taking half the tables out.
“But for the time being it’s going to be great just to see people again.
“We’ve got such a good, friendly crowd.”
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Visit Mary & Archie at 200 Burton Rd, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LW.
Pair jailed after filming themselves driving over 130mph before killing man in fatal Manchester collision
Emily Sergeant
Two men who filmed themselves driving at speeds of over 130mph before a fatal collision earlier this year have now been jailed.
20-year-old Uways Hussain, of Marley Road in Manchester, has been sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison, while 23-year-old Usmon Mahmood, of Buller Road in Manchester, has been sentenced to 12 years and nine months.
Their sentences follow a night of what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) called ‘dangerous driving’ around the South Manchester area, which started at around 11pm on the evening before the collision.
The vehicle – a Volkswagon Golf – belonged to Mahmood, but he allowed Hussain to drive the vehicle at high-speed throughout the night.
On the evening prior to the collision, beginning at around 11pm, Hussain and Mahmood were driving recklessly around the South Manchester area.
According to police, the pair filmed themselves consistently travelling at speeds of over 100mph on 30mph roads, and in several cases, theyvreached over 130mph and seconds before impact, were recorded at 139mph.
Recorded footage also showed them running red lights and weaving through traffic with no regard for the safety of other road users or pedestrians.
At one stage during the night, the pair stopped at a petrol station, where footage shows Mahmood inhaling from a balloon in the passenger seat, while later o Hussain can be seen doing over 100mph and also appearing to be inhaling from a balloon while driving.
The fatal collision happened at around 4:36am on Monday 9 March 2026 at the junction of Green End Road and Kingsway, where the victim – Sylvester Abayomi, 50 – was on his way to work and entered the junction on a green light, believing it was safe to proceed, but was then struck by the car being driven by Hussain, which had travelled through a red light at extremely high speed.
Sylvester Abayomi / Credit: GMP
Immediately following the collision, GMP received several emergency calls and an automatic alert from Hussain’s Apple Watch saying he had been involved in a collision.
During this alert, both men could be heard discussing plans to flee the scene and attempting to decide what evidence they needed to remove from the vehicle. They were also heard discussing reporting the vehicle as stolen, and shortly afterwards, they booked an Uber to escape.
Emergency services attended the scene, but sadly, despite their best efforts, Sylvester sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead.
GMP says it received its first report of the incident at 4:37am,, and within 12 minutes the pair had been located, caught, and arrested by officers.
DC Thomas Johnson, from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, described the incident as ‘one of the most extreme cases of dangerous driving we have encountered’.
It’s also believed that this is one of the first times in the country where a passenger has been convicted for aid and abetting causing death by dangerous driving.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Stockport band Blossoms set for BIG return to Leeds Festival this year
Thomas Melia
Blossoms have just announced their big return to Leeds Festival, as the four-day music event continues to impress with its stacked lineup.
They might have a ‘Joke About Divorce’ from time to time, but when it comes to entertaining a Leeds Festival crowd, Blossoms take it very seriously, having played at Bramham Park three times in the past decade already.
The Stockport band have captivated audiences since the rise of standout track ‘Charlemagne’ and more recently with the addition of their fifth studio album, Gary, named after an eight-foot fiberglass gorilla.
Known for always putting on a stellar performance, Tom, Joe, Charlie, Myles, and Josh are bringing a brand-new set to Leeds when they visit this August bank holiday weekend.
As well as releasing new music, Blossoms are making a big return to Leeds Festival 2026 / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Currently, Leeds Festival 2026 has seven headline acts spanning all genres from Dance and EDM to Pop and Rap with the likes of Charli XCX, Raye, Dave and more topping the bill.
The Stockport five-piece are featured alongside three other insane artists as ‘Special Guests’, appearing next to Skepta, Sombr and Role Model.
Also listed on the lineup are rising stars like R&B vocal powerhouse Skye Newman, pop princess Jade, Merseyside indie rockers The K’s and Wigan-formed The Lilacs with more to be announced.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, this upcoming Leeds Festival set from Blossoms will contain high energy and obviously all their biggest and best bangers from across their four chart topping albums as well as new music.
Whether you’re there for ‘Your Girlfriend’ or ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry’, one thing’s for sure, you’re guaranteed to have an absolutely spectacular night.
Blossoms are making their big return to Leeds Festival 2026 which is taking place from 27 to 30 August at Bramham Park with tickets live HERE.
The Manc -
12th June 2020 
