One of Greater Manchester’s grandest spaces has been reborn as a food hall and bar, with six traders inside.
This part of Oldham’s Old Town Hall, now with an ultra-modern new extension standing alongside its historic porticoed frontage, is now home to the 150-capacity space.
The old Egyptian Room’s original features, like its beautiful ceramic tiled walls and pillars, and its arched windows, have been perfectly preserved.
And now there are green leather booths and large tables sprawled around the space too.
The new food hall, The Egyptian Room, has traders serving everything from pizza and pasta to noodles and gyros.
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Ply Pizza are here serving heaped bowls of pasta, including beef shin parpadelle and carbonara, plus their signature pizzas like the pistachio pesto topped with a gooey burrata.
TukTuk has a menu full of Cambodian goodness like light bite street food items, sharing platters, spicy noodles and stir fries.
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TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Seacoles is a new name, a Caribbean trader serving tacos and ‘splits’ (which are fried dumplings stuffed with fillings like Cajun spiced stripped beef steak and jerk chicken), and huge plates of curry and rice and peas.
Then there’s The Last Stop, with smash burgers, gyros and loaded fries, and Wings of Power, where there are crispy-coated wings, tenders and burgers.
Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “The old town hall, what The Egyptian Room is part of and this whole complex here, was a really derelict, unloved building.
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Pizzas by Ply at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc GroupSeacoles Caribbean food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc GroupTukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
“Jim [McMahon MP] had a vision for this whole building and the one thing Jim and I do share is our passion for Oldham’s heritage buildings and he had a vision to make use of something that was unloved and derelict for a long time.
“The importance of that was not just the history and the contribution of what happened in these buildings before us but actually as a nod to say that even in the most difficult of times, because it’s been hard the last 14 years, it’s a nod to say how much we value our residents.
“How even in the most difficult times, this inspiration and the ambition of our partners is a nod to every single one of our residents and communities, no matter who you are or what your upbringing is.”
The Egyptian Room is open now in Oldham town centre.
Mongrel – New taproom and pizzeria set to move into the former Street Urchin site
Daisy Jackson
A brand new taproom, coffee shop and pizzeria concept has announced plans to move into Ancoats.
Mongrel will come from the same team behind Crust, a much-raved-about pizza joint that operated off a Stockport industrial estate until earlier this year.
They’ve now confirmed they have their sights set on the city centre, specially the magnificent corner unit that was previously home to the beloved Street Urchin.
Street Urchin suddenly closed earlier this year after co-founder and head chef Kevin suffered a heart attack, leaving them ‘unable to continue as a business’.
Rachel Choudhary, Kevin’s partner and co-founder of the neighbourhood restaurant, wrote at the time that they were ‘heartbroken’ to close the business.
Street Urchin was quietly one of the top restaurants in Ancoats and operated in a market diner fashion, creatively cooking the best catch of the day for an ever-changing menu that honoured each season.
Thankfully, this key corner unit won’t be quiet for much longer, with another local operator now lined up to move in.
Inside Street Urchin before its closure – the site will now become a pizzeria called Mongrel. Credit: The Manc Group
Mongrel has so far shared that it’s set to be a ‘coffee shop, pizza place and taproom, all under one roof’.
Upon closing Crust in Stockport they confirmed this will be ‘a huge step up from the Crüst you know and love’.
They posted on Instagram: “Thanks to everyone who’s popped down over the last year. We’re eternally grateful for the support from our fantastic customers, and will look back on this period with huge gratitude.
“It’s with great sadness that we announce our departure from Stockport. We know this will come as a disappointment to our Crüst family – we haven’t made this decision lightly.
“We have been looking for a new premesis in Stockport for a while, however after multiple applications going nowhere, we have finally found a new home in Manchester City Center!
“Our new home will be a huge step up from the Crüst you know and love… We can’t to reveal what’s to come!
Mongrel is set to open its taproom and pizzeria on Great Ancoats Street, in the former Street Urchin site, in November.
Legendary Borough Market doughnut bakery Bread Ahead is coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Bread Ahead – creators of the cult creme brulee doughnuts – is finally coming to Manchester (and soon).
The doughnut bakery is one of the most famous traders at Borough Market in London thanks to its artisan dough, classic fillings, and creative specials.
And to celebrate its arrival into the North, Bread Ahead will be giving away 1,000 free doughnuts across its first two days in Manchester.
The Borough Market bakery institution has announced a three-month stint inside Harvey Nichols, where Mancs will be able to pick up flavours including their world-famous creme brulee doughnut, a custard-filled beauty with a crunchy torched brown sugar top.
That particular flavour is so popular, they sell around 5,000 daily down in London.
Other Bread Ahead doughnuts include vanilla, jam, sea salted caramel, pistachio, and regional/seasonal specials like pumpkin creme brulee, smores, lemon curd, coconut, and blackcurrant cheesecake.
The giveaway of 1,000 free doughnuts will start at 10am on Monday 3 November, with 500 handed out while stocks last.
Bread Ahead is bringing its legendary doughnuts to Manchester for the first time
Then on Tuesday 4 November there’ll be another 500 up for grabs on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Founder Matthew Jones says: “We’ve long wanted to branch out regionally, and this felt like the perfect way to do it.
“Baking and education are so important to us, so we’re really excited to bring our doughnuts to the people of Manchester and thrilled to be working with Harvey Nichols.
“We hope this is just the first of many visits – there’s so much more to come!”
The creme brulee doughnuts from Bread Ahead are coming to Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Gavin Hudson, General Manager at Harvey Nichols Manchester said: “Bread Ahead is a true institution in Borough Market, so when Matthew and the team got in touch, we knew that their offer would definitely resonate with our customers.
“We’re excited to be bringing their full selection of doughnut flavours to the city and we are sure that their trademark Crème Brûlée doughnut will become a firm favourite here too.”
Bread Ahead will open at Harvey Nichols Manchester from Monday 3 November.
Daisy Jackson -
6th November 2024 
