Karen’s Diner, the restaurant chain where customers pay for staff to insult them, has confirmed the future of its UK sites after shutting down three of its original restaurants this week.
Karen’s Diners in Surfers Paradise, Perth, and Melbourne have all shut their doors after being placed into voluntary liquidation, with the company writing on Facebook: “Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and Karen can’t stay forever! Today marks the closing of some of our Australian pop-up stores.”
The closure of the original sites down under has left some wondering about the fate of the UK restaurants, including Manchester’s closest – Karen’s Diner over in Prestwich, Bury.
Speaking to The Manc, bosses behind the UK and European Operations Team confirmed that the UK sites were unaffected by the Australian closures.
A representative from the UK and European Operations Team said that the company managing the recently-closed Australian sites is just one of nine subsidiaries within the Viral Ventures Holdings Group in Australia.
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“We understand that these short term leases were due to expire and poor management within this company led to this inevitable conclusion,” they said.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
“We accept that Karen haters and Zelus worshippers will look to jump on an opportunity to question the longevity of dinings most outrageous brand. They will be disappointed.”
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The principal group in Australia continues to be rude to all in Sydney’s capital city and the never ending demand globally is ensuring that growth worldwide continues, they added.
“It’s hard to understand the problems that have needed to be dealt with on the other side of the world”, said Paul Levin, part of the UK and European Operations Team.
“However, our UK businesses operate autonomously and despite challenging conditions, we are delighted to report continuous steady growth.”
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The UK and European Operations Team also revealed that they have got their sights set on some new openings here, with a Brighton opening planned for August followed by expansion into Ireland and the Netherlands.
“On Sunday 13th August our next restaurant will be opening on the promenade in Brighton’s Marina. Our next mission then is to be rude to the whole of Ireland and our ‘Experience’ will be landing in both Northern and the Republic of Ireland during October.
“Karens On Tour continues to visit numerous cities in The UK and we open in The Netherlands this Autumn.
“Our millions of social media followers can rest assured that our mission to serve great food whilst being rude to the whole world ,remains firmly on track”.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Popular Manchester restaurant bar to give out FREE sausage rolls to people called ‘Greg’
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s much-loved restaurant bars is doing a free sausage roll giveaway next week… but there’s a catch.
The catch being you have to have a certain name in particular.
It was only last week that popular high street chain Pret A Manger announced it would be slinging out free sandwiches to any Mancs with ‘Nic’ in their name over the late May bank holiday weekend, and now Tariff & Dale is getting it on the giveaway action, and it’s all to celebrate the iconic event that is National Sausage Roll Day.
In case you didn’t know – which is very likely, let’s be real – next Thursday (5 June) is the day dedicated to all things sausage roll.
So what better way to mark the occasion than with free portions of Tariff & Dale‘s legendary meaty treat?
The popular Northern Quarter restaurant bar is known for its creative comfort food, craft beers and cocktails, and laid-back industrial vibe, with one of the cult-classic dishes on its menu having always been the honey pork sausage roll – which just so happens to be a whopping 15-inches long, by the way.
Resembling something more of a pork wellington than a sausage roll, if you will, the dish is crispy, golden, and glazed with honey on top.
But to celebrate National Sausage Roll day, instead of parting with £9.50 for a portion or £48 for the full 15-inch thing, people with one specific name can actually get a slice for completely free of charge.
Tariff & Dale is giving away FREE sausage rolls to people with this name next week / Credit: Supplied
And that name is ‘Greg’, because if we’re honest, when it comes to sausage rolls, we all tend to think of Greggs.
So whether your surname is Gregory or Gregson, or you’re simply just called Greg, then all you need to do to claim your complimentary slice of sausage roll heaven is head on down to Tariff & Dale next Thursday 5 June from 12pm up until 9pm.
Make sure you show your valid ID proving your name when you order at the bar, and get ready to stuff your face.
Failing that, anyone not called Greg will just have to pop into actual Greggs instead.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Eats
Plans to open a brand-new pub on the site of the Rovers Return
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new pub is set to open in Manchester city centre net month, with treats in store like complimentary bowls of crisps, an outdoor terrace, and a games parlour.
The Stables Tavern is taking shape in the St John’s district, poetically on the same site that was once home to Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub.
They’re promising this will be a ‘historic tavern reimagined for today’s lover of a proper pint’.
The pub will come from Shiko Group, which is also behind Courts Club, where you can play tennis or basketball followed by court-side pints, and Side Street, a bar-restaurant-events space with a mid-Century interior.
Neighbouring the Bonded Warehouse, The Stables Tavern will join this rapidly blossoming new creative district, just across the yard from Caravan, The Trading Route and Aviva Studios.
Inside, punters will find multiple beer taps with local beers, served with complimentary bowls of crisps as well as a menu of pub snacks like handmade sausage rolls and local pies.
The pub will be split into three sections – an outside terrace, a main bar, and a parlour area at the back of the pub for live entertainment, old school games, and rounds of whiskey.
This might be a new district but it’s a historic area for the city – the same building was a busy watering hole back in the early 19th century for workers, merchants and visitors who made use of the nearby canals and cobbled streets.
It was then the home of the Rovers Return, back when this area was the home of Granada Studios.
Hayley Sammé, Marketing Director, said: “We’re so excited to bring The Stables Tavern back to St John’s. The area’s extensive historical backdrop and burgeoning hospitality scene provides the perfect landscape for a traditional British pub.
“It’s the perfect addition to the existing scene, and we hope it’s going to become a popular spot in our new creative district.”
The Stables Tavern will open at St John’s on Friday 6 June.
Georgina Pellant -
14th July 2023 
