From pickles to pasta, The Creameries menu is taking a turn in a new direction as owner Mary Ellen McTague hands over the reigns to her Head Chef, Mike Thomas.
As of this week, he’ll be completely changing the restaurant’s existing menus and format – moving away from the fixed-price, fine-dining style taster menus for which the Chorlton restaurant has become known.
In their place, Mike will introduce a more straightforward, simple pay-by-the-plate approach – cooking up a range of fresh pasta dishes alongside freshly-made focaccia and bar snacks, created in-house daily.
Image: The Creameries
Embracing the flavours of Southern Eurp[e with a focus on Italy in particular, his new Campagna project will introduce dishes like beef shin ragu and parloude clams with chickpeas, pastis and rouille (a similar creation is currently doing very well on the specials menu at Ancoats pasta kitchen Sugo).
Elsewhere, foodies can sink their teeth into the likes of cuttlefish stew with braised fennel and confit duck leg with puy lentils.
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Diners can expect to find a new selection of starters, salads and desserts, including hazelnut torte with zabaglione cream, with prices ranging between just £7 and £14.
Hazelnut torte with zabaglione cream / Image: The Creameries
After stints at Where the Light Gets In, Bright, Rochelle Canteen & Leroy, and a couple of years at Honest Crust, Mike joined the Creameries as a Chef de Partie in 2019, quickly progressing to Head Chef in September 2020.
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He’s pretty much been running the restaurant ever since, with chef-owner Mary Ellen taking a step back to focus on her restaurant-backed charity project Eat Well MCR.
On Sundays, three courses will be available for £30 as the menu turns ‘Al Forno’ (roughly translating to ‘baked’), with lasagne a comforting favourite.
Rabbit ragu. / image: The Creameries
Raddicio salad. / Image: The Creameries
Think bubbling lasagne alla ragu bolognese or king oyster mushroom vincisgrassi (a style of vegetarian lasagne), accompanied by a crisp green salad, followed by a beautiful, classic tiramisu or a Courtyard Dairy cheese plate.
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Working with owner Mary-Ellen McTague at the Creameries he has been able to hone his craft and has developed a commitment to excellence and a passion for great ingredients.
On taking over The Creameries with his Campagna concept, Chef Mike Thomas is straightforward.
“It sounds pretty simple but I’m most excited about making people delicious food,” he said.
Mike has spent the last 4 years hosting his Umbra Foods supper clubs around Manchester and it’s finally time for his hearty yet refined, ingredient-led cooking to have a home of its own.
Dishes will change seasonally, in close collaboration with suppliers such as Cinderwood Market Garden, who will be growing specialist ingredients for Campagna, and Littlewoods butchers.
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The wine, as ever, remains a key, carefully curated part of the offer, with a focus on delicious, low-intervention Italian wines that are perfect with pasta.
A new children’s menu will also be available to make the new concept accessible to all.
Creameries owner Mary-Ellen McTague said: “It’s been a pleasure working with Mike this last couple of years, and to see his skills and confidence grow. I’m so excited to see Campagna come to fruition.
“Chorlton is in for a treat!”
Feature image – The Creameries
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‘There must be a way’ – Andy Burnham vows to save Jodrell Bank after funding cuts
Emily Sergeant
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to save the UK’s largest telescope at Jodrell Bank.
In case you hadn’t heard, back in July, theUK Research and Innovation (UKRI) announced that the Jodrell Bank Observatory – which is home to the Lovell Telescope – will not be prioritised for further funding after its current agreement ends in March 2028, despite the telescope standing in its Cheshire home since 1957.
The UKRI said the decision not to continue funding priority was ‘the result of a comprehensive, evidence-based prioritisation process’.
Since the news broke, however, it has been a topic of national uproar and discussion as to how to ensure its legacy lives on.
A proud part of the University of Manchester (UoM), Jodrell Bank had a pioneering role in the development of radio astronomy, and has evidence from its emergence as a new science in the 1940s through to the present day, making it an outstanding part of scientific heritage.
The Prime Minister was pressed to address concerns surrounding the future of the site by Sarah Russell, Labour MP for Congleton, in the House of Commons yesterday (1 September 2026).
Mr Burnham replied: “Every one of my generation went on a school trip to Jodrell Bank, and there is no way that we can see its demise – it won’t happen under my Government.
“I know there’s changes that have been made in relation to research funding, but Jodrell Bank is a heritage asset for the country, as well as a research asset.
“There must be a way to save Jodrell Bank, and I give a commitment today, at this despatch box, we will find it.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Northern’s ‘Flash Sale’ is back for 2026 with millions of train tickets on sale for £2
Emily Sergeant
Millions of train tickets are currently on sale for just £2 each, as Northern has brought its popular ‘Flash Sale’ back for 2026.
A whopping FOUR MILLION of them, to be exact.
For the last couple of years, the rail operator has made life a little easier for train travellers by giving them the chance to grab one of several million tickets for much cheaper than normal – and now, with the cost of living crisis sadly continuing to make its impact felt, Northern has decided to kick off the autumn season by slashing prices once again.
It means that millions of people will have the opportunity to make a cut-price journey across the north of England before the end of October is out.
With the company’s regular ‘Flash Sales’ having gone onto become a, somewhat, legendary event at this point, it probably comes as no shock that you’ll need to act fast if you want to be in with a chance of get your hands tickets.
Tickets went live today and the sale runs for three days, closing on Friday 4 September – with tickets valid for travel between 9 September and 23 October 2026.
The top local destinations with the most tickets available in the sale are Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria, and Manchester Oxford Road, as well as Wigan and several other neighbouring towns.
A list of routes where tickets will be available can also be found using the ‘cheap fare finder’ tool on the Northern website here.
Northern’s ‘Flash Sale’ is back for 2026 with millions of train tickets on sale from £2 / Credit: Northern | Wikimedia Commons
“With four million tickets up for grabs, this is one of our biggest Flash Sales yet, and there’s something for everyone,” commented Alex Hornby, who is the Commercial and Customer Director at Northern.
“With millions of tickets available for just £2 each, our Flash Sale will make the railway even more appealing, and we believe it will inspire everyone to explore everything our fantastic region has to offer, from bustling cities to countryside and stunning coastlines.
Georgina Pellant -
1st February 2022 
