Celebrity TV chef Gordon Ramsay left local bakers surprised and elated yesterday after he dropped into their newly-opened cafe for a slice of Manchester tart.
Unable to resist the local delicacy, the no-nonsense TV chef headed to the brand new Loaf cafe at Affinity Living, Spinningfields, for a sweet pick-me-up after a day of filming a top secret new project.
To the delight of the team, he opted for this week’s new special, a slice of Manchester tart loaf cake made with a vanilla base and custard filling, coconut-infused buttercream and fresh raspberry jam.
Loaf founder Aiden Ryan shared a picture of himself beaming next to the firebrand TV chef on social media last night and described Gordon Ramsay as ‘such a gent’.
The Manchester Tart loaf cake is on as a special at Loaf cafe in Affinity Living, Spinningfields, all week. / Image: Loaf
Alongside the snap, which quickly started racking up the likes, he wrote: “We had a cheeky visit from the one and only @gordongram and his team!
ADVERTISEMENT
“Thank you for joining us for a slice of the Manchester Tart and for the well wishes!!! Such a gent!!!
“If Gordon says it’s good, it must be good – right?!”
ADVERTISEMENT
The quirkily-decorated new cafe, which is done up in all pinks, greens and whites, sits on the bank of the river Irwell and is a one-minute walk away from the People’s History Museum.
Image: Loaf Manchester
It specialises in old-school loaf cakes, which is something that Aiden first began baking in lockdown to raise money for the NHs, as well as serving loafnuts (their take on donuts), pastries and freshly brewed cups of coffee.]
Alongside this classic collection of nostalgic cakes, you’ll also find the Loaf Au Choc, croissant loaves and brioche loave fresh on the counter every day, all served by the slice.
Elsewhere, there’ll be artisanal sandwiches and bagels provided by Sndwch Mcr, salads and smoothies from Bondi Bowls, and naturally made soft drinks from Steep Soda Co.
Those heading down can find weekly Loaf favourites topped with Jammie Dodgers, Biscoff, Bourbon Biscuits and Custard Creams, as well as the Manchester Tart special enjoyed by Gordon Ramsay this week.
Major travel warning issued ahead of Manchester Pride this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Of course, Manchester Village Pride returns to the city centre this weekend from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August – with four days of music, live performances, and entertainment taking place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and of course, the annual Pride Parade will be taking to the streets from 12pm on Saturday too.
Starting at midday on Liverpool Road, the Pride Parade will travel through the city centre via Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, and Whitworth Street, all before arriving in the Village and closing out at around 4pm.
Pride may be the biggest event in Manchester this weekend, but given the fact it’s a bank holiday too, it’s by far the only thing happening.
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
As thousands of visitors gear up to visit the city in the next few days, travel warnings have been issued by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), as road closures are in place and major traffic congestion is expected across the city centre.
For the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a full list of road closures and parking suspensions have now been published.
Drivers are advised to avoid travelling into the city centre by car if possible, particularly on Saturday, and should use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains – instead to best avoid all the closures.
But for those who do need to drive, they’re being strongly advised to ‘allow plenty of extra time’ for their journeys and check routes before setting off.
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
Wherever possible, drivers are advised to park on the same side of the city as their route, as travelling across the city to reach a car park could add additional time to the journey.
“Plan ahead if you’re travelling over the bank holiday weekend,” Manchester City Council said in its travel warning.
“A number of other major events are taking place across the city, including live events at Wythenshawe Park and Manchester United’s first home game of the season, which are likely to increase demand on tram services and roads in and around the city centre.”
You can find out everything you need to know about Manchester Village Pride here, and see the full list of road closures here.
Featured Image – TfGM
City Centre
Workers at major Manchester city centre hotel to strike this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
Workers at one of the most prominent hotels in Manchester city centre are set to strike this bank holiday weekend.
Workers at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and its bar venue The Refuge, who are members of the union Unite, will take 24 hours of strike action on Saturday (29 August) in what is said to be a ‘long-running dispute’ over union busting.
The strike day chosen by the workers is the second day of this year’s Manchester Village Pride, and is historically the most lucrative day of the year for their employer.
This is because Kimpton Clocktower is located very close to the Pride Parade route, and for several years has been a very popular location for people attending the festival, and even runs a number of Pride events itself.
Unite says that for months now, workers at the Kimpton Clocktower – which is owned by InterContinental Hotels Group UK (IHG) – have been asking for formal union recognition to improve conditions after raising several issues with management, but IHG UK has refused this and instead ‘targeted’ the union for its actions.
Workers at a major Manchester city centre hotel are set to strike this bank holiday weekend / Credit: Rebecca Hope Photography (Supplied)
Previous strikes have already taken place this summer, apparently causing ‘financial hits’ to the business in the process – with the bar being forced to close early at several events as there were not enough staff to cover them.
“A strike on Kimpton’s most profitable day is entirely of its own making,” commented Unite regional officer, Alison Treacher. “Throughout this dispute, Kimpton Clocktower management have treated its loyal workforce with contempt and our members have shown they will not stand for it.
“There is still time to avoid this highly disruptive strike action, but that relies on IHG changing tack by listening to its members and giving them the union recognition they have long been calling for.”
This dispute is said to be the first ever hospitality strike in the North West.
Unite is currently running a petition demanding that IHG UK stop targeting union activists, recognise the Kimpton workers rights to have their grievance heard collectively, and support their union recognition campaign.
Georgina Pellant -
21st June 2022 
