A gorgeous little cake shop in Manchester city centre has announced its sad closure, five years after launching as a lockdown project to raise money for the NHS.
Loaf, the hot pink cafe on Oxford Road and just across the river in New Bailey in Salford, will shut its doors for good later this month.
Its founder Aiden Ryan has poured his heart out with a heartbreaking statement, describing Loaf’s closure as ‘incredibly tough’.
In his message to followers, which you can read in full below, Aiden detailed everything from rising costs, cashflow issues, and a personal mental breakdown.
“I’m not sharing this for sympathy,” he wrote. “I just think honesty matters.”
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In the five years Loaf has operated in Manchester, there have been plenty of highlights, from those days fundraising for the NHS, to opening its doors on Christmas day to those who struggle with loneliness.
And there’ve been commercial successes too, with these pretty miniature loaf cakes making their way onto the shelves in Selfridges.
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But now Aiden has said that Loaf will shut for good on 30 April, urging people to pop in for ‘one more mini loaf or just a goodbye hug’.
Loaf’s farewell statement in full
I’ve made the incredibly tough decision to close Loaf MCR.
Loaf began in 2020 as a small lockdown idea to raise money for the NHS—and somehow grew into a bold, pink cake business that lived in a shipping container, then cafés on Oxford St and New Bailey St, and even Selfridges! It was more than I ever dreamed of.
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But behind the scenes, it’s been a really hard year. We lost essential funding, faced delayed payments and invoices, battled rising costs, and unexpected hits – including a supplier taking thousands from our account without permission. It led to cashflow issues we couldn’t recover from.
There were delays in paying important bills—things I never imagined would happen (even tips and pension contributions for staff). It was a living nightmare and it weighed heavily on me. At the same time, I was facing big personal challenges, which led to a mental breakdown the middle of last year. I couldn’t function. And when your business needs you 24/7, everything starts falling fast.
A Twister-inspired special at LoafThe Willy Wonka loaf cakes at Loaf
I’m not sharing this for sympathy, I just think honesty matters. Running a business isn’t always big wins and instagram moments—it’s often stress, silence, and sacrifice.
Still, I’m proud. Of the joy we spread. Of the community we built. And of myself—for knowing when to stop and look after mine and my team’s health.
To my loafly team: you were the heart of this. Thank you for everything. To our suppliers, landlords, partners, and customers—thank you for believing in Loaf.
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Our final day is April 30th. If you want one more mini loaf or just a goodbye hug, we’d loaf to see you.
As for what’s next… who knows? For now, we rest. Thank you for being part of our story. I’ll carry it with me, always.
Free Glastonbury-themed festivals with pizza, tequila, and big screens to take place in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Glastonbury weekend is upon us, and to celebrate the UK’s biggest music festival in all its glory, Nell’s is hosting its own festivals instead.
Hundreds of thousands of people will be making the trek to the fields of Worthy Farm next weekend, as Glastonbury 2025 headliners Olivia Rodrigo, Neil Young, and The 1975 bring the tunes, alongside a list of other talented names too big to even begin starting to reel off – as is always the case with Glastonbury, there’s something for everyone.
But for those of us not lucky enough to have bagged tickets to what is undeniably the biggest event in the British music calendar, not to worry, as Nell’s is where it’s at here in Greater Manchester.
The beloved New York-style pizza specialists – which now has four sites across the region – is turning two of its most popular restaurants into festival hubs next weekend, bringing all the spirit of Glastonbury to Kampus and Altrincham.
Manchester‘s thriving canalside neighbourhood Kampus will become home to the aptly-named Kampus Fest, while over in the Trafford town of Altrincham, Alty Fest will be in full force.
Nell’s is hosting its own FREE Glastonbury-themed festivals at Kampus and in Altrincham / Credit: Supplied
At Kampus, the gardens will be transformed into a city centre festival site for a free three-day party featuring big screens live streaming the full Glastonbury festival throughout, plus a pop-up market, face painting and hair tinsel stations, an outdoor tequila and margarita bar, happy hours, and of course, lots and lots of Nell’s pizza.
Altrincham is bringing you much of the same – the same big screens, the same tasty pizza slices, and the same happy hours, only over two days instead of three.
Family fun is also at the heart of both Kampus Fest and Alty Fest, so you can expect lots of crafting workshops and bunting making, accessory customisation stations, as well as all-day colouring sessions by Born to be Wild Child and Søstrene Grene.
Kampus Fest will take over the gardens at Kampus from Friday 27 – Sunday 29 June, while Alty Fest will take place at Nell’s Altrincham on both Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June.
Both are FREE to attend, so get yourselves down there quick.
Featured Image – Supplied
Eats
Viral Manchester bakery The Flat Baker to open its very first cafe
Daisy Jackson
Hugely popular Manchester bakery The Flat Baker has announced plans to open its very first cafe.
The Brazilian-French bakery has become legendary in the city for its flaky croissants and pistachio-based treats.
For the last few years, it’s been operating out of a hatch in Ancoats, with queues often snaking down Radium Street from early in the morning on weekends.
And now The Flat Baker has announced an exciting next chapter in their journey in Manchester – their very first bakery and cafe.
The team will be taking over a unit on the same street, which will have space to house their baking operations as well as a sitting area to serve brunch and hot food.
They’ve announced that they’ll be retaining their much-loved hatch but expanding to a second site in the heart of Ancoats.
They hope this will drastically reduce any waiting and queue times and allow even more people to sample these incredible bakes.
In a statement shared on Instagram, they wrote: “We have been keeping a secret from you. This corner of Ancoats will never be the same, because it will be our new bakery, cafe and brunch!
“We have been dreaming of it for years – we almost closed a deal with another two locations in the past few years, but it didn’t work out.
“We were about to leave the plan of the new shop aside, we were very frustrated of how things were not working the way we planned it to…
“But everything happens for a reason! Who knew the building next door was just waiting for us…
“The two-storey building has just the right space for our baking operations, plus a sitting area and a space to serve brunch and hot food.
“Don’t worry, we won’t let our tiny hatch go, we will keep both locations. This will allow us a faster service, avoid the waiting times and long queues.
“For now we just want to share this great achievement. Growing a small business when you see many other places shutting is such a challenge. But if you never stop dreaming and work hard for it, the sky is the limit! We can’t wait for the next chapter to come. Matt and Deb x”
The Flat Baker Cafe is expected to open in Ancoats this summer.
Daisy Jackson -
8th April 2025 
