A massively-popular travelling street food festival is returning to Wythenshawe next week with a packed lineup of traders.
Award-winning street food champions GRUB is once again teaming up with Manchester City Council to bring its monthly food and drink festival, GRUB Carnival – The Travelling Food Festival, back to Wythenshawe next week – with the first event kicking off on Saturday 22 April.
The monthly event is set to bring together the very best of GRUB’s top street food traders, alongside a series of pop-up brewery bars and take-home produce stalls.
The first GRUB Carnival of 2023 will be pitching-up in its new location in the centre of Wythenshawe Civic Centre.
The huge retail unit will be transformed into a space for indoor seating, bars, and activities.
Next weekend’s opening lineup of street food trader includes the likes of Burger Bros smashed burgers, Dough So Good on pizza duty, Feast Of The East with a wide range of Mediterranean treats, and House Of Wingz serving up wings.
Crepe Castle, Cake Box and Hyacinth Ice Cream will also be in charge of catering for the crowd with a sweet tooth, while Sparrows Garden Market and Cheshire Pie Co are leading the lineup of local independent food and drink producers at the a mini take-home produce market.
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Manchester artisan rum producers, Witch Kings, are in charge of the bar, and will be supplying cocktails, craft beers, and soft drinks to be enjoyed in the sun.
Neighbourhood Coop, Bakehouse 32, Jeyda’s Turkish Kitchen, Mangiama Streetfod, Gwafu Vegan, and Big Mama’s Twisted Street Food will then be joining the event later in the year.
GRUB’s massive travelling street food festival is returning to Wythenshawe next week / Credit: GRUB
Aside from all the food and drink, on top of all that, Woodhouse Park Family Centre and Happy Somedays Football will also be joining the Carnival for the first date next weekend to provide some fun activities for the little ones.
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GRUB says its monthly ‘Carnival’ will not only be a “fantastic, inclusive, family-friendly event” that’s designed to “bring people together”, but there’s also big ambitions to “become a focal point for the community” by providing new jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities, alongside space for local creatives to share their work and talents all throughout the summer.
Speaking ahead of next weekend’s first event, Jason Bailey – Director of GRUB – said: “We had a smashing time trialling the carnival last year, and so many Wythenshawe folk were happy to see us, so it is fantastic we have the chance to come back all summer long.
“Fingers crossed we can carry on building Carnival in to something that makes a difference”.
Legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse to reopen
Daisy Jackson
The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme – the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.
But now it appears that the spirit of the venue will live on, under the new name of The Abbey.
Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.
The pub, which closed early last year, is currently being carefully restored ahead of its big relaunch just next week.
The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.
There’ll also be affordable, hearty pub grub including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.
The team bringing The Abbey to life are Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth – Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manchester venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year; and Gareth is the founder of multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest.
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.
The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.
Its restoration and relaunch is part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.
Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.
“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.
Glimpses of The Abbey’s refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.
“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”
Ruth Hemmingfield from The Abbey commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area. Honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”
Saddleworth’s new sandwich bar and kitchen with Michelin credentials
Daisy Jackson
It’s not every day you come across a sandwich with *20* different elements inside – but that’s what’s on the table at Fjord, Saddleworth’s newest opening.
This new sandwich bar and kitchen is tucked above barbershop and hair salon Ruger, and is the first solo venture for chef Kieran O’Reilly.
Kieran’s trained in Michelin kitchens across the North West, including Mana and The Forest Side, and wants to apply that level of meticulous prep to the humble butty.
That means sandwich fillings of impressive complexity, like a shallot confit cooked for nine hours, homemade tomato vine oil, a moreish bacon jam, stracciatella laced with confit garlic and lemon zest, and in-house miso.
And Kieran thinks he and his right-hand man Charlie might have actually invented a new bread for Fjord sandwiches – a puffball, pan-fried focaccia that’s thinner, lighter, and more manageable than its big sister.
Fjord wants to bring Scandinavian simplicity with Italian flavours to Lees, taking over the former Kobe space on Yorkshire Street.
Fjord is making homemade puffball focaccia for its sandwichesMichelin-trained chef Kieran O’Reilly
There’ll be refined brunches in the mornings with Ruger’s own coffee blend, before the offering pivots to Sandi-Italian focaccia sandwiches in the day.
And there’s a beautiful terrace aiming to bring a dose of Sorrento to Saddleworth, designed for long lunches, limoncello spritzes, and sunshine.
In the evenings, Ruger Fjord will shift into a spritz bar and small plates restaurant.
Kieran has credited his long-time friend and mentor Alan Beak for helping to bring the project to life, saying: “Alan has backed me for over a decade – from cutting my hair after school to supporting this opening. Ruger Fjord wouldn’t exist without him.”
Emily Sergeant -
12th April 2023 
