The owner of viral sweet treat brand, Get Baked, has given a potential lifeline to local hospitality staff in Manchester following the sudden news of Almost Famous’ nationwide closure.
Confirmation that the Northern foodie favourites and dirty burger pioneers would be shutting down all of their sites across the country hit the likes of Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool like a freight train on a truly sad Monday mourning.
Although countless customers expressed their condolences online and bid farewell to the more than decade-old institution, the question of what is/will happen to their numerous staff was quickly put to the forefront.
With Almost Famous employees informing The Manc that they had been given no notice of the immediate closure and some still being owed wages, many have sadly found themselves in a crisis. Step up, Leeds-born baker and businessman, Rich Myers.
Yes, Yorkshire’s very own ‘Mr Sprinkles’ – who is slowly building a small but solid and superbly sweet dessert empire in the North – dropped a comment underneath our announcement post and kindly slid into our DMs to help get the word to those who need it most.
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With Get Baked’s first-ever Manchester store set to open this year, Myers and his team are on the lookout for staff to make sure it hits the ground running.
That being said, upon learning of AF’s gutting closure, Myers messaged: “Hi everyone. We are opening a new site in NQ on February 28th, and want to do what we can to help any ex-AF staff get into new employment.
Although Get Baked is now planning to move to a different location in Manchester city centre, the opening date is still edging ever closer and we literally cannot wait.
The brand’s original home in Headingley has become internet-famous for its viral take on the legendary ‘Matilda cake’.
It’s unclear as to whether Get Baked have vacancies beyond Manchester but it’s still well worth expressing your interest if you don’t mind a job switch that revolves around sweet instead of savoury.
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As for those who have unfortunately been let go by the long-standing burger joint, we sincerely hope that as many of them are snapped up by other local hospitality businesses as possible – and fast.
Almost Famous has been hit with a fair amount of criticism following the mass shutdown; reflecting on this and a raft of recent closures, one person wrote: “I feel sorry for the hospitality industry as a whole and Manchester. But not for AF if they treat their staff with such contempt!
A former employee added: “As a staff member who hasn’t received any direct communication from the business about the immediate redundancy of my contract and no payment of owed wages – the ‘top priority’ comment doesn’t exactly ring true.”
Featured Images — Get Baked (via Instagram)/The Manc Group
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Viral TikTok eatery Spudbros announce FIRST EVER Manchester site
Thomas Melia
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Spudbros have announced plans for new sites and they’re bringing their TikTok famous jacket potatoes to Manchester for the first time ever.
The streets of Manchester are about to get a whole lot carbier as the much-acclaimed and well-loved Spudbros have just announced they’re planning to open a site right here in our town centre.
Already admired by thousands every day who queue up in Preston town centre, now the capital of the North is set to be the next venture for a Spudbros’ hot potato truck.
It’s more than guaranteed that this branch in our bustling city centre is destined to be a smash as street food is practically our middle name.
There’s also some big expectations to fill as online, you can see masses of people waiting in line to get a taste of carby goodness. If you can get us weather-complaining Northerners standing outside, you must be good.
In an Instagram post uploaded to their official Instagram account Jacob Nelson, who is one half of the viral potato loving Spudbros, revealed: “This is the first time that you guys are going to hear it but the Spudbros are franchising out”.
He explained: “We have got a few stores opening up around the UK, Manchester is one of them in the North West area.”
This exciting news of their thrilling potato truck launch came after some sad news for food lovers and industry workers alike as a popular burger chain shut all its sites.
Nelson also addressed, saying: “We just want to reach out to Almost Famous and anyone who works around Almost Famous and say there is an opportunity to come work for the Spudbros.”
Although they may be prioritising employees who worked for Almost Famous,he reminds potential workers that ‘the opportunity is there for anyone who wants to come and work with us’.
Spudbros are loved by millions online with more than three million followers and this isn’t their first rodeo branching outside of their home comforts in Preston.
Jacob and Harley Nelson, the masterminds and real life brothers behind Spudbros, also have a location in Soho, London, under the name ‘Spudbros Express’, which launched last month in December.
There is no timeframe for their Manchester potato truck however this location is probably set to open sometime this year, it’s almost like you can get a whiff of their gorgeous cheese and bean jackets already.
Seven Brothers quietly closes Middlewood Locks venue
Danny Jones
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Manchester beer masters Seven Brothers have quietly announced that their Middlewood Locks venue has closed its doors.
The local brewery has built an impressive empire across Greater Manchester over the past decade, with two other Northern sites in Liverpool and Halifax to boot, not to mention a well-established online store as well as being stocked in supermarkets up and down the country.
However, one of their smaller sites over in Salford – where the brand was born back in 2014 – has sadly had to call it a day after more than five years.
Residents at the Middlewood Locks apartment complex, which served as its primary customer base, first noticed that the venue was closed last Wednesday (22 January) and now Seven Brothers have confirmed as much in a brief statement on their website.
Although no news has been shared on social media, a quick search for the Middlewood bar on their Locations page reveals a short update.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have had to take the decision to close our Middlewood Locks beerhouse. Apologies for any inconvenience”, the statement reads.
Commenting under their most recent Instagram post, one punter wrote, “Just walked by there’s a van and staff taking furniture apart inside”, while another added: “Really gutted about this! Nice staff, decent food and nice vibe.”
Offering no explanation as yet as to the reason behind the closure, we can only assume the business is facing many of the same pressures other UK independents are, especially in the hospitality sector.
We’d love to just all of these closures on something in the air and hope it goes away soon before claiming any more hospitality casualties, but the reality is that news like this is simply the result of the ongoing economic pressures facing everyone.
Not only is the cost of living crisis hitting everyone at home and preventing them from being able to go out and enjoy a night at the pub like so many regulars did at Seven Brothers, but with business rates and energy bills continue to climb for local companies like this, it’s becoming harder and harder to stay afloat.
We’re truly gutted for everyone on the receiving end of these unfortunate circumstances and pray that everyone gets back on their feet as soon as possible.
We got some real gems in 2024 and we’d rather not see that list get longer this year.
Danny Jones -
27th January 2025 
