A bar dedicated to alcoholic ginger beer is opening an hour from Manchester in a ‘UK first’, and we’re pretty excited about it.
After all, ginger beer has long been a favourite, be that on its own or as a mixer for fans of Pimms, dark and spiced rum. Still, despite its deliciousness, it’s pretty unusual to see the old faithful served as a boozy product all on its own.
Now, though, that’s all set to change as Northern Brewery DMC prepares to launch the UK’s first-ever dedicated alcoholic ginger beer bar over in Leeds, reports The Hoot.
Flavours on offer will include boozy ginger beers with lemongrass and lime leaf, orange with cinnamon and star anise, a 1700s-recipe beer, and an ancho chilli and cacao nib concoction.
DMC is also preparing to serve some seasonal options, including a barrel-aged ginger beer, and another made with golden pear and chi spice.
The brewery, run by husband and wife team Giuseppe ‘Gez’ Romano and Ele Romano, has spent the past three years perfecting its recipes over in Wakefield ahead of the move to a new, bigger brewery under Leeds’ railway arches.
Image: DMC Brewery
Image: DMC Brewery
What first began as a kitchen brew back in 2018 has spiralled into a fully-fledged business, after Gez – who was formerly a head chef at a top Leeds restaurant – and his partner Ele found themselves with a newborn baby and little energy or time to go out.
Disappointed with the selection of boozy ginger beers they could find readily available on the market, they decided to make their own – and five years later, the rest is history.
Having outgrown their Wakefield premises, the pair are now crowdfunding to open a new taproom bar at the new Leeds brewery site on Railway Street – with Gez promising that pledges are sure to get more back in bar credits and merchandise.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Gez explained that, after digging into the history of ginger beer, the couple had discovered that it was originally brewed in Yorkshire.
First brewed in the 1700s, they learnt that it was actually an alcoholic drink in Yorkshire long before it became the popular soft drink we know and love today, thanks, largely, to American prohibition.
As a result, they couldn’t resist making a historically accurate drink – and so now the product is made using entirely organic ingredients in order to give it that Yorkshire authenticity.
He said: “We have always wanted to open a tap room – it’s a scary leap but it’s exciting, and people are really excited for it.
“Some have told us they’ve been waiting for this. I had a look on the internet and I’ve found one bar in America, but I don’t there’s any like this in the UK.
“Things have been going really well, but we have exceeded the capacity we can do at Wakefield.
“We have got a lot of interest for European distribution because there’s nothing like what we do in Europe, but we need to be able to brew enough.
“It’s a natural progression and it’s reassuring to know there’s a market for it.”
To find out more about the new alcoholic ginger beer bar opening in Leeds and support the Crowdfunder appeal, which is already at over £8,000, click here.
Featured image – DMC Brewery
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You can stay in an aircraft, old school bus, or even a helicopter at this glamping pod near Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a glamping retreat near Manchester offering extraordinary stays in an aircraft, helicopter, old school bus and more.
Over in Blackpool at Manor House Glamping, there is a range of static vehicles that you can have an overnight stay or two in, and according to the pictures on its website, there’s even a resident emu.
You can stay in various modes of transport, such as an aircraft, an iconic yellow school bus, a campervan or a military green truck.
Each has its own perks ranging from a hot tub, outdoor bath, fire pit, sandpit and more. Whatever type of getaway or retreat you’re looking for, you’ll find everything you need right here.
The most eye-catching of the company’s stays is certainly the aircraft, which has kept its original cockpit features, although it’s safe to say the interior has definitely had a makeover.
There’s no such thing as a bad in-flight experience with this guest house, as you can get cocktails delivered to the cockpit after taking a dip in your own personal hot tub – not too shabby, eh?
With the bright and unmissable yellow school bus, there are plenty of decorations that help continue this theme in the form of various American road signs, one of which acts as your headboard for the night.
If you’re after a more toned-down chance to unwind, you can step into a pale-white camper van with cosy cushions and a snug haystack-turned-sofa adorned with some gorgeous blankets.
And if you’re looking at going all out, then your Manor House Glamping accommodation of choice has to be the chopper, which was once used by the Royal Navy.
Worried this option might be a tad nippy? Fear not, because this helicopter is fully kitted out to suit your glamping needs with two fluffy-lined cushions on each seat of this vintage heli.
Anyone who experiences cabin fever, fear not, because all the aircraft and vehicles are static and aren’t planning on making a long-haul journey anytime soon, you’ll still be able to keep your feet firmly on the ground.
Manor House Glamping has a variety of vehicle-themed guest houses, both old and new, for you to stay in overnight and if you’re interested or after any further information.
If you fancy staying within the boundaries of Greater Manchester but still fancy getting the feel for a cockpit, though, there’s a very fun day out over at Barton’s City Airport.
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Georgina Pellant -
29th August 2023 
