With office parties sadly off the menu this year, an independent wine specialist in Manchester has launched a host of innovative ways to celebrate Christmas a little differently.
Salut – an independent wine specialist in the heart of the city centre offering the most diverse and impressive hand-picked range of wines from around the globe – has launched a Party in a Box, which allows companies the chance to enjoy wine, cheese and games, all while supporting independent business and a local charity initiative at the same time.
It means that whatever the workplace situation, colleagues can still get together to celebrate and share in excellent wine this Christmas.
After a phone consultation with the party organiser/employee, Salut will then build a bespoke box (or boxes) dependent on the requirements of the business, so for companies who want to celebrate in the office with their workplace bubble, the perfect wine experience can be delivered direct to the office door – plus optional matched cheeses from the Crafty Cheese Man too – for a hassle-free, COVID-safe Christmas office celebration that still keeps things feeling special.
Salut can even provide the glassware to avoid the dreaded ‘wine from your favourite office mug’ situation too.
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If it’s a ‘virtual’ get together however, Salut will help despatch wine to multiple destinations and then host a wine tasting via Zoom for teams to enjoy in their own homes.
Salut WinesSalut Wines
Whilst traditional office party games may be a no-go for a COVID-safe Christmas, Salut has decided to join forces with Forever Manchester – a charity that raises money to fund and support community activity right across the region – to bring some light-hearted office competition to the workplace celebrations.
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The Big Forever Manchester Quiz of the Year is an online charity quiz that can be played anywhere – hosted by well-known Manchester personalities including Julie Hesmondhalgh and Justin Moorhouse – and Salut has made a donation to Forever Manchester to license the quiz (usually £100 to play) as part of its Party in a Box to be able to include it free to the first 50 to purchase a box.
Not only that, but this is a box that donates to the charity on your behalf too.
Wine gifts for employees are also a Salut-speciality, with passionate and knowledgeable staff on hand to help businesses pick the perfect gift to suit the budget and package, and despatch for a hassle-free way to ensure teams feel valued after a tough year.
And if a more foodie celebration is in order, Salut has also teamed up with Open Kitchen – Manchester’s leading sustainable catering company – to create fabulous food and wine-matched packages that can be delivered straight to the workplace, with Open Kitchen’s passionate chefs having created beautiful and unique menus to compliment Salut’s Christmas wine boxes.
All profits from Open Kitchen also go towards providing food and supplying meals for people in crisis across Greater Manchester too, which really makes Salut’s Party in a Box the ultimate independent and thoughtful corporate Christmas solution.
You can view potential packages and find out more information via the Salut website here.
Eats
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.
Burger King is giving away free burgers to new drivers today
Emily Sergeant
Burger King will be giving away burgers to drivers who have recently passed their tests for free of charge today.
In case it wasn’t on your radar, tomorrow (Thursday 24 July) is actually National Drive-Thru Day, and in a bid to properly celebrate this unofficial holiday, Burger King has decided to hand out a bunch of freebies to newbies today.
The fast food chain is asking all new drivers to “buckle up”, head on down to their nearest Burger King drive-thru, and help themselves to a free burger.
All newly-qualified drivers will be able to take their pick from either the Whopper or Chicken Royale without parting ways with a penny, and all they’ll need to do the claim their freebie is simply show off their learner’s ‘L Plates’ to the staff at their local Burger King restaurant.
/ Credit: Burger King UK (via Instagram) | Supplied
Hundreds of Burger King drive-thrus across the UK are taking part in the one-day promotion – including several across in Greater Manchester.
Although it might seem a little too good to be true, there’s a reason Burger King has chosen to dish out the freebies, and that’s because the company says it knows that one of the first activities newly-qualified drivers like do once they’ve passed their test is make a pit stop at a drive-thru with their mates to show off their new wheels and skills.
Sometimes though, navigating a drive-thru for the first time can be tricky, and this leaves new drivers feeling a bit like a rabbit in the headlights.
Luckily with this one-day Burger King offer, new drivers’ first drive-thru trip couldn’t be any easier.
The offer is available nationwide today (Wednesday 24 July) at Burger King drive-thru lanes only, while stock lasts, and newly qualified drivers must verbally mention “BK Plates” at the drive-thru lane to unlock their free burger.