A new affordable steakhouse is coming to Manchester this summer, taking over the former Blacks Outdoor Clothing shop on Deansgate.
Opening just three doors up from premium steakhouse brand Hawksmoor, it is called Flat Iron and, like its new neighbor, also hails from London – first opening in the capital over a decade ago
Launching to fame back in 2012. with accessible feather blade steaks served at £10, it has since expanded across London to a total of 12 sites. Now, it has got its sites on our fair city.
This move to Manchester will mark the chain’s first restaurant in the north of England, following another planned opening in Cambridge this July.
On the very simple menu, diners will find one steak option – The Flat Iron Steak – alongside various sides and sauces such as beef dripping chips, creamed spinach, crispy bone marrow garlic mash and truffled macaroni cheese.
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Image: Flat Iron Steakhouse
Image: Flat Iron Steakhouse
Elsewhere, further side choices include a simple green salad and roast aubergine with tomato, basil, plus sauces like bearnaise, peppercorn, wild mushroom, and homemade smoked chilli mayo, with a short list of ‘Beef Specials’ including a smoked chilli cheeseburger, Scottish bavette and flat iron Sirloin.
Flat Iron’s other restaurants, however, often list steak specials from its butcher partners and its Shoreditch site even features a 15-foot-long roasting spit.
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Founder Charlie Carroll spent nine months researching beef before the first opening, even teaching himself to butcher as part of that in-depth knowledge-seeking process.
During that period, he discovered that little-known secondary cuts from the very best beef could be exceptionally tasty but reasonably affordable, leading to what he terms the ‘democratisation of great steak.’
Speaking on that period of time, he said: “I didn’t know if my idea of great steak for everyone would get people excited. To my amazement, by the second week, the queue went down the stairs.
“There have been many twists and turns since then, with a huge community of committed individuals working together to try and achieve a common goal.
Image: Flat Iron Steakhouse
Image: Flat Iron Steakhouse
“Remarkable steak, accessible to all, passionate people and love. It’s where we started, where we are and where we firmly hope to stay.”
Due to open in Manchester later this year, proposed hours on Flat Iron’s licensing application suggest it could open from 10am to 1am Monday to Sunday.
To find out more and view the menu in full ahead of its launch in Manchester, visit the Flat Iron website here.
Featured image – Flat Iron
City Centre
The full 2026 MOBOs Fringe programme for the first-ever awards in Manchester has been revealed
Danny Jones
Now the BRITs have been and gone, it’s time to switch our focus to the next big awards show: the 2026 MOBOs, which is also coming to Manchester for the very first time, and they’re bringing the popular Fringe event along with it.
Get ready for more big showbiz hustle and bustle to hit the city centre before you know it; we, for one, are so ready.
Similar to the aforementioned BRIT Awards, the MOBOs also hold a regular ‘Fringe’ music, arts and cultural festival with each annual edition.
You can see the full range of this year’s largely free-to-attend MOBOs Fringe lineup and the extensive schedule in its entirety down below.
Manchester, it’s your time.
The full #MOBOFringe 2026 programme is here – nine days of music, culture, panels, parties and showcases across the city ahead of the #MOBOAwards on 26 March.
As you can see, there’s a lot on the cards this year, with different activities and activations happening all over central Manchester.
Featuring everything from exclusive live sets, sport and other entertainment, to various selectors and even a creative summit, it’s jam-packed with countless aspects beyond just that music that help make the industry as a whole tick.
Venues involved include The Whitworth Gallery, faithful Green Island Festival partners, the Niamos Centre, multi-purpose bars and events spaces like Side Street and Renae, as well as important music venues like The Deaf Institute and Aviva Studios – a.k.a. the home of Factory International.
Each hosting a variety of different dates over the course of its nearly week-long duration ahead of the MOBO Awards themselves, there’s something for everyone and anyone interested not just in Black music and entertainment but Black-British culture and more.
For instance, we already heard about the exclusive basketball match between Manchester and a fellow European competitor, and tickets are live as we speak. You can see the full Fringe programme in more detail online.
Running from Thursday 19 to Tuesday 24 March, the event week is shaping up to be a cracker.
As for the inaugural Manc MOBOs ceremony at Co-op Live, it gets underway just a couple of days later on the following Thursday (26 Mar).
serving as the perfect way to close the Fringe and this year’s edition as a whole.
Tickets for the MOBO Awards Manchester debut are live as we speak, with general admission prices starting from less than £30. You can grab yours HERE.
As for those expected to be in attendance, the likes of Olivia Dean and local rapper Aitch have already been confirmed for the live music lineup, and to see the full list of nominees, look no further…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via MOBO Awards)
City Centre
New proposals to transform one of Manchester’s busiest roads revealed
Emily Sergeant
New proposals which could transform one of Manchester’s busiest roads have been unveiled.
Oldham Road is one the key routes into the city centre, and sees upwards of 26,000 journeys a day via a combination of car, bike, and public transport, according to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), but these new plans are set to improve journey times, safer crossings, protected cycleways, better connections, and boost sustainability.
“We know that things can be better,” TfGM said in a statement unveiling the proposals this week, adding that change is needed.
In the last five years alone, there have been 36 collisions on Oldham Road between Great Ancoats Street and Queens Road, with seven serious injuries caused as a result, which is why Council believes, with a number of targeted improvements, the road can be made better for everyone.
New proposals to transform one of Manchester’s busiest roads have been revealed / Credit: TfGM
When asked during the last consultation, hundreds of locals said what they wanted buses to come more often and be more reliable, safer places to cross the road, wider pavements for walking, and better-protected cycle lanes.
As part of the unveiled plans – which are currently out for consultation too – TfGM and the Council is proposing adding more bus lanes so buses don’t get stuck in traffic, as well making bus stops nicer with better places to wait, and building more cycle lanes that are separate from cars.
Proposals also include changing traffic lights to help people cross the road, and fixing busy junctions so they’re easier and safer to cross.
Proposals are aiming to make the road safer, better-connected, and more sustainable / Credit: TfGM
“Improving everyday journeys is a priority, and the proposals for Oldham Road are central to this,” commented Alison Chew, who is TfGM’s Interim Director of Bus.
“Through the Bee Network, we’re creating a joined-up, safer and more affordable transport system for Greater Manchester, reducing congestion for everyone and connecting people with places and opportunities.
“These plans aim to make bus stops safer and easier to use, improve the speed and reliability of bus services, and provide better walking and cycling routes with upgraded crossings and footpaths.
“As Manchester city centre continues to grow, improving the way people can move easily around the city is a major driver for change. We know that things can be better.”
You can have your say on the proposals on the Council website here.
Georgina Pellant -
27th April 2023 
