One of Manchester’s best-loved and most long-standing bars, Font, has announced it is closing its doors for good.
The beloved institution on New Wakefield Street is famed for its bargain cocktails, which start from £1, and has been a favourite for local students for decades.
But devastatingly, the bar – which has survived the 2008 recession as well as all the horrible trappings and challenges of the pandemic – is set to close for good today.
Font announced the news to its legions of fans last night, and there are many. Just about anyone who’s been a student in Manchester will have fond memories of this colourful little bar.
They wrote that the cost of living crisis has taken an ‘insurmountable toll’ on the business and thanked everyone who’s passed through the doors over its 22-year reign.
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The Font Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Their post on Instagram read: “Farewell Font Manchester. With sorrowful hearts we regret to announce The Font Manchester is closing for business. Our last day will be tmrw eve, Sat 7th Jan, 4pm – 1am.
“Unfortunately the impact of COVID, followed by the cost of living crisis has taken an insurmountable toll and while this is tough news for sure, we feel comforted by the memories of the last 22 years and the countless awesome times we’ve had here!
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“Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou to all our staff, customers and friends past & present, your support has meant the world.
“All bookings will be contacted in time. Plus if you have any remaining credit on your app you can still spend it at @thefontchorlton who will remain open.
“So friends, feel free to head over tmrw night, share your memories & raise a cocktail for dear Fonty.
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“From all of us at Team Font, we love & adore you xx.”
Speaking to The Manc late last year, Dan Rinaldi, general manager (who has worked at Font for 15 years) described what the bar scene in the city was like when it first opened in 2002.
The Font Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Font Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
He said: “The bar scene in Manchester was loads smaller. The Northern Quarter was maybe just Common, Trof had literally just opened, and maybe Odd? The Ancoats of now didn’t exist. The scene was so limited in some ways.”
Font found its niche in creative cocktails – dreamt up by the various bar staff who have worked here over the years – a fun atmosphere and its affordable prices.
Font Manchester’s final service will be today, Saturday 7 January.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
Huge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signs
Daisy Jackson
After months of swirling rumours, bakery group Gail’s has finally confirmed it’s moving to Prestwich – but locals have spotted a glaring error at the first hurdle.
The popular artisan bakery will be moving onto Bury New Road, right in the heart of the suburb and directly opposite the new Rudy’s pizzeria.
Prestwich locals have been hearing whispers of a Gail’s arriving for a few months, and finally the London-founded cafe has stuck up signs to confirm it’s on the way.
But the sign contains one crucial mistake – it’s spelled Prestwich wrong.
The red window displays now read ‘Hello Preswich. We’ll be baking here soon’.
One local messaged Gail’s to point out the error and to say it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.
Gail’s has since confirmed it’s in the process of fixing the signs.
The arrival of both Gail’s and Rudy’s has already caused a stir in Prestwich, which has always been fiercely independent and has only a handful of chains within it (Greggs and Costa are perched by the tram stop).
In fact, one local business-owner shared a moving statement about his concerns for the future of local businesses just a few weeks ago.
Gail’s has confirmed it’s opening a bakery in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
First formed in the early 1990s as a wholesale-only operation, Gail’s opened its first cafe on Hampstead High Street in 2005.
Today the brand has more than 100 sites spread across London, Oxford, Brighton and further afield, and is known more as a customer-facing cafe and bakery.
It’s famed for its freshly-baked loaves, cinnamon buns, ham and cheese croissants and coffees, and is likely to go down a storm in Prestwich.
But the signs have been causing a bit of a stir in the wrong way this weekend – in a local Facebook group, one person commented: “Not locals who own it then.”
Another described it as an ‘epic fail’.
And one person said: “Oh the DRAMA of it all.”
Someone else joked: “I cannot wait for Gais to come to Preswich.”
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Daisy Jackson
It’s funny how we all turn a blind eye to the temperature outside when it comes to the Christmas Markets.
At a time of year where should probably all be hibernating inside, droves of us instead head out to brave the elements all in the name of the festivities.
Of course, the Manchester Christmas Markets sell all sorts of wares to take the edge off, and we’re not just talking about the stalls selling woollen mittens everywhere.
Our favourite winter warmers tend to take the form of a tray of piping hot garlic potatoes, or a mug of hot chocolate, or another boozy beverage that’s massively underrated.
The drink in question is a Hot Blob, which is listed on the menu at the Piccadilly Gardens markets as ‘legendary’.
A bold claim, but a lot of long-time Manc residents will understand why.
The Hot Blob is a jaw-clenchingly sweet concoction served piping hot at the Manchester Christmas Market, similar to a hot toddy.
It’s made with Australian fortified white wine, lemon, sugar, and boiling water.
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it? Credit: The Manc Group
The drink was first invented by Yates, that well-known pub chain, which started life as Yates’s Wine Lodge up the road in Oldham.
According to Pubs of Manchester, the Hot Blob has a tendency to ‘speed up drunkenness to a young drinker’.
These days, it’s pretty rare to come across one on a menu, but back in 1990s it was a staple in a few pubs around town.
There even used to be a ‘Blob Shop’ on High Street, run by local legend Ged Ford (now in charge of the equally legendary Millstone pub), which found itself in a state of utter carnage when the IRA bomb went off.
The long-lost institution specialised in ‘cheap wine, cheap beer, and plenty of blobs’.
The old Yates Blob Shop on High Street, Manchester. Credit: deltrems@flickr
Ged sold 6,000 a week.
And while the drink may have fallen out of favour since then, there are still healthy numbers being sold at this time of year, even if they are a damn sight more expensive than they were in the 1990s (£6 a pop, plus a glass deposit).
Anyway. If you’re sick to the back teeth of the endless gluhwein being peddled across the markets, make a beeline for Manchester Winter Ale House at Piccadilly Gardens, where you can find Hot Blobs as well as boozy Vimto and cask ales.
The Manchester Christmas Markets officially end on 22 December.
Daisy Jackson -
7th January 2023 
