Bez is bringing back his bottomless brunch to Manchester – try saying that ten times fast after a few bevs, we dare you.
Yes, the maraca-shaking Happy Mondays hype man is hosting a boozy brunch extravaganza at former railway station-turned-food hall Freight Island, and it sounds like it will be one hell of a party.
Hosted by the wild man of pop, the man who once shook the maraca so hard whilst ‘tripping [his] nut off’ that he wounded his hand, we think it’s fair to say that this event is already teed up to trump the competition – and that’s before we even get into the food and the drinks.
Promising a ‘rave-fuelled’ party atmosphere headed up by none other than Manchester’s best-loved party hero, those heading down will be twisting their melon to 90s club hits with more entertainment from singers and dancers.
Image: ETFI
There will, naturally, be a meet-and-greet opportunity with the event’s magnanimous host, plus lots of delicious street food and 90 minutes of bottomless drinks.
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Priced from £35 per person, for that you can enjoy an hour and a half of non-stop boozing from a new mimosa cocktail menu and a delicious custom menu brunch from Smoking Coal, who offer both vegetarian and meat options.
Other traders on site here (not included in the bottomless deal) include pizza spot Voodoo Rays, Amsterdam-inspired chip joint The Fry By, five-layer lasagne spot Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria, curry spot Payal, Koko Sushi and dessert spot Oh My Cheesecake.
Freight Island also boasts a number of different bars selling everything from cocktails and fine wines to craft beers, classic lagers, ciders and softs.
Taking place at Platform, the bottomless brunch with Bez will run from 12-2.30pm on Saturday 1 July.
Glitzy Spinningfields bar famed for its bottomless deals shuts down
Daisy Jackson
Popular cocktail bar group Banyan has suddenly closed its glitzy bar in the heart of Spinningfields.
The restaurant and bar, which is part of the Arc Inspirations group that also operates Manahatta and Box, has shut down with immediate effect.
A sign has been posted in the window of the Spinningfields site of Banyan confirming its closure.
Banyan opened in 2018 and was the second site for the brand, which has been operating out of the Corn Exchange since 2015.
Inside, the huge 7,000sq ft space was split into spaces for drinking, dining and dancing, including a large mezzanine and a huge white marble bar.
Banyan is famed for its bottomless deals, whether that’s a classic bottomless brunch or their bottomless Sunday roast (endless Yorkshire puddings, gravy, wine, and roast potatoes).
It also offered two-for-one cocktails, all day every day.
The bar stands on the side of Spinningfields, directly opposite The Ivy and alongside The Alchemist.
Banyan in Spinningfields has shut downThe note in the window of Banyan
But now it has permanently closed its doors, thanking people for their custom over its almost-decade in Manchester.
The sign on the door says: “Banyan Spinningfields is now permanently closed.
“Thank you so much for your custom over the years, we’ve loved being part of this wonderful city and have made so many friends.
“Don’t be a stranger, we’d love to continue to welcome you to our Banyan bar in the Corn Exchange. Team Banyan.”
Bangkok Diners Club moves out of Ancoats just months after Michelin Guide win
Daisy Jackson
Bangkok Diners Club, the critically-acclaimed restaurant above the Edinburgh Castle pub, has closed its restaurant space.
The Thai restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide last October, not long after taking over the upstairs of the popular pub.
It also received a rave review in The Guardian from restaurant critic Grace Dent, who said it would be ‘one of Manchester’s hottest dining tickets’.
But now Bangkok Diners Club has decided its time in Ancoats is up, and has closed its beautiful restaurant space with immediate effect.
In an email sent to customers with reservations, they wrote that Bangkok Diners Club ‘sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle’.
Owners and husband-and-wife team Ben and Bo Humpheys aren’t leaving things there though, announcing plans to move into the Exhibition food hall on Peter Street.
Co-owner Ben Humphreys outside Bangkok Diners Club. Credit: The Manc GroupThe food earned them a place in the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
They’ll be joining MoreJoy and pasta concept Anatra in the space, but bidding farewell to their own dedicated restaurant for now.
The email sent to customers reads: “We have just noticed that the system has allowed you to make a reservation during a time that we are closed. We apologise that this has happened.
“Ben and Bo are cooking at Exhibition during 2026 and Bangkok Diners Club sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle.
“Sincerest apologies for all the inconvenience caused.”
Georgina Pellant -
21st June 2023 
