A new independent wine bar has opened in Spinningfields selling Manchester-made charcuterie and cheese boards, alongside a selection of carefully-chosen wines.
Called Provence, it has just opened in the business district next to the David Wyman florist – offering commuters, bar hoppers and shoppers alike somewhere new to post up for a wine (or a coffee).
With a menu of nibbles like olive tapenade, bread and oil, olives, hummus and a handful of veggie small plates, at first glance its wine list is short and no-nonsense – a succinct selection of twelve different choices, broken down into red, white, rose, orange and sparkling.
Image: The Manc Eats
The wine glass in the bottom right hand corner is actually a hidden QR code. / Image: The Manc Eats
There’s also a handful of beers from Northern Monk Brewing Co. and a short cocktail list, plus craft sodas and kombucha for those off the sauce.
But the thing that really caught our eye is the hidden QR code shaped like a bottle of wine at the bottom of the menu, that, when you scan it, pulls up a ‘by the bottle’ list – revealing a mouthwatering selection of natural wines, handpicked by in-house expert James, formerly of Kerb in Ancoats.
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Think a funky, tangy orange wine from Austria, orangey, citrusy blended roses, an Oregon-made Reisling and a gorgeous sparkling red Pet Nat.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The majority of the natural wines are available as bottle-nly, however, there is also one on the by the glass list – a tropical ‘fruit bomb’ orange wine from Italy, the Fratelli Felix, which we sample alongside a citrusy Pinot Grigio.
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Sitting at the other end of the scale, the Pinot is refreshing, with notes of jasmine and white flowers – simply perfect for those after something a little more classic.
As for the food offering, Provence offers a selection of charcuterie made right here in Manchester by Northern Cure.
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We opt for this alongside the cheese board, digging into a mixture of lomo (cured pork tenderloin), pork and beef heart salami, and a classic salami, all thinly sliced, the lomo itself almost melting in the mouth
This brand new addition also features a downstairs wine-e-oke and tasting room, which we’re sure will see a lot of action come Christmas time as parties start to pile in.
Manchester’s biggest comedy festival returns this week and you can STILL get tickets
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s most popular comedy festival is back this week, and there’s still time to get tickets if you’re up for a laugh.
That’s right – Laughterama is back in Manchester from today (2 September), and will once again be taking over the iconic Castlefield Bowl in the heart of the city centre for five days of fun.
Thousands of comedy lovers attend Laughterama each year to enjoy countless sell-out stand-up sets, and this year will be no different, as festivalgoers are in for an ‘explosive series of shows‘ from some of the hottest names on the comedy circuit.
Jack Dee, Nick Mohammed, Sara Pascoe, Fern Brady, and Chris McCausland are just some of the famous names on this year’s jam-packed lineup.
They’ll be joined by other big names like Michelle De Swarte, Stewart Lee, Nina Conti, Ivo Graham, Ellis James, and Harriett Kemsley when they all take to the Castlefield Bowl stage over the five-day festival from Wednesday 2 – Sunday 6 September.
Some of the other names you can expect are BAFTA nominee Rose Matafeo, stand-up marvel Sarah Keyworth, Plebs and Friday Night Dinner star Tom Rosenthal, and podcast hero John Robbins.
It wouldn’t be Laughterama without some newcomers and breakthrough stars, of course, and on the lineup this year are viral sensation Vittorio Angelone, fast-rising talents Kiran Saggu and Jen Nolan, and BBC New Comedy Award finalist Evaldas Karosas.
Laughterama returns to Manchester later this week, and you still / Credit: Matt Eachus | Supplied
And aside from the comedy, as always, you can expect the very-best eats from Manchester’s street food scene will also be on site to tuck into, as well as an exciting selection of bars serving signature beers, cocktails, and more.
Laughterama 2026 is landing at Castlefield Bowl this week from Wednesday 2 – Sunday 6 September, with tickets now on sale at £29 per person.
You can grab yours on the Laughterama website before they sell out here.
Featured Image – Matt Eachus (Supplied)
City Centre
Major travel warning issued ahead of Manchester Pride this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Of course, Manchester Village Pride returns to the city centre this weekend from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August – with four days of music, live performances, and entertainment taking place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and of course, the annual Pride Parade will be taking to the streets from 12pm on Saturday too.
Starting at midday on Liverpool Road, the Pride Parade will travel through the city centre via Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, and Whitworth Street, all before arriving in the Village and closing out at around 4pm.
Pride may be the biggest event in Manchester this weekend, but given the fact it’s a bank holiday too, it’s by far the only thing happening.
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
As thousands of visitors gear up to visit the city in the next few days, travel warnings have been issued by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), as road closures are in place and major traffic congestion is expected across the city centre.
For the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a full list of road closures and parking suspensions have now been published.
Drivers are advised to avoid travelling into the city centre by car if possible, particularly on Saturday, and should use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains – instead to best avoid all the closures.
But for those who do need to drive, they’re being strongly advised to ‘allow plenty of extra time’ for their journeys and check routes before setting off.
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
Wherever possible, drivers are advised to park on the same side of the city as their route, as travelling across the city to reach a car park could add additional time to the journey.
“Plan ahead if you’re travelling over the bank holiday weekend,” Manchester City Council said in its travel warning.
“A number of other major events are taking place across the city, including live events at Wythenshawe Park and Manchester United’s first home game of the season, which are likely to increase demand on tram services and roads in and around the city centre.”
Georgina Pellant -
27th October 2022 
