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Flash mobbing TikTok star tried to serenade Mancs – and we were having none of it

Some mixed results here, it's safe to say.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 3rd February 2023

A singer who has gone hugely viral in recent weeks on TikTok really met his match when he tried to serenade people in Manchester.

Cian Ducrot has been racking up hundreds of millions of views on his videos lately, most of which have been filmed around Manchester city centre.

The 25-year-old star’s shtick is simple… it’s flash mobbing.

If you thought that trend died in the 2010s, you were sorely mistaken.

Cian has been popping up all over Manchester to sing his song I’ll Be Waiting, each time joined after a few bars by a group of ‘strangers’ who are actually a choir.

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We’ve seen him singing on the escalators in the Arndale, belting his little heart out in Costa, parking up at a piano in Piccadilly and even cracking out his tune on a packed Metrolink tram.

Cian Ducrot
Cian Ducrot performing his flash mobbing stunts around Manchester. Credit: TikTok, @cianducrot
Cian Ducrot
Cian Ducrot performing his flash mobbing stunts around Manchester. Credit: TikTok, @cianducrot
Cian Ducrot
Cian Ducrot performing his flash mobbing stunts around Manchester. Credit: TikTok, @cianducrot

It’s the same stunt, same song, same script, same singers, even the same jacket, in slightly different locations, each time pulling in up to 87 MILLION views.

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Honestly, he has nailed the viral marketing.

But he finally found a TikTok stunt that fell flat in our fair city, after he attempted to stop people passing through Manchester Victoria to sing them a song.

@cianducrot

Replying to @Adam Stevenson The part you don’t see 😭😂

♬ I’ll Be Waiting – If you ever want to make things right – Cian Ducrot

One particular local has our whole heart after she responded with a frankly disgusted ‘ooh, no thank you’.

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Then several other people very politely told him they were rushing for a train (sure sure, we’ve all used that one) and scurried away from him.

The comments have been flooded with people saying the people who declined hearing Cian Ducrot’s singing have really missed out – one person even said: “I’d have missed the last train for this oppprtunity.”

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When Cian eventually did manage to stop a couple for a song, they spent the entire time looking anywhere but at him – because as much as his vocals are stunning, there’s nothing quite so uncomfortable as being sang at in public.

Whatever he’s doing, it’s working – Cian now has a whopping 3.8m followers on TikTok with his videos accumulating some 85.6m likes.

And it’s translating to commercial success too. I’ll Be Waiting is currently fourth in the UK singles chart. Good work, sir.

Featured image: TikTok, @cianducrot

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Stockport town centre’s first ramen spot sat above a coffee shop that we can’t get enough of

Danny Jones Danny Jones Uma ramen restaurant inside Odioba coffee shop Stockport review

If you’re a local Stockport resident or have even walked along the increasingly cultured cobbles of Underbank, chances are you’ve passed a place called Ōdiobā, but did you know that by night, its loft turns into a stylish listening bar that also serves some of the best ramen around?

Seriously: not only is it, to our knowledge, the only venue serving traditional ramen in Stockport town centre, but it’s some of the best we’ve had in years. Literally, YEARS.

Central Manchester has the benefit of being spoiled by numerous noodle masters – New Wave, Ramenshop (formerly known as Tokyo Ramen), Shogun, etc. – but we’d genuinely wager that this relative newcomer known simply as Uma is right up there with them.

In fact, it might currently be vying for the top spot itself.

We really try our best to shy away from the most ultimate of superlatives where we can, especially because we’re lucky enough to come across so many culinary gems and new restaurants all the time, but the more we’ve revisited this place, the more we’re convinced it’s utterly brilliant.

On a personal note, in a post-Cocktail Beer Ramen + Bun world, we feel like we’ve come very close to finding a new go-to that’s on a par with the late, great CBRB; perhaps we’ll never quite get there, or maybe we’re falling victim to the rose-tinted lens of nostalgia, but Uma is at least in the conversation.

Something we can say for sure is that they’ve gone with the tried and tested method of doing just a few things extremely over trying to cater to everyone.

Offering a small but stunning menu, with just three small plates and three options when it comes to ramen, each one is well-balanced and portioned, guaranteeing a filling bowl of ramen finished with great quality toppings.

You’re not left needing a single noodle more, nor do they cut you a single spring onion shy – but let’s be honest, this cuisine also leaves you craving more broth.

This might be a small thing, but we even like how the deep bowls come with built-in grooves/utensil holders for you to rest your spoons and chopsticks in. It’s only a little extra, we know, but it’s a nice touch, nevertheless.

Having now done a couple laps of the menu over the course of just a handful of visits, there are few taste bud journeys as satisfying as those gently-seasoned edamame beans, with the vibrant, lightly-acidic pickled daikon radishes and cucumber cutting through, before the savoury bomb of those mains.

And above all else, it’s the broth. My word… that broth.

Most impressively of all, perhaps, is that while we were expecting to enjoy the shoyu or red miso option the most, it’s the vegan ramen that we found to be the most flavourful.

The white miso and vegetable soup base is about as rich as you could hope for from any broth, as are the surprisingly satisfying slices of sweet soy tofu.

odioba uma ramen stockport
The smell of this freshly-charred chashu. Wow.
noodles places stockport
The ideal thickness – great, minimal chew, too.
Is Stockport town centre’s first ramen spot also one of the best in Greater Manchester right now? It might just be. (Credit: The Manc Eats)

Put simply, this particular bowl truly puts the Uma in umami.

It really is perfect as is, complemented by the shitake mushrooms, mustard greens, bamboo shoots and aromatic roasted sesame.

However, we honestly believe we have mastered a flawless order: choosing the vegan bowl and then adding pieces of chashu pork, a gooey ramen egg and maybe some chilli oil for good measure.

Try it for yourselves and tell us we’re anything other than absolutely bang on.

As for the space itself, you’ll struggle to find another spot as simultaneously casually aesthetic and atmospheric as the top floor of this building.

It’s well worth a visit to try the sophisticated selection of cocktails co-curated by founder Nam Tran – who first won over foodie fans with his conveniently self-titled Vietnamese venue in Ancoats, which sadly closed in 2024 – or sample his handmade hi-fi system alone, but the bonus of ramen takes the cake.

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With DJ sets from the man himself as well as other selectors and artists, not to mention jazz nights and other live music during the week, it’s an effortlessly cool couple of floors that just so happens to serve some of our favourite food to the highest order.

Now, we will confess that we’ve only seen Ōdiobā in its ‘shadow self’ form, for lack of a better phrase, and are yet to sample the artisan café side of this business, but we assure you that it is a failure on our part and one we’ll be making up for as soon as possible.

Let’s just say, if the coffee is as good as the other liquids we’ve drunk here, be it the booze or the very last drop of broth from the bottom of the bowl, it’s probably some of the best in Stockport.

You can guarantee we’ll be coming back to this place time and time again whenever we visit the borough.

The Sicilian street food spot tucked away on the rooftop of a beloved Manchester boozer
There’s something extra fun about finding a great rooftop spot, isn’t there?

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Music legend Billy Ocean pays a visit to Mama Flo’s in Stockport

Danny Jones Danny Jones Billy Ocean visits Mama Flo's takeaway in Stockport

Cult Stockport foodie favourite Mama Flo’s has been visited by yet another shock famous face when music legend Billy Ocean ‘Suddenly’ popped into the takeaway this week.

What a lovely surprise for the local hero.

Mama Flo’s is not just a go-to eatery for many in the Great Moor neighbourhood; its glowing reviews and long-standing reputation have meant that it’s frequently patronised by out-of-town tourists as well as plenty of celebrities.

Florence Beryl Coke, now in her 70s, is no stranger to welcoming household names, but given the Caribbean royalty in question, she was clearly blown away when the ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’ singer came through the door.

Billy Ocean, 75 himself, played the O2 Apollo in June on his most recent headline tour, but the Trinidadian-born British soul and pop singer has still but up and down the country throughout the year.

We’re not too sure why he was up in Greater Manchester this week, but we’re glad he was.

Writing on Facebook, Flo wrote: “What a good night, tonight. Feeling so tired and having a break – then guess who walked in? The greatest Billy Ocean, and boy, we had a great night chatting away with his entourage. Thank you, Billy, for a splendid night.”

Following up with another grateful post on Friday morning, 14 November, she quoted the title of his most famous hit, before adding: “We love you, Billy Ocean. Thanks for the support last night and [thank you to] your team, love.”

Knowing how hard Flo works, having become famous for her incredible work ethic and regularly working overtime to serve the community, this will no doubt have felt like a well-earned reward after another long, hard day.

She was praised not only throughout lockdown for her tireless efforts in cooking up vital meals in the local area, but she was also presented with a surprise award by Good Morning Britain that left her in tears back in 2022.

famous people who have eaten at mama flo's in stockport
Kyle Walker is one of many footballers who’ve been.
mama flos community work stockport
Couldn’t agree more.
Credit: Mama Flo’s

She doesn’t just get one-time visitors either: regulars include The Stone Roses’ Ian Brown, nearby actor Will Mellor, and a plethora of regional soap stars.

In this case, Billy Ocean was just the latest celeb to get out of her dreams and into her shop – and yes, that may be a rather stretched pun, but it was worth it, nevertheless.

So, if you’ve still never been to one of the best food spots in Stockport, Mama Flo’s now has the certified Billy Ocean seal of approval to its name, as well as having featured on our very own Takeaway Champions a little while back. We can’t think of any better advert to go and try it for yourself.

You can see the episode in full down below.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Mama Flo’s (via Facebook)/The Manc Eats

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