Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) has liquidated after twenty-five years of hosting popular foodie events and awards in the city.
Organisers have revealed they will be taking a year off from running the event after it was confirmed this week that the festival – which has been hosted in Manchester every year since 1998, bar the pandemic – would not take place in 2023.
Directors said that the business has been “impacted by the pandemic, sponsors retreating and cashflow issues” which left them “no other choice” but to liquidate the company.
However, the annual Manchester Food and Drink Awards, which highlight the city’s best bars, restaurants, street food pop-ups, bakers and breweries, are still expected to take place this year.
A statement from the company said: “After 25 years we are pausing the festival this year and we’re taking the opportunity to restructure the trading operations and regroup.
“It has been a tough couple of years for everyone but we are now focusing on plans for the future.”
Festival Director Alexa Stratton-Powell said the team wanted to ‘wanted to take a breather and regroup ahead of bringing the Festival back in 2024.’
“The Awards will continue to celebrate our wonderful hospitality industry, and will be taking place in September as usual. We look forward to seeing everyone next year”, she reassured fans of the festival.
Over the years, MFDF has brought some incredible cheffing talent to the city as well as highlighting brilliant local eateries and producers.
Last year’s winners included Stockport’s Where The Light Gets In (Restaurant of the Year), Speak In Code (Bar of the Year), Eddie Sheperd at The Walled Gardens (Chef of the Year), Salford’s The Kings Arms (Pub of the Year) and Chorlton Cheesemongers (Food and Drink Retailer of the Year).
Other venues celebrated at the 2022 awards ceremony included Dormouse Chocolates (Independent Food Producer of the Year), Pollen (Coffee Shop of the Year), Bar San Juan (Neighbourhood Venue of the Year) and Salt & Pepper (Affordable Eats Venue of the Year).
Manchester Food and Drink Festival Limited was formed in 1998 by Phil Jones and Christopher Tomlinson and stands out as one of Manchester’s first urban foodie events.
Over the years, it has become a celebrated part of Manchester’s events calendar drawing in thousands of people from across the north west and further afield.
Featured image – MFDF
Eats
Nostalgic ready-to-drink Breezer makes UK return after a decade
Daisy Jackson
An iconic ready-to-drink favourite has launched back into the UK – oh yes, Breezer is back.
First launched in the 1990s, Breezers – then pitched as an ‘alcopop’ – were a staple on dancefloors and at barbecues right across the UK.
And now Bacardi has decided to bring these delicious, fruity, easy-drinking bottles back to British shores.
There are three new flavours to try as Breezers return to your fridges – Zesty Orange, Zingy Lime, and Crisp Watermelon.
And Breezer launched back into Manchester last night with a suitably memorable party, turning a spot in the Northern Quarter into a corner shop.
The ‘local Cornerbop’ was stacked with your usual essentials, plus shelf after shelf of these colourful glass ready-to-drink bottles.
Inside the Breezer ‘Cornerbop’ corner shop in ManchesterBreezer is back, in three new flavours
The Breezer relaunch party saw Tarsza and Rennie Peters spinning nostalgic anthems with a modern twist at a pop-up party in a corner shop.
Steve Young, business unit director for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland, said: “We know there is a lot of love for Breezer in the UK, and we are confident a new generation of consumers will fall in love with the new Breezer.
“RTDs are booming, however, the Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages category could do with a bit more excitement. By bringing back Breezer we’re definitely putting the fruity taste into FAB.”
The iconic ready-to-drink classic is back – and better than ever.
Drinks prices for Manchester Oasis gigs announced – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised
Daisy Jackson
The prices of drinks at Heaton Park for the five huge Manchester Oasis shows have been released in advance.
With the Gallagher brothers reuniting on stage in their hometown for the first time this weekend (and then again next week), it’s a huge moment for our city.
Those lucky enough to snag tickets have already forked out a small fortune to witness this moment in history (still scarred from the dynamic pricing debacle).
And most of us were probably bracing to spend another small fortune on beers at the Oasis Manchester gigs.
But you might be pleasantly surprised at the drinks prices up at Heaton Park for Oasis Live ’25.
It’s now been confirmed that pints of lager and cider will be just £6.50.
Before you turn your nose up, remember that pints at our two arenas – the AO Arena and Co-op Live are now sitting around the £9 mark.
Prices for other drinks, like wine and spirits, we’ll have to wait until Friday to see.
Heaton Park will also be the home of the ‘largest beer garden’ and the longest bars in the city for the Oasis reunion.
With a major heatwave predicted for the first shows, fans are being encouraged to stay hydrated (on WATER, not beer, please).
Ticket-holders will be allowed to bring a sealed bottle of water up to 500ml in with you, but it must be collapsible plastic.
Solid plastic and metal containers will be rejected on safety grounds.
There’s a free water point on site where you can fill up your bottles again.
Oasis will perform at Heaton Park in Manchester on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.
Georgina Pellant -
27th May 2023 
