Stretford Foodhall, a local favourite that’s been at the heart of an entire town centre’s regeneration, has announced its shocking and sudden closure.
The business, which is part retailer and part food hall, said that it has been a ‘tortuous few years’ and that it will be closing for good next week.
Stretford Foodhall is part of the General Stores group, perhaps best-known for operating Ancoats General Store.
While the bulk of the business has always been about crafting the region’s ‘coolest cornershops’, where you can browse local produce and products alongside your usual essentials, Stretford Foodhall was a new offering entirely.
A huge portion of their site on the edge of Stretford Mall was given over to a dining space, with an ever-rotating selection of local traders taking up residence in the kitchens.
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Stretford Foodhall was quickly award-winning and has often been praised for helping to kick-start the area’s regeneration.
But they have now written that they have ‘no more left in the tank’ and will close for good on Sunday 11 February.
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In a lengthy statement, signed by founder Mital Morar, they wrote that they had had problems from their opening in 2019, when they were ‘too busy with not enough seats’.
Stretford Foodhall then said it never properly recovered from the impact of Covid, which struck less than a year after its launch.
Mital’s open letter stated: “We are acutely aware, on this journey of survival, we have let some people down. We apologise unreservedly for this and hope to make right one day.”
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It continued by praising its ‘individual and amazing’ staff, and thanking all the many food traders, pop ups, breweries, and artists who have been part of the journey over the last five years.
Stretford Foodhall’s statement concluded: “As a Manchester born and bred business, local and independent, our confidence and Ikigai (as Masako once taught us) has been knocked. It has been a tortuous few years. But we get up and fight daily. Whilst we are closing, we haven’t given up. We look forward to serving you again one day… for now see us at @generalstores_.”
The news of the closure comes less than a year after the group shut down its Sale Foodhall.
It comes with great sadness and torment that we have decided to close on Sunday 11th February 2024
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Opening in 2019 to much risk and applaud we very quickly had problems! We were too busy, didn’t have enough seats and had to evolve very quickly. A good problem! For all the naysayers, Stretford supported us and we couldn’t have been happier.
We hadn’t even traded one year and along came covid and changed all that. We haven’t ever really recovered. Whilst trading through, winning awards, doing takeaway food and coffee, we evolved as much as we could with what we could post covid. Entering inflation, cost of living crisis and this crazy enduring energy situation… we have no more left in the tank.
We continue to be involved with the GMCA dialogue to support them in lobbying government for change in the hospitality sector. Too many friends are suffering and we stand with you.
We are very concious of our strengths and weaknesses. We are very concious of the current environment and we have tried our best with all the headwinds to make a go of it and keep going for the greater good. We are grateful for the support from our customers, our relationships with food traders and suppliers. We appreciate BRUNTWOOD who helped where they could and we have no doubt the new and final vision will deliver the goods. Sadly, our part in this journey cannot continue.
We are acutely aware, on this journey of survival, we have let some people down. We apologise unreservedly for this and hope to make right one day. As you know, our roots are embedded in retail. We will continue on this journey and navigate this tough environment there.
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This message is written by Mital, as Proprietor. This closure isn’t a reflection of our colleagues in branch, they too have endured a tough ride of uncertainty and changing decisions day to day. We have had to become an operation we don’t aspire to be and this too cannot continue. We Thank You for your service and will support your roles and continuity as best we can. You are all individual and amazing and we wish you only the best for the future.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the food traders, creatives, pop ups, breweries, artists and more who have engaged and explored this road with us in Stretford. Our warmest wishes to our business neighbours and community friends who have humbled us with your friendship. We will meet again one day.
As a Manchester born and bred business, local and independent, our confidence and Ikigai (as Masako once taught us) has been knocked. It has been a tortuous few years. But we get up and fight daily. Whilst we are closing, we haven’t given up. We look forward to serving you again one day… for now see us at @generalstores_
Thank You Thank You… Mital & Family
Featured image: Publicity picture
News
Teens could be recruited as train drivers to help ‘improve’ Britain’s railways amid ongoing strikes
Emily Sergeant
Teenagers could soon be recruited as train drivers in a bid to help “improve” Britain’s railways, the Government has announced.
Amid what have been ongoing strikes for the past couple of years now, and following on from the announcement back in February that ASLEF train drivers at several train companies and operators had voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to continue taking industrial action for another six months, the Government has now proposed lowering the minimum age to become a train driver from 20 to 18.
A consultation on the somewhat-controversial move is to be launched as part of the Government’s efforts to open up more careers in the rail sector to young people.
Ultimately, transport ministers believe this could “improve the reliability of rail services” across the UK.
Teens could be recruited as train drivers to help ‘improve’ Britain’s railways amid ongoing strikes / Credit: National Rail
This surprising recruitment drive announcement comes after the Government has revealed that the train driver workforce is projected to shrink without opening up more opportunities for new recruits in the near future – especially given the fact the average age of a train driver in Britain is 48 years old, and many are set to retire within the next five years or so.
Under the new proposals set to go out to consultation, the Department for Transport (DfT) will create a new pathway for school leavers to take up apprenticeships and train to join the profession.
If agreed following the consultation, the new regulations to lower the minimum age for train drivers from 20 to 18 could be in place as early as this summer, according to the Government, which will apparently “help set thousands of young people on track to a career in transport” once they’ve bid farewell to their school days.
The Government says its proposal to lower the minimum age would “build resilience” across the railway.
The Government has launched a consultation of the lowering of the minimum train driver age / Credit: Northern
Not only is the proposal said to form part of wider Government plans to create more opportunities where young people can gain the skills they need to succeed, all while generating more jobs that lead to a “productive” and “high-skilled” economy, but transport ministers believe attracting more young train drivers would help the rail industry provide a “more reliable service” for customers when other staff are off sick or on annual leave.
By opening up the sector to young people, the Government claims this would be “a positive step” and one that directly benefits passengers.
“We want to open the door for young people considering transport as a career, and this proposal could give school-leavers a clear path into the sector,” commented Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, as the proposals were unveiled this week.
We're asking for views on lowering the minimum age requirement to become a train driver in Great Britain from 20 to 18.
This could open the door to thousands of new opportunities for young people in transport.
“By boosting age diversity in the sector and attracting more drivers, we can help support reliable services while creating opportunities for more young people.”
If the proposals are introduced, the Government says all prospective train drivers, regardless of their age, will continue to be held to the same stringent training requirements as before to ensure the safe use of our railways for everyone.
To become a licensed train driver in the UK, trainees must pass mandatory medical, psychological, fitness, and general professional competence examinations.
They must also be trained by their employer on the trains and tracks they will be deployed on.
Featured Image – Northern
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Manchester welcomes ‘proud Mancunian’ Paul Andrews as city’s new Lord Mayor
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has welcomed a new Lord Mayor this week, and he’s ready to “serve hardworking Mancunians who want to see their beloved city thrive”.
Following Councillor Yasmine Dar’s departure from the role, Councillor Paul Andrews has now taken over the reins, and was officially appointed the new Lord Mayor of Manchester during a full Manchester City Council meeting yesterday (15 May).
This makes the “proud Mancunian” the 126th person to hold the Mayor title in the city’s history.
Born in Crumpsall, and spending the majority of his life living in the Bradford area of the city before moving to Wythenshawe in 1959, Cllr Andrews successfully completed an apprenticeship in the print industry following his graduation from Poundswick Grammar School in 1970.
His working life began as a baggage handler at Manchester Airport in 1978, but it was almost two decades before he started his politics career.
Cllr Andrews was first elected to Manchester City Council in 1996, where he represented the Woodhouse Park Ward.
Manchester has welcomed ‘proud Mancunian’ Paul Andrews as the city’s new Lord Mayor / Credit: Manchester City Council
The “tireless work ethic” he demonstrated throughout his Airport career was carried over into his Councillor role, with other Manchester City Council members often noting his “outstanding” participation in committees, his serving on and completing of two terms on the Executive Committee, and his sitting on numerous governing bodies.
Most notably, he was the Council’s Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, and he also served on the Foster Panel for a decade too.
Even throughout his time as a Councillor, Paul was keen to keep to “his roots”, and chose to serve on the Manchester Airport Trust Fund and the Port Health Authority as a way of reflecting his “unflinching dedication” to “bettering Manchester”.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) May 15, 2024
Celebrating carers is described as one of Cllr Andrews’ and his wife, Karen’s – who he has been married to since 1996, and has been a “steadfast supporter” in his duty to public life – “most revisited themes”, as he was known for being passionate about improving the livelihoods of vulnerable young people with help through volunteers and professional organisations.
Outside of his political life, Cllr Andrews’ favourite way to pass the time is fishing, and he also likes to take regular visits to Ireland and Scotland with his family.
“To be appointed as Lord Mayor of this city is humbling and an utmost honour,” Cllr Andrews said after being appointed as the new Lord Mayor of Manchester yesterday.
He said the honour is one he “does not take lightly”.
“As I seek to serve hardworking Mancunians who want to see their beloved city thrive, under my tenure and through our core values of hard work, collaboration, and innovation, I aim to continue Manchester’s legacy of being a city that supports our residents to succeed,” Cllr Andrews concluded.