Bury, brace for unbuckling your belts, because the borough’s annual food and drink festival returns for 2025 this month.
Following the inaugural event last year, Bury Food and Drink Festival (BFDF) is officially back, hoping to go even bigger and better than last summer.
Promising more traders this time around, not to mention a more fully-fledged programme than the maiden Manc feast, BFDF ’25 is shaping up to be a brilliant weekend.
Better still, with the summer sun looking like it’s sticking around for a while, it’s set to be another scorcher across Greater Manchester – the perfect weather for some more al fresco face-stuffing.
Salford Rum CompanyIddons fruit and vegCredit: Bury Market (supplied)
This year, Bury Food and Drink Festival boasts 70 different independent traders from around the local area and beyond.
In fact, over in the town centre’s Kay Gardens, there’s set to be a brand-new Hong Kong-style market featuring over 50 traders alone.
Set up by nearby favourite, Moliuliu’s Store, visitors can find gifts, jewellery and artisan craft goods, as well as tonnes of amazing flavours from around the region.
There’s also set to be a new ‘Beer and Bands’ night on Bank Street, where the festival was first born, making way for an evening of live up-and-coming local talent and brilliant Bury brews.
Organised by the Bury Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the world-famous Bury Market and local council, Bury Food and Drink Fest remains a completely free town-centre celebration of native hospitality, cuisine and culture.
The Town Centre Director for Bury BID, Nigel Shields, said of their sophomore event: “It’s a pleasure to be announcing the return of the Bury Food and Drink Festival to the town centre, and to be able to build on the success of last year’s event.
“We’ve got an exciting and diverse range of local, authentic traders joining us, showcasing the very best flavours and cuisine from Bury and all over the world. The festival is a fantastic addition to our town and what it has to offer – we can’t wait to welcome guests from far and wide across the weekend!”
You can see a full map of the festival down below.
Spanning across three days and multiple central sites, BFDF 2025 kicks off this Friday, 18 July from 9:30am, and will close between 4:30/5pm every day until Sunday.
Part-funded by Local Growth & Place Flexible Grant Funding, the aim is to promote and help give back to popular indies like The Finest Fudge Co, The Thai Food Van, Sip & Sparkle and Daily Grind, just to name a few favourites.
Councillor Charlotte Morris added: “We’re delighted to bring the food and drink festival to Bury town centre once again. The fantastic range of businesses involved is testament to the strength of food and drink offering here in Bury, and the appetite (literally!) for exciting events.
“The festival will be a chance to explore Bury, support local business, try something new and enjoy flavours from all over the world. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Bury and beyond!”
Find all the details around timings and all the other important info HERE.
A trip to Bury Market usually ends with us spending far too much on two things: chocolate and cheeseThe Thai Food Van
Award-winning chippy in Prestwich announces heartbreaking restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Chips @ No. 8, a chippy in Prestwich that’s lauded as one of the best in the UK, has announced the sad closure of its restaurant.
The award-winning takeaway made some big moves last year, expanding into the unit next door so that they could comfortable double their space downstairs and add a restaurant upstairs.
The restaurant was a brand-new concept for the much-loved Prestwich chippy, serving a seafood-focused menu that wasn’t necessarily all about the fryer.
But sadly, Chips @ No. 8 has announced that the restaurant element of its business, Loft @ No. 8, has closed for good.
They wrote that the economic climate and the huge amount of choice in Prestwich has left them struggling to fill seats in the chippy restaurant.
The good news is that the fish and chip shop itself remains open for business and thriving, and customers will be able to use the former restaurant space to eat their takeaway in.
The bar downstairs also remains open for business for a cheeky pint or glass of wine while you wait for your order.
The Loft @ No. 8 is closing. Credit: The Manc GroupCurry sauce on a Chips @ No 8 chippy tea. Credit: The Manc Group
In a statement, Chips @ No. 8 said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Loft.
“With so many great places to eat in Prestwich, and the economic climate being what it is, we have struggled recently to fill enough seats to continue to make it a financially viable side to our business.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support whilst we were open, the team for their efforts, in particular, Craig, the creator of the delicious food that we had on offer up there.
“Chips @ No.8 remains open as normal and going forward, we are opening up the space upstairs for additional casual seating for the takeaway.
“The bar will remain open so you can still enjoy a pint or a glass of wine with your fish & chips, even if it is out of a box! We hope to see you soon!”
A rising Manc musician is supporting a global popstar on tour in America
Danny Jones
Up-and-coming Greater Manchester musician Elliot James Reay, from just down the road in Bury, has just joined fellow rising solo artist and already established US superstar Benson Boone on his upcoming American tour.
Yes, a lad from Bury is opening for the bloke who belts out that ‘Beautiful Things’ tune that’s been stuck near the top of the charts for what feels like the last year.
Fittingly joining Boone for the US leg of his American Heart tour supporting his sophomore album of the same name, 23-year-old Elliot James Reay has already played a trio of shows warming up the crowds ahead of the headliner and is quickly gaining new fans across the pond.
Especially since his music harkens back to some of their most famous music icons of all time.
The youngster is still having to pinch himself at the mere notion of being on the road with such a big name so early in his career, posting on social media this week, “How do I explain this one to my friends back in Bury?
“A dream come true to be opening for Benson Boone in St Paul last night, I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing to you all and thank you for all the love you gave me!”
Roy Orbison-obsessed Raey – who also takes plenty of look and feel from the likes of Elvis and Billy Fury, among other old school, soulful American singers – has gone from releasing covers on YouTube to dropping his first-ever EP back in June and now playing full Stateside stadiums.
What a whirlwind journey it’s been for the local lad already.
The Manc songwriter and guitarist featured as one of our artists of the month last December, and we’re glad to see he’s only gone from strength to strength.
It’s fair to say that he’s matured a lot in the time since then, let alone the last 12 months or so, and booking a slot as a support act for as big as Benson Boone is right now is nothing short of huge.
We said late last year, and we’ll say it again: we see a bright future ahead for this talented young Macunian, and we wish him all the best for the dozen or so remaining US tour dates.
If you haven’t listened to his stuff before, you can get a little taste with his latest single HERE.
Or, if you want to take our advice, why not watch a great music video filmed around some very familiar city centre sites down below?
He’s certainly got his own style, even if it his heavily inspired by some of the greats.
Danny Jones -
14th July 2025 
