Sky-high energy prices are now the main reason for hospitality closures, according to Manchester’s night time tsar Sacha Lord.
The Warehouse Project founder and night time economy adviser has recently taken to Twitter to call on the government to do more to support businesses – stating that the energy companies are ‘cashing in on hospitality’s demise’.
Adding that the big energy companies ‘are bankrupting businesses and forcing people into unemployment’, he pointed to numerous business closures in Greater Manchester before adding that energy regulator Ofgem has ‘a lot to answer for’.
It has undoubtedly been a hard few years for the city’s hospitality operators, with large numbers closing their doors for good in 2022 and more following suit this year already.
Between rocketing energy bills and food costs, record inflation and the largest squeeze on living standards in 40 years, many operators have found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.
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Recent notable hospitality closures have included vegan junk food pioneers Zad’s and V Rev, Vertigo, Chorlton neighbourhood favourite The Creameries, city centre institution Cafe Metro, decades-old pizza restaurant Croma and cheap cocktail favourite Font, but sadly the list goes on and on.
Energy is now the main reason for Hospitality closures.
The Government need to step in and make the energy giants release operators from untenable contracts, because it’s clear @ofgem won’t.
Yet, whilst Manchester’s bars and restaurants are closing at pace, energy companies are announcing record profits with Shell reporting record earnings of £32.2bn in 2022 – double the previous year’s total and the highest in the company’s 115 year history.
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This has led for many to call for the increase in the energy price cap due in April to be scrapped, with opposition parties claiming that the government is letting firms ‘off the hook’.
Meanwhile, many local restaurants are directly citing the energy crisis as their reason for closing their doors.
Announcing its closure last year, popular vegan eatery Vertigo shared on social media that it had been forced to permanently shut all three of its sites: laying the blame at the door of ‘significantly increased costs’ that have made it difficult for the business to continue to operate.
Specifically referring to an increase in utility bills, the team said it was with ‘a heavy heart’ they had to announce that ‘Vertigo is no more’.
Elsewhere, last summer The Lowry theatre warned of a ‘major challenge’ over fears energy costs could triple to £1m this winter, stating that: “The government needs to extend the energy cap to business as well as households.”
Meanwhile, The Old Siege House Bar and Brasserie in Colchester revealed that it “had no choice but to sign a new contract in October in order to access government help”, adding that its bills went up “from 2p a unit on gas to 12p and 12p electric to 44p ! Now tied in for 4 years! Not sure how long we can sustain these prices!”
According to analysis by Shakespeare Martineau, the food and drink industry accounted for 6% of administrations in 2022 – the sixth-highest sector in the UK.
A total of 1,340 businesses – 87 of which came from the food and drink industry, which included several breweries and restaurant chains – filed for administration last year, marking a 56% increase compared to 2021.
Recession fears and the financial pressure on households and businesses mean the worst is still yet to come, an insolvency and restructuring expert has warned.
Andy Taylor, partner and head of restructuring at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “The latest statistics show that the true costs of living and doing business are beginning to bite.
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“Numerous headwinds – such as the cost of borrowing, and increasing energy, fuel and raw material costs – have become a new normal at this point and businesses are being pulled from every direction. Furthermore, while supportive in the main, pressure from lenders is increasing and HMRC is taking a firmer stance, seeking to cap levels of liability for non-payment of tax.
Adding that the UK is ‘perilously close to recessional phase,’ he continued: “If things continue as they are, we expect to see an increase in businesses failures as they battle tough trading conditions.”
Feature image –The Manc Group
Eats
M&S launches its fancy festive ‘food to go’ range for 2025 with sandwiches, snacks, and more
Emily Sergeant
Christmas is nearing closer, and M&S has now launched its fancy festive food to go range filled with sandwiches, snacks, and loads more.
We may still be in the middle of autumn, with Halloween and Bonfire Night yet to pass us by, but there’s really no escaping Christmas food in the supermarkets nowadays – and now, M&S has dropped its long-awaited festive food to go range, which is an absolute fan-favourite each year thanks to the wide selection on offer.
Basically M&S’s version of a lunchtime ‘meal deal’, except there’s technically no ‘deal’ involved, the food to go range is known and loved for its quality and variety of options.
The retailer has decided to launch its Christmas food earlier than ever before this year, with more than 35 festive favourites having now hit stores across the entire range, including eight brand-new additions joining the Christmas classics – including the first ever festive breakfast pot.
This year’s festive food to-go range includes must-have newbies like the Ho Ho Ho Honey Ham Hock & Cornish Cove Sandwich, the Boxing Day Curry Wrap, and the Fa La La La Fel Wrap, which is a festive take on the beloved vegetarian classic.
But of course, M&S’s iconic Turkey Feast sandwich is back, as is the Made Without version for those who are gluten-free.
M&S has launched its fancy festive ‘food to go’ range for 2025 / Credit: M&S (Supplied)
Not only that, but breakfast, sides, and drinks are aplenty this year, including all-new Festive Turkey Dipper, Chocolate Orange Milkshakes, and the high-protein Gingerbread Overnight Oats, which are already going down a treat on social media.
Other returning favourites include the Pigs in Blankets Sandwich, the Christmas Club Sandwich, and the Brie & Cranberry Sandwich, as well as the Turkey, Bacon & Cranberry Sausage Roll, and mini festive-themed Colin the Caterpillar cakes.
For the 21st festive season in a row, M&S are ‘proud’ to be partnering with Shelter, the housing and homeless charity, again this year.
5%* of sales from each item sold in our festive food on the go range will be donated.
Featured Image – M&S (Supplied)
Eats
A massive bowling, games and entertainment bar is coming to Manchester next year
Danny Jones
A popular bowling and table games bar that has already proved a hit in Liverpool is coming to Manchester for the very first time next year.
If you’re from the North West, PINS Social Club may not be a new name to you; nevertheless, this will be its Manc debut, with the location not only their first beyond Merseyside but just their second site to date.
As the name would suggest, PINS is primarily about bowling and socialising, but there is plenty more going on at this social club as you’ll find out soon enough.
Scheduled to open in late spring 2026, Manchester and our nearby neighbours in Liverpool are about to strike up a firm party partnership.
CGIs of PINS Social Club Manchester (Credit: Supplied)
Selecting the shifting face of Sunlight House for the space – already home to the likes of Schofield’s Bar – the 25,000 sq ft unit will span three whole floors, offering a next-generation social and entertainment experience in one of Manchester’s most stunning buildings.
A Grade II-listed, Art Deco structure, Sunlight House is undergoing a major £35 million refurbishment, with ‘grade A’ offices set to take up a significant chunk, but it’s soon set to house the latest PINS venue.
Sitting on Quay Street, just off the main Deansgate strip, the busy Peter St corner, and adjacent to Spinningfields, PINS Manchester is springing up right in the midst of arguably the city’s busiest stretches for nightlife.
Promising not only bowling, darts, and table games like pool, shuffleboard and beer pong, but karaoke, live music and all the biggest sporting events on the box, PINS Social Club really does aim to be a one-stop shop for all your needs on a night out.
For instance, their food offerings will run all the way from breakfast through to the late evening, and PINS Manchester is also set to feature a main stage on the ground floor for “electric half-time shows”, with the gaming mezzanine looming just above.
Not only is this going to be PINS’ biggest venue yet, but it’s well and truly on track to be one of the biggest hospitality openings coming in the next 12 months.
Headed up by MD Daniel Kelly, who has also been helping run the resurrected Almost Famous brand here in Manchester, the team knows all about this city. Speaking on the announcement, Kelly said: “Manchester is a city that thrives on energy, culture, and community – everything that PINS is about.
“This new venue will be our biggest yet, offering a bold and exciting social space that’s purpose-built for entertainment, competition, and ultimately, having a great time. We can’t wait to bring our concept to Manchester’s incredible social scene. Keep an eye out for more details coming soon.”
Julien Buronfosse, Managing Director at Karrev (the estate company who have leased the building to the business) added: “The PINS offering is diverse, dynamic and will provide tenants and the local community with an unparalleled leisure experience.
“We wanted to work with an operator that understood our vision of breathing new life into a historic building, contributing to the new era that Sunlight House is entering. The building has ambitions to be much more than Grade A office space, with a specific emphasis on community building. The addition of PINS to Sunlight House will contribute greatly to that.”
Consider us here at The Manc GroupVERY excited for this one.
As you can see, they’ve got plenty of room to work with. (Credit: Calmafftaylor via Wikimedia Commons)
Georgina Pellant -
23rd February 2023 
