Hyssop, the Michelin-recommended Glossop pub loved by local foodies, has been forced to close its doors following a devastating fire that destroyed its entire top floor.
The fire was started by a tumble drier on Wednesday night and has completely decimated the restaurant, leading owners to describe the ordeal as ‘quite easily the worst day of our lives’.
Whilst no one was harmed and the staff all managed to escape unscathed, its owners were understandably heartbroken as they took to Instagram to explain that they would be closed for the forseaable future.
Sharing the news of the devastating fire on Hyssop’s social media channels, owners wrote: “We can’t figure out a way to start this post as it’s not something we ever thought we’d have to write.
“Yesterday was quite easily the worst day of our lives. Our whole top floor of the restaurant went up in flames and we’ve lost the lot.
ADVERTISEMENT
Video: High Peak TV
“Thankfully Paul and all of the staff managed to escape unharmed. No lives were lost and that is the most important thing.
“We are trying our best to contact all of our bookings and we are obviously trying to figure out the next stages.
ADVERTISEMENT
” Please bare with us, we are still trying to process what’s happened and along with trying to keep our business afloat financially, it’s going to be a long road ahead.
“Thank you for all of your kind messages. We have to get through this. Lots of love x”
Owners have now launched a Crowdfunder to help get them trading again, and thanks to the generosity of the pub’s foodie fans it’s already raised £5,000 at the time of writing.
ADVERTISEMENT
A picture of the pub before the devastating fire. / Image: Hysopp
A picture uploaded by owners to show the damage done to the inside by the fire. / Image: Hyssop
The appeal reads: “We are trying to raise some funds to enable us to make part of our space functionable in order to trade in some way, shape or form, in order to keep things ticking.
“We are so grateful for everybody’s kind words and offerings, we are completely overwhelmed. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
If you would like to support Hyssop and donate to its Crowdfunder you can do so here.
Feature image – High Peak TV Youtube
Food & Drink
Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant team to take over iconic NQ venue
Daisy Jackson
The team who earned Cantaloupe a Michelin Bib Gourmand are moving into Manchester city centre – and into a site we all know pretty well.
The Cantaloupe team are about to embark on a new venture with Rasade, a new French restaurant in the site of the former TNQ in the Northern Quarter.
The old neighbourhood restaurant announced its shock closure earlier this year, after more than two decades serving Manchester.
But now the beautiful corner building on High Street is under new ownership, and in very safe hands.
Shortly after pivoting Cantaloupe into Bar Caput (a more casual neighbourhood offering), the duo behind it, Joshua Reed Cooper and Mike Thomas, have announced they’re launching Rasade in Manchester city centre.
Rasade in French refers to a glass filled to the brim, traditionally of wine or another drink.
The new French restaurant will showcase regional French cooking and seasonal local produce, drawing inspiration from France’s diverse regions.
This won’t be a stuffy French restaurant though – they’re aiming to create the relaxed spirit of a bistro with their serious commitment to traditional cooking.
Early menus show dishes like oysters with mignonette, langoustine with Karri-Gosse, and pâté de campagne, plus brill with rancio sec and mushroom fricassée, and pork chop with garniture Mirabeau.
And as for desserts, expect classics like a tarte Tatin designed for two to share, alongside flan pâtissier and Opéra religieuse.
Alongside the cooking, an extensive French wine offering will span the many, many wine regions of the country, featuring both small and unusual producers as well as more established names.
Mike and Josh now want to build on the success they quickly found in Stockport with this new city centre venture, bringing the same focus on good produce, thoughtful cooking and an informal approach to hospitality.
Rasade will open at 108 High Street in the Northern Quarter later this year.
What is the UK’s national dish? New survey reveals Brits’ pick in landslide victory
Emily Sergeant
If you’ve ever thought to Google the question ‘what is Britain’s national dish?’, then you probably came away thinking it’s chicken tikka masala.
But is that actually the truth? A new survey has disproved the claim, massively.
There’s no denying that chicken tikka masala – an Indian curry that’s actually widely thought to have been created in Britain – is a popular dish that’s loved by many, but despite what many headlines have claimed over the years, a new YouGov survey has revealed it’s not what Brits consider to be the country’s ‘national dish’.
YouGov conducted two online surveys earlier this month, made up of 2,079 and 2,104 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain.
And, in their own words, Brits chose fish and chips as the country’s national dish, making it the ‘resounding’ winner with 49% of the vote.
What is the UK’s national dish? A new survey has revealed Brits’ pick in a landslide victory / Credit: The Manc Group
With nearly half of the overall vote, this puts fish and chips far ahead of the roast dinner in second place, which only 24% of people picked – including the 6% who made sure to specify a beef roast.
In fact, only 3% of Brits actually name chicken tikka masala as the UK’s national dish, although 52% in the survey did confess that they eat some form of curry at least once a month, so it is still a popular pick regardless.
Fish and chips is by far the most common answer across all generations too, according to the survey (45-50%), with the biggest difference between age groups being that 18-24 year olds are less likely to have nominated roast dinner and more likely to have chosen chicken tikka masala instead.
What do Brits say is the UK’s national dish?
Fish and chips – 49%
Roast dinner – 24%
Chicken tikka masala – 3%
Curry (non-specific) – 2%
Full English breakfast – 2%
Bangers and mash – 1%
Cottage or shepherd’s pie – 1%
Other – 3%
Don’t know – 15%
The survey also showed that, of the three top contenders for the UK’s national dish, roast dinners are the most frequently eaten, as 52% of people said they eat them on a monthly basis – including 16% who do so every week.
Aside from the frequently mentioned dishes, some survey respondents also gave shoutouts to the full English breakfast (2%), bangers and mash (1%), and cottage or shepherd’s pie (1%).
Georgina Pellant -
16th September 2022 
