Cult favourite indie Factory Bake has announced they are shutting their extension site in the city centre, stating that the closure was simply out of their control.
Sat just a stone’s throw away from their main coffee kiosk and serving window attached to clothing and tailor shop, Dooley and Rostron, Factory Bake was up there with one of the most popular places to pick up a sweet treat or a pastry in central Manchester.
Located on King Street West, just across the road from Spinningfields and the likes of Crazy Pedro’s, the bakery window would regularly entice Mancs walking past to nip in for one of their baked goods and, as owner Kendra Groves puts it, would sell out almost every day.
Groves, who you may also know as ‘Wild Child Cakes‘, posted a lengthy statement explaining the decision on their socials while assuring that although this site might be closing, the brand itself remains and will be bouncing back.
Speaking on behalf of the wider Factory team, Aussie-born baker Groves wrote: “With a heavy heart we announce the closing of our extension site Factory Bake.
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“A lot of roadblocks have led us to this decision, none of them being due to the utter popularity, customers and the fact we’ve been blessed enough to sell out almost every day! No, the reasons, unfortunately [have] been completely and utterly out of our control.”
But before you mourn too hard, you can breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that Kendra and co. full intend to reopen elsewhere, going on to state that “our hope and dream is to open up a location that can be more permanent for us” and will be setting up a Kickstarter campaign to help them do so.
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The aim is for the crowdfunder to help “raise the necessary funds”, adding, “It would mean the world to us if you are able to help us on this scary yet exciting endeavour… your amazing love and support, it means more than you’ll ever know.”
Details surrounding how and where to support the campaign are yet to be revealed but this deliciousness is simply too good not to back.
Most importantly of all, you’ll still be able to get your hands on plenty of Factory Bake goodness in the interim as they assured: “Fear not we are baking off-site and all the yummy baked treats you love so much will be available at Factory Coffee.”
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There really is a lot of love for this independent and passionately run local business and we’re so glad to hear that this closure of their extension site is more of a see you later than a goodbye, as the demand isn’t going anywhere.
In fact, it was only earlier this year that they went somewhat viral after a reviewer gave them one star for essentially being too busy – a comment that they were quick to toast.
This Manchester bar serves a bottomless cheese fondue with endless beer and wine
Georgina Pellant
There’s a bar in Manchester serving a bottomless cheese fondue with endless wine and beer, and it honestly sounds like the perfect treat.
While it might scream cosy winter night in, with a huge outdoor terrace, The Mews is also a firm favourite during the summer months.
Add in a board of melt-in-the-mouth charcuterie, springy pieces of garlic sourdough and a host of crunchy cheese biscuits, and you’ve got yourself the ideal afternoon if you ask us.
But there’s more. Alongside all that cheese and meat and bread, included in the price of The Mews’ bottomless fondue, cheese lovers can also enjoy 90 minutes of non-stop drinks.
Bottomless cheese fondue at The Mews on Deansgate in Manchester. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Costing £37.50 each, included in the deal is a huge pot of melted Italian Fontina cheese served with homemade garlic croutons, sourdough crackers, and slices of British charcuterie.
You’ll also get to enjoy an hour and a half of endless pints of house pilsner and carafes of red or white wine to enjoy alongside.
Serving up to six people, the bottomless cheese fondue is available only when you pre-book, so make sure to get in touch ahead of your visit to let The Mews know that you’re coming.
If you’re not on the sauce, you can opt for the cheese fondue alone. Without the booze, it’s quite a bit cheaper at £25 for one, and £2.50 on top for any additional people who want to get stuck in.
Housed up on Deansgate Mews, just behind the main hustle and bustle of Deansgate, there’s plenty of space inside as well as a large, secluded terrace that is quite the suntrap (when the Manchester sun is shining).
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.
Danny Jones -
3rd July 2024 
