Greater Manchester takeaway Burgerism has made it into the finals of Uber Eats’ Restaurant of The Year category, and the team has gone all out – taking out a 70ft high billboardin Manchester City Centre in its bid to win the crown.
One of just two Greater Manchester eateries to make it into the final UK shortlist, the smash-hit burger favourite joked it had spent ‘not just the marketing budget but every other budget too’ on the ginormous advert.
As it vies for the public’s vote, the team is really giving it its all – and with a £100k prize up for grabs, it’s not hard to understand way.
Reading “Make your local. burger spot the UK’s Restaurant of the Year” in 14 foot high letters, the billboard is certainly not hard to miss – situated on the corner of Picadilly Gardens where Newton Street meets the main thoroughfare up to the station.
Image: Burgerism
Image: Burgerism
The cult favourite burger slingers told The Manc they would use the £100k prize to open another site – although anymore details are being kept firmly under wraps for now.the
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They also said they plan to host a ‘massive Burgerism block party for their team and fans’ if they win.
Mark Murphy, CEO and Founder of Burgerism, added: “Class to be nominated for Restaurant of the Year – the whole team is buzzing. And we’d really love to win it for our team, our fans and for Greater Manchester more generally!
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“Be nice to have a Salford restaurant take the crown. But if we do win it, we’re gonna host a Burgerism Block Party – still not sure what that looks like, but we’re getting tons of great ideas on Instagram from our followers! Maybe someone could even help sponsor it!”
First founded in 2018, Burgerism has been quietly setting the standard for dark kitchens way before the pandemic made them so popular.
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For years, it has been delivery only – drawing regular queues outside its Salford site and churning out thousands of its popular smashed patty burgers a day.
It’s recently opened a second site in Manchester city centre, moving into Escape To Freight Island as a pop-up trader in one of the food hall’s kitchens, and it looks like there could apparently be a third site on the way if Manchester helps them to win the public vote this summer.
The other local restaurant in the running for the award is I Knead Pizza, a hugely popular Neapolitan-style pizzeria with sites in both Manchester and Reddish.
To vote for your favourite and help a Greater Manchester business win the £100k prize, click here to head over to the Uber Eats website here.
Feature image – Burgerism
News
Hawksmoor issues statement after ‘kicking out’ Tommy Robinson from one of its restaurants
Daisy Jackson
Hawksmoor has issued a statement after a viral video captured far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants.
In the video, staff at the acclaimed British steak house told Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – that he would have to go because members of staff feel uncomfortable serving you’.
The supervisor then politely told the party not to worry about the drinks and that they had been paid for, also handing over a business card for Hawksmoor CEO Will Beckett in case they wanted to discuss the matter further.
Robinson was dining in one of the group’s London restaurants with former prominent EDL member Guramit Singh Kalirai who challenged the staff and asked: “Is it because of the colour of my skin?”
The supervisor responded: “No, no, no. We have a duty of care to our members of staff. We like to look after our people, as I’m sure you can understand.”
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff ‘felt uncomfortable and complained’.
The statement, signed by CEO Will Beckett, added that the Hawksmoor team has faced ‘a huge amount’ of ‘quite concerning’ fallout from the Tommy Robinson incident.
He added that ‘this was not about politics or beliefs’.
Hawksmoor’s statement reads: “Our focus is always to give the best restaurant experience to the most people possible.
“On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained. The party left peacefully and politely on request.
“This was not about politics or beliefs. Hawksmoor is not a political organisation; we’re a group of restaurants. We want to welcome as many people as possible, regardless of background or views, to our teams or as our guests.
“We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
Police release footage of missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei’s last-known movements
Emily Sergeant
Video footage showing the last-known movements of a Manchester man who’s been missing for three weeks now has been released.
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are continuing to search for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, who has not been seen since Friday 16 May.
The 25-year-old was seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry being explored by police at present, but anyone who believes they may have seen him from around this time, is asked to get in touch.
Adeo is described as being a mixed-race male, with long curly black hair and a long singular dreadlock, and bleached eyebrows. He has a cupid’s bow piercing and a right eyebrow piercing. He also has an ‘AKA’ tattoo on his right wrist, and a ‘24’ tattoo in the right side of his chest.
He was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, an undone green short-sleeved button-up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
Friends have also recently set up a public fundraiser to help with the search for Adeo.
Adeo Alston-Ekpei has been missing for almost three weeks / Credit: GMP
“We are dedicated to finding Adeo and getting much-needed answers for his family,” commented Detective Inspector Kelly, from GMP’s Manchester district, as the footage was released to the public this week.
“I would ask any residents around the Kingsway area, and surrounding housing estates off Kingsway into Gately, and who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from around this time, to please check and get in touch if you have any information.
“Likewise, if anyone believes they have seen Adeo, please get in touch with one of our officers. Any information is appreciated and investigated as we continue our work.”
#MISSING | We are continuing to ask for information relating to missing Adeo, who was last seen on May 16.
We have additionally released CCTV footage showing Adeo’s last known movements on Kingsway, Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2025
A spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Anyone with any information regarding Adeo’s whereabouts is urged to contact South Manchester CID directly on 0161 856 6051 or 0161 856 6063, or you can use the LiveChat function on GMP’s website and quote log number 838 of 18/05/25.
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
27th May 2022 
