Box on the Docks is returning to the banks of Salford Quays this summer, and there’ll be flowing beers, freshly-baked bagels, and boozy ice cream.
Coming back for its third year in a row, MediaCity’s popular outdoor dining concept, Box on the Docks, is set for another busy summer on the waterside piazza – but for the first time, it will be taking on a brand-new format, as this year’s event will be in partnership with SEVEN BRO7HERS.
The Salford-based brewing company has been put in charge of operate a rotating residency of the region’s emerging and established independent food and drink pop ups.
There’ll also been an exciting lineup of live music and events for all ages.
Kicking off on Friday 10 June, some of the food vendors already on the highly-anticipated lineup include The Tasty Greek, which’ll be serving up classic Greek gyros, while Beigel will be offering freshly-made bagels with new specials each day.
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Leading North West distillery, Four Sis4ers Distillery, will also be on hand to serve tasty tipples using its handcrafted selection of spirits distilled in the heart of Salford Quays.
A Few Scoops will also be popping-up over the summer – an independent local company that’s made a name for itself by taking two of life’s greatest pleasures, ice cream and cocktails, and thrashing them together to make scoops of flavours such as Old Fashioned, a rich and creamy Piña Colada, and so much more.
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SEVEN BRO7HERS – which runs its popular beer house in MediaCity – will also be taking over the Box on the Docks Bar too, on top of curating the rotating traders lineup.
It’ll be offering its award-winning independent beers, along with a selection of guest beers from local craft breweries including Shindigger, Manchester Union Lager, and Pomona, as well as programming regular live music and events within the piazza.
“This year’s Box on the Docks is set to be the best yet,” said Keith McAvoy, CEO of SEVEN BRO7HERS.
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“The partnership gives SEVEN BRO7HERS an opportunity to make the most of the summer footfall and visitors, and to do what we do best – celebrate great food and drink in the heart of Salford.
“MediaCity has been home to our beerhouse for 12 months, and despite challenges the pandemic has thrown at us, it continues to thrive [so] we can’t wait to expand into the Box on the Docks bar and welcome the whole site into the family this summer.”
This year’s event will be in partnership with Salford-based brewing company, SEVEN BRO7HERS / Credit: Box on the Docks
“There’s a real buzz of excitement as we look forward to another summer of Box on the Docks,” added Josie Cahill – Place Director at MediaCity UK.
“The concept was born from a need to support our local hospitality partners and we are thrilled it has continued to prove such a successful platform for independents on our doorstep and visitors to MediaCity [so] we’re excited to be partnering with the SEVEN BRO7HERS team, who will bring a host of fantastic new food and drink pop ups for visitors and residents alike.”
This summer, Box on the Docks will be partnering with the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, with all money raised being donated towards A Bed Every Night, while the Salford Foodbank’s Gift Box also continues to accept food donations that’ll be distributed to local families in need.
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And if all of that didn’t sound brilliant enough as it is, there’s still more to be announced over the coming weeks, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Box on the Docks
Salford
Inside The Black Friar as Salford pub unveils incredible floral display
Spring has really sprung in Salford – legendary pub The Black Friar has just revealed a sensational makeover, with gigantic flowers sprawled across its frontage and a new seasonal menu to go with it.
The historic pub is celebrating the changing of the seasons with both a striking floral installation and a menu that celebrates spring and Salford in equal measure.
Most Mancs will by now have spotted the 4,000 flower-strong installation that now adorns the front of The Black Friar, with bright pink, yellow and purple flowers spilling from a gigantic pink tap.
And all those florals continue inside, with the pub’s Tavern – previously a cosy winter hideaway – now filled with trailing blooms and woodland installations, just off their award-winning garden.
Cheshire-based artist Kelly Louise Chapman is the woman behind this sensational transformation of the much-loved gastropub.
As for the pub’s kitchen, they’ve crafted a new very seasonal and very British menu, with plenty of nods to Black Friar’s Salford roots.
There are dishes like a Boddingtons braised ox cheek (the pub still proudly displays its Boddingtons sign outside), aged beef tartare, butternut squash and ricotta tortellini, and pan-roasted cod fillet.
Spring small plates at The Black Friar pubDelicious spring drinksInside The Tavern at The Black Friar
A popular item from the Valentine’s Day menu – the Cornish crab vol-au-vent – will be sticking around on the spring menu, along with an enhanced grill section that includes a lamb Barnsley chop cooked over coals.
Then for desserts, you’ll be spoilt with a banoffee knickerbocker glory, and passionfruit panna cotta.
And for drinks (because this is a pub, after all), The Black Friar has put together a range of seasonal drinks like a rose sangria sharer, and non-alcoholic sodas like kaffir lime and coconut.
Ben Chaplin, head chef at The Black Friar, said: “This new menu is all about celebrating the best of spring produce.
“We’ve carefully crafted each dish to highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold flavours, adding new depth to our offerings while still delivering the comfort that will always be associated with The Black Friar.
“My top recommendation and personal favourite dish is the Slow-Cooked Boddingtons Braised Ox Cheek.”
Neil Burke, owner of The Black Friar, commented: “We wanted to bring a taste of spring to The Black Friar, inside and out. This floral installation will transform the space and bring sunshine and smiles, whatever the weather!
“My top recommendation on the new menu is the Cumbrian Spiced Lamb Scotch Egg. It’s EXCEPTIONAL.”
To find out more about The Black Friar and to book a table, visit HERE.
If you ask us, a big key to a happy life is all about celebrating the little wins as much as possible and in this case, when we heard that you can now get a Pot Noodle as part of your Tesco meal deal, we nearly did a cartwheel.
Are we exaggerating? Only a little bit, to be fair. Is this still kind of a big deal (pardon the pun) for the millions of Brits whose lunchtime meal regularly consists of a Tesco butty, beverage and perhaps some crisps? We think so.
We only heard the joyous news through word of mouth, but it looks as though the rumours are true after being not-so-quietly confirmed via the official Pot Noodle social media channels last week, revealing that you can indeed get your flavour of choice as part of your meal deal.
That really is the headline here, let’s be honest; the fact that you can now get a Pot Noodle – something many people have for their tea or a more than satisfying late-night snack – as the bonus side along with your main item at Tesco it an absolute result.
With meal deal prices having steadily crept up across the nation over recent years, no matter which supermarket, Tesco Extra, Asda Express, Sainsbury’s Local, convenience store and so on you seem to look in, getting an extra bit of value for money like is a big win for those on a quick dinner dash.
This is just like when we figured out you could get a proper Ginsters sausage roll, Cornish pasty or steak/chicken slice as your snack too. Just as buzzing then as we are now.
The brand also recently revealed what the UK’s most popular meal choices were last year, and some of the selections might surprise you.
Once again, it’s all about enjoying the little things, and put it this way, if we’re overreacting, then so are plenty of others.
Now accepting donations so One Drunk Redneck can get to the #UK and experience a #Tesco meal deal. I only need to raise enough for a one way ticket. I'm not too worried about how I'd get back home.
Oh, I probably should take my spouse. Ok, enough for two, one way tickets.
The only slight downside is that right now, as you might have spotted in the Instagram post above, this offer has only been rolled out at select Tescos.
As for those in Greater Manchester, there are just two local shops: the Tesco Extra in Walkden in Salford, as well as the Extra on Huddersfield Road in Bolton; the next closest after that is Warrington.
Nevertheless, you would expect that if the popularity of this new deal takes off – Tesco’s lunchtime package being one of the most popular in Britain – it’s likely that they will expand their plans up and down the country at large.
Speaking on the launch in an official press release, Pot Noodle’s senior brand Madeleine Boulton said: “We know our fans are always looking to get the most bang for their buck, so our move into the Tesco Meal Deal as a side is our way of giving customers the ultimate ‘snackisfaction’ and for some, the perfect hack that will ensure their meal deal sees them through the day.”
Can’t lie, we do rather fancy a Bombay Bad Boy now.
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2022 
